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64493

registered interest
date	27/06/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, under what circumstances gender segregation of boys and girls in the classroom is permitted in schools; and if he will issue revised guidance on this matter to Ofsted.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	202912
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2014 answer text <p>A co-educational school adopting a policy of separation on the basis of sex, which treated girls less favourably than boys (or vice versa), would be acting unlawfully under the Equality Act 2010. The Department for Education has issued advice to schools on the application of the Equality Act 2010:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools</a></p><p>As this guidance states, it is possible to justify separate classes in exceptional circumstances, for example in delivering elements of sex and relationship education, or for PE. In all other cases, the Department expects co-educational schools to teach boys and girls in mixed classes and not to treat them differently because of their gender.</p><p> </p><p>Inspectors take into account guidance issued to schools by the Department, including the existing guidance on the Equality Act 2010. We would expect them to question a school about any segregation of pupils by gender to ensure that this is only taking place in exceptional circumstances as outlined by the Equality Act.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 08/07/2014 10:10:24 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

64494

registered interest
date	27/06/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance he gives to schools on steps they should take to inform students of their right to wear or not to wear religious clothing.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	202911
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2014 answer text <p>It is for the governing body of each school to set their own policies on school uniform and other matters of appearance. The Department for Education's guidance to schools on school uniform recommends that, once this policy is decided, the governing body should describe its uniform or appearance policy clearly and ensure that parents are informed.</p><p> </p><p>The uniform guidance reminds schools of their need to have full regard to their obligations under equalities law when setting and enforcing their school uniform policy. It also recommends that the governing body considers carefully any reasonable requests to vary their uniform policy to accommodate individual pupils' beliefs.</p><p> </p><p>The school uniform guidance is available at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform</a>.</p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 07/07/2014 11:45:41 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

62612

registered interest
date	18/06/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	School Choice
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate he has made of the number of school-age children living in areas where the only state schools within reasonable travelling distance are faith schools.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	201185
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2014 answer text <p>We have made no such estimate. Local authorities have responsibility for securing sufficient school places to meet the needs of their local communities and have the statutory duties and powers to support that. They must also ensure that the balance of different types of provision meets local demand and that they make suitable transport arrangements for eligible pupils.</p><p>The Government does recognise the need to ensure that new provision meets the needs of the whole community. New academies and free schools with a religious designation may only prioritise up to 50% of pupils on the basis of faith-related admissions criteria.</p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 24/06/2014 09:57:12 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

58105

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Primary Education: Admissions
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 School Admissions Code, published in February 2012, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the consistent and effectual application of sections 2.16 and 2.17 of that code to primary education admissions for summer-born children.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	198714
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2014 answer text <p>We published advice on the admission of summer-born children in July 2013. We are now monitoring the impact of this advice and have committed to review it one year after its publication.</p><p> </p><p>Officials are investigating cases referred to them to ensure admission authorities are complying with the provisions in the Code.</p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 10/06/2014 12:38:12 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

43236

registered interest
date	14/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
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 February 2014, Official Report, column 816W, on community schools, how many maintained schools his Department believes to be underperforming.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	192222
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2014 answer text Of the 4,125 maintained mainstream secondary schools, 154 were classified as underperforming in the 2012/13 academic year. Of the 15,351 maintained mainstream primary schools, 767 were classified as underperforming in the 2012/13 academic year. answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 20/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

43237

registered interest
date	14/03/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has carried out any form of assessment of the number of state-funded schools where religious items or articles of clothing form part of the school's (a) pupil and (b) staff uniform policy.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	192224
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Education has not conducted any assessment of the number of state-funded schools where religious items or clothing form part of the uniform policy for pupils or staff.</p><p>It is for the governing body of each school to decide whether pupils should wear a uniform, and if so, what that should be. We do, however, expect schools to have full regard to their responsibilities under equalities law, and to act sensibly, fairly and flexibly in the interests of all their students in setting their school uniform policy.</p><p>Any dress code for school staff is an issue for the employer, whether that is the governing body or the local authority. As part of the general terms and conditions of employment agreed with employees, employers should consider an appropriate dress code, relevant to the individual setting, taking into account the requirements of the post and having proper regard to equality and diversity considerations.</p><p>School uniform guidance can be found at:</p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform</a></p> answering member constituency Yeovil answering member printed Mr David Laws question first answered 20/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1473 label Biography information for Mr David Laws
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman