Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label attachment file name file name title title
tabling member	label

Search

1699279

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Financial Services: Education
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 19 February (HL2185), whether they plan to undertake a detailed review of the teaching of financial literacy in Denmark, Norway and Sweden with a view to updating the mathematics national curriculum.
	tabling member printed	Lord Cruddas
	uin	HL3662
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>The department has no plans to undertake a detailed review of the teaching of financial literacy in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The department continues to work closely with HM Treasury and the Money and Pensions Service to monitor the evidence base for financial education to understand what works and what further support schools may need.</p><p>In order to provide stability for schools and to enable them to remain focused on raising standards of literacy and numeracy and recovery from the pandemic, the government has committed to making no changes to the national curriculum for the remainder of the Parliament.</p><p>The current mathematics curriculum in England already provides young people with the mathematical knowledge that underpins their ability to make important financial decisions. Mathematics is compulsory in maintained schools and academies must teach a broad and balanced curriculum, including mathematics. Since 2014, the department has reformed the mathematics curriculum and examinations system, bringing teaching practice from high-performing jurisdictions from across East Asia to primary and secondary schools in England.</p><p>International comparison studies of school-aged pupils show that England performs above the international averages for mathematics for all age groups. Before the pandemic, England achieved its highest ever mathematics score in the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study international test for year five pupils.</p><p>Ofsted’s latest mathematical subject report in 2023 stated that primary mathematics education has seen &quot;a resounding, positive shift&quot; with curriculum sitting &quot;at the heart of leaders' decisions and actions&quot;, whilst secondary mathematics education has seen &quot;notable improvements&quot; in curriculum guidance and professional development.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 08/04/2024 12:47:44 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4907 label Biography information for Lord Cruddas

1699280

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Financial Services: Education
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 19 February (HL2185), what proportion of (1) primary, and (2) secondary, schools the Maths Hubs’ Teaching for Mastery programme has reached in the light of the targets mentioned in the Answer to reach 75 per cent of primary schools and 65 per cent of secondary schools by 2025.
	tabling member printed	Lord Cruddas
	uin	HL3663
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>As of February 2024, 69.7% of open primary schools (11,680) and 57.7% of open secondary schools (1,970) have participated in at least one year of the Teaching for Mastery Programme.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 08/04/2024 12:48:04 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4907 label Biography information for Lord Cruddas

1699281

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Financial Services: Education
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 19 February (HL2185), what steps they are taking to ensure financial literacy education is actually reaching the most disadvantaged students.
	tabling member printed	Lord Cruddas
	uin	HL3664
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>It is crucial that all pupils are equipped with the knowledge and tools to manage their finances well in later life. That is why financial education is embedded in the national curriculum for mathematics at key stages 1 to 4, and in citizenship at key stages 3 and 4.</p><p>The national curriculum is compulsory for maintained schools, but all schools are measured by Ofsted on having a broad and balanced curriculum which is comparable to the national curriculum. As with other aspects of the curriculum, schools can choose how to teach financial education and they can tailor what they teach to make sure all pupils are taught what they need to know.</p><p>The Levelling Up White Paper identified 55 Education Investment Areas where the department will implement a package of measures to drive school improvement and accelerate progress towards the department’s 2030 ambition that 90% of pupils meet the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of primary school and that the average mathematics and English GCSE grade increases to a 5.</p><p>There is a range of financial education support for schools. For example, Oak National Academy, an Arm’s Length Body, has published its initial mathematics resources, with the full curriculum available by this autumn. As part of this, Oak is exploring including additional lessons in real life mathematics. Secondary citizenship resources will become available from autumn 2024 and will be complete by autumn 2025. The Money and Pensions Service has published guidance for schools and there is specialist support for fraud and tax education from the Home Office and HMRC respectively.</p><p>The department also works closely with the Money and Pensions Service which exists to help people make the most of their money and pensions, particularly those most in need and those most vulnerable to financial insecurity. The Money and Pensions Service has invested £1.1 million in financial education programmes to support children and young people in vulnerable circumstances and has published guidance to help children and young people's services to embed financial wellbeing into the services they offer.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 08/04/2024 12:48:37 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4907 label Biography information for Lord Cruddas

1699282

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	GCE A-level
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what are the latest available data on the number and percentage of students who left school after their A-levels to go into work; and what percentage of them received (1) 100 UCAS points or above in their A-levels, and (2) 150 UCAS points or above in their A-levels.
	tabling member printed	Lord Elliott of Mickle Fell
	uin	HL3669
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>The department publishes information on the sustained destinations of students after 16-18 study, broken down by the level at which they studied. The table below gives the latest data on the number and percentage of students who were deemed to be at the end of 16-18 study in 2020/21 (2021 leavers) and their sustained destination in the 2021/22 academic year.</p><p><br> This is for students studying at level 3 and the number and percentage that went on to sustain an employment destination.</p><p> </p><p>The destinations data does not include information on students’ A level results or UCAS points. However, over three quarters of students who studied an approved level 3 qualification completed A Levels.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><p><strong>Sustained employment destinations of level 3 students from state-funded mainstream schools and colleges in England for the 2020/21 cohort of 16-18 leavers.</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p><strong>2021/22 destination year</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Number of level 3 students completing 16-18 study</strong></p></td><td><p>288,726</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Number of level 3 students with a sustained employment destination</strong></p></td><td><p>61,866</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Percentage of level 3 students with a sustained employment destination</strong></p></td><td><p>21.4%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><ul><li>Sustained employment destination: in order to count as a sustained destination, the student must have six months of continuous employment activity between October and March in 2021/22.</li><li>The way the department decides when a student is at the end of 16 to 18 study has changed for the 2020/21 (2021 leavers) and comparisons to previous cohorts should be treated with extreme caution.</li><li>Total state-funded mainstream schools and colleges covers all state-funded mainstream schools, academies, free schools, city technology colleges, sixth-forms and other further education sector colleges. Excludes alternative provision, special schools, other government department funded colleges and independent schools.</li></ul> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 08/04/2024 15:16:29 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	5008 label Biography information for Lord Elliott of Mickle Fell

1698872

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Free School Meals: Disability
	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 implications for her policies of the reasons for which some disabled children cannot (a) eat and (b) access free school meals; and whether she plans to make reasonable adjustments to free school meals to help disabled children to access them.
	tabling member constituency	Preston
	tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
	uin	20526
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>All schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people, and they must make reasonable adjustments to prevent them being put at a substantial disadvantage. This means that a school cannot treat a pupil unfairly as a consequence of their disability.</p><p>As it relates to school food, the duty to make reasonable adjustments requires schools to tailor their provision to ensure that it is accessible to disabled pupils. Furthermore, this duty is anticipatory, and so schools need to actively consider whether any reasonable adjustments are needed in order to avoid any disadvantage that may otherwise occur.</p><p>The department has updated its existing guidance on free school meals to clarify schools’ duties to make reasonable adjustments for disabled children, and to support productive conversations between schools and parents about suitable food provision. The guidance can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65fdad5965ca2f00117da947/Free_school_meals.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65fdad5965ca2f00117da947/Free_school_meals.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/04/2024 13:23:17 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1698874

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Nuisance Calls: Schools
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information his Department holds on the number of threatening calls that were made to schools in (a) Romford constituency and (b) the UK in the last 12 months.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	20558
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>Schools in England do not have a legal requirement to report to the department threats that are received via phone calls. However, schools are expected to have policies and procedures in place to handle these situations. The procedures may include reporting threats to local authorities and the police, this depends on the nature and severity of the threat. Schools may also choose to inform the relevant authorities as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and security of students and staff.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/04/2024 12:25:17 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1698882

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Admissions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review the School Admissions Code.
	tabling member constituency	New Forest West
	tabling member printed	Sir Desmond Swayne
	uin	20490
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>The School Admissions Code (the Code) exists to ensure that places in all state-funded schools are allocated in a fair and transparent manner. Admission authorities for all state-funded schools are required to comply with the requirements of the Code and related admissions law.</p><p> </p><p>The latest version of the Code came into force on 1 September 2021. The department keeps the provisions of the Code under review to ensure they continue to remain fit for purpose, however there are currently no plans to change the Code.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/04/2024 12:43:17 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne

1698883

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Teachers: Workplace Pensions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timetable is for informing schools of the arrangements for reimbursement of the increased contributions they are required to make for teachers pensions.
	tabling member constituency	New Forest West
	tabling member printed	Sir Desmond Swayne
	uin	20491
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>On 11 March 2024, the department announced an additional £1.1 billion in the 2024/25 financial year to support schools with the increased Teachers’ Pension Scheme employer contribution rate.</p><p> </p><p>The £1.1 billion will mean over £920 million for mainstream schools and over £135 million for high needs settings. Additional funding will also be provided to local authorities in respect of centrally employed teachers.</p><p> </p><p>This additional funding will be distributed via the new teachers’ pension employer contribution grant (TPECG) 2024. Further details can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-pension-employer-contribution-grant-2024-for-schools-high-needs-settings-and-local-authorities-2024-to-2025" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-pension-employer-contribution-grant-2024-for-schools-high-needs-settings-and-local-authorities-2024-to-2025</a>. To help with planning, the department has published a ready reckoner for mainstream schools and academies to estimate what their TPECG 24 allocation for 2024/25 will be. The ready reckoner can be found here: <a href="https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F65f2cf0eff117048966159fc%2FTPECG_2024-25_Calculator.ods&amp;wdOrigin=BROWSELINK" target="_blank">https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F65f2cf0eff117048966159fc%2FTPECG_2024-25_Calculator.ods&amp;wdOrigin=BROWSELINK</a>.</p><p> </p><p>With the extra funding for pension contributions, overall school funding is rising by £2.9 billion in 2024/25 compared to 2023/24, which takes the total to £60.7 billion and the highest ever level in real terms per pupil.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 15/04/2024 12:18:10 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	55 label Biography information for Sir Desmond Swayne

1698915

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Literacy and Numeracy: Standards
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help improve adult (a) numeracy and (b) literacy skills.
	tabling member constituency	York Central
	tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
	uin	20684
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>This government recognises the importance of literacy and numeracy skills in both work and everyday life. Securing good levels of literacy and numeracy has a positive impact on participation in society, improves earnings and employment opportunities and opens doors to further learning.</p><p>That is why the department is continuing to support participation in English and mathematics provision through its essential skills entitlements which provide the opportunity of free study for adults who do not have essential literacy and numeracy skills up to and including Level 2.</p><p> </p><p>This allows learners who have not previously attained a GCSE grade 4 or higher to undertake a range of courses fully funded through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) including GCSEs, Functional Skills and other relevant qualifications from entry level to Level 2.</p><p>The department also supports adults in England who are non-native speakers to access English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision, which is funded through the AEB.</p><p>Further training for adults is available in community settings through the AEB. Prioritised for disadvantaged learners, Community Learning can provide a stepping stone for those adults who are not ready for formal accredited learning or who would benefit from learning in a more informal way.</p><p>Currently approximately 60% of the AEB is devolved to nine Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and delegated to the Mayor of London acting through the Greater London Authority (GLA). These authorities are responsible for the provision of adult education and the allocation of the AEB in their local areas.</p><p>The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) is responsible for the remaining AEB in non-devolved areas where colleges and training providers have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their AEB to meet the needs of their communities.</p><p> </p><p>​​In addition, the department funds all apprentices, including adults, to achieve up to a Level 2 in English and maths by the end of their apprenticeship, where they do not already hold a suitable equivalent qualification. In January, the department increased funding by a minimum of 54%, from £471 to £724, for new apprentices to help them gain these vital skills.</p><p> </p><p>The department have also launched the Multiply Programme to improve adult numeracy. The programme is funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is the government’s flagship fund for supporting people and places across the UK. Up to £270 million is directly available for local areas in England to deliver innovative interventions to improve adult numeracy. Delivery is now well underway. Multiply Programme provision is available across the country, with over 113,000 course starts in England since the programme began to the end of January 2024.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall question first answered 15/04/2024 12:04:26 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1698923

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Freedom of Expression
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in reference to the Office for Students consultation on proposed regulatory advice and other matters relating to freedom of speech, announced on 26 March 2024, what discussions (a) she and (b) the Office for Students have had on this with (i) the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, (ii) other Ministers in the Department for Business and Trade, (iii) Officials in that Department, (iv) the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, (v) other Ministers in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and (vi) officials in that Department.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	20614
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>Officials regularly speak on matters of mutual importance across government, particularly on cross-cutting policy and new legislation. The department’s officials continue to engage with both the Office for Students (OfS) and other governmental departments (OGDs) surrounding the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 (the Act).</p><p>Officials will continue to engage with the OfS and OGDs ahead of the Act coming into force, currently planned for 1 August 2024 for the main provisions, including the complaints scheme. The content of the consultation published on 26 March 2026 is a matter for the OfS.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 15/04/2024 16:59:20 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1698982

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Teachers: Training
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding her Department has allocated to support teachers through (a) subject knowledge enhancement courses for trainees, (b) Oak National Academy Resources (i) planned and (ii) existing, (c) subject hubs, (d) support for level 3 provision and (d) bursaries and other support for continuing professional development for (A) maths and numeracy, (B) English and literacy, (C) science, (D) music, (E) history and (F) Religious Education in the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Worthing West
	tabling member printed	Sir Peter Bottomley
	uin	20499
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>Teachers are the foundation of the education system; there are no great schools without great teachers. The quality of teaching is the single most important in-school factor for improving pupil outcomes. This is particularly important for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.</p><p>The department is creating a world class teacher development system, which builds from Initial Teacher Training (ITT), through to early career support, specialisation, and onto school leadership. The funding breakdown requested over the last five years is included in the attached table. The department is providing support across a range of subjects via a network of hubs that help build teacher capability and pupil access to subjects. This focuses on support for teachers in schools and extends to sixth form provision in some schools.</p><p>In addition to this funding, in 2021, as part of the government’s long term recovery plan, £184 million of new funding was allocated to enable teachers employed at state-funded organisations to access fully funded training scholarships for National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) for three years until the end of the 2023/24 academic year. This includes two specialist NPQs in Leading Literacy (NPQLL) and the NPQ in Leading Primary Mathematics (NPQLPM). In March 2024, the government announced scholarship funding for NPQs for the October 2024 cohort. This includes a guarantee that the NPQLPM will be fully funded until October 2025 to further expand teaching of mathematics mastery approaches through primary education.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/04/2024 12:35:08 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds attachment 1 file name 20499_Teacher_Funding_Breakdown_Table.xlsx title 20499_Teacher_Funding_Breakdown_Table
	tabling member	117 label Biography information for Sir Peter Bottomley

1698983

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Religion: 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 it her policy to publish additional non-statutory guidance on religious education syllabus content in schools.
	tabling member constituency	Worthing West
	tabling member printed	Sir Peter Bottomley
	uin	20500
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>Religious education (RE) is an important part of a school’s curriculum and can contribute to a young person’s personal, social, and academic development. When done well, it can develop children’s knowledge of British values and traditions, help them better understand those of other countries, and refine pupils’ ability to construct well-informed, balanced, and structured arguments. This is why RE remains a compulsory subject in all state-funded schools in England for each pupil up to the age of 18.</p><p>The department has no plans to publish additional non-statutory guidance on RE syllabus content in schools. The department’s policy is to allow RE curricula to be designed at a local level, whether this is through a locally agreed syllabus conference or by individual schools and academy trusts developing their own curricula. The department feels this is the most appropriate way for local demographics to be accounted for.</p><p>The department does however welcome the work that the Religious Education Council has done to assist curriculum developers by publishing its National Content Standard for RE in England.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/04/2024 16:03:25 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	117 label Biography information for Sir Peter Bottomley

1699053

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Free Schools: Bournemouth
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Spring Budget 2024, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of locating one of the 15 new special free schools in Bournemouth.
	tabling member constituency	Bournemouth East
	tabling member printed	Mr Tobias Ellwood
	uin	20559
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>The department received a total of 85 applications from local authorities to open a special free school in the most recent, very competitive application round, including two applications from Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Council.</p><p> </p><p>The department plans to select 15 successful applications from the pool of applications. This will remain a competitive process. The approach means the department can move quickly to appoint trusts to run these schools.</p><p> </p><p>The department plans to announce those local authorities which have been successful for the additional special free schools by May 2024.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 15/04/2024 12:10:47 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood

1699083

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Non-teaching Staff: Minimum Wage
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with (a) local authorities and (b) academy trusts on increasing the level of pay above the statutory minimum wage for non-teaching staff in schools.
	tabling member constituency	Bosworth
	tabling member printed	Dr Luke Evans
	uin	20787
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>The government has given schools the freedom to set pay and conditions for support staff according to their own circumstances.</p><p>Local government employees, including school support staff, are covered by the National Joint Council terms and conditions, known as the Green Book. Most schools, including academies, use the local government pay scales in conjunction with the Green Book.</p><p>The pay scales are set through negotiations between the Local Government Association, which represents the employer, and local government trade unions (UNISON, Unite, and the GMB), which represent the employee. Central government does not have any formal role in these matters.</p><p>For the lowest pay scale, there has been an increase of 22% over the two years since April 2021, to £11.59 an hour. This is above the current national living wage of £10.42 an hour.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/04/2024 12:49:20 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4781 label Biography information for Dr Luke Evans

1699136

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Air Pollution
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will update guidance for schools on mitigating poor air quality.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	20744
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>The department takes the health, safety and wellbeing of school users very seriously. ‘Building Bulletin 101’, published by the department, provides non-statutory guidance on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools. This is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Further guidance on ventilation is included in the ‘Good Estate Management for Schools’ guidance, which is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools/health-and-safety" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools/health-and-safety</a>. The department has also produced operational guidance on using CO2 monitors and managing ventilation, which is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-co-monitors-and-air-cleaning-units-in-education-and-care-settings" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-co-monitors-and-air-cleaning-units-in-education-and-care-settings</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department regularly reviews its guidance to ensure that it aligns with best practice and industry standards, to deliver high-quality school environments.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/04/2024 12:54:12 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1699167

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Regional Schools Commissioners: Finance and Staff
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the annual budget is for regional schools commissioners, per commissioner per region in each financial year since 2014-15; and how many staff were employed by each commissioner on average in each financial year since 2014-15.
	tabling member constituency	Twickenham
	tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
	uin	20781
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>The department has identified the costs as the workforce costs and the General Administration Expenditure for the Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) and their teams up to 2022, and for Regional Directors and their teams from 2022 onwards. RSCs were replaced in 2022 by Regional Directors with an expanded remit.</p><p> </p><p>The department's policy of retaining financial records for seven years limits access to data before the 2016/17 financial year.</p><p>In 2019 the department underwent re-organisation to align its delivery work in relation to academies, free schools and school improvement, bringing together functions that were previously delivered in different parts of the department. This data for 2019/2022 is therefore not directly comparable to previous years, as the functions delivered by the RSC teams expanded.</p><p>The RSC Staff programme budget, represented in the table below, was held centrally until the 2020/2021 financial year and then was split and allocated to the individual regions from 2021/2022. This was a change in where the budget sat rather than a change in staffing levels.</p><p><strong>Workforce actual spend data for Regional Schools Commissioner teams 2016/2022 </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Workforce Actual Spend (Millions of GBP)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2016/17 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2017-18 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2018/19 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2019/20 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2020/21 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2021/22 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC East of England and North East London</strong></p></td><td><p>£1.60</p></td><td><p>£1.62</p></td><td><p>£1.15</p></td><td><p>£1.07</p></td><td><p>£1.20</p></td><td><p>£1.99</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC East Midlands and Humber</strong></p></td><td><p>£1.90</p></td><td><p>£1.48</p></td><td><p>£1.39</p></td><td><p>£1.10</p></td><td><p>£1.33</p></td><td><p>£2.58</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC Lancashire and West Yorkshire</strong></p></td><td><p>£1.85</p></td><td><p>£1.91</p></td><td><p>£1.45</p></td><td><p>£1.33</p></td><td><p>£1.39</p></td><td><p>£2.86</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC North &amp; Opportunity North East </strong></p></td><td><p>£1.57</p></td><td><p>£1.29</p></td><td><p>£1.16</p></td><td><p>£0.74</p></td><td><p>£0.93</p></td><td><p>£3.36</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC North West London and South Central England</strong></p></td><td><p>£1.89</p></td><td><p>£1.62</p></td><td><p>£1.27</p></td><td><p>£1.33</p></td><td><p>£1.51</p></td><td><p>£3.06</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC South East and South London</strong></p></td><td><p>£2.18</p></td><td><p>£1.66</p></td><td><p>£1.43</p></td><td><p>£1.11</p></td><td><p>£1.63</p></td><td><p>£3.40</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSD South West</strong></p></td><td><p>£2.20</p></td><td><p>£1.98</p></td><td><p>£1.39</p></td><td><p>£1.59</p></td><td><p>£1.81</p></td><td><p>£3.55</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC West Midlands</strong></p></td><td><p>£1.90</p></td><td><p>£1.91</p></td><td><p>£1.15</p></td><td><p>£1.20</p></td><td><p>£1.67</p></td><td><p>£3.18</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC Staff Programme Costs*</strong></p></td><td><p>£4.08</p></td><td><p>£9.95</p></td><td><p>£14.68</p></td><td><p>£15.90</p></td><td><p>£16.31</p></td><td><p>£0.37</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><strong>Full Time Equivalent staffing data for Regional Schools Commissioner teams 2016/2022 </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Full Time Equivalent Staff per Region</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY16/17</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY17/18</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY18/19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY19/20</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY20/21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY21/22</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC East of England and North East London</strong></p></td><td><p>44.01</p></td><td><p>41.46</p></td><td><p>42.6</p></td><td><p>47.4</p></td><td><p>41</p></td><td><p>41.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC East Midlands and Humber</strong></p></td><td><p>46.99</p></td><td><p>59.93</p></td><td><p>47</p></td><td><p>51.4</p></td><td><p>53</p></td><td><p>49.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC Lancashire and West Yorkshire</strong></p></td><td><p>54.16</p></td><td><p>68.71</p></td><td><p>48.6</p></td><td><p>64.2</p></td><td><p>64.1</p></td><td><p>54.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC North &amp; Opportunity North East</strong></p></td><td><p>40.48</p></td><td><p>41.28</p></td><td><p>32.6</p></td><td><p>41.9</p></td><td><p>37.7</p></td><td><p>37.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC North West London and South Central England</strong></p></td><td><p>49.35</p></td><td><p>52.43</p></td><td><p>48.4</p></td><td><p>64.1</p></td><td><p>51.6</p></td><td><p>43</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC South East and South London</strong></p></td><td><p>54.19</p></td><td><p>58.52</p></td><td><p>42.4</p></td><td><p>61.7</p></td><td><p>54.8</p></td><td><p>52.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC South West</strong></p></td><td><p>54.66</p></td><td><p>55.59</p></td><td><p>53.7</p></td><td><p>67.2</p></td><td><p>59.2</p></td><td><p>58.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>RSC West Midlands</strong></p></td><td><p>58.62</p></td><td><p>52.57</p></td><td><p>46.7</p></td><td><p>57.9</p></td><td><p>58.6</p></td><td><p>56.3</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>In July 2022, the creation of Regions Group within the department led to the replacement of the RSC role with Regional Directors, with a broader remit for the delivery of special educational needs and disabilities support and children’s social care improvement and interventions in their regions alongside their role in relation to academies and free schools. The regional structures were also re-organised to align with geographical boundaries of English regions. This data is therefore not directly comparable to the previous years.</p><p><strong>Workforce actual spend data for Regional Director teams 2022/2024</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Workforce Actual Spend Data for Regional Director Teams 2022 – 2024 (Millions of GBP)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Workforce Actual</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Workforce Actual (at end of Feb 2024)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>FY 2022/23 </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY 2023/24 </strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - East Midlands</strong></p></td><td><p>£2.70</p></td><td><p>£3.11</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - East of England</strong></p></td><td><p>£3.60</p></td><td><p>£3.58</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - London</strong></p></td><td><p>£4.06</p></td><td><p>£3.68</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - North East</strong></p></td><td><p>£2.47</p></td><td><p>£2.09</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - North West</strong></p></td><td><p>£4.44</p></td><td><p>£4.36</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - South East</strong></p></td><td><p>£4.04</p></td><td><p>£3.93</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - South West</strong></p></td><td><p>£4.34</p></td><td><p>£4.13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - West Midlands</strong></p></td><td><p>£4.26</p></td><td><p>£3.91</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - Yorkshire and the Humber</strong></p></td><td><p>£4.00</p></td><td><p>£3.89</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Full Time Equivalent staffing data for Regional Director teams 2022/2024</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Full Time Equivalent Staff per Region</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY22/23</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>FY23/24 (Actual FTE at end of Feb 24)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - East Midlands</strong></p></td><td><p>47.7</p></td><td><p>54.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - East of England</strong></p></td><td><p>53.0</p></td><td><p>65.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - London</strong></p></td><td><p>55.6</p></td><td><p>56.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - North East</strong></p></td><td><p>38.3</p></td><td><p>33.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - North West</strong></p></td><td><p>76.2</p></td><td><p>80.0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - South East</strong></p></td><td><p>62.8</p></td><td><p>61.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - South West</strong></p></td><td><p>66.3</p></td><td><p>78.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - West Midlands</strong></p></td><td><p>69.7</p></td><td><p>70.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Regional Directorate - Yorkshire and the Humber</strong></p></td><td><p>62.7</p></td><td><p>71.7</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/04/2024 16:09:23 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1699203

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	English Language and Mathematics: Further Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has undertaken an assessment of the impact of the 16 to 19 maths and English condition of funding on (a) student experience of learning at and (b) staffing levels in (i) further education colleges and (ii) independent training providers.
	tabling member constituency	Twickenham
	tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
	uin	20782
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>This government recognises the importance of literacy and numeracy skills, both in work and everyday life. Securing good levels of literacy and numeracy has a positive impact on participation in society, improves earnings and employment opportunities and opens doors to further learning.</p><p> </p><p>The changes to the mathematics and English condition of funding are intended to have a positive effect on 16-19 students, giving them the English and mathematics skills they need to progress in life and work. The changes also bring England in line with other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where 16-19 students receive significantly more hours of English and mathematics teaching. For the 2024/2025 academic year, the department expects providers to comply as far as reasonably possible with the changes, so they have time to plan and prepare before the department measures compliance from the 2025/2026 academic year. Only then will the department begin the phased removal of the tolerance. More information about mathematics and English condition funding can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-maths-and-english-condition-of-funding" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-maths-and-english-condition-of-funding</a>.</p><p> </p><p>As the department works with the sector on implementation, the department remains committed to considering the impacts on students in further education colleges and independent training providers. This includes the workforce implications, and maximising the benefits for them.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 20783 question first answered 15/04/2024 12:38:50 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1699204

	registered interest
	date	26/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	English Language and Mathematics: Further 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 the phased removal of the tolerance of students who do not meet the 16 to 19 maths and English condition of funding from 5% to 0%, starting in academic year 2026-27, on (a) further education colleges and (b) independent training providers.
	tabling member constituency	Twickenham
	tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
	uin	20783
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>This government recognises the importance of literacy and numeracy skills, both in work and everyday life. Securing good levels of literacy and numeracy has a positive impact on participation in society, improves earnings and employment opportunities and opens doors to further learning.</p><p> </p><p>The changes to the mathematics and English condition of funding are intended to have a positive effect on 16-19 students, giving them the English and mathematics skills they need to progress in life and work. The changes also bring England in line with other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where 16-19 students receive significantly more hours of English and mathematics teaching. For the 2024/2025 academic year, the department expects providers to comply as far as reasonably possible with the changes, so they have time to plan and prepare before the department measures compliance from the 2025/2026 academic year. Only then will the department begin the phased removal of the tolerance. More information about mathematics and English condition funding can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-maths-and-english-condition-of-funding" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-maths-and-english-condition-of-funding</a>.</p><p> </p><p>As the department works with the sector on implementation, the department remains committed to considering the impacts on students in further education colleges and independent training providers. This includes the workforce implications, and maximising the benefits for them.</p> answering member constituency Thornbury and Yate answering member printed Luke Hall grouped question UIN 20782 question first answered 15/04/2024 12:38:50 answering member 4450 label Biography information for Luke Hall
	tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1698278

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Visual Impairment
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what is the educational attainment gap for blind and visually impaired students at (1) Key Stage 2, (2) GCSE, and (3) A Level; by what date, if any, they aim to eradicate that gap; and what additional research have they undertaken, or do they intend to undertake, to support work in this area.
	tabling member printed	Lord Holmes of Richmond
	uin	HL3582
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>Data is collected on pupils receiving either special educational needs support or have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and their primary category of need. The links below provide the attainment of pupils assessed as having a primary need of ‘visual impairment’ and how this compares to other pupils:</p><ul><li>Key stage 2: data for the 2022/23 year is in the table atttached.</li><li>Key stage 4: data for the 2022/23 year is in the table attached.</li><li>A level: data for the 2022/23 year is in the table attached.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The department wants all children and young people to be able to reach their full potential and to receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is creating a new single national special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision system for how needs are identified and met across EHC. This new single national system will set standards on what support should be made available in mainstream settings, including for children with visual impairments.</p><p>The department is committed to ensuring a steady supply of teachers of children with sensory impairments in both specialist and mainstream settings. To teach a class of pupils with sensory impairments, a teacher is required to hold the relevant mandatory qualification (MQSI). There are currently six providers of the MQSI, with a seventh available from September 2024. In addition, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education is developing a new occupational standard for teachers of sensory impairment, which is expected to launch in 2025.</p><p>The national curriculum tests are designed and modified to ensure they are accessible to visually impaired pupils. Access arrangements can be agreed with exam boards before an assessment for candidates with specific needs, including SEND, to help them access assessments to show what they know and can do without changing the demands of the assessment. The intention behind an access arrangement is to meet the needs of an individual candidate without affecting the integrity of the assessment.</p><p>Children and young people with SEND have more access to assistive technology (AT) following investment in remote education and accessibility features which can reduce or remove barriers to learning. Following the promising results of a pilot training programme in 2022 to increase mainstream school staff confidence using assistive technology, the government extended training to capture more detailed data on the impact on teachers and learners. The independent evaluation will be published in May 2024. The department is also now researching the AT skills required by staff at special schools, including those working with blind and visually impaired students.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran attachment 1 file name KS2_attainment_table.xlsx title KS2_attainment_table 2 file name KS4_attainment_table.xlsx title KS4_attainment_table 3 file name ALevel_attainment_table.xlsx title ALevel_attainment_table question first answered 08/04/2024 14:58:29 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4294 label Biography information for Lord Holmes of Richmond

1698303

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Childcare
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what additional support they are providing to enable local authorities and childcare providers to meet demand arising from their commitment to provide free childcare hours.
	tabling member printed	Lord Weir of Ballyholme
	uin	HL3607
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>There were 15,100 more childcare places in 2023 than the previous year, with 12,900 paid staff added to the same period according to the department’s latest Childcare and early years provider survey (2023).</p><p>To support providers to expand their provision further, the department is investing over £400 million of additional funding to uplift the hourly rate for the entitlements next year. This investment consists of £67 million in new funding to reflect the latest National Living Wage increase, an additional £57 million to support providers in respect of teachers’ pay and pensions, and the £288 million for the existing entitlements in 2024/25 announced in the Spring Budget in March 2023. It also builds on the £204 million of additional investment to increase funding rates this year. To further support the sector delivering the expansion of childcare support, the government is confirming that the hourly rate providers are paid to deliver the free hours offers will increase in line with the metric used at Spring Budget 2023 for the next two years. This reflects that workforce costs are the most significant costs for childcare providers and represents an estimated additional £500 million of investment over two years. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of children aged 3 and 4 are registered for a 30-hour place, saving eligible working parents up to £6,900 per child per year, helping even more working parents and making a real difference to the lives of those families.</p><p>Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare, including supporting them through our childcare delivery support contract where appropriate.</p><p>The government has allocated £100 million in capital funding to local authorities to support the expansion of childcare places and the supply of wraparound care. The funding is anticipated to deliver thousands of new places across the country.</p><p>On top of the department’s funding reforms, it is also providing significant support for local authorities to deliver the early years expansion from April, such as:</p><ul><li>Appointing a delivery support contractor (Childcare Works) to provide local authorities with support, advice, guidance and best practice sharing to help them deliver the expansion and deliver enough childcare places for residents. Coram are part of the Childcare Works consortium, and the department is delighted to be working with them to support local authorities to deliver.</li><li>Providing £12 million of delivery support funding to local authorities in financial year 2023/24, to help them meet the costs associated with the rollout.</li><li>In February 2024, the department launched a new national recruitment campaign for the early years and childcare sector, ‘Do something Big, Work with small children’, and a financial incentives pilot. Eligible joiners and returners will receive a tax-free payment of up to £1,000. This followed the introduction of workforce flexibilities to the Early Years Foundation Stage in January 2024.</li><li>The department has also introduced Skills Bootcamps for Early Years which will create a pathway to accelerated Level 3 Early Years Apprenticeships.</li></ul> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL3609 question first answered 08/04/2024 12:07:12 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4970 label Biography information for Lord Weir of Ballyholme

1698304

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Childcare
	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 percentage of eligible families who will be able to take advantage of free childcare care hours committed by April.
	tabling member printed	Lord Weir of Ballyholme
	uin	HL3608
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>In the 2023 Spring Budget, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced that free childcare would be extended to children of eligible working parents in England from nine months old to support increased parental engagement in the labour market.</p><p>The proportion of eligible parents who will take up the new entitlement is provisionally estimated to be around 75% for those with children aged two, around 60% for those with children aged one and around 35% for those with children under the age of one. These estimates are detailed in a policy costing information note, which was published in July 2023. The information note can be found in the attachment.</p><p>Data on actual take up of the entitlement for children aged two from April 2024 will be collected via the early years census in January 2025, and published in June or July 2025.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 08/04/2024 12:23:14 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran attachment 1 file name HL3608 attachment.pdf title HL3608_attachment
	tabling member	4970 label Biography information for Lord Weir of Ballyholme

1698305

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Childcare: Shortages
	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 percentage of areas where there is a shortage of childcare facilities and providers to provide their commitment of free childcare hours.
	tabling member printed	Lord Weir of Ballyholme
	uin	HL3609
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>There were 15,100 more childcare places in 2023 than the previous year, with 12,900 paid staff added to the same period according to the department’s latest Childcare and early years provider survey (2023).</p><p>To support providers to expand their provision further, the department is investing over £400 million of additional funding to uplift the hourly rate for the entitlements next year. This investment consists of £67 million in new funding to reflect the latest National Living Wage increase, an additional £57 million to support providers in respect of teachers’ pay and pensions, and the £288 million for the existing entitlements in 2024/25 announced in the Spring Budget in March 2023. It also builds on the £204 million of additional investment to increase funding rates this year. To further support the sector delivering the expansion of childcare support, the government is confirming that the hourly rate providers are paid to deliver the free hours offers will increase in line with the metric used at Spring Budget 2023 for the next two years. This reflects that workforce costs are the most significant costs for childcare providers and represents an estimated additional £500 million of investment over two years. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of children aged 3 and 4 are registered for a 30-hour place, saving eligible working parents up to £6,900 per child per year, helping even more working parents and making a real difference to the lives of those families.</p><p>Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. The department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare, including supporting them through our childcare delivery support contract where appropriate.</p><p>The government has allocated £100 million in capital funding to local authorities to support the expansion of childcare places and the supply of wraparound care. The funding is anticipated to deliver thousands of new places across the country.</p><p>On top of the department’s funding reforms, it is also providing significant support for local authorities to deliver the early years expansion from April, such as:</p><ul><li>Appointing a delivery support contractor (Childcare Works) to provide local authorities with support, advice, guidance and best practice sharing to help them deliver the expansion and deliver enough childcare places for residents. Coram are part of the Childcare Works consortium, and the department is delighted to be working with them to support local authorities to deliver.</li><li>Providing £12 million of delivery support funding to local authorities in financial year 2023/24, to help them meet the costs associated with the rollout.</li><li>In February 2024, the department launched a new national recruitment campaign for the early years and childcare sector, ‘Do something Big, Work with small children’, and a financial incentives pilot. Eligible joiners and returners will receive a tax-free payment of up to £1,000. This followed the introduction of workforce flexibilities to the Early Years Foundation Stage in January 2024.</li><li>The department has also introduced Skills Bootcamps for Early Years which will create a pathway to accelerated Level 3 Early Years Apprenticeships.</li></ul> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL3607 question first answered 08/04/2024 12:07:12 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4970 label Biography information for Lord Weir of Ballyholme

1698306

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Breakfast Clubs
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of (1) primary, and (2) secondary, schools currently provide breakfast clubs.
	tabling member printed	Lord Weir of Ballyholme
	uin	HL3610
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>The government is committed to continuing support for breakfast clubs in England in schools in disadvantaged areas. Up to £40 million is being invested to continue the department’s national programme until July 2025. This funding will support up to 2,700 schools in disadvantaged areas in England, meaning thousands of children from low income families will be offered free nutritious breakfasts to better support their attainment, wellbeing and readiness to learn. Schools are eligible for the programme if they have 40% or more pupils from deprived households, as measured by the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index.</p><p>The department does not currently hold recent data on the percentage of schools that provide breakfast clubs. As of November 2022, over 2,100 schools signed up to the programme, of which 65% were primary and 23% secondary.</p><p>The recruitment process is still underway for schools that wish to sign up. In March 2023, 2,500 schools had signed up to the programme and the department will work with its supplier, Family Action, to monitor and publish updated data in due course.</p><p>​The government is very supportive of school breakfasts and the contribution these can make to children’s wellbeing and learning. ​Alongside our national programme, there are a number of organisations such as Magic Breakfast, Kellogg’s and Greggs providing valuable support to schools with a breakfast provision.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 08/04/2024 12:24:26 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4970 label Biography information for Lord Weir of Ballyholme

1698308

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Carers: Young People
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, following statistics published on 21 March showing that the percentage of young carers who missed at least ten per cent of school is almost twice as high as that for pupils without caring responsibilities, what steps they are taking to improve the (1) identification of, and (2) support for, young carers in schools.
	tabling member printed	Lord Young of Cookham
	uin	HL3612
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/04/2024 answer text <p>Young carers make an enormous contribution by caring for their loved ones. The department wants to ensure young carers are supported in their education and can take advantage of opportunities beyond their caring responsibilities.</p><p>The department introduced The Young Carers (Needs Assessments) Regulations in 2015. This is an assessment of needs, conducted by the local authority which must consider whether it is appropriate or excessive for the child or young person to provide care for the person in question, in light of the young carer’s needs and wishes. It also helps to determine whether the care which the young carer provides, or intends to provide, impacts on the young carer’s well-being, education and development.</p><p>The department added young carers to the annual school census in 2023 for the first time and identified 38,983 young carers, raising their visibility in the school system and allowing schools to better identify and support their young carers. This is providing the department with strong evidence on both the numbers of young carers and their educational outcomes. This also provides an annual data collection to establish long-term trends.</p><p>As this is a new data collection, the department expects the quality of the data returns to improve over time as the collection becomes established. All schools (except nursery schools) must send this information as part of the spring school census. However, the recording and handling of the information is at the school’s discretion. 79% of schools recorded no young carers in 2023.</p><p>The department recognises that absence is often a symptom of other problems. The department has a comprehensive support-first strategy to improve attendance, which includes:</p><ul><li>Stronger expectations of schools, trusts and local authorities to work together to tackle absence, which is set out in guidance that will become statutory in August 2024.</li><li>An attendance data tool allowing early identification and intervention of pupils at risk of persistent absence, which will become mandatory from September 2024.</li><li>The Attendance Action Alliance of system leaders who are working to remove barriers to attendance.</li><li>Appointing Rob Tarn as the new national attendance ambassador to work with school leaders to champion attendance as well as ten expert Attendance Advisers to support local authorities and trusts.</li><li>Expanding the department’s attendance mentor pilot from 5 to 15 areas from September, backed by an additional £15 million and reaching 10,000 children.</li><li>Doubling the number of lead attendance hubs, bringing the total to 32 which will see nearly 2,000 schools supported to tackle persistent absence.</li><li>A national communications campaign aimed to highlight the benefits of attendance and target preventable odd days of absence linked to mild illness, mild anxiety and term-time holidays.</li></ul><p>The department is also building a system of family help by reforming children’s social care. The £45 million Families First for Children Pathfinder programme is testing how multi-disciplinary family help teams can improve the support that children, families and young carers receive.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 10/04/2024 11:06:43 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham

1698528

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Alternative Education: Physical Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure all children and young people attending alternative provision settings are provided with access to high-quality physical education.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
	tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
	uin	20474
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>Although alternative provision (AP) settings are not required to follow the national curriculum, there is an expectation that they should aim to deliver a high-quality, broad and balanced curriculum, including physical education that responds to the needs and ambitions of all children to give them the foundations and resilience to succeed in education and in their future life.</p><p> </p><p>Data on the amount and type of outdoor space for all schools, including state-funded AP schools can be found here: <a href="https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2285521/files" target="_blank">https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2285521/files</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department does not hold information on dedicated space for indoor physical education in AP settings.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 20475 20476 question first answered 15/04/2024 16:50:47 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake

1698529

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Alternative Education: Physical Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what requirements are placed on alternative provision settings to deliver physical education.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
	tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
	uin	20475
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>Although alternative provision (AP) settings are not required to follow the national curriculum, there is an expectation that they should aim to deliver a high-quality, broad and balanced curriculum, including physical education that responds to the needs and ambitions of all children to give them the foundations and resilience to succeed in education and in their future life.</p><p> </p><p>Data on the amount and type of outdoor space for all schools, including state-funded AP schools can be found here: <a href="https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2285521/files" target="_blank">https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2285521/files</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department does not hold information on dedicated space for indoor physical education in AP settings.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 20474 20476 question first answered 15/04/2024 16:50:48 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake

1698530

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Alternative Education: Physical Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of alternative provision settings have dedicated space for (a) indoor and (b) outdoor physical education.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Hallam
	tabling member printed	Olivia Blake
	uin	20476
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>Although alternative provision (AP) settings are not required to follow the national curriculum, there is an expectation that they should aim to deliver a high-quality, broad and balanced curriculum, including physical education that responds to the needs and ambitions of all children to give them the foundations and resilience to succeed in education and in their future life.</p><p> </p><p>Data on the amount and type of outdoor space for all schools, including state-funded AP schools can be found here: <a href="https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2285521/files" target="_blank">https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2285521/files</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department does not hold information on dedicated space for indoor physical education in AP settings.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 20474 20475 question first answered 15/04/2024 16:50:48 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4864 label Biography information for Olivia Blake

1698596

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Supply Teachers
	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 potential impact of the level of (a) qualification and (b) experience of staff employed through teacher supply agencies on educational standards.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	20376
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.</p><p>The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:</p><ul><li>Trainee teachers working towards QTS.</li><li>Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.</li><li>Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).</li></ul><p>Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.</p><p>Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.</p><p>In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers</a>. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.</p><p>The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:</p><ul><li>Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.</li><li>Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.</li><li>Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.</li><li>Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.</li></ul><p>The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.</p><p>Schools can learn more about the deal at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20377 20378 20379 20380 question first answered 16/04/2024 11:41:55 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1698597

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Supply Teachers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of regulating the qualifications and experience of staff made available to schools through teacher supply agencies.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	20377
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.</p><p>The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:</p><ul><li>Trainee teachers working towards QTS.</li><li>Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.</li><li>Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).</li></ul><p>Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.</p><p>Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.</p><p>In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers</a>. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.</p><p>The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:</p><ul><li>Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.</li><li>Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.</li><li>Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.</li><li>Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.</li></ul><p>The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.</p><p>Schools can learn more about the deal at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20376 20378 20379 20380 question first answered 16/04/2024 11:41:55 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1698598

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Supply Teachers
	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 (a) adequacy of the level of experience of cover supervisors in schools and (b) potential impact of the use of cover supervisors on (i) student safety and (ii) educational outcomes.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	20378
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.</p><p>The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:</p><ul><li>Trainee teachers working towards QTS.</li><li>Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.</li><li>Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).</li></ul><p>Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.</p><p>Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.</p><p>In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers</a>. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.</p><p>The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:</p><ul><li>Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.</li><li>Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.</li><li>Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.</li><li>Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.</li></ul><p>The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.</p><p>Schools can learn more about the deal at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20376 20377 20379 20380 question first answered 16/04/2024 11:41:56 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1698599

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Supply Teachers
	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 take steps to assess the adequacy of qualifications held by people recruited to teacher supply agencies.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	20379
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.</p><p>The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:</p><ul><li>Trainee teachers working towards QTS.</li><li>Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.</li><li>Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).</li></ul><p>Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.</p><p>Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.</p><p>In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers</a>. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.</p><p>The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:</p><ul><li>Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.</li><li>Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.</li><li>Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.</li><li>Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.</li></ul><p>The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.</p><p>Schools can learn more about the deal at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20376 20377 20378 20380 question first answered 16/04/2024 11:41:56 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1698600

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Supply Teachers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to support schools in low income areas that may experience challenges in securing qualified supply teachers.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	20380
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and by covering teacher absences.</p><p>The type of school a supply teacher works in determines the qualifications required. In local authority-maintained schools, maintained special schools and non-maintained special schools, anyone who teaches is legally required to hold qualified teacher status (QTS), subject to the following exceptions:</p><ul><li>Trainee teachers working towards QTS.</li><li>Overseas trained teachers who have been in the UK less than four years.</li><li>Instructors, where special qualifications and/or experience are required and teaching assistants (provided they are directed and supervised by a qualified teacher).</li></ul><p>Academies, free schools and independent schools are not subject to these requirements and have the freedom to appoint teachers with alternative qualifications.</p><p>Headteachers are ultimately responsible for the educational performance in their schools and the governing body carries out certain checks on supply staff, and the department trusts them to take decisions about the right mix of qualifications, skills, and experience that they expect teachers in their schools to have.</p><p>In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the department launched the agency supply deal. A link to the guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers</a>. ​The deal supports schools to get value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff.</p><p>The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:</p><ul><li>Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.</li><li>Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.</li><li>Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.</li><li>Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.</li></ul><p>The department strongly recommends that schools consider using preferred suppliers first for their agency staffing needs.</p><p>Schools can learn more about the deal at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department commissioned a research project last year into the use of supply staff in schools. This research has surveyed and interviewed supply teachers and school leaders and will improve understanding of the supply market. Publication of the report is due in the summer.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20376 20377 20378 20379 question first answered 16/04/2024 11:41:56 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1698619

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Music: Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has issued guidance to independent music education hubs on the removal of additional top-up funding for pension contributions from September 2024.
	tabling member constituency	Lewisham West and Penge
	tabling member printed	Ellie Reeves
	uin	20363
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>As part of the ongoing Music Hubs investment programme, Arts Council England informed potential bidders on 15 June 2023 that Department for Education funding from September 2024 would be made up of the revenue and capital grants only, and that there would be no additional ring-fenced top-up funding to support teacher pensions from this point on. Indicative allocations for both revenue and capital were also published for the 2024/25 academic year as part of the investment programme information.</p><p> </p><p>The department understands that this will be an adjustment for music education organisations that have received top-up funding in the past and that is why the department has given both incumbent and potential new Hub Lead Organisations (HLOs) over 12 months’ notice of this intention so that this can be carefully planned for well in advance.</p><p> </p><p>Following the conclusion of the current Music Hubs competition, due to be announced next month, the department will work with Arts Council England to set final grant allocations for the newly competed HLOs that take over from September 2024. As part of this work, due consideration will be given to additional pension pressures due to the forthcoming increase in employer contribution to the Teacher Pension Scheme.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20367 question first answered 16/04/2024 13:17:56 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4620 label Biography information for Ellie Reeves

1698620

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Music: Education
	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 potential impact of the decision to create 43 Hub Lead Organisations by Arts Council England on the future of (a) Music Education Hubs and (b) the wider music provision at schools.
	tabling member constituency	Lewisham West and Penge
	tabling member printed	Ellie Reeves
	uin	20364
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>Music Hubs are partnerships co-ordinated by a Hub Lead Organisation (HLO) and made up of schools and academy trusts, local authorities, music and wider arts and education organisations and charities, community or youth organisations and more. Having 43 HLOs working across a wider set of music education partnerships from September 2024 should bring significant benefits to children, young people and schools, as HLOs will be able to be more strategic, building stronger partnerships with those they work with, resulting in high-quality support in every local area and to ensure there are no local ‘cold spots’ where access to provision is limited.</p><p>This should also support a more consistent high-quality approach to music education for all children regardless of where they live or go to school, by offering:</p><ul><li>Improved and more equitable access to a diverse range of musical activities, opportunities, teachers, instruments and equipment.</li><li>Greater consistency of provision and ability to scale up effective programmes and ways of working for children and young people and schools.</li><li>Greater access to more advanced ensembles and a wider range of progression opportunities.</li><li>Greater access to the cultural capital centred around urban centres, thus improving connections and reducing isolation for rural communities.</li><li>More strategic leadership and governance, plus a wider range of employment opportunities and progression routes for the music education workforce.</li><li>Access to greater resources, capacity and capability to use government funding to leverage further investment.</li><li>An increased profile with wider musical stakeholders and a stronger connection with the music industry.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Schools alone cannot provide the range of services needed for a good quality music education and Music Hubs provide many services that contribute to schools delivering high-quality music provision. Furthermore, Music Hubs will play a critical role in supporting schools who opt to implement the Model Music Curriculum published in 2021 and for schools implementing their Music Development Plans from September 2024. In time, Music Hubs will also support schools opting to use music curriculum resources from Oak National Academy, who will publish their full suite of key stage 3 and 4 resources in the summer and who recently announced a partner to produce a suite of key stages 1 and 2 resources.</p><p> </p><p>The government has a long-standing commitment to high-quality music education and this is reflected in the government’s National Plan for Music Education published in June 2022. This sets out the vision to enable all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally by 2030. The department believes that Music Hubs play a vital role in ensuring children and young people across the country can access high-quality music education and this government values the many achievements that the existing Music Hub network has made since 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The department has invested around £380 million of funding into Music Hubs between 2016 and 2021. As part of the National Plan for Music Education 2022, the department also announced £79 million of funding per year for the Music Hub programme, up to and including the 2024/25 academic year, to provide assurance and stability in music education. The department is also providing £25 million capital funding for musical instruments as part of the programme. The department will consider future funding for the next spending review in due course.</p><p> </p><p>On average, the grant funding has consistently provided around 40% of a hub’s total income and hubs have historically used this to leverage other income streams over the lifespan of the programme. This co-funding approach will continue when the new programme is in place from September 2024. As set out in the investment programme, the department also expects organisations to have evidenced, as part of their applications to become one of the new HLOs, how at least 50% of a hub’s total income will come from other sources other than the revenue grant provided by the department by the end of the funding period.</p><p> </p><p>There is no expectation on Music Hubs to provide free music tuition to all children. As part of the Music Hubs Investment Programme, bidders were required to submit plans detailing their strategic approach to ensure music education is inclusive of all children and young people with a range of needs, including how the Music Hub would ensure inclusion and widening opportunity will be embedded across all activity, plans and policies. This includes specific support and resources, including access to musical instruments, that will be made available for children and young people who are eligible for pupil premium, including looked-after children and/or those who are care experienced and those who have an identified special educational need or disability.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20365 20366 question first answered 16/04/2024 11:30:24 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4620 label Biography information for Ellie Reeves

1698622

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Music: Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools to offer high quality music provision for all children (a) in the curriculum and (b) through (i) local authority-run and (ii) independent Music Education Hubs.
	tabling member constituency	Lewisham West and Penge
	tabling member printed	Ellie Reeves
	uin	20365
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>Music Hubs are partnerships co-ordinated by a Hub Lead Organisation (HLO) and made up of schools and academy trusts, local authorities, music and wider arts and education organisations and charities, community or youth organisations and more. Having 43 HLOs working across a wider set of music education partnerships from September 2024 should bring significant benefits to children, young people and schools, as HLOs will be able to be more strategic, building stronger partnerships with those they work with, resulting in high-quality support in every local area and to ensure there are no local ‘cold spots’ where access to provision is limited.</p><p>This should also support a more consistent high-quality approach to music education for all children regardless of where they live or go to school, by offering:</p><ul><li>Improved and more equitable access to a diverse range of musical activities, opportunities, teachers, instruments and equipment.</li><li>Greater consistency of provision and ability to scale up effective programmes and ways of working for children and young people and schools.</li><li>Greater access to more advanced ensembles and a wider range of progression opportunities.</li><li>Greater access to the cultural capital centred around urban centres, thus improving connections and reducing isolation for rural communities.</li><li>More strategic leadership and governance, plus a wider range of employment opportunities and progression routes for the music education workforce.</li><li>Access to greater resources, capacity and capability to use government funding to leverage further investment.</li><li>An increased profile with wider musical stakeholders and a stronger connection with the music industry.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Schools alone cannot provide the range of services needed for a good quality music education and Music Hubs provide many services that contribute to schools delivering high-quality music provision. Furthermore, Music Hubs will play a critical role in supporting schools who opt to implement the Model Music Curriculum published in 2021 and for schools implementing their Music Development Plans from September 2024. In time, Music Hubs will also support schools opting to use music curriculum resources from Oak National Academy, who will publish their full suite of key stage 3 and 4 resources in the summer and who recently announced a partner to produce a suite of key stages 1 and 2 resources.</p><p> </p><p>The government has a long-standing commitment to high-quality music education and this is reflected in the government’s National Plan for Music Education published in June 2022. This sets out the vision to enable all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally by 2030. The department believes that Music Hubs play a vital role in ensuring children and young people across the country can access high-quality music education and this government values the many achievements that the existing Music Hub network has made since 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The department has invested around £380 million of funding into Music Hubs between 2016 and 2021. As part of the National Plan for Music Education 2022, the department also announced £79 million of funding per year for the Music Hub programme, up to and including the 2024/25 academic year, to provide assurance and stability in music education. The department is also providing £25 million capital funding for musical instruments as part of the programme. The department will consider future funding for the next spending review in due course.</p><p> </p><p>On average, the grant funding has consistently provided around 40% of a hub’s total income and hubs have historically used this to leverage other income streams over the lifespan of the programme. This co-funding approach will continue when the new programme is in place from September 2024. As set out in the investment programme, the department also expects organisations to have evidenced, as part of their applications to become one of the new HLOs, how at least 50% of a hub’s total income will come from other sources other than the revenue grant provided by the department by the end of the funding period.</p><p> </p><p>There is no expectation on Music Hubs to provide free music tuition to all children. As part of the Music Hubs Investment Programme, bidders were required to submit plans detailing their strategic approach to ensure music education is inclusive of all children and young people with a range of needs, including how the Music Hub would ensure inclusion and widening opportunity will be embedded across all activity, plans and policies. This includes specific support and resources, including access to musical instruments, that will be made available for children and young people who are eligible for pupil premium, including looked-after children and/or those who are care experienced and those who have an identified special educational need or disability.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20364 20366 question first answered 16/04/2024 11:30:24 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4620 label Biography information for Ellie Reeves

1698623

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Music: Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how the Government’s Music Hub Investment Programme will support independent Music Education Hubs to provide free music education to all children.
	tabling member constituency	Lewisham West and Penge
	tabling member printed	Ellie Reeves
	uin	20366
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>Music Hubs are partnerships co-ordinated by a Hub Lead Organisation (HLO) and made up of schools and academy trusts, local authorities, music and wider arts and education organisations and charities, community or youth organisations and more. Having 43 HLOs working across a wider set of music education partnerships from September 2024 should bring significant benefits to children, young people and schools, as HLOs will be able to be more strategic, building stronger partnerships with those they work with, resulting in high-quality support in every local area and to ensure there are no local ‘cold spots’ where access to provision is limited.</p><p>This should also support a more consistent high-quality approach to music education for all children regardless of where they live or go to school, by offering:</p><ul><li>Improved and more equitable access to a diverse range of musical activities, opportunities, teachers, instruments and equipment.</li><li>Greater consistency of provision and ability to scale up effective programmes and ways of working for children and young people and schools.</li><li>Greater access to more advanced ensembles and a wider range of progression opportunities.</li><li>Greater access to the cultural capital centred around urban centres, thus improving connections and reducing isolation for rural communities.</li><li>More strategic leadership and governance, plus a wider range of employment opportunities and progression routes for the music education workforce.</li><li>Access to greater resources, capacity and capability to use government funding to leverage further investment.</li><li>An increased profile with wider musical stakeholders and a stronger connection with the music industry.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Schools alone cannot provide the range of services needed for a good quality music education and Music Hubs provide many services that contribute to schools delivering high-quality music provision. Furthermore, Music Hubs will play a critical role in supporting schools who opt to implement the Model Music Curriculum published in 2021 and for schools implementing their Music Development Plans from September 2024. In time, Music Hubs will also support schools opting to use music curriculum resources from Oak National Academy, who will publish their full suite of key stage 3 and 4 resources in the summer and who recently announced a partner to produce a suite of key stages 1 and 2 resources.</p><p> </p><p>The government has a long-standing commitment to high-quality music education and this is reflected in the government’s National Plan for Music Education published in June 2022. This sets out the vision to enable all children and young people to learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally by 2030. The department believes that Music Hubs play a vital role in ensuring children and young people across the country can access high-quality music education and this government values the many achievements that the existing Music Hub network has made since 2012.</p><p> </p><p>The department has invested around £380 million of funding into Music Hubs between 2016 and 2021. As part of the National Plan for Music Education 2022, the department also announced £79 million of funding per year for the Music Hub programme, up to and including the 2024/25 academic year, to provide assurance and stability in music education. The department is also providing £25 million capital funding for musical instruments as part of the programme. The department will consider future funding for the next spending review in due course.</p><p> </p><p>On average, the grant funding has consistently provided around 40% of a hub’s total income and hubs have historically used this to leverage other income streams over the lifespan of the programme. This co-funding approach will continue when the new programme is in place from September 2024. As set out in the investment programme, the department also expects organisations to have evidenced, as part of their applications to become one of the new HLOs, how at least 50% of a hub’s total income will come from other sources other than the revenue grant provided by the department by the end of the funding period.</p><p> </p><p>There is no expectation on Music Hubs to provide free music tuition to all children. As part of the Music Hubs Investment Programme, bidders were required to submit plans detailing their strategic approach to ensure music education is inclusive of all children and young people with a range of needs, including how the Music Hub would ensure inclusion and widening opportunity will be embedded across all activity, plans and policies. This includes specific support and resources, including access to musical instruments, that will be made available for children and young people who are eligible for pupil premium, including looked-after children and/or those who are care experienced and those who have an identified special educational need or disability.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20364 20365 question first answered 16/04/2024 11:30:24 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4620 label Biography information for Ellie Reeves

1698624

	registered interest
	date	25/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Music: Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason additional funding to cover increases in employers’ pension contributions will not be provided to existing non-local authority Music Education Hubs beyond the current academic year.
	tabling member constituency	Lewisham West and Penge
	tabling member printed	Ellie Reeves
	uin	20367
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2024 answer text <p>As part of the ongoing Music Hubs investment programme, Arts Council England informed potential bidders on 15 June 2023 that Department for Education funding from September 2024 would be made up of the revenue and capital grants only, and that there would be no additional ring-fenced top-up funding to support teacher pensions from this point on. Indicative allocations for both revenue and capital were also published for the 2024/25 academic year as part of the investment programme information.</p><p> </p><p>The department understands that this will be an adjustment for music education organisations that have received top-up funding in the past and that is why the department has given both incumbent and potential new Hub Lead Organisations (HLOs) over 12 months’ notice of this intention so that this can be carefully planned for well in advance.</p><p> </p><p>Following the conclusion of the current Music Hubs competition, due to be announced next month, the department will work with Arts Council England to set final grant allocations for the newly competed HLOs that take over from September 2024. As part of this work, due consideration will be given to additional pension pressures due to the forthcoming increase in employer contribution to the Teacher Pension Scheme.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20363 question first answered 16/04/2024 13:17:56 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4620 label Biography information for Ellie Reeves

1698114

	registered interest
	date	22/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Sign Language: GCSE
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of secondary (a) mainstream and (b) maintained special schools offered British Sign Language GCSE in each of the last five years.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
	tabling member printed	Lloyd Russell-Moyle
	uin	20083
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2024 answer text <p>The department published British Sign Language GCSE subject content in December 2023, following a public consultation last summer. Exam boards are now able to develop detailed specifications, which must be reviewed and accredited by Ofqual before schools and colleges are able to teach them. As such, no schools are currently offering the GCSE. The department’s aim is that exam board specifications will be available to schools who wish to offer the GCSE from September 2025.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20084 question first answered 02/04/2024 14:29:24 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4615 label Biography information for Lloyd Russell-Moyle

1698115

	registered interest
	date	22/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Sign Language: GCSE
	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 increase the provision of British Sign Language GCSE in mainstream secondary schools.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
	tabling member printed	Lloyd Russell-Moyle
	uin	20084
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2024 answer text <p>The department published British Sign Language GCSE subject content in December 2023, following a public consultation last summer. Exam boards are now able to develop detailed specifications, which must be reviewed and accredited by Ofqual before schools and colleges are able to teach them. As such, no schools are currently offering the GCSE. The department’s aim is that exam board specifications will be available to schools who wish to offer the GCSE from September 2025.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 20083 question first answered 02/04/2024 14:29:24 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4615 label Biography information for Lloyd Russell-Moyle

1698157

	registered interest
	date	22/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	St Leonard's Catholic School
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has placed a ban on all inter-year transfers to St Leonard's Catholic School in City of Durham.
	tabling member constituency	City of Durham
	tabling member printed	Mary Kelly Foy
	uin	20106
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2024 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for Education would not have powers to place a ban on inter-year transfers to St Leonard's Catholic School in the City of Durham.</p><p> </p><p>Parents can apply for a place for their child at any school at any time. An application after the start of the school year for a place in the normal year of entry (usually Year 7 in a secondary school), or for any other year group, is called an “in-year” application. The School Admissions Code sets out requirements in relation to in-year admissions.</p><p> </p><p>Where an application is received for a year which is not the normal year of entry, the admission authority can only refuse if the admission of another child would “prejudice the provision of efficient education or efficient use of resources”.</p><p> </p><p>Where in-year applications are received for the normal year of entry, the admission authority must admit children up to the Published Admission Number (PAN).</p><p> </p><p>If an admission authority (in this case, Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Academy Trust) wishes to change the PAN for Year 7, they would need to submit a request to vary the published admission arrangements (which include the PAN) to the Secretary of State for Education.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 02/04/2024 14:22:46 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4753 label Biography information for Mary Kelly Foy

1697886

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Nutrition: Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to include information about the benefits of eating (a) wholemeal and (b) traditionally made bread in the school curriculum to promote healthier eating habits.
	tabling member constituency	Slough
	tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
	uin	19929
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2024 answer text <p>The government wants to support the health and well-being of everyone. The department recognises the importance of education in delivering this aim and is supporting schools in a number of ways to provide high-quality healthy eating education for their students.</p><p> </p><p>The department does not specify how schools should teach the curriculum. It is a framework setting out the content of what the department expects schools to cover in each subject and trusts that teachers will develop the right approach for pupils in their particular school.</p><p> </p><p>Cooking and nutrition are a discrete strand of the national curriculum for design and technology and is compulsory for key stages 1 to 3. The curriculum aims to teach children how to cook and how to apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition. Students should become competent in a range of cooking techniques, as well as understanding the characteristics of a broad range of ingredients. The curriculum does not specify bread, but teachers may choose to include it among the foods they study.</p><p> </p><p>A food preparation and nutrition GCSE, introduced in September 2016, requires pupils to understand and apply the principles of food science, nutrition and healthy eating when preparing and cooking food. Pupils learn about bread when studying food groups, where they could learn about the nutritional benefits of wholemeal. Similarly, they develop dough making skills in the preparation section of the course, allowing them to learn about traditional bread making.</p><p> </p><p>The importance of healthy eating is also included in the science curriculum for both primary and secondary schools. Healthy eating is covered through topics relating to nutrition and digestion, which cover the content of a healthy diet and the impact of diet on how the body functions.</p><p> </p><p>The statutory guidance for Relationships, Sex and Health Education includes content on the importance of daily exercise, good nutrition and the risks associated with an inactive lifestyle, including obesity.</p><p> </p><p>Oak National Academy will be providing a fully resourced curriculum for key stage 1 to key stage 3 for food and nutrition. This will align with the national curriculum and also Oak’s guiding principles, which focus on the knowledge and skills specific to food and nutrition.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the standards for school food are set out in the requirements for school food regulations 2014, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/standards-for-school-food-in-england" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/standards-for-school-food-in-england</a>. These regulations are to ensure that schools provide children with healthy food and drink options, and to make sure that children get the energy and nutrition they need across the school day. The standards require bread, with no added fat or oil, to be available every day. The ‘School food standards practical guide’ encourages use of wholegrain varieties of starchy foods, as well as using at least half wholemeal or granary flour when making bread, puddings, cakes, biscuits, batters and sauces. The ‘School food standards practical guide’ can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-food-standards-resources-for-schools/school-food-standards-practical-guide#the-standards-for-school-lunch" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-food-standards-resources-for-schools/school-food-standards-practical-guide#the-standards-for-school-lunch</a>.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 02/04/2024 13:31:42 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1697889

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pre-school Education: Finance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department plans to provide for the early years free hours entitlement to each local authority; and what guidance her Department has issued to providers on the costs that this funding should cover.
	tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
	tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
	uin	19917
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The department is determined to support as many families as possible with access to high quality, affordable childcare, which is why the 2023 Spring Budget announced significant new investments to expand the free early education entitlements from April 2024. Further, at the 2024 Spring Budget the department committed to increasing the national average hourly funding rate to deliver the entitlements in line with the metric used at Spring Budget 2023, in the 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years to reflect key cost providers face, at an estimated £500 million of additional investment over the two financial years, based on current forecast.</p><p>The department expects to provide over £4.1 billion by the 2027/28 financial year to facilitate the expansion and to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year overall on free hours and early education entitlements. This is the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.</p><p>In 2024/25 alone, the department expects to provide over £1.7 billion to support local authorities and providers to deliver the expansion. On top of this, the department is increasing the 2024/25 hourly rates to local authorities for the existing and new entitlements by over £400 million.</p><p> </p><p>To ensure local authorities are fully supported in delivering the new entitlements, the department is funding local authorities an additional four weeks in the 2024/25 financial year, at an estimated cost of £120 million, for the under 2s working parent entitlement starting in September 2024.</p><p> </p><p>Indicative funding allocations for individual local authorities for 2024/25 were published in December 2023 and can be found at: <a href="https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/view-latest-funding/national-funding-allocations/DSG/2024-to-2025" target="_blank">https://skillsfunding.service.gov.uk/view-latest-funding/national-funding-allocations/DSG/2024-to-2025</a>. Funding allocations for local authorities for 2025/26 will be announced in the autumn.</p><p> </p><p>The department’s statutory guidance for local authorities sets out that government funding is intended to deliver 15 or 30 hours a week (for 38 weeks of the year) of free, high-quality, flexible childcare. The guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2</a>.</p><p>The funding should cover the cost, including core business costs, of delivering this provision. The funding is not intended to cover the costs of meals, other consumables, such as nappies and sun cream, additional hours or additional services, such as trips and specialist tuition. However, as set out in paragraph A1.33 of the guidance, such charges for consumables or additional services should not be made a condition of accessing a free place. The statutory guidance for local authorities also specifies that local authorities ensure that providers do not charge parents top-up fees or require parents to pay a registration fee as a condition of taking up their child’s place. Providers who choose to offer the free entitlements are responsible for setting their own policy on providing parents with options for alternatives to additional charges, including allowing parents to supply their own meals or nappies, or waiving or reducing the cost of meals and snacks.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 26/03/2024 15:56:24 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1697941

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Out-of-school Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has taken steps with relevant authorities to provide out of hours academic tutoring provision in state schools in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	19820
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2024 answer text <p>The department is investing over £1 billion in tutoring via its flagship National Tutoring Programme (NTP). This has seen nearly five million tutoring courses commence since the programme started in November 2020, including over two million in each of the last two academic years. In the current academic year, 346,000 courses have started up to 5 October 2023.</p><p> </p><p>The principal objective of the NTP is to improve the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. In the 2023/24 academic year, schools are required to consider offering tutoring to all of their pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium. The department is continuing to recommend that schools use pupil premium funding to cover their contribution to the cost of tutoring. Pupil premium funding will rise to over £2.9 billion in the 2024/25 financial year, an increase of £80 million from 2023/24. This represents a 10% increase in per pupil rates from 2021/22 to 2024/25.</p><p> </p><p>The department is committed to the objective that tutoring should be embedded across schools in England following the final year of the NTP. The department will expect tutoring to continue to be a staple offer from schools, with schools using their core budgets, including pupil premium, to provide targeted support for those children who will benefit.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 02/04/2024 13:50:23 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1697962

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Education: Autism
	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 potential impact of the time taken to make an autism assessment on educational attainment.
	tabling member constituency	South Swindon
	tabling member printed	Sir Robert Buckland
	uin	19862
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2024 answer text <p>I refer my right hon. Friend, the Member for South Swindon, to the answer of 25 March 2024 to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-03-15/18946" target="_blank">18946</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 02/04/2024 13:36:35 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland

1698011

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Visas: British National (Overseas)
	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 Hong Kong Watch report, Tuition Fees for BNO Visa Holders: The Case for Home Fee Status, and the impact of the cost of international fees on the ability of young British National (Overseas) (BNO) visa holders to attend university; and whether they will follow the Scottish Government in introducing home fees status for BNO visa holders after three years of residency in the UK.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL3505
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>To qualify for home fee status in England, a person must have settled status or ’a recognised connection’ to the UK. A recognised connection includes persons who are covered by the EU Withdrawal Agreement, have long residence in this country or who have been granted international protection by the Home Office. There are also requirements associated with ordinary residence in the UK.</p><p>Subject to meeting the normal eligibility requirements, Hong Kong BN(O) status holders will be able to qualify for home fee status and student finance once they have acquired settled status in the UK (usually after 5 years). Education is fully devolved, and administrations are able to make their own arrangements for accessing home fee status.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 08/04/2024 11:13:03 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1698033

	registered interest
	date	21/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Teachers: Training
	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 the Department for Education’s teacher training recruitment targets for (1) secondary school teachers, and (2) primary school teachers, will be met this year.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL3527
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>The number of teachers remains high, with more than 468,000 working in state-funded schools across the country, 27,000 more than in 2010.</p><p>Performance against target is reported in the Initial Teacher Training Census official statistics, in which the department publishes information on the numbers and characteristics of new entrants to ITT.</p><p>The recruitment cycle is still ongoing. Final data and headlines will be published in the Census in December 2024.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 08/04/2024 11:06:49 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1697398

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Teachers: Workplace Pensions
	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 estimate of the potential impact of ending funding for employers' contributions to the teachers' pension scheme for music teachers employed by music hubs unattached to schools on costs to the public purse.
	tabling member constituency	Worsley and Eccles South
	tabling member printed	Barbara Keeley
	uin	19580
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2024 answer text <p>In March 2024, the department announced an additional £1.1 billion in the 2024/25 financial year to support schools and local authorities with the increased Teachers’ Pension Scheme employer contribution rate. This additional funding will be distributed in 2024/25 via the new teachers’ pension employer contribution grant (TPECG) 2024.</p><p> </p><p>The department is providing additional funding through the TPECG 2024 to local authorities in respect of teachers categorised as centrally employed on the schools’ workforce census 2023. The department expects local authority-based Music Hub teachers to be recorded on the schools’ workforce census, and so to be in scope for this grant.</p><p> </p><p>The department has also committed to providing funding to cover the increase in employer contribution rates for existing non-local authority hubs for the current academic year, until August 2024, and officials are working to agree the precise amount. Further details, including funding rates and allocations, will be provided soon.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 25/03/2024 13:15:41 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	1588 label Biography information for Barbara Keeley

1697404

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Department for Education: Personnel Management
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the job titles are of people working in her Department's Human Resources and Transformation Directorate.
	tabling member constituency	Harborough
	tabling member printed	Neil O'Brien
	uin	19713
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The job titles for everyone working in the Human Resources &amp; Transformation Directorate are as follows:</p><ul><li>Business Partnering and Organisation Development</li><li>HR</li><li>HR Services &amp; Specialist Advice</li><li>Payroll, Reward, Policies and ER</li><li>Transformation</li><li>Workforce, Skills and Strategy</li></ul> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 26/03/2024 11:26:12 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4679 label Biography information for Neil O'Brien

1697446

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Apprentices: South Holland and the Deepings
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) Level 4 and (b) Level 5 apprenticeships have been started in South Holland and the Deepings constituency since 2019 as of 20 March 2024.
	tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
	tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
	uin	19527
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Level 4 and 5 apprenticeship starts in South Holland and The Deepings constituency can be found in the following table:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Academic year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Level 4</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Level 5</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>70</p></td><td><p>50</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>40</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>60</p></td><td><p>70</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022/23</p></td><td><p>80</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023/24 reported to date</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>30</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>340</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>330</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Note:</p><p>(1) Figures for 2023/24 are provisional and cover the first two quarters (Aug 2023 to Jan 2024). All other years are final, full-year figures.</p><p>(2) Apprenticeship start volumes are rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p>(3) The data source is the Individualised Learner Record.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on apprenticeship starts can be found in the apprenticeships publication, available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 26/03/2024 13:56:30 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
	tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1697447

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Department for Education: Written Questions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to respond to Question 17725 on Academic Freedom tabled by the hon. Member for Sheffield Central on 8 March 2024.
	tabling member constituency	Sheffield Central
	tabling member printed	Paul Blomfield
	uin	19605
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2024 answer text <p>A response was published to the hon. Member for Sheffield Central to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-03-08/17725" target="_blank">17725</a> on 21<sup>st</sup> March 2024.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 27/03/2024 17:25:03 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4058 label Biography information for Paul Blomfield