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1483426

	registered interest
	date	27/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Primary Education: Teachers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his latest estimate is of the number of primary schools that have a dedicated teacher for (a) music, (b) arts, (c) drama and (d) PE.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	25838
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2022 answer text <p>The department does not collect primary school curriculum data in the annual school workforce census. The school workforce census collects information on teaching in a sample of secondary schools and this information is published in our national statistics, the latest of which refers to the November 2021 census and is available here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england</a>.</p><p>Music, arts, drama, and physical education (PE) are vital aspects of primary school. The department supports this via the curriculum first and foremost, where music, arts, drama, and PE are part of the national curriculum, but we also want pupils to have the opportunity to engage in enrichment and physical activity, including sport. These are important for academic progress, for health and wellbeing, and for increasing life chances and future opportunities.</p><p>On 25 June 2022, the government published its refreshed national plan for music education, setting clear expectations for schools and announcing £25 million of new capital funding for musical instruments and equipment and £79 million per year until 2025 for the music hubs programme. The government also announced opportunities for pupils to stay active, continuing the £320 million PE and sport premium, as well as the School Games programme for the 2022/23 academic year. The update to the School Sport and Activity Action Plan will be published shortly and, in 2023, the government will be publishing a cultural education plan.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 30/06/2022 12:03:39 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1473227

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Academies: Communication
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2022 to Question 18884, on Schools: Email, whether he has issued recent guidance to academy schools on ensuring that information intended for parents and supplied over email is routinely made as accessible as possible to parents who (a) lack access to a desktop computer or tablet at home, (b) do not have English as a first language and (c) may experience other challenges in opening and reading attachments to emails.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	24584
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2022 answer text <p>The department does not issue specific guidance covering information provided from schools to parents via email. However, we would expect schools to consider the needs of their own parents, and to communicate with them in a range of effective and accessible ways. This includes considering the best way to communicate with those for whom English is not their first language, or who may be less digitally literate.</p><p> </p><p>The department issues guidance to schools and academies which sets out what school level information they need to publish online. This is a requirement for maintained schools in the School Information (England) Regulations 2008 and for many trusts in their academy funding agreements.</p><p> </p><p>As the school information regulations cover what schools must publish on their website, and not what is sent via email, it is not suitable to amend these in order to include making digital communications from schools to parents accessible.</p><p> </p><p>If a parent has concerns about information sent via email not being accessible, they should in the first instance raise these with their school.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 24585 question first answered 29/06/2022 11:06:02 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1473232

	registered interest
	date	24/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Communication
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2022 to Question 18884, on Schools: Email, if he will amend the (a) School Information Regulations and (b) Governance Handbook to ensure that schools use modern digital communications with parents in a way that is (i) effective and (ii) inclusive, especially for those parents who have difficulties using email, reading and opening attachments, and (iii) in line with wider best practice across government; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	24585
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2022 answer text <p>The department does not issue specific guidance covering information provided from schools to parents via email. However, we would expect schools to consider the needs of their own parents, and to communicate with them in a range of effective and accessible ways. This includes considering the best way to communicate with those for whom English is not their first language, or who may be less digitally literate.</p><p> </p><p>The department issues guidance to schools and academies which sets out what school level information they need to publish online. This is a requirement for maintained schools in the School Information (England) Regulations 2008 and for many trusts in their academy funding agreements.</p><p> </p><p>As the school information regulations cover what schools must publish on their website, and not what is sent via email, it is not suitable to amend these in order to include making digital communications from schools to parents accessible.</p><p> </p><p>If a parent has concerns about information sent via email not being accessible, they should in the first instance raise these with their school.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 24584 question first answered 29/06/2022 11:06:02 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1472099

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

1472100

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

1471017

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Transport
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding his Department made available for school transport for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in the academic years (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19, (c) 2019-20, (d) 2020-21 and (e) 2021-22.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	19611
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2022 answer text <p>The government does not provide a specific amount to local authorities for spending on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) transport. Funding for children’s services, including SEND transport, is part of the wider local government finance settlement, administered by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The department does hold Section 251 data which covers both national and local authority special educational needs transport expenditure. This is published on GOV.UK at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/la-and-school-expenditure/2020-21" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/la-and-school-expenditure/2020-21</a>.</p><p>The gross national expenditure for the 2017/18 financial year to the 2020/21 financial year can be found in the below table. Data for the 2021/22 financial year is not yet available.</p><p><strong>National Gross SEN Home to School Transport Expenditure, 2017-18 FY to 2020-21 FY (based on Section 251 outturn data)</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td>Pre-16</td><td>Post-16</td></tr><tr><td>2017/18</td><td>£662.4 million</td><td>£106.5 million</td></tr><tr><td>2018/19</td><td>£726.8 million</td><td>£126.6 million</td></tr><tr><td>2019/20</td><td>£823.0 million</td><td>£127.7 million</td></tr><tr><td>2020/21</td><td>£829.2 million</td><td>£130.2 million</td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 21/06/2022 12:56:25 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1470677

	registered interest
	date	15/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Email
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has issued recent guidance to schools on ensuring that information intended for parents and supplied over email is routinely made as accessible as possible to parents who (a) lack access to a desktop computer or tablet at home, (b) do not have English as a first language and (c) may experience other challenges in opening and reading attachments to emails.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	18884
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2022 answer text <p>There is no specific guidance which covers information provided by schools to parents via email.</p><p>The school information regulations, which cover the information that maintained schools must publish on their website, require schools to provide parents with free paper copies of the information on their website if they request one. The regulations also require that, if appropriate, governing bodies must make available free copies of the information they are required to publish, in a language other than English, or as a Braille or audio tape version.</p><p>More broadly, the governance handbook states that governing bodies should also be able to demonstrate the methods used to communicate with and seek the views of parents, carers, and the local community, including disadvantaged families or those families where English is not the first language.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 23/06/2022 11:56:19 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1470680

	registered interest
	date	15/06/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Platinum Jubilee 2022
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of the Platinum Jubilee books procured for schools to mark the occasion have (a) been earmarked for use as ministerial gifts, (b) been earmarked for delivery, or have been delivered, to schools, (c) were delivered to schools ahead of the half term holiday which included the Jubilee weekend, (d) have since been delivered to schools and (e) remain to be delivered to schools.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	18885
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2022 answer text <p>The department is due to deliver over 4.6 million copies of 'Queen Elizabeth: A Platinum Jubilee Celebration' to schools in England and Northern Ireland. This represents 4,513,000 copies for schools in England, and 184,541 copies for schools in Northern Ireland.</p><p>The department has given 40 books as ministerial gifts. Between 16 May and 20 June 2022, 2,411,000 copies of the book were delivered to schools. 562,000 of these were delivered ahead of the Jubilee weekend. All books have been delivered to schools in Northern Ireland. There are approximately 2,389,000 books still to be delivered to schools in England by 11 July 2022.</p><p>The Scottish and Welsh Governments requested that the department run an opt-in process, giving their schools the choice of whether to order books. The number of books required is being finalised. They will be printed over the summer and delivered to schools in September.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 22/06/2022 15:49:59 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1456362

	registered interest
	date	31/03/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Textbooks: Languages
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer on teaching materials for Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking children (question 145854), what steps he has taken to assure the precision, accuracy, usability, and suitability for children of the automatic translations he has prepared for children through Oak National Academy, in respect of (i) Ukrainian, and (ii) Russian.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	151064
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2022 answer text <p>Oak National Academy has enabled users to auto-translate its 10,000 lessons into a variety of languages, including Ukrainian and Russian. This is enabled through automatic translations services offered by major internet browsers, as well as through the integration of online translation tools into its lesson resources.</p><p>As an automated online service, while 100% accuracy cannot be guaranteed, these tools are of high quality and high accuracy. The service is designed as a rapid, temporary measure to support families fleeing the war with access to educational content, helping their transition to some routine and stability within the safety of the UK.</p><p>As part of its standard working practice, Oak National Academy responds to user feedback (including from teachers and parents as well as pupils) to ensure content remains high-quality and any questions are addressed as soon as possible.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 21/04/2022 12:49:10 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1456399

	registered interest
	date	31/03/2022
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Construction
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to change the current framework governing the opening of new schools.
	tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
	tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
	uin	151065
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2022 answer text <p>The Schools White Paper, published on 28 March 2022, set out our intention to open new mainstream free schools in the areas where they are most needed, prioritising proposals located in Education Investment Areas. The department is currently reviewing the process for approving new free schools and will publish more details in due course. We will keep the wider framework for opening schools under review as part of our discussions on the proposals put forward in the White Paper.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 25/04/2022 11:53:10 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
	tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson