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1713929

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Carers: Childcare
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy for carers who work less than 16 hours a week to be eligible to access 30 hours of free childcare.
	tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
	tabling member printed	Cat Smith
	uin	23757
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>To be eligible for the working parent entitlement, which includes the current 30 hours offer, parents will need to earn the equivalent of 16 hours a week at National Minimum Wage, which is £183 per week or £9,518 per year in 2024/25, and less than £100,000 adjusted net income per year. A parent on carer’s leave, or in receipt of certain benefits, may be eligible provided their partner is working and meets the eligibility criteria. Currently, there are no plans to change the eligibility criteria.</p><p> </p><p>All 3 and 4 year olds are eligible for the universal 15 hour free entitlement, regardless of their parents’ circumstances. This is available the term after a child turns three and is available for 38 weeks a year. Further information on the entitlement can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs</a>.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 03/05/2024 13:42:51 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1713925

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: 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 adequacy of support for children with SEND in Lancashire.
	tabling member constituency	Lancaster and Fleetwood
	tabling member printed	Cat Smith
	uin	23756
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>Lancashire were last inspected under the previous Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) framework and were issued with a Written Statement of Action (WSoA) with 12 areas of significant weakness. Following their revisit inspection, published in August 2020, Lancashire were moved onto an Accelerated Progress Plan (APP) for five areas of significant weakness which were deemed to have not made sufficient progress. A department Case Lead, alongside a NHS England and a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) adviser, worked with the local authority and monitored their progress against the APP. After a series of reviews and data analysis, in 2021 the decision was taken that based on the evidence provided, that Lancashire had demonstrated clear and sustained progress against the areas highlighted in the accelerated progress plan.</p><p> </p><p>As with all local areas, the department has continued to provide support and challenge to Lancashire through their regional case lead, who seeks regular assurance, through conversations with SEND leads, that they are sustaining the progress made. The department also analyses Lancashire’s position through the annual SEN2 data publication, assessing their data performance and using this information to shape discussions. This progress will be assessed in the next Ofsted and CQC inspection, with all local authorities due to be inspected by the end of 2027.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 03/05/2024 13:40:48 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4436 label Biography information for Cat Smith

1713869

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2024
	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 assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the findings of the study funded by the Nuffield Foundation entitled A generation at risk: Rebalancing education in the post-pandemic era, published in April 2024.
	tabling member constituency	Warwick and Leamington
	tabling member printed	Matt Western
	uin	23778
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>Predicting GCSE results is very difficult as there are many drivers that can interact in unforeseen ways. However, as the Nuffield Foundation’s report indicates, the pandemic deprived children of the advantages of studying together within the safety and support of their schools.</p><p> </p><p>The pandemic created a unique challenge for teachers, staff, students and families. Minimising its impact on education and tackling the challenges has been the department’s priority from the start. Almost £5 billion was made available specifically for education recovery, with support focussed on those who needed it most, while giving education providers as much flexibility as possible to tailor-make help for their own circumstances. This includes the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), which focuses on disadvantaged pupils and those who have fallen behind, and has seen nearly five million tutoring courses start since it launched in November 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The department knows that disadvantaged children and pupils with a special educational need or disability were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The department continues to take a range of steps to give priority support and deliver programmes to help them, including improving the quality of teaching and curriculum resources, strengthening the school system and providing targeted support where needed. The department is also supporting disadvantaged pupils through the pupil premium, which is rising to almost £2.9 billion in 2024/25, which is the highest in cash terms since this funding began.</p><p> </p><p>Further to this, latest results from 2023 show that over 45% of pupils sitting GCSEs achieved a grade 5 or higher in both English and mathematics, which is an increase of more than two percentage points compared with pre-pandemic 2019 levels and almost three percentage points when compared with 2017.</p><p> </p><p>England recently came fourth in primary reading out of 43 countries which tested pupils of the same age in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Despite disruption from the pandemic, England’s score remained stable and well above the international and European averages.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, the department has committed to making schools safe, calm and supportive environments, which promote and support mental wellbeing alongside delivering an excellent education.</p><p> </p><p>Enrichment activities can deepen children’s in-school experience while supporting them to develop their socio-emotional skills. The department is now delivering the vision set out in its Schools White Paper, which states that every child and young person will have access to high-quality extra-curricular provision, including an entitlement to take part in sport, music and cultural opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>Monitoring and measuring wellbeing in schools strengthens this, which is why the department’s guidance on promoting a whole-school approach to pupil wellbeing includes this as one of its eight key principles. You can find out more here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/614cc965d3bf7f718518029c/Promoting_children_and_young_people_s_mental_health_and_wellbeing.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/614cc965d3bf7f718518029c/Promoting_children_and_young_people_s_mental_health_and_wellbeing.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department is supporting all state schools and colleges with a grant to train a senior mental health lead. To date 15,100 settings have claimed a grant so far, including more than 7 in 10 state-funded secondary schools.</p><p> </p><p>Intervening early is critical. To expand access to early mental health support, the department is continuing to roll out Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) to schools and colleges. MHSTs deliver evidence-based interventions for mild to moderate mental health issues, support the senior mental health lead (where established) in each school or college to introduce or develop whole school or college approaches and give timely advice to school and college staff, and liaise with external specialist services, to help children and young people get the right support to stay in education. The department is extending coverage of MHSTs to cover at least 50% by the end of March 2025.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 03/05/2024 13:23:32 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4617 label Biography information for Matt Western

1713716

	registered interest
	date	24/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Overseas Students: Gaza
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of students in the UK who are on a student visa from Gaza and what support is being provided to them.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Gohir
	uin	HL4066
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), now part of JISC, is responsible for collecting and publishing data about UK higher education (HE). The latest statistics refer to the 2021/22 academic year.</p><p> </p><p>Table 28 of HESA’s ‘Higher Education Student Statistics: UK, 2021/22’ reports the number of non-UK domiciled HE students by country of domicile. This data is accessible at: <a href="https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-28" target="_blank">https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/table-28</a>.</p><p> </p><p>In the 2021/22 academic year, there were 245 student enrolments at UK HE providers who were domiciled in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (formerly the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip) prior to their studies.</p><p> </p><p>Universities offer a range of dedicated support to their international students before they arrive in the UK, on arrival and during their studies. This includes both pastoral care and financial support. If a student is experiencing difficulties, they should contact the university to discuss their circumstances.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 03/05/2024 12:47:51 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4944 label Biography information for Baroness Gohir

1713288

	registered interest
	date	23/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Overseas Students
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of findings from a recent IDP Connect survey which found that nearly half of prospective students surveyed were reconsidering or unsure of their plans to study in the UK following changes in policy and rules regarding international students.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
	uin	HL4029
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>The government seeks to ensure that there is a fair and robust migration policy while maintaining the UK’s place as a top destination for the best and brightest students from around the world. The department remains committed to the ambitions set out in the government’s International Education Strategy to host 600,000 international students per year and to increase the value of our education exports to £35 billion per year, both by 2030.</p><p> </p><p>The department expects the UK to remain a highly attractive study destination. The UK has four universities in the top 10, and 17 in the top 100. The UK has a highly sought after higher education (HE) experience, which is respected by students across the globe. The department is hugely proud to have met its international student recruitment ambition two years running, with 679,970 international students studying at a UK university in 2021/22.</p><p> </p><p>However, the level of legal migration remains too high. As a result, on 4 December 2023, the government announced a new package of measures to reduce net migration and curb the abuse and exploitation of the country’s immigration system. The department continues to work closely with the Home Office, the Department for Business and Trade, and other governmental departments to assess the impact of these changes on HE providers.</p><p> </p><p>HE providers are autonomous bodies, independent of government. As such, they are responsible for their own admission decisions. The government takes a close interest in ensuring that the HE admissions system is fair and works closely with HE providers and sector bodies to make sure the system works well for students.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 03/05/2024 12:36:43 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1712638

	registered interest
	date	22/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pupils: Allergies
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether teachers and administrators are clear about the support their schools should provide to children with allergies, and what monitoring and evaluation processes they have in place to ensure this support is provided.
	tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
	uin	HL3999
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>In 2014, the government introduced a new duty on schools to support pupils with all medical conditions, including allergies, and published the ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ statutory guidance for schools and others.</p><p> </p><p>Schools also have duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments to their practices, procedures, and policies to ensure that they are not putting those with certain long-term health problems at a substantial disadvantage.</p><p>The department recently reminded all schools of their legal duty under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 to plan for supporting pupils with medical conditions, including allergies. This reminder also included a link to the statutory guidance governing bodies must have regard to when carrying out their duty under Section 100.</p><p> </p><p>Ofsted’s role is to make sure that schools provide a high standard of education through its inspection and reporting process. As part of that process, inspectors gather a wide range of evidence to make their judgements, including the evaluation of the experience of particular individuals and groups. This includes the experiences of pupils with medical needs.</p><p> </p><p>As part of the inspection, inspectors will assess the effectiveness of safeguarding at the school. This includes the extent to which pupils with specific needs and vulnerabilities are kept safe. The safeguarding culture is also explored through speaking to leaders and staff about their work, including the messages that pupils receive through the curriculum.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 03/05/2024 12:29:35 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

1702351

	registered interest
	date	18/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Overseas Students: Visas
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent data by Enroly published on 27 March which showed that issuance of certificates of Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies has significantly reduced, with overall deposits down by more than a third on the same point in 2023.
	tabling member printed	Lord Sharkey
	uin	HL3962
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>The government seeks to ensure that there is a fair and robust migration policy, whilst maintaining the UK’s place as a top destination for the best and brightest students from around the world. The department remains committed to the ambitions set out in the government’s International Education Strategy to host 600,000 international students per year and to increase the value of our education exports to £35 billion per year, both by 2030.</p><p> </p><p>The department expects the UK to remain a highly attractive study destination. The UK has four universities in the top 10, and 17 in the top 100. The UK has a highly sought after higher education (HE) experience, which is respected by students across the globe. The department is hugely proud to have met its international student recruitment ambition two years running.</p><p> </p><p>However, the level of legal migration remains too high. As a result, on 4 December 2023, the government announced a new package of measures to reduce net migration and curb abuse and exploitation of the country’s immigration system. The department continues to work closely with the Home Office, Department for Business and Trade, and other governmental departments to assess the impact of these changes on HE providers.</p><p> </p><p>HE providers are autonomous bodies, independent from government. As such, they are responsible for their own admissions decisions. The government takes a close interest in ensuring that the HE admissions system is fair and works closely with HE providers and sector bodies to make sure the system works well for students.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 03/05/2024 12:28:09 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4196 label Biography information for Lord Sharkey

1713819

	registered interest
	date	25/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Music: Teachers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the findings in the report entitled Teacher Labour Market in England: Annual Report, published by the National Foundation for Educational Research in March 2024, what steps she is taking to help ensure that the Government meets its Initial Teacher Training targets for music teachers.
	tabling member constituency	Worsley and Eccles South
	tabling member printed	Barbara Keeley
	uin	23715
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>Postgraduate Initial Teacher Training (PGITT) recruitment represents a subset of entrants to teaching. Targets do not include all routes. For example, they do not include undergraduate courses.</p><p> </p><p>Each year the department also recruits teachers that return to the profession having previously left the state-funded teaching sector, as well as those that were already qualified but are new to the sector.</p><p> </p><p>The last School Workforce Census, which took place in June 2023, showed that 48,000 teachers entered the profession. Around one third of these were made up of those returning to the profession and half were new teachers entering through PGITT routes.</p><p> </p><p>In the 2023/24 academic year, there were 216 new postgraduate entrants in music, which was 27% of the PGITT target. This is a decline in recruitment from the 2022/23 academic year, in which there were 292 new postgraduate entrants in music or 62% of the PGITT. The PGITT for music increased by 68% in 2023/24, which may partly explain some of the change in performance against the recruitment target.</p><p> </p><p>As of 22 April 2024, 171 candidates have accepted an offer to begin a PGITT course in music in the 2024/25 academic year, which is a 24% increase from the same point last year.</p><p> </p><p>For those intending to train as music teachers in the 2024/25 academic year, the department has introduced a bursary of £10,000 to support and encourage talented trainees to enter the profession. Music trainee teachers can also apply for a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan to support their living costs. Additional funding is available depending on individual circumstances, such as the Childcare Grant.</p><p> </p><p>The department accepted the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendations in full for a 6.5% teacher pay award in 2023, which saw the government achieve its manifesto commitment of £30,000 starting salaries for all teachers in England. This is an attractive offer, which forms part of the overall remuneration package for teachers, including a generous employer pension contribution rate of 28.6%.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside the department’s financial levers, the department is continuing to invest in attracting the best teachers where they are needed most through the teaching marketing campaign and support services for prospective trainees, as well as its new in-house teacher recruitment journey and associated digital services.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 03/05/2024 11:42:14 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	1588 label Biography information for Barbara Keeley

1714102

	registered interest
	date	26/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Mobile Phones
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce mechanisms for students with special educational needs and disabilities to request exemptions from mobile phone bans based on their educational needs.
	tabling member constituency	West Suffolk
	tabling member printed	Matt Hancock
	uin	23856
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>All schools should have a behaviour policy which is aligned with the school’s legal duties and standards relating to the welfare of children. As part of this policy, schools should develop a mobile phone policy that prohibits the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones.</p><p>Exemptions may be required for children with specific special educational needs or disabilities, including users of assistive technology. Schools have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to take such steps as is reasonable to avoid substantial disadvantage to a disabled pupil caused by the school’s policies or practices. Allowing a disabled pupil access to their mobile phone during the school day, where it is necessary due to the nature of their disability, may be considered a reasonable adjustment and a failure to do so may be a breach of the school’s duty.</p><p> </p><p>Headteachers remain responsible for deciding how to implement a mobile phone policy, taking into account the unique context of each school and its pupils. Headteachers should assess each case for adjustments and adaptations on its own merits.</p><p> </p><p>The ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance contains practical advice for schools, including case studies, which consider how to ensure that the needs of all children are met while continuing to remove distractions in lessons and create an environment where children can focus on learning and building friendships.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 23853 23854 23855 question first answered 03/05/2024 11:34:42 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock

1714101

	registered interest
	date	26/04/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: ICT and Mobile Phones
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken with schools to ensure that they differentiate their approach to mobile phone restrictions for students with special educational needs and disabilities who rely on (a) mobile phones and (b) other technology for (i) communication and (ii) learning support.
	tabling member constituency	West Suffolk
	tabling member printed	Matt Hancock
	uin	23855
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2024 answer text <p>All schools should have a behaviour policy which is aligned with the school’s legal duties and standards relating to the welfare of children. As part of this policy, schools should develop a mobile phone policy that prohibits the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones.</p><p>Exemptions may be required for children with specific special educational needs or disabilities, including users of assistive technology. Schools have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to take such steps as is reasonable to avoid substantial disadvantage to a disabled pupil caused by the school’s policies or practices. Allowing a disabled pupil access to their mobile phone during the school day, where it is necessary due to the nature of their disability, may be considered a reasonable adjustment and a failure to do so may be a breach of the school’s duty.</p><p> </p><p>Headteachers remain responsible for deciding how to implement a mobile phone policy, taking into account the unique context of each school and its pupils. Headteachers should assess each case for adjustments and adaptations on its own merits.</p><p> </p><p>The ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance contains practical advice for schools, including case studies, which consider how to ensure that the needs of all children are met while continuing to remove distractions in lessons and create an environment where children can focus on learning and building friendships.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 23853 23854 23856 question first answered 03/05/2024 11:34:42 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4070 label Biography information for Matt Hancock