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1715855

	registered interest
	date	03/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Confucius Institutes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 27 April 2023 to Question 182232 on Confucius Institutes, if she will make an estimate of the cost to the Chinese authorities of maintaining the Confucius Institutes in the UK in 2023/24.
	tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
	tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
	uin	24741
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>The department does not hold this information.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 09/05/2024 15:55:10 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1715615

	registered interest
	date	02/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Care Homes: Lancashire
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the reasons for trends in the number of new children’s residential homes that have been established in Lancashire.
	tabling member constituency	Fylde
	tabling member printed	Mark Menzies
	uin	24651
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>It is the decision of children’s homes providers to decide on the location and type of building that they wish to use to accommodate children in care. As part of Ofsted’s registration process, children’s homes providers are required to undertake a location assessment, which must show the steps that have been taken to ensure the location is safe and promotes positive opportunities for children. The department recognises the need to ensure there are the right children’s homes in the right places.</p><p> </p><p>As announced in the Spring Budget 2023, the department is continuing to invest in the children’s homes market to provide high quality, safe homes for some of the most vulnerable children and young people in all nine regions of England.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to taking forward the recommendations made by the Care Review and the Competition and Markets Authority, the department is also developing proposals on what more can be done to combat profiteering, bring down costs and create a more sustainable market for residential placements.</p><p> </p><p>The department is developing options regarding the planning of children’s homes and thanks Fylde Council colleagues for their continued engagement in this process.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 09/05/2024 16:44:20 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	3998 label Biography information for Mark Menzies

1715155

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Allergies: Primary Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of resources for teaching children about allergies in primary schools.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	24462
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>Health education has been compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools in England from September 2020, alongside relationships education for all primary pupils and relationships and sex education (RSE) for all secondary pupils. The statutory guidance sets out that pupils will be taught about the importance of good physical health and mental wellbeing to ensure they have the information that they need in order to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing. The statutory guidance for the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum is here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education</a>.</p><p>The RSHE statutory guidance states that by the end of primary school pupils should know the facts and science relating to allergies, immunisation and vaccination. There is also content relating to teaching about allergies in the RSHE teacher training module on health and prevention, which is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-training-health-and-prevention" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-training-health-and-prevention.</a></p><p>Schools are responsible for what they teach and for any resources they use. The department does not direct schools on which resources, external speakers or organisations to use, and it does not endorse or promote resources to schools other than those produced by other government departments. The RSHE guidance is clear that all materials used should be age appropriate and factual.</p><p>The department is currently reviewing the RSHE statutory guidance. The review has been informed by an independent expert panel to advise the Secretary of State for Education on the introduction of age limits for sensitive subjects.</p><p>In March 2023, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, also wrote to schools to remind them that copyright law does not prevent them sharing external resources with parents. In October 2023, she wrote again to clarify that any contractual clause that prevents schools from sharing materials is void and unenforceable, and to provide practical advice on how to share materials with parents in a way that is in line with copyright legislation. The department will ensure that the updated guidance fully reflects this very clear position. The Secretary of State’s letter can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/secretary-of-state-letter-to-schools-about-sharing-curriculum-resources-with-parents" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/secretary-of-state-letter-to-schools-about-sharing-curriculum-resources-with-parents</a>.</p><p>A draft of the amended guidance will be published for consultation as soon as possible.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 09/05/2024 15:08:08 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1715166

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Religion: Secondary Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of studying religious education at key stage (a) 4 and (b) 5 on the educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	24473
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>It is mandatory for state-funded schools to teach religious education to all pupils to age 18, subject to parents having a right to withdraw their children from all or part of the subject. However, it is not mandatory for schools to teach the religious studies GCSE or A level. The department has not assessed the impact of studying religious education at Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 on the overall educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 09/05/2024 15:12:24 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1715172

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Autism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support young people with autism spectrum conditions who have education otherwise than at school plans.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol North West
	tabling member printed	Darren Jones
	uin	24512
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2024 answer text <p>Local authorities provide support to certain children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) through Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans. A local authority may choose, where statutory criteria are met, to make an ‘Education Otherwise than in School’ arrangement, whereby the child or young person with the EHC plan receives special educational support outside of a school or college.</p><p> </p><p>The department are taking steps to improve the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. There are measures in place for the department to support and challenge local authorities to improve their practice. Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission commenced a strengthened local inspection framework in January 2023. Where local authorities are failing, the department works with them, using a range of improvement programmes and SEND specialist advisers to address weaknesses. Inspections under this new framework will place greater emphasis on the outcomes that are being achieved for children and young people with SEND, including those who are autistic.</p><p> </p><p>More generally, as part of the department’s support for autistic young people, the department worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care to develop a refreshed cross-government Autism Strategy. This was published in July 2021 and includes children and young people. The strategy recognised the progress that has been made, as well as the challenges and priorities for reducing inequalities, and enabling autistic people of all ages to have the same opportunities as everyone else to lead healthy, happy and fulfilling lives. The national strategy sets out the department’s vision to make life fundamentally better for autistic people, their families and carers by 2026.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 10/05/2024 16:42:07 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4621 label Biography information for Darren Jones

1715298

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that changes to parent fines for missing school do not unintentionally impact children who are absent from school due to prolonged illness.
	tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
	tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
	uin	24478
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2024 answer text <p>Legislation and the government’s ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance state that a penalty notice can only be issued when the absence constitutes an offence under section 444 of the Education Act 1997. Where a pupil cannot attend due to illness, this is not an offence and so legal enforcement action cannot be taken. This position will not change when the new rules for penalty notices come into force on 19 August 2024. The full guidance can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65f1b048133c22b8eecd38f7/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance__applies_from_19_August_2024_.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65f1b048133c22b8eecd38f7/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance__applies_from_19_August_2024_.pdf</a>.</p><p>More generally, the department expects schools and local authorities to take a ‘support first’ approach to improving attendance, only using penalty notices for absence that is classed as unauthorised and when support has already been provided and not worked or been engaged with, or in the case of holidays taken in term-time, is not appropriate. The vast majority of penalty notices for unauthorised absence (89% in the 2022/2023 academic year) are issued for term time holidays.</p><p>Whatever the cause of absence from school, school staff should work with families and pupils to understand the barriers to attendance and provide support where possible. This might include providing pastoral support or making reasonable adjustments where a pupil has a disability. In the case of prolonged illness, as soon as it is clear that a child will be away from school for 15 school days or more because of their health needs, the local authority should arrange suitable alternative provision. It is important that all pupils’ right to a full-time education is protected, whilst acknowledging that some pupils require more support than others.</p><p>The department is providing a series of training events and webinars throughout the summer term for schools and local authorities to ensure that the new rules regarding penalty notices are understood and implemented in line with the ‘support first’ approach.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 07/05/2024 15:57:14 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

1715346

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Apprentices and T-levels
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many businesses can be involved in the provision of (a) a T Level industry placement and (b) flexi-job apprenticeships.
	tabling member constituency	Feltham and Heston
	tabling member printed	Seema Malhotra
	uin	24481
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/05/2024 answer text <p>T Levels offer students a mixture of classroom learning and ‘on-the-job’ experience during an industry placement of at least 315 hours (approximately 45 days). Industry placements can be split across a maximum of two employers to help deliver a breadth of experience for the student, as well as creating opportunities within small to medium enterprises, in sectors such as creative, digital and construction, where short project-based work is common. Alternatively, a placement can be carried out across an employer’s supply chain or network, up to a maximum of two partners/sub-contractors, to enable students to experience an end-to-end process.</p><p>Over 16,000 students started a T Level course from September 2023, which is almost as many students as in the first three cohorts combined, and the department will be introducing new T Levels in September 2024. As the department scale up T Levels, we are keen to increase the numbers of employers offering industry placements. The department has recently published the T Level Action Plan, which sets out further measures the department is taking over the year ahead to support providers and employers to grow their T Level programmes and support even more young people across the country. This includes new resources from the Strategic Development Network to support easier engagement between providers and employers. The T Level action plan can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6627c087d29479e036a7e68e/T_Level_Action_Plan_2023_to_2024.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6627c087d29479e036a7e68e/T_Level_Action_Plan_2023_to_2024.pdf</a>.</p><p>Flexi Job Apprenticeship Agencies (FJAAs) were introduced in 2022 to support sectors with short-term, project-based work to access apprenticeships. They allow apprentices to work with different host employers, and on a range of projects, to gain the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in their chosen field.</p><p>An organisation must be on the Register of FJAAs to operate as a Flexi-Job Apprenticeship Agency. Any business can contact an agency to become a host employer. The department does not place a limit on how many host employers an agency can work with, it is for the agency to decide what is best for their delivery model.</p><p>FJAAs will arrange placements with one or more host employer to cover the duration of the apprenticeship. Placements must offer apprentices the chance and time to obtain and embed the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for their apprenticeship standard. There were 640 FJAA apprenticeship starts in the 2022/23 academic year and 570 starts have been reported from August to January in the 2023/24 academic year. More details on Flexi Job Apprenticeships can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flexi-job-apprenticeships" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flexi-job-apprenticeships</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 07/05/2024 16:05:02 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4253 label Biography information for Seema Malhotra

1715442

	registered interest
	date	01/05/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Artificial Intelligence: Languages
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the impact of emerging artificial intelligence capacities on the necessity for foreign language learning.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL4303
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>Studying a language can be extremely rewarding and exciting for children and young people. It can provide insight into other cultures and open the door to travel and employment opportunities. Whilst Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be useful in enhancing the experience of learning a language, and this should be explored further, it should not be seen as a replacement.</p><p> </p><p>The department wants to capitalise on the opportunities technology like AI presents for education, as well as addressing its risks and challenges. Responses to the call for evidence on generative AI in education highlighted the potential for this technology in generating language exercises and conversational prompts, for example. Language learning was one of the use cases tested as part of the department's Generative AI Hackathon project. The report of this project is due to be published shortly. The most important thing for a high-quality education is having a human expert teacher in the classroom. The emergence of this technology does not change that.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 09/05/2024 15:58:56 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1714842

	registered interest
	date	30/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Education: Standards
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the requirement for Academy schools to provide parents with an annual report of their child's progress.
	tabling member constituency	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
	tabling member printed	Martyn Day
	uin	24264
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2024 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>The department has not made any recent assessment of this requirement. The requirements on academies in relation to reporting on pupils’ progress to parents are set out in paragraph 24 of Schedule 1 to The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010. These regulations can be accessed here: <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/1997/contents/made" target="_blank">https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/1997/contents/made</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 08/05/2024 14:52:16 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4488 label Biography information for Martyn Day

1714893

	registered interest
	date	30/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with the Department for Education in Northern Ireland on special educational needs training for teachers.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	24239
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2024 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter and therefore England and Northern Ireland have different systems for supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The department engages with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland on a range of areas, including wider teacher continued professional development, sharing information about developments and good practice.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 09/05/2024 15:52:37 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon