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1472470

	registered interest
	date	22/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Teachers: Recruitment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current routes into the teaching profession.
	tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
	tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
	uin	23222
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2022 answer text <p>Following the department’s commitment to review the initial teacher training (ITT) market in the 2019 Teacher Recruitment and Retention strategy, we welcomed the expert advisory group’s recommendations to define all ITT that leads to qualified teacher status within three core routes of undergraduate, postgraduate fee-funded, and postgraduate employment-based.</p><p>By 2024, a reformed ITT provider market will be delivering quality-assured training that places a greater emphasis than ever before on embedding structured practice into courses, ensuring trainees are ready to thrive in the classroom in their early careers. The department is also working with stakeholders as part of the scheduled review of the employment-based postgraduate teacher apprenticeship route.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 28/06/2022 11:23:04 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

1472601

	registered interest
	date	22/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Education: Publishing
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of proposals relating to the curriculum Arms-Length Body in the Schools Bill on educational publishers across the country; and if he will take steps to ensure that educational publishers are able to compete on equitable terms.
	tabling member constituency	Northampton South
	tabling member printed	Andrew Lewer
	uin	23395
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2022 answer text <p>As announced in the Schools White Paper, the department will establish a new arm’s length curriculum body, building on the success of Oak National Academy’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will work with thousands of teachers to co-design, create, and continually improve packages of optional, free, adaptable digital curriculum resources and video lessons. These optional resources will be available across the UK, helping teachers deliver a high-quality curriculum.</p><p> </p><p>Teachers in the UK benefit from a diverse commercial education resources market that offers a range of materials to support high-quality planning and teaching. The curriculum body will work with the market, leading a broad and inclusive national process that will involve commercial education resource suppliers as well as teachers, schools, school trusts, Subject Associations, National Centres of Excellence, and many others, as it develops and delivers its support offer for schools.</p><p> </p><p>Building on our existing understanding, the department is currently working with commercial organisations to gather further information that will help us to understand the potential effect on the market. It is important to us that areas of the market that offer high-quality, carefully sequenced resources that meet teachers’ needs can continue doing so. Opportunities for educational publishers and other partners to work with the curriculum body will be open to all across the sector.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 28/06/2022 11:30:38 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4659 label Biography information for Andrew Lewer

1471970

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Sign Language: Curriculum
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has had discussions with the Minister for Women and Equalities on the potential merits of including basic sign language in the social skills curriculum.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	22429
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2022 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p> </p><p>My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has not had discussions with my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Women and Equalities, on including basic sign language in a social skills curriculum.</p><p> </p><p>The government does not set out guidance on a social skills curriculum for schools in England and there are no plans to make British Sign Language (BSL) part of the statutory curriculum. The statutory curriculum, including the national curriculum, is just one element in the wide-ranging education of every child which makes up the broader school curriculum.</p><p> </p><p>Schools are free to offer BSL as part of their wider school curriculum, to meet the needs of their pupils if they wish.</p><p> </p><p>The department is working with Ofqual and subject experts to develop subject content for a British Sign Language GCSE. We aim to consult publicly on the draft subject content in autumn 2022.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 28/06/2022 11:08:08 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1472091

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pupils: Assessments
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) SATs and (b) statutory testing on pupil mental health and wellbeing; and if he will make it his policy to pause such testing to allow for a profession-led review of the potential impact of the current assessment system in primary schools on pupil wellbeing.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	22569
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>Schools should support a culture of wellbeing amongst staff and pupils. The department understands that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people, and that this will have an impact in the longer-term. Although schools should encourage all pupils to work hard and achieve well in primary assessments, the department does not recommend that they devote excessive time to preparation, and certainly not at the expense of pupils’ mental health and wellbeing.</p><p> </p><p>Assessments are a crucial part of a child’s schooling and are fundamental in a high-performing education system. Statutory assessments at primary school are an essential part in ensuring that all pupils master the basics of reading, writing, and maths to prepare them for secondary school. Assessment data also enables parents, schools, and the department to understand the impact of lost time in education and recovery initiatives.</p><p> </p><p>In 2017, the government carried out a consultation into primary assessment in England. The consultation received over 4,000 responses from a diverse range of backgrounds and specialisms, providing a broad and informed range of views that informed policy on the current primary assessment system. Additionally, the department engages with teachers, parents and their representatives on a regular basis to understand their views on primary assessment.</p><p> </p><p>The department has no current plans to undertake further major reform of assessments.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 27/06/2022 09:44:12 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1472099

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Academies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the (a) value and (b) potential merits of the operating freedoms available to academy schools.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	22409
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>Academy trust freedoms include the autonomy for academy trusts to make decisions on matters such as financial governance, the school year and day, curriculum, staffing, and pay. These enable academy trusts to collaborate, innovate, and run themselves efficiently to support teachers and schools where the challenge is greatest to deliver the best outcomes for their pupils.</p><p> </p><p>As set out in the Schools White Paper, the department knows the best multi-academy trusts transform outcomes for pupils, particularly the most disadvantaged, and deliver improvement in schools and areas where poor performance had become entrenched.</p><p> </p><p>There are no provisions in the Schools Bill that undermine academy freedoms. The Schools Bill makes provisions for the Academy Trust Standards, which will bring together existing requirements currently set out across funding agreements, legislation, and the Academy Trust Handbook into a single statutory framework. This will bring greater clarity, understanding and reassurance to the sector, and will ensure the same minimum standards apply consistently to all academies now and in the future.</p><p> </p><p>The department will consult with the sector on every iteration of the Academy Trust Standards regulations.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 22410 question first answered 27/06/2022 10:45:56 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1472100

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Academies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of provisions in the Schools Bill on the operating freedoms available to academy schools.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	22410
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>Academy trust freedoms include the autonomy for academy trusts to make decisions on matters such as financial governance, the school year and day, curriculum, staffing, and pay. These enable academy trusts to collaborate, innovate, and run themselves efficiently to support teachers and schools where the challenge is greatest to deliver the best outcomes for their pupils.</p><p> </p><p>As set out in the Schools White Paper, the department knows the best multi-academy trusts transform outcomes for pupils, particularly the most disadvantaged, and deliver improvement in schools and areas where poor performance had become entrenched.</p><p> </p><p>There are no provisions in the Schools Bill that undermine academy freedoms. The Schools Bill makes provisions for the Academy Trust Standards, which will bring together existing requirements currently set out across funding agreements, legislation, and the Academy Trust Handbook into a single statutory framework. This will bring greater clarity, understanding and reassurance to the sector, and will ensure the same minimum standards apply consistently to all academies now and in the future.</p><p> </p><p>The department will consult with the sector on every iteration of the Academy Trust Standards regulations.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 22409 question first answered 27/06/2022 10:45:56 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1472119

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Romanian Language: GCSE
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a GCSE qualification in the Romanian language.
	tabling member constituency	Luton North
	tabling member printed	Sarah Owen
	uin	22568
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>Deciding which languages are offered at GCSE is the responsibility of awarding organisations.</p><p>The government is committed to increasing the number of pupils studying languages to GCSE level and beyond, including languages that are commonly spoken in Britain. It is for this reason that teaching of languages is in the national curriculum from age 7 to 14, and why GCSEs in languages are included as part of the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects.</p><p>However, it is up to schools to decide which languages are taught as part of their curriculum, both at primary and secondary school, and the government does not specify which languages should be taught. When deciding which languages to offer, schools are likely to consider the needs of their local community.</p><p>Awarding organisations can offer a GCSE in any modern language, and this decision would be informed by matters such as the level of demand from schools, the proportion of the population in the UK speaking the language, and the availability of examiners. Thus, there is no reason in principle why a GCSE in Romanian could not be introduced, and the government would support any awarding organisation wishing to do so.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 27/06/2022 12:20:29 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4777 label Biography information for Sarah Owen

1472156

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Sexual Offences
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress his Department has made on implementing the recommendations made in Ofsted's review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges.
	tabling member constituency	Southport
	tabling member printed	Damien Moore
	uin	22512
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>The department accepted the findings of Ofsted’s review in full and immediately began working on delivering a multi-agency, cross-departmental response, tackling the issues identified.</p><p>Local statutory safeguarding partners should support schools to address harmful sexual behaviours and sexual abuse. The department’s immediate response involved asking all 135 safeguarding partners to review working arrangements with schools and colleges in their area. We ran several events with safeguarding partners, educational establishments and sector experts, ascertaining emerging practice and barriers to effective working. This information will be shared across all safeguarding partners.</p><p>The department has published strengthened statutory Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance in 2021, ensuring schools have clearer guidance on dealing with sexual abuse. We are further strengthening this guidance and a draft version was published in May and will take effect in September 2022. Additionally, the Child-on-Child Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment guidance have been revised.</p><p>The department has worked with the Home Office on development of the Harmful Sexual Behaviour Support Service, assisting professionals, such as teachers and designated safeguarding leads (DSLs), to tackle harmful sexual behaviours.</p><p>DSLs have a pivotal role in supporting and protecting children in school which is why we have provided more support to DSLs, enabling them to identify and address issues more confidently. We have extended our pilot of supervision and training for DSLs working alongside the Child Sexual Abuse Centre of Expertise and What Works Children’s Social Care. Later this year an online hub for DSLs will be launched, in conjunction with professionals and the sector, delivering further advice and guidance.</p><p>To address safeguarding issues online and on social media platforms, alongside the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, we asked the Children’s Commissioner to immediately explore how children’s access to pornography and harmful content can be reduced. We have worked with the Children’s Commissioner’s Office to develop and publish a Parent’s Guide: Talking to your child about online sexual harassment. Additionally, Ministers and the Children’s Commissioner have sought reassurance from technology companies that they will identify further information which they can share, and continue to make available resources to parents, teachers, and children.</p><p>To ensure children and young people are educated about these issues, the department is supporting teachers to implement the compulsory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum, including through producing non-statutory guidance to strengthen content and clarity on when relevant topics should be taught and asking schools to prioritise delivery of the full RSHE curriculum this academic year.</p><p>Where children and young people are affected by these issues, they continue to be supported by NSPCC’s Report Abuse in Education helpline (0800 136663). The helpline is open to anyone who has suffered sexual abuse or harassment in educational settings, and those concerned for someone else.</p><p>Work on safeguarding and child protection continues across government, including the Home Office’s Violence Against Women and Girls and Tackling Child Sexual Abuse strategies, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Online Safety Act, the National Crime Agency’s response to abuse and exploitation, and Cabinet Office’s Stop Abuse Together campaign.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 22514 question first answered 27/06/2022 12:16:06 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4669 label Biography information for Damien Moore

1472249

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Sexual Offences
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government has made progress on the implementation of the recommendations from Ofsted's Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges, published on 10 June 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Southport
	tabling member printed	Damien Moore
	uin	22514
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2022 answer text <p>The department accepted the findings of Ofsted’s review in full and immediately began working on delivering a multi-agency, cross-departmental response, tackling the issues identified.</p><p>Local statutory safeguarding partners should support schools to address harmful sexual behaviours and sexual abuse. The department’s immediate response involved asking all 135 safeguarding partners to review working arrangements with schools and colleges in their area. We ran several events with safeguarding partners, educational establishments and sector experts, ascertaining emerging practice and barriers to effective working. This information will be shared across all safeguarding partners.</p><p>The department has published strengthened statutory Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance in 2021, ensuring schools have clearer guidance on dealing with sexual abuse. We are further strengthening this guidance and a draft version was published in May and will take effect in September 2022. Additionally, the Child-on-Child Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment guidance have been revised.</p><p>The department has worked with the Home Office on development of the Harmful Sexual Behaviour Support Service, assisting professionals, such as teachers and designated safeguarding leads (DSLs), to tackle harmful sexual behaviours.</p><p>DSLs have a pivotal role in supporting and protecting children in school which is why we have provided more support to DSLs, enabling them to identify and address issues more confidently. We have extended our pilot of supervision and training for DSLs working alongside the Child Sexual Abuse Centre of Expertise and What Works Children’s Social Care. Later this year an online hub for DSLs will be launched, in conjunction with professionals and the sector, delivering further advice and guidance.</p><p>To address safeguarding issues online and on social media platforms, alongside the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, we asked the Children’s Commissioner to immediately explore how children’s access to pornography and harmful content can be reduced. We have worked with the Children’s Commissioner’s Office to develop and publish a Parent’s Guide: Talking to your child about online sexual harassment. Additionally, Ministers and the Children’s Commissioner have sought reassurance from technology companies that they will identify further information which they can share, and continue to make available resources to parents, teachers, and children.</p><p>To ensure children and young people are educated about these issues, the department is supporting teachers to implement the compulsory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum, including through producing non-statutory guidance to strengthen content and clarity on when relevant topics should be taught and asking schools to prioritise delivery of the full RSHE curriculum this academic year.</p><p>Where children and young people are affected by these issues, they continue to be supported by NSPCC’s Report Abuse in Education helpline (0800 136663). The helpline is open to anyone who has suffered sexual abuse or harassment in educational settings, and those concerned for someone else.</p><p>Work on safeguarding and child protection continues across government, including the Home Office’s Violence Against Women and Girls and Tackling Child Sexual Abuse strategies, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Online Safety Act, the National Crime Agency’s response to abuse and exploitation, and Cabinet Office’s Stop Abuse Together campaign.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 22512 question first answered 27/06/2022 12:16:07 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4669 label Biography information for Damien Moore

1471618

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Poetry: Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to support poetry teaching in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	21179
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2022 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>Poetry is prominent in the national curriculum for English at key stages 1, 2, 3 and 4. At different stages of their education, students should have opportunities to: develop pleasure in reading and discussing poetry, learn poetry by heart and write their own poetry. As part of the English Literature GCSE, students are taught to read and appreciate the depth and power of the English literary heritage, including studying poetry written since 1789.</p><p>The department funds an initiative called Poetry by Heart which helps to develop and support inspiring poetry teaching in schools, and to motivate pupils and teachers to explore our rich literary heritage: <a href="http://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/</a>. Pupils choose poems from the online anthology covering 1,000 years of poetry and recite these in school-based competitions. A national final was held in Shakespeare’s Globe in June 2022 and was open to pupils in key stages 2, 3, 4 and 5.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 24/06/2022 13:53:36 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon