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1415780

registered interest
date	24/01/2022
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, what recent steps has his Department taken to support the teaching of religious education in schools.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	110554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2022 answer text <p>The government firmly believes in the importance of good quality religious education (RE) as it is essential in developing children’s knowledge of British values and traditions, and those of other countries. It is a compulsory subject for all state-funded schools, including academies, for all pupils up to the age of 18.</p><p>The department supports the teaching of RE in several ways, including through central funding, curriculum support and teacher training.</p><p>Each local authority is required by law to establish a Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE), and department funding is provided via the central schools services block of the national funding formula. We do not specify what proportion of funding is allocated to specific services, but it is expected that some is allocated by local authorities to their SACRE-related activity. The responsibilities of each SACRE include:</p><ul><li>advising the local authority on all aspects of its provision for RE in its schools</li><li>advising on matters relating to training for teachers in RE and collective worship</li><li>developing ways of supporting schools in the delivery of locally agreed RE syllabuses and monitoring its delivery</li></ul><p>In relation to the curriculum, Oak National Academy, funded by the department, provides lesson plans, teaching materials and curriculum maps for RE for key stages 1 to 4. Further information is available here: <a href="http://www.thenational.academy" target="_blank">www.thenational.academy</a>.</p><p>In relation to teacher training, subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) courses may be appropriate in cases where a Schools Direct lead school or an initial teacher training provider identifies applicants who have the potential to become outstanding teachers but who need to increase their subject knowledge in a range of subjects, including an 8 week religious education course. Further information is available here: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/guidance/subject-knowledge-enhancement-an-introduction" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/guidance/subject-knowledge-enhancement-an-introduction</a>.</p><p>The 8 week SKE can be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis, and it must be completed before qualified teacher status can be recommended and awarded.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 31/01/2022 17:49:41 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1415794

registered interest
date	24/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Air Conditioning
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Department's portal to purchase air filtration units for education and childcare settings, if he will define the suitable standard of specification for their use in education settings.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	110568
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2022 answer text <p>All air cleaning units provided by the department have met an approved technical specification, including units available to purchase via the marketplace. The department’s technical specification used to assess the units was developed through a rigorous consultation with industry wide experts in both air cleaning and ventilation from academia, professional bodies, and industry, including chartered engineers, scientists and several government departments. Through this consultation we have developed a specification specific to education.</p><p>The specification included a wide range of factors appropriate to an education environment to determine overall suitability. This included clean air delivery rates, noise levels, filtration capability, technical certification, ease of use and maintenance, warranty, and strength of evidence for manufacturer claims. The primary considerations were around the standard of filtration which is high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration technology; the minimum standard was specified to HEPA H13/ISO35H, which is a medical grade of filter which helps to remove airborne contaminants, including viruses such as SARS‑CoV‑2. HEPA technology is a mature technology and removes the risk of any less well tested technology being implemented into classrooms. Acoustic performance was also a major consideration due to the units needing to go into a classroom environment. All these criteria formed part of our technical specification used to assess and select units that meet our high specification and are suitable for teaching environments.</p><p>Any procurement that we undertake must comply with the Public Contract Regulations (2015). The procurement of air cleaning devices was undertaken using the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Framework (RM6157) which can be accessed by central government departments including the Department for Education and the wider public sector. We have selected a range of products which meet our high specification criteria to provide education and childcare settings with high quality air cleaning units.</p><p>The department has published details of the contract for air cleaning units provided to SEND and alternative provision settings, including the technical specification for these units, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/d2955fc4-b281-45dd-9203-5c37df79dfda" target="_blank">https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/d2955fc4-b281-45dd-9203-5c37df79dfda</a>. The department will publish details of further contracts for air cleaning units, which will include the technical specification criteria, on contracts finder in line with the government’s transparency agenda.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 28/01/2022 10:10:29 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1415807

registered interest
date	24/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Air Conditioning
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 13 January 2022 to Question 99046 on Schools: Air Conditioning, how many of the additional 7,000 air purifiers to increase classroom ventilation, announced on 2 January 2022, will be allocated to schools in (a) Plymouth, (b) Devon and Cornwall and (c) the South West.
tabling member constituency	Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
tabling member printed	Luke Pollard
uin	110583
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2022 answer text <p>Air cleaning units were allocated to settings based on need, using the eligibility criteria we have set out in our guidance: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj.</p><p>As of 24 January, 1,265 providers that applied for department-funded air cleaning units were eligible for air cleaning units, including 2 providers in Plymouth and 25 providers in Devon and Cornwall. Please note that we do not hold information by geographical region. We are currently finalising the total number of units allocated to providers. This will depend on the needs identified by eligible providers, including the number of people using the room(s).</p><p>The total number of eligible providers mirrors published summary findings from the department’s survey of the use of CO2 monitors, which show that only 3% of providers using carbon dioxide monitors reported sustained high carbon dioxide readings that couldn’t otherwise be addressed. This is available to view here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units</a>.</p><p>The total number of air cleaning units that providers have applied for was just over 8,000. Up to an additional 1,000 units have now been ordered, bringing the total number of units available up to 9,000, allowing all eligible applications to be fulfilled.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 28/01/2022 13:45:15 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4682 label Biography information for Luke Pollard

1415888

registered interest
date	24/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Ventilation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Department's Press Release of 24 January 2022 entitled More support for schools and students as plan B comes to an end, what (a) amount and (b) form of support his Department is providing to support further ventilation in England's schools; by what criteria that support will be distributed; how schools can apply for such support; and by what date he estimates that support will have been implemented or disbursed.
tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
uin	110335
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2022 answer text <p>During the autumn term, the department provided CO2 monitors to all state-funded education providers, including early years, schools, and further education providers, backed by £25 million in government funding. We have now delivered on our public commitment, with over 353,000 monitors delivered in the autumn term.</p><p>Based on the feedback we had from providers following the CO2 monitor programme, for the very few cases where maintaining good ventilation is not possible, on 2 January we announced that we are supplying up to a total of 8,000 air cleaning units to providers. Providers applied for units via an online form. Please note that applications closed at 9am on 17 January. On 24 January, the department committed to fulfil all eligible applications from education settings for air cleaning units and will make up to an additional 1,000 units available to do so. Air cleaning units were allocated to providers based on need, using the eligibility criteria we have set out in our guidance here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj" target="_blank">https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj</a>.</p><p>As of 24 January, 1,265 providers that applied for department-funded air cleaning units were eligible. We are currently finalising the total number of units allocated to providers. This will depend on the needs identified by eligible providers, including the number of people using the room(s). Special schools and alternative provision have already received the air cleaning units they applied for in the autumn term. All other providers with eligible applications have now started to receive deliveries.</p><p>The total number of eligible providers mirrors published summary findings from the department’s survey of the use of CO2 monitors, which show that only 3% of providers using CO2 monitors reported sustained high CO2 readings that couldn’t otherwise be addressed. This survey is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units</a>. Natural ventilation is best where that is achievable, and this evidence supports that, in the vast majority of cases, teaching spaces and classrooms benefit from sufficient natural ventilation.</p><p>Providers can also purchase air cleaning units at a suitable specification and competitive price directly from suppliers at the online marketplace. The marketplace is available at: <a href="https://s107t01-webapp-v2-01.azurewebsites.net/list/air-cleaning" target="_blank">https://s107t01-webapp-v2-01.azurewebsites.net/list/air-cleaning</a>.</p><p>Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, we have emphasised the importance of ventilation and provided guidance to schools, colleges and universities on ventilation requirements. In addition to our existing guidance on ventilation, we have provided education providers with guidance on how to use the air cleaning units, as well as how to order a unit via the online marketplace.</p><p>The department will keep the provision of air cleaning units under review as part of our overall response to COVID-19 and will continue to work with the sector to understand ventilation needs across the education estate.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 28/01/2022 14:16:44 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1415892

registered interest
date	24/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Air Conditioning
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Department's Press Release of 24 January 2022 entitled More support for schools and students as plan B comes to an end, what estimate his Department has made of the number of air cleaning units needed in addition to the 8,000 to which he has already committed, in order to provide one such unit for all classrooms and teaching spaces that need them.
tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
uin	110336
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2022 answer text <p>The total number of air cleaning units that providers have applied for was just over 8,000. Up to an additional 1,000 units have now been ordered, bringing the total number of units available up to 9,000, allowing all eligible applications to be fulfilled.</p><p>Air cleaning units were allocated to providers based on need, using the eligibility criteria we have set out in our guidance here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj" target="_blank">https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj</a>. As of 24 January, 1,265 providers that applied for department-funded air cleaning units were eligible for air cleaning units.</p><p>We are currently finalising the total number of units allocated to providers. This will depend on the needs identified by eligible providers, including the number of people using the room(s).</p><p>The total number of eligible providers mirrors published summary findings from the department’s survey of the use of CO2 monitors, which show that only 3% of providers using CO2 monitors reported sustained high CO2 readings that could not otherwise be addressed. This is available to view here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units</a>. Natural ventilation is best where that is achievable, and the evidence supports that, in the vast majority of cases, teaching spaces and classrooms benefit from sufficient natural ventilation.</p><p>We will keep the provision of air cleaning units under review as part of our overall response to COVID-19 and we will continue to work with the sector to understand ventilation needs across the education estate.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 28/01/2022 16:21:07 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1415894

registered interest
date	24/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Air Conditioning
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to his Department's Press Release of 24 January 2022 entitled More support for schools and students as plan B comes to an end, whether he has plans to reimburse schools for the cost of air cleaning units where the school has already funded such units but he now assesses the relevant teaching space to require one.
tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
uin	110337
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2022 answer text <p>State-funded education providers that purchased air cleaning units through the online marketplace prior to the announcement on 2 January that the department would make additional funded units available will be eligible for a reimbursement if they meet the eligibility criteria set out in our guidance here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj" target="_blank">https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj</a>. Eligible providers have already been contacted directly.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 28/01/2022 14:17:47 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1415899

registered interest
date	24/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Air Conditioning
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons of ineligibility he has turned down applications from schools for air purification units; how many schools and other contexts in which children receive education have been refused one or more air purification units for which they applied; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Houghton and Sunderland South
tabling member printed	Bridget Phillipson
uin	110339
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2022 answer text <p>Air cleaning units were allocated to providers based on need, using the eligibility criteria we have set out in our guidance here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj" target="_blank">https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj</a>.</p><p>As of 24 January, we received applications from 1,550 providers. Of these, 1,265 were successful and 285 settings will not receive air cleaning units as they did not meet the eligibility criteria set out in our guidance. For example, the room applied for may not have reported sustained CO2 readings above 1,500ppm, or may have been an unsuitable space, such as a hall, corridor or dining room.</p><p>Natural ventilation is best where that is achievable and the department has robust evidence that, in most cases, teaching spaces and classrooms benefit from sufficient natural ventilation. That evidence includes the responses to our recent survey of providers using the CO2 monitors that the department published on 24 January 2022, available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units</a>. This survey showed that only 3% of providers reported sustained high CO2 readings (above 1,500ppm) that could not be remedied through quick fixes or remedial building works.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 28/01/2022 14:19:15 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4046 label Biography information for Bridget Phillipson

1415920

registered interest
date	24/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Literacy: Teaching Methods
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of schools moving to validated systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) programmes.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	110601
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2022 answer text <p>A comprehensive review of robust studies by the Education Endowment Foundation found that systematic phonics is the most effective approach for teaching pupils to decode, including older pupils struggling with decoding, when embedded in a rich literacy environment. That is why the government has made systematic phonics teaching part of the national curriculum, embedded it as a component of teacher training, introduced the phonics screening check and made reading a core part of Ofsted primary inspections.</p><p>The department and Ofsted do not mandate that schools use a validated programme to teach systematic synthetic phonics (SSP). What is important is that schools take an approach that is rigorous, systematic, used with fidelity (any resources used should exactly match the Grapheme Phoneme Correspondence progression of their chosen SSP approach), and achieves strong results for all pupils, including the most disadvantaged. To support the high-quality teaching of phonics, the department recommends using a programme from the validated list of SSP programmes, but this is not mandatory. If schools are receiving support through the English Hubs programme to improve their phonics teaching, they must follow a programme from the validated list.</p><p>Validation indicates that an SSP programme has been self-assessed by its publisher and assessed by a panel of experts, and that both consider it to meet all of the most recent Department for Education criteria for an effective SSP programme, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/phonics-teaching-materials-core-criteria-and-self-assessment/validation-of-systematic-synthetic-phonics-programmes-supporting-documentation#essential-core-criteria" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/phonics-teaching-materials-core-criteria-and-self-assessment/validation-of-systematic-synthetic-phonics-programmes-supporting-documentation#essential-core-criteria</a>. The department sought views on the validation criteria from SSP experts before publishing a final version.</p><p>The department’s list of validated programmes has been updated on gov.uk and there will be further updates following future validation panels. The updated list includes a number of options, including school-to-school support programmes and not for profit options. We recommend schools contact individual programme providers for more information on programme prices.</p><p>Schools have the flexibility to decide how to prioritise their spending to invest in a range of resources and activities that will best support their staff and pupils. Schools can choose to use their core funding to buy an SSP programme.</p><p>The department has made a further £5 million funding available to schools to purchase validated SSP programmes. Eligible schools must have a minimum of 22% of their pupils eligible for the pupil premium or service pupil premium and will be situated in a local authority area listed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/choosing-a-phonics-teaching-programme/list-of-phonics-teaching-programmes" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/choosing-a-phonics-teaching-programme/list-of-phonics-teaching-programmes</a>.</p><p>In addition, the department has funded various initiatives to improve the teaching of phonics in schools. Between 2011 and 2013, we provided £23.7 million of matched funding for resources and training for 14,000 schools. In 2018, we launched a £26.3 million English Hubs programme dedicated to improving the teaching of reading, with a focus on supporting children making the slowest progress in reading, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds. We have since invested a further £17 million in this school-to-school improvement programme, which focuses on SSP, early language, and reading for pleasure. Since its launch, the English Hubs programme has provided appropriate and targeted support to several thousands of schools across England.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 110602 question first answered 28/01/2022 14:14:18 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1415921

registered interest
date	24/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Literacy: Teaching Methods
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria his Department used to decide which systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) programmes to validate.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	110602
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2022 answer text <p>A comprehensive review of robust studies by the Education Endowment Foundation found that systematic phonics is the most effective approach for teaching pupils to decode, including older pupils struggling with decoding, when embedded in a rich literacy environment. That is why the government has made systematic phonics teaching part of the national curriculum, embedded it as a component of teacher training, introduced the phonics screening check and made reading a core part of Ofsted primary inspections.</p><p>The department and Ofsted do not mandate that schools use a validated programme to teach systematic synthetic phonics (SSP). What is important is that schools take an approach that is rigorous, systematic, used with fidelity (any resources used should exactly match the Grapheme Phoneme Correspondence progression of their chosen SSP approach), and achieves strong results for all pupils, including the most disadvantaged. To support the high-quality teaching of phonics, the department recommends using a programme from the validated list of SSP programmes, but this is not mandatory. If schools are receiving support through the English Hubs programme to improve their phonics teaching, they must follow a programme from the validated list.</p><p>Validation indicates that an SSP programme has been self-assessed by its publisher and assessed by a panel of experts, and that both consider it to meet all of the most recent Department for Education criteria for an effective SSP programme, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/phonics-teaching-materials-core-criteria-and-self-assessment/validation-of-systematic-synthetic-phonics-programmes-supporting-documentation#essential-core-criteria" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/phonics-teaching-materials-core-criteria-and-self-assessment/validation-of-systematic-synthetic-phonics-programmes-supporting-documentation#essential-core-criteria</a>. The department sought views on the validation criteria from SSP experts before publishing a final version.</p><p>The department’s list of validated programmes has been updated on gov.uk and there will be further updates following future validation panels. The updated list includes a number of options, including school-to-school support programmes and not for profit options. We recommend schools contact individual programme providers for more information on programme prices.</p><p>Schools have the flexibility to decide how to prioritise their spending to invest in a range of resources and activities that will best support their staff and pupils. Schools can choose to use their core funding to buy an SSP programme.</p><p>The department has made a further £5 million funding available to schools to purchase validated SSP programmes. Eligible schools must have a minimum of 22% of their pupils eligible for the pupil premium or service pupil premium and will be situated in a local authority area listed here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/choosing-a-phonics-teaching-programme/list-of-phonics-teaching-programmes" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/choosing-a-phonics-teaching-programme/list-of-phonics-teaching-programmes</a>.</p><p>In addition, the department has funded various initiatives to improve the teaching of phonics in schools. Between 2011 and 2013, we provided £23.7 million of matched funding for resources and training for 14,000 schools. In 2018, we launched a £26.3 million English Hubs programme dedicated to improving the teaching of reading, with a focus on supporting children making the slowest progress in reading, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds. We have since invested a further £17 million in this school-to-school improvement programme, which focuses on SSP, early language, and reading for pleasure. Since its launch, the English Hubs programme has provided appropriate and targeted support to several thousands of schools across England.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker grouped question UIN 110601 question first answered 28/01/2022 14:14:18 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1415989

registered interest
date	24/01/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what measures he is putting in place to support pupils with long covid who are taking exams in 2021-22.
tabling member constituency	Batley and Spen
tabling member printed	Kim Leadbeater
uin	110645
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2022 answer text <p>Exams are the best and fairest way of judging students’ performance. Exams give students a fair chance to show their knowledge and understanding of a subject. It is the government’s firm intention that exams and assessments should go ahead this year. The department recognises the disruption many students have experienced and has worked with Ofqual, exam boards, and representatives of the sector to review existing arrangements for exams. This is to ensure they appropriately reflect scenarios arising from the COVID-19 outbreak.</p><p>Together with Ofqual, the department has confirmed a package of measures, including adaptations to exams and assessments and changes to grading, to ensure fairness and help mitigate the disruption to students’ education.</p><p>Pupils or students absent from their education for a prolonged period due to long COVID-19 should be supported in the same manner as those absent due to other medium to long-term illnesses or medical conditions.</p><p>Students with any long-term health conditions, such as long COVID, may be eligible to apply for reasonable adjustments under the existing exam arrangements. Reasonable adjustments are changes made to an assessment or to the way an assessment is conducted that reduce or remove a disadvantage caused by a student’s disability. An example of this could be supervised rest breaks or extra time for assessments. They are needed because some conditions can make it harder for students to show what they know and can do in an assessment than it would have been had the student not been disabled. The Joint Council for Qualification (JCQ) has published detailed guidance on reasonable adjustments.</p><p>Furthermore, where students miss an assessment in a subject, for example due to illness, but have completed other exams or non-exam assessments in that subject, they may be able to use the existing special consideration process to apply to receive a grade based on the assessments they did complete. The JCQ has also published guidance on when students may be eligible for special consideration and how it works.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 01/02/2022 10:54:40 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4923 label Biography information for Kim Leadbeater