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1186991

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Day Care
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what respite care his Department plans to provide for parents of children who would normally be cared for by older relatives who are being advised to self-isolate due to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Croydon North
tabling member printed	Steve Reed
uin	33556
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2020 answer text <p>The government is clear that every child who can be safely cared for at home should be, to limit the chance of the virus spreading. Early years and childcare settings are closed except for children who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the COVID-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home.</p><p> </p><p>Local authorities are working to support childcare settings to ensure that there are sufficient places for the children of critical workers and vulnerable children.</p><p> </p><p>Guidance for early years and childcare providers is available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 09/04/2020 11:52:20 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4268 label Biography information for Steve Reed

1186992

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how (a) teachers and (b) other school staff will be deployed between schools due to school closures during the covid-19 outbreak; what powers (i) local authorities and (ii) academy trusts will have during that period; and what steps he is taking to ensure that there is effective co-ordination between those organisations and (A) nurseries and (B) other childcare providers.
tabling member constituency	Ashton-under-Lyne
tabling member printed	Angela Rayner
uin	33568
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2020 answer text <p>We understand that this is a very difficult time for teachers – we are asking a lot of them and all school staff to help the country fight this virus.</p><p>Once schools have assessed their demand and capacity, they should liaise with their local authority to establish whether any staff need to be moved to an alternative setting. We have set out in guidance (published 22 March 2020) that local authorities will need to work closely with educational settings to ensure sufficient provision is available across the local area. Local authorities and educational settings may need to redeploy staff, such as teachers, support staff or other critical workers. They may need to do this across the usual boundaries of maintained, academy, college or other status to ensure the right staff are in the right settings.</p><p>Parliament has passed the Coronavirus Act 2020, which includes powers to direct schools and other educational settings, including academies and independent schools, to close, open, re-open or remain open. The Act allows my right hon. Friend, Secretary of State for Education, to delegate these powers to local authorities. The Act also supports schools to stay open by granting powers to the Secretary of State to relax certain elements of education law which would be impossible to fulfil in the current circumstances.</p><p>Local authorities are also responsible for coordinating the response to these new arrangements and we expect them to work with schools, nurseries, childminders and others to ensure that different settings are supported to stay open wherever possible, taking into account their circumstances and cohort to ensure there is adequate provision.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 31/03/2020 15:45:53 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4356 label Biography information for Angela Rayner

1186994

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Education: Coronavirus
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 practical implications of maintaining safeguarding checks for adults working with children in the event that education providers share staffing resources during the covid-19 oubreak.
tabling member constituency	Ashton-under-Lyne
tabling member printed	Angela Rayner
uin	33569
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/03/2020 answer text <p>It is essential that schools and colleges continue with their statutory duties regarding safer recruitment during the COVID-19 state. Schools and colleges are still required to ensure that those working in their settings are suitable to work in the children’s workforce. The department has published safeguarding guidance, to help schools and colleges who are providing care for vulnerable children and children of critical workers to keep those children (anyone under the age of 18) safe whilst they are at school or college:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers</a></p><p>This guidance includes advice on the portability of Disclosure and Barring Service checks where members of the school or college workforce are already engaging in regulated activity and have the appropriate check for that workforce. Schools and colleges should carry out a risk assessment in these circumstances as they would for a volunteer. Where schools and colleges are utilising volunteers, they should continue to follow the checking and risk assessment process as set out in the statutory safeguarding guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 30/03/2020 16:21:47 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4356 label Biography information for Angela Rayner

1186996

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
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, with reference to his Department's guidance, Guidance for schools, childcare providers, colleges and local authorities in England on maintaining educational provision, published on 19 March 2020, whether children are eligible to attend school where only one parent is defined as a key worker during the period of school closures due to covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Ashton-under-Lyne
tabling member printed	Angela Rayner
uin	33570
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2020 answer text <p>The Department has recently published guidance for parents and carers in relation to the closure of educational settings, which is available here:<br><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers</a>.</p><p>The current guidance confirms that children with at least one parent or carer who is critical to the COVID-19 response can attend an education or childcare setting if necessary. However, many families with a parent or carer working in critical sectors will be able to ensure their child is kept at home. Every child who can be safely cared for at home should be, to limit the chance of the virus spreading.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 31/03/2020 11:37:12 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4356 label Biography information for Angela Rayner

1186997

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his Department's plans are for children who were in the process of applying for an Education, Health and Care plan at the time schools were closed due to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Ashton-under-Lyne
tabling member printed	Angela Rayner
uin	33571
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2020 answer text <p>The welfare of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) and their parents or carers is a high priority for the government, especially during this period of uncertainty. We are working closely with colleagues across government to ensure that appropriate arrangements, and support, are in place for all of the department’s sectors – from early years and childcare to schools and children’s social care, and for vulnerable groups including children with special educational needs.</p><p>If the local authority has not yet issued an education, health and care (EHC) plan for a child, then they will not automatically be identified in the group of children considered to be vulnerable. However, educational settings and local authorities have discretion to undertake a risk assessment and offer support to children who are in the process of obtaining an EHC plan, and any other children they consider vulnerable, if that is needed.</p><p>If a child already has an EHC plan the local authority remains responsible for maintaining it, including until any appeal to the tribunal has been heard and resolved. However, the Coronavirus Act 2020 allows the Secretary of State for Education, where appropriate, to temporarily lift the statutory duty on local authorities to maintain the precise provision in EHC plans, with local authorities needing instead to apply ‘reasonable endeavours’ to support these children and their families. Any changes made to a child or young person’s provision in their EHC plan would only remain in place temporarily.</p><p>We are also proposing to amend SEND regulations to provide for flexibility over matters such as the timescales in EHC needs assessments, and the review, re-assessment and amendment processes where particular cases are affected by the COVID-19 situation.</p><p>The government has published guidance on ongoing provision for and vulnerable children which can be found at the link below:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-vulnerable-children-and-young-people</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 08/04/2020 15:10:12 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4356 label Biography information for Angela Rayner

1186998

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the required pupil to teacher ratio will be in schools during the period of school closures due to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Ashton-under-Lyne
tabling member printed	Angela Rayner
uin	33572
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2020 answer text <p>To help ensure that the risk of COVID-19 spread for both staff and children is as low as possible, we have asked schools to ensure class sizes reflect the numbers of teaching staff available and are kept as small as possible.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 31/03/2020 13:32:05 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4356 label Biography information for Angela Rayner

1186999

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Academies: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, will Academy conversions be suspended during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Ashton-under-Lyne
tabling member printed	Angela Rayner
uin	33573
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2020 answer text <p>The Department is focused on the welfare of pupils and all those who work in the education system at this time. Ofsted has currently suspended routine inspections so the Department will not be issuing new academy orders to schools judged inadequate.</p><p>For schools which were due to convert on 1 April 2020, where possible these conversions will still proceed to reduce uncertainty over the status of these schools.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 31/03/2020 15:42:01 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4356 label Biography information for Angela Rayner

1187000

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, will covid-19 testing be available for school staff who present with symptoms.
tabling member constituency	Ashton-under-Lyne
tabling member printed	Angela Rayner
uin	33574
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2020 answer text <p>We are extremely grateful for the work schools, childcare providers and local authorities have been doing since our announcement on the closure of schools and other educational and childcare settings. We are committed to ensuring that school staff are issued with the right guidance and support to keep them safe. We are in regular contact with the teacher and head teacher unions.</p><p>Currently the NHS is rightly prioritising COVID-19 tests for those caring for hospital patients with pneumonia or acute respiratory illness while continuing to investigate outbreaks. Most adults in good health who develop symptoms will fully recover and the Chief Medical Officer has advised that it is not necessary for them to be tested. However, school staff with symptoms of COVID-19 should, just as anyone displaying symptoms, self-isolate for at least seven days to reduce the spread in the community. The Government’s latest stay at home guidance can be found here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-households-with-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection</a>.</p><p>On 18 March, the Government made an announcement with regard to increasing the number of people tested for COVID-19 to 25,000 hospital patients a day, which is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/testing-for-coronavirus-covid-19-will-increase-to-25-000-a-day" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/testing-for-coronavirus-covid-19-will-increase-to-25-000-a-day</a>.</p><p>On 27 March, the Government launched a new drive on coronavirus tests for frontline NHS staff and more information is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-new-drive-on-coronavirus-tests-for-frontline-nhs-staff" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-new-drive-on-coronavirus-tests-for-frontline-nhs-staff</a>.</p><p>Our health service and care staff are key in our fight against the virus. Frontline NHS staff who have symptoms of coronavirus or who have a family member with symptoms will be the first tested for coronavirus as the testing programme is developed. More on this developing programme can be found here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-new-drive-on-coronavirus-tests-for-frontline-nhs-staff" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-new-drive-on-coronavirus-tests-for-frontline-nhs-staff</a>.</p><p>We are working closely with other Government departments to secure tests for other critical workers, including in our education system.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 09/04/2020 13:44:49 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4356 label Biography information for Angela Rayner

1187002

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if children living in temporary accommodation will be able to continue attending school.
tabling member constituency	Croydon North
tabling member printed	Steve Reed
uin	33560
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2020 answer text <p>From Monday 23 March, all schools and childcare settings are closed except to vulnerable children and children of critical workers. Where the work of a parent or guardian is critical to our response to COVID-19, children should only be sent to school and/or a childcare provider where they cannot be cared for safely at home.</p><p>Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those children and young people up to the age of 25 with education, health and care plans. Those who have a social worker include children who have a child protection plan and those who are looked after by the local authority. A child may also be deemed to be vulnerable if they have been assessed as being in need or otherwise meet the definition in Section 17 of the Children Act 1989.</p><p>Leaders of educational settings and designated safeguarding leads know who their most vulnerable children are and will have the flexibility to offer a place to those on the edges of receiving children’s social care support.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 07/04/2020 07:53:23 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4268 label Biography information for Steve Reed

1187003

registered interest
date	23/03/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children's Play
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance has been issued to local authorities on children’s play services.
tabling member constituency	Croydon North
tabling member printed	Steve Reed
uin	33561
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2020 answer text <p>The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework sets the regulatory standards for learning and development and safeguarding and welfare requirements for all early years providers caring for children aged 5 and under. The framework defines 7 areas of learning and development and is clear that each area must be implemented through planned, purposeful play and through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity.</p><p>The EYFS does not promote a particular pedagogical approach - it is for individual early years settings to determine how the areas of learning should be implemented to support children to meet the expected level of development by the end of the reception year.</p><p>The EYFS Statutory Framework is available at the link below: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2</a>.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 31/03/2020 16:54:15 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	4268 label Biography information for Steve Reed