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1353364

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	09/09/2021
	date	07/09/2021
	date tabled	07/09/2021
	ddp created	07/09/2021 19:08:32
	answering body	Department for Education
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	ddp modified	07/09/2021 19:28:32 25/10/2021 09:47:18
	hansard heading	Schools: Standards
	house id	1
	identifier	44463
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	20/09/2021 16:35:17
	question first ministerially corrected	25/10/2021 09:15:16
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce the attainment gap between state and independent schools in (a) Enfield North constituency, (b) London and (c) England.
	session	2021/22
	session number	2
	tabling member constituency	Enfield North
	tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2021/22 44463
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	44463
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>Since 2010, this government has been committed to raising educational standards in all state schools across the country. In March 2020, 86% of schools were Good or Outstanding compared to just 68% in 2010. When it comes to raising standards, evidence shows that teachers are the most important in-school factor affecting attainment.</p><p>In June 2021, we announced an investment of over £250 million in teacher<ins class="ministerial"> development</ins> <del class="ministerial">quality</del>, which includes investment in our National Professional Qualification and Early Career Framework programmes. School leadership is the second most important in-school influence on pupil learning. Since 2010 the number of academies has grown from 200 to over 9,400, enabling more leaders of good schools to make decisions based on local need and the interests of their pupils, and more previously underperforming schools to receive the support they need to raise standards for all pupils as part of a strong multi-academy trust.</p><p>We know that COVID-19 and disruption to education has created an additional challenge for schools, and that the impact of the COVID-19 has been felt most significantly by disadvantaged pupils, which is why we have targeted much of our education recovery funding specifically at this group. Through the recovery premium, schools will directly receive over £300 million in the 2021/22 academic year for them to use flexibly to support disadvantaged pupils.</p><p>This is in addition to the funding we already target towards disadvantaged pupils as part of the National Funding Formula. The pupil premium targets further funding to disadvantaged pupils and plays a crucial role in the work of schools across England, to ensure they have the resources they need to boost the progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils. Through this, we will be providing £2.5 billion nationally for the 2021/22 financial year. The pupil premium allocation for London is £405 million, and £19.2 million for Enfield for the 2021/22 financial year.</p><p>In Enfield, we know there are a higher number of pupils who are eligible for free school meals, with an average of 37.6% of secondary pupils eligible, compared to the national average of 27.7%. This year, Enfield is receiving £283.4 million, or £5,<ins class="ministerial">640</ins><del class="ministerial">283</del> per pupil, in funding. This is an increase of 2.0% per pupil in the local authority’s pupil-led funding compared to the 2020/21 financial year, and is above the national average in per pupil funding of £5,228.</p>
	creator	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1385829

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	09/12/2021
	date	07/12/2021
	date tabled	07/12/2021
	ddp created	07/12/2021 20:41:46
	answering body	Department for Education
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	ddp modified	07/12/2021 21:01:26 10/01/2022 13:23:08
	hansard heading	National Tutoring Programme: Enfield
	house id	1
	identifier	88837
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	13/12/2021 11:58:41
	question first ministerially corrected	10/01/2022 12:52:06
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students have been supported by the National Tutoring Programme in (a) Enfield North and (b) the London Borough of Enfield since November 2020.
	session	2021/22
	session number	2
	tabling member constituency	Enfield North
	tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2021/22 88837
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	88837
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>National tutoring programme (NTP) participation data has not yet been published. We continue to collect data from schools for all three strands of the programme – school-led tutoring, tuition partners and academic mentors, and will be publishing this in due course.</p><p>The NTP aims to engage up to 2 million pupils this year, and to deliver up to 90 million <del class="ministerial">packages</del> <ins class="ministerial">hours</ins> of tuition by the 2024/25 academic year.</p>
	creator	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1192937

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	05/05/2020
	date	05/05/2020
	date tabled	05/05/2020
	ddp created	05/05/2020 12:08:55
	answering body	Department for Education
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	ddp modified	05/05/2020 12:15:27 06/05/2020 12:48:08
	hansard heading	Children: Disadvantaged
	house id	1
	identifier	902255
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	06/05/2020 12:16:10
	question text	What steps he is taking to ensure that the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers does not widen during the covid-19 outbreak.
	session	2019/21
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Enfield North
	tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/21 902255
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	902255
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	NamedDay
	answer	answer answer text <p>The government has already committed over £100 million to boost remote education, including by providing devices and internet access to vulnerable children who need it most.</p><p>Schools also continue to receive the pupil premium – worth around £2.4 billion annually – to help them support their disadvantaged pupils.</p>
	creator	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1193636

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	12/05/2020
	date	06/05/2020
	date tabled	06/05/2020
	ddp created	06/05/2020 17:14:32
	answering body	Department for Education
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	ddp modified	06/05/2020 17:18:04 12/05/2020 17:30:17
	hansard heading	Assessments: Appeals
	house id	1
	identifier	44059
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	12/05/2020 16:58:23
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what deadline his Department has set for appeals to be heard following the issuance of exam grades and assessments at the end of the 2019-20 academic year.
	session	2019/21
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Enfield North
	tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/21 44059
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	44059
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	NamedDay
	answer	answer answer text <p>This is a matter for the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, to write directly to the Honourable Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Commons Library.</p>
	creator	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1198019

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	04/06/2020
	date	01/06/2020
	date tabled	01/06/2020
	ddp created	01/06/2020 15:20:27
	answering body	Department for Education
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	ddp modified	01/06/2020 15:45:33 04/06/2020 15:16:05
	hansard heading	Teachers: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	identifier	52595
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	04/06/2020 14:44:58
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance the Government has provided for teachers returning to work who live with (a) partners and (b) children with (i) asthma, (ii) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or (iii) another health concern categorised as at risk from covid-19.
	session	2019/21
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Enfield North
	tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/21 52595
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	52595
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	NamedDay
	answer	answer answer text <p>Guidance on GOV.UK on implementing protective measures in schools and nurseries provides advice to staff and pupils who are shielding or clinically vulnerable, or are living with a shielded or clinically vulnerable person: That guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings</a>.</p><p>Clinically vulnerable people are those considered to be at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. This includes anyone who has asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).</p><p>Clinically vulnerable people have been advised to take extra care in observing social distancing and should work from home where possible. Schools should endeavour to support this, for example by asking staff to support remote education, carry out lesson planning or other roles which can be done from home. If clinically vulnerable individuals cannot work from home, they should be offered the safest available on-site roles, staying 2 metres away from others wherever possible.</p><p>If a member of staff lives with someone who is clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable) they can attend their school or nursery.</p><p>Some people have been informed that they are clinically extremely vulnerable and have been advised to follow shielding guidance. They should therefore not attend work. Some people with severe COPD or severe asthma may have been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, and will have received a letter informing them of this.</p><p>If a member of staff member lives in a household with someone who is extremely clinically vulnerable, it is advised they only attend work if stringent 2m distancing can be adhered to. If it cannot be adhered to, we do not expect those individuals to attend and they should be supported to work at home.</p><p>Detailed guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 is available on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19#work-and-employment-for-those-who-are-shielding" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19#work-and-employment-for-those-who-are-shielding</a>.</p>
	creator	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1218275

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	30/06/2020
	date	26/06/2020
	date tabled	26/06/2020
	ddp created	26/06/2020 14:29:41
	answering body	Department for Education
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	ddp modified	26/06/2020 14:39:03 06/07/2020 15:57:07
	hansard heading	Schools: Enfield
	house id	1
	identifier	65207
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	06/07/2020 15:25:56
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when his Department will commence the delivery of laptops and other school equipment to Enfield Council, as part of the Government's programme to provide technology support for children and schools during the covid-19 outbreak.
	session	2019/21
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Enfield North
	tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/21 65207
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	65207
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>The Government has committed over £100 million to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children in England to access remote education and social care services, including by providing laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers.</p><p> </p><p>We are providing laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in year 10, receiving support from a social worker or are a care leaver. Where care leavers, children with a social worker at secondary school and children in year 10 do not have internet connections, we are providing 4G wireless routers.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has ordered over 200,000 laptops and tablets and allocated devices to local authorities and academy trusts based on its estimates of the number of eligible children that do not have access to a device. Local authorities and academy trusts are best placed to identify and prioritise children and young people who need devices. All local authorities and academy trusts have been invited to place their orders. Laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers will arrive within five days of an order being placed.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has published information about how many laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers we have delivered or dispatched to local authorities and academy trusts in total which can be viewed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/laptops-tablets-and-4g-wireless-routers-progress-data" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/laptops-tablets-and-4g-wireless-routers-progress-data</a><em>.</em> This includes 723 laptops and 149 4G wireless routers dispatched to Enfield Council on 18 June.</p>
	creator	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1228973

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	02/09/2020
	date	28/08/2020
	date tabled	28/08/2020
	ddp created	28/08/2020 14:46:22
	answering body	Department for Education
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	ddp modified	01/09/2020 15:15:16 08/09/2020 15:20:08
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	1
	identifier	82576
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	08/09/2020 14:48:59
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to provide a financial support package for (a) childminders, (b) nurseries and (c) other Early Years Foundation Stage childcare providers when they re-open during the covid-19 outbreak.
	session	2019/21
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Enfield North
	tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/21 82576
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	82576
	version	2
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>Nurseries, childminders and pre-schools, who have provided crucial support throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, are now more vital than ever as hard-working families begin returning to work.</p><p>We want to provide security to nurseries and childminders who are open for the children who need them. That is why on 20 July we announced that we will continue to fund childcare at the same level as before the COVID-19 outbreak, until the end of the year. This will give nurseries and childminders another term of secure income, regardless of whether fewer children are attending. Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, early years settings will continue to benefit from a planned £3.6 billion funding in 2020-21 to create free early education and childcare places for children.</p><p>In addition to this, the government has provided a package of support for individuals and businesses which are directly benefitting providers of childcare. This includes business rates relief and grants, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, the Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the furlough scheme to retain staff, up to the proportion of their salary bill that would be considered as paid from public funding. More details are available here:<br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19</a>.</p>
	creator	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1253812

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	24/11/2020
	date	19/11/2020
	date tabled	19/11/2020
	ddp created	19/11/2020 18:06:41
	answering body	Department for Education
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	ddp modified	19/11/2020 18:16:27 24/11/2020 16:59:13
	hansard heading	Department for Education: Marketing
	house id	1
	identifier	118128
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	24/11/2020 16:28:58
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much his Department has spent on (a) consultancy services including (i) communications, (ii) advertising, (iii) marketing and (iv) media buying since 1 March 2020.
	session	2019/21
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Enfield North
	tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/21 118128
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	118128
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	NamedDay
	answer	answer answer text <p>From 1 March to 20 November 2020, the Department spent £13.3 million on paid-for communications and campaigns activity, including spend on creative, production, agency fees and paid-for media. Of this, a total of £8.42 million was spent specifically on advertising media buying. It is not possible to break down spend separately by i) communications or iii) marketing as these definitions include several areas of overlapping activity.</p><p>Of the £13.3 million spent between 1 March and 20 November 2020, an estimated £526,924 was spent on consultancy services to help plan and deliver communication, advertising, marketing campaigns and to inform media buying. It is not possible to provide separate costs for each category requested as these services inform a range of activity delivered as part of broader campaign strategies.</p><p>This activity includes vital work to recruit 30,000 teachers a year and drive the uptake of apprenticeships and the new T level qualification. All our paid-for campaigns are agreed with and regularly assessed by the Cabinet Office to ensure effectiveness.</p><p>The Department’s work covers a number of manifesto commitments and is central to my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister’s levelling up agenda, in addition to the Government's response to the COVID-19 outbreak including the continuity of education as a national priority. With almost a million staff working in state funded schools in England, 66,000 staff in the further education sector, and 4.2 million households across the country with primary school aged children, the Department must explain policy to our key audiences, influence attitudes and change behaviour through targeted external communications, advertising and marketing campaigns to achieve publicly stated policy objectives.</p><p> </p>
	creator	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1258823

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	09/12/2020
	date	07/12/2020
	date tabled	07/12/2020
	ddp created	07/12/2020 23:30:35
	answering body	Department for Education
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	ddp modified	07/12/2020 23:47:13 17/12/2020 18:44:06
	hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	identifier	126160
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	17/12/2020 18:12:59
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional financial support his Department has allocated to schools in Enfield to support (a) cleanliness and hygiene and (b) the recruitment of supply teachers in cases where teachers are having to self-isolate since the start of the covid-19 outbreak.
	session	2019/21
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Enfield North
	tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/21 126160
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	126160
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>The first window for schools to claim funding back for exceptional costs incurred due to the COVID-19 outbreak, between March and July 2020, closed on 21 July. Payments against claims made within the published scope of the fund were made to schools and academies in September. Schools in Enfield have received the following payments for additional cleaning costs required due to confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, over and above the cost of existing cleaning arrangements.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>School Name</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Local Authority</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Additional Cleaning Costs Claim</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eversley Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 16,394</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Russet House School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 10,061</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Durants School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 8,461</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Garfield Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 8,103</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Meridian Angel Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 4,233</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>De Bohun Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 3,534</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>The Raglan Junior School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 3,426</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Waverley School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 3,391</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bush Hill Park Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 2,920</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Forty Hill CofE Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,958</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Oakthorpe Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,813</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Suffolks Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,619</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Highfield Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,505</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Latymer All Saints CofE Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,488</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>St John and St James CofE Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,416</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>West Grove Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,294</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Alma Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,282</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>St Anne's Catholic High School for Girls</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,250</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Keys Meadow Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,155</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>St Andrew's CofE Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,105</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Worcesters Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 1,064</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Houndsfield Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 998</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Raynham Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 790</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wilbury Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 750</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Galliard Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 750</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Fleecefield Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 750</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Brettenham Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 750</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>St Andrew's Southgate Primary School (CE)</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 511</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>St Michael at Bowes CofE Junior School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 284</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hadley Wood Primary School</p></td><td><p>Enfield</p></td><td><p>£ 113</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Schools can now claim for any costs that fell between March and July in the same approved categories, for which they did not claim during the first window. Schools can make claims here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claiming-exceptional-costs-associated-with-coronavirus-covid-19/exceptional-costs-associated-with-coronavirus-covid-19--2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claiming-exceptional-costs-associated-with-coronavirus-covid-19/exceptional-costs-associated-with-coronavirus-covid-19--2</a>.</p><p>In addition to this, the Department has announced details of a new COVID-19 workforce fund for schools and colleges to help them remain open: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-workforce-fund-for-schools/coronavirus-covid-19-workforce-fund-to-support-schools-with-costs-of-staff-absences-from-1-november-2020-to-31-december-2020" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-workforce-fund-for-schools/coronavirus-covid-19-workforce-fund-to-support-schools-with-costs-of-staff-absences-from-1-november-2020-to-31-december-2020</a>. It will fund the costs of teacher absences over a threshold in schools and colleges, and is intended for those with high staff absences that are also facing significant financial pressures. The Department expects schools to be able to claim for workforce costs relating to November and December 2020 in spring 2021. Schools will be able to incur additional costs, backdated to November, in the knowledge that they will be reimbursed if they meet the relevant criteria.</p><p> </p>
	creator	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark

1275777

	human indexable
	published
	registered interest
	answer date	14/01/2021
	date	12/01/2021
	date tabled	12/01/2021
	ddp created	12/01/2021 20:31:13
	answering body	Department for Education
	question status	Tabled
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	ddp modified	12/01/2021 20:42:47 29/01/2021 10:41:16
	hansard heading	Pre-school Education: Coronavirus
	house id	1
	identifier	136657
	legislature	25259
	parliament number	58
	question first answered	28/01/2021 16:43:11
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to help ensure the safety of staff at early years settings during the covid-19 lockdown announced in January 2021.
	session	2019/21
	session number	1
	tabling member constituency	Enfield North
	tabling member printed	Feryal Clark
	title	House of Commons Tabled Parliamentary Question 2019/21 136657
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	136657
	version	1
	written parliamentary question type	Ordinary
	answer	answer answer text <p>Early years settings remain low risk environments for children and staff. The department has worked collaboratively with Public Health England (PHE) to develop a system of controls which, when implemented in line with a revised risk assessment, create an environment where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced for children and staff.</p><p>Current evidence suggests that the PHE endorsed ‘system of controls’ that have been in use throughout the COVID-19 outbreak continue to be the right measures to take. These are set out in ‘Actions for early years and childcare providers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak’, which includes:</p><ul><li>minimising contact with individuals who are unwell,</li><li>use of face coverings for adults in corridors and communal areas,</li><li>cleaning hands and good respiratory hygiene,</li><li>regular thorough cleaning,</li><li>minimising contact,</li><li>use of PPE where specifically advised,</li><li>good ventilation.</li></ul><p>Further guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures</a>.</p><p>Settings must comply with health and safety law, which requires them to assess risks and put in place proportionate control measures. Settings should thoroughly review their health and safety risk assessment and draw up plans on re-opening, in the event that they have to close. Settings should have active arrangements in place to monitor that the controls are effective, working as planned, and updated appropriately, for example when any issues are identified, or when there are changes in public health advice.</p><p>When conducting risk assessments, settings should ensure consideration is given to staff and children with protected characteristics from groups where a disparity has been shown by the review of disparities in risks and outcomes (for example, age and sex, where someone lives, deprivation, ethnicity and/or people’s occupation).</p><p>The department is continuing to work closely with colleagues across government and local authorities to secure the most effective approach to asymptomatic testing for the whole of the early years sector. We are rolling out our asymptomatic testing programme to primary schools with deliveries of test kits which started from the week commencing 18 January 2021. The Department for Education’s asymptomatic testing programme will offer all primary school, schools-based nursery and maintained nursery school staff home lateral flow device test kits for twice weekly testing. This will help to break the chains of transmission of COVID-19 in education settings by identifying asymptomatic positive cases. Those who test positive will then self-isolate, helping to reduce transmission of the virus.</p><p>In addition, community testing programmes are currently being rolled out across the country. They are led by local authorities and provide asymptomatic testing through testing sites based in the local community. This testing is primarily focused on those who have to leave home to work during lockdown, with local authorities able to focus on the right people in their areas and decide how the testing is best delivered. The purpose is to help people who are playing essential roles to keep the country going, and to give them knowledge to protect themselves, loved ones and colleagues. Local authorities are in different stages of delivering community testing. We have encouraged local authorities to prioritise early years for community testing.</p><p>Early years staff, as critical workers, continue to have priority access to Department of Health and Social Care-led symptomatic polymerase chain reaction testing via the online portal: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested</a>.</p><p>We are having ongoing discussions about providing testing via the education testing programme as well as encouraging local authorities to consider prioritising appropriate testing for private, voluntary and independent settings and childminders via the community testing programme, which is being rolled out to all local authorities. Furthermore, regarding vaccinations, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises that the first priorities for the COVID-19 vaccination programme should be the prevention of mortality and the maintenance of the health and social care systems. As the risk of mortality from COVID-19 increases with age, prioritisation is primarily based on age.</p><p>Under the priority groups for the first phase of vaccine rollout, those over 50 years of age, and all those 16 years of age and over in a risk group, would be eligible for vaccination within the first phase of the programme. This prioritisation captures almost all preventable deaths from COVID-19.</p><p>Regarding the next phase of vaccine rollout, the JCVI have asked that DHSC consider occupational vaccination in collaboration with other government departments. The department is inputting into this cross-governmental exercise.</p>
	creator	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark
	publisher	25259
	tabling member	4822 label Biography information for Feryal Clark