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1238755

registered interest
date	29/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children: Coronavirus
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 (a) primary and (b) secondary school age children who do not have access to appropriate IT equipment at home; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	96748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2020 answer text <p>The Department has modelled schools’ requirements for support with laptops and tablets to enable pupils to learn at home in case of disruption to face to face education due to COVID-19. To do this, the Department has used data on the number of pupils eligible for free school meals in each school, alongside modelling how the device needs of pupils will be met to some extent by the device endowments of schools and colleges.</p><p>During the summer term, over 220,000 laptops and tablets and over 50,000 4G wireless routers had been delivered or dispatched to local authorities and academy trusts. This information can be viewed here:<br> <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/912888/Devices_and_4G_wireless_routers_progress_data_as_of_27_August_2020.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/912888/Devices_and_4G_wireless_routers_progress_data_as_of_27_August_2020.pdf</a>.</p><p>In addition to devices already held by schools, the Department has made a further 250,000 laptops and tablets available to support disadvantaged children during the autumn term. Schools will be able to lend the devices to children and reallocate them between pupils as they require.</p><p>Devices are available to schools to support the most disadvantaged pupils in year 3 to year 11 who would not otherwise have access to a device and whose face to face education is disrupted. Schools will also be able to support disadvantaged children across all year groups who might be shielding at home on official or medical advice due to one of their household being clinically extremely vulnerable. Where education is disrupted in hospital schools, they will be able to order devices for children in all year groups. Further education colleges registered to teach 14-16 year olds may also apply for devices for disadvantaged children in Key Stage 4.</p><p>Schools, local authorities and academy trusts are able to request additional devices if their original allocation by the Department does not meet their needs.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 07/10/2020 16:06:07 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1237728

registered interest
date	24/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Hindi: GCE A-level and GCSE
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people took a (a) GCSE and (b) A-Level qualification in the Hindi language in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	94998
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/10/2020 answer text <p>Hindi has not been offered at GCSE or A level in the last five years.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 02/10/2020 15:53:43 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1236324

registered interest
date	18/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Secondary Education: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many secondary schools have dropped the teaching of one or more GCSE subjects in response to the situation caused by the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	91815
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2020 answer text <p>The majority of Key Stage 4 pupils are expected to continue to study all of their examination subjects. This is more likely to secure their preferred route to further study. Schools and academy trusts should not have a blanket policy of reducing the number of GCSEs being studied.</p><p>In exceptional circumstances, it may be in the best interest of a Year 11 pupil to discontinue an examined subject because the school judges that, for example, they would achieve significantly better in their remaining subjects as a result, especially in GCSE English and mathematics. School leaders are expected to make such decisions in discussion with pupils and parents, using the existing discretion that schools already apply on these matters.</p><p>During the autumn term, Ofsted inspectors will visit a sample of schools to have collaborative discussions with them, taking into account the curriculum expectation on the breadth of GCSE study.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 28/09/2020 16:16:34 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1236476

registered interest
date	18/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: GCSE
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many secondary schools have dropped teaching of one or more foreign languages at GCSE in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	91816
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2020 answer text <p>The guidance for the full opening of schools makes clear that, for pupils in Key Stage 3, the curriculum should remain broad so that the majority of pupils are taught a full range of subjects over the year, including languages. In Key Stage 4 and 5, the majority of GCSE, AS and A level students are expected to continue to study their examination subjects, including those who are due to take examinations in languages, to support them towards their preferred route to further study.</p><p>In exceptional circumstances, schools may consider it appropriate to suspend some subjects for some pupils to support catch up. Schools should be able to show that this is in the best the interests of these pupils and this should be subject to discussion with pupils and parents during the autumn term.</p><p>Since the introduction of the English Baccalaureate performance measure, the proportion of GCSE entries from pupils in state-funded schools in a modern foreign language (MFL) has increased from 40% in 2010 to 47% in 2019. The Department is due to publish GCSE entry data for 2020 later this year.</p><p>The Government has every confidence that GCSE entry in MFL will continue to improve over the coming years. No specific discussions have taken place between Ministers with schools or university leaders on the take up of GCSEs in a MFL since the COVID-19 outbreak.</p><p>The Department are continuing to invest in a range of programmes to further increase uptake of languages at GCSE. Our £2.41 million MFL Pedagogy Pilot commenced in December 2018 and is designed to improve uptake and attainment in languages at Key Stages 3 and 4. In May 2020, the programme was extended to December 2021, receiving an additional £1.45 million funding.</p><p>A review into the subject content for GCSEs in MFLs was announced on 5 November 2019. The review will seek to align the subject content with the recommendations of the 2016 MFL Pedagogy Review, making languages more accessible at GCSE and encouraging more students to study a foreign language at A level and undergraduate level.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 91817 91818 question first answered 28/09/2020 16:21:05 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1236477

registered interest
date	18/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: GCSE
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with (a) school and (b) university leaders on the effects of reduced numbers of students being offered a GCSE in a modern foreign language as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	91817
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2020 answer text <p>The guidance for the full opening of schools makes clear that, for pupils in Key Stage 3, the curriculum should remain broad so that the majority of pupils are taught a full range of subjects over the year, including languages. In Key Stage 4 and 5, the majority of GCSE, AS and A level students are expected to continue to study their examination subjects, including those who are due to take examinations in languages, to support them towards their preferred route to further study.</p><p>In exceptional circumstances, schools may consider it appropriate to suspend some subjects for some pupils to support catch up. Schools should be able to show that this is in the best the interests of these pupils and this should be subject to discussion with pupils and parents during the autumn term.</p><p>Since the introduction of the English Baccalaureate performance measure, the proportion of GCSE entries from pupils in state-funded schools in a modern foreign language (MFL) has increased from 40% in 2010 to 47% in 2019. The Department is due to publish GCSE entry data for 2020 later this year.</p><p>The Government has every confidence that GCSE entry in MFL will continue to improve over the coming years. No specific discussions have taken place between Ministers with schools or university leaders on the take up of GCSEs in a MFL since the COVID-19 outbreak.</p><p>The Department are continuing to invest in a range of programmes to further increase uptake of languages at GCSE. Our £2.41 million MFL Pedagogy Pilot commenced in December 2018 and is designed to improve uptake and attainment in languages at Key Stages 3 and 4. In May 2020, the programme was extended to December 2021, receiving an additional £1.45 million funding.</p><p>A review into the subject content for GCSEs in MFLs was announced on 5 November 2019. The review will seek to align the subject content with the recommendations of the 2016 MFL Pedagogy Review, making languages more accessible at GCSE and encouraging more students to study a foreign language at A level and undergraduate level.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 91816 91818 question first answered 28/09/2020 16:21:05 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1236478

registered interest
date	18/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: Education
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 increase the number of students who study a modern foreign language to (a) GCSE, (b) A-Level, and (c) undergraduate degree level.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	91818
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2020 answer text <p>The guidance for the full opening of schools makes clear that, for pupils in Key Stage 3, the curriculum should remain broad so that the majority of pupils are taught a full range of subjects over the year, including languages. In Key Stage 4 and 5, the majority of GCSE, AS and A level students are expected to continue to study their examination subjects, including those who are due to take examinations in languages, to support them towards their preferred route to further study.</p><p>In exceptional circumstances, schools may consider it appropriate to suspend some subjects for some pupils to support catch up. Schools should be able to show that this is in the best the interests of these pupils and this should be subject to discussion with pupils and parents during the autumn term.</p><p>Since the introduction of the English Baccalaureate performance measure, the proportion of GCSE entries from pupils in state-funded schools in a modern foreign language (MFL) has increased from 40% in 2010 to 47% in 2019. The Department is due to publish GCSE entry data for 2020 later this year.</p><p>The Government has every confidence that GCSE entry in MFL will continue to improve over the coming years. No specific discussions have taken place between Ministers with schools or university leaders on the take up of GCSEs in a MFL since the COVID-19 outbreak.</p><p>The Department are continuing to invest in a range of programmes to further increase uptake of languages at GCSE. Our £2.41 million MFL Pedagogy Pilot commenced in December 2018 and is designed to improve uptake and attainment in languages at Key Stages 3 and 4. In May 2020, the programme was extended to December 2021, receiving an additional £1.45 million funding.</p><p>A review into the subject content for GCSEs in MFLs was announced on 5 November 2019. The review will seek to align the subject content with the recommendations of the 2016 MFL Pedagogy Review, making languages more accessible at GCSE and encouraging more students to study a foreign language at A level and undergraduate level.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb grouped question UIN 91816 91817 question first answered 28/09/2020 16:21:05 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1188282

registered interest
date	20/04/2020
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 steps he is taking to ensure that health and social care workers are able to access childcare through schools when required; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	37394
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2020 answer text <p>Schools are open for children of critical workers, including health and social care workers, to that they are able to access childcare while they play their vital role in our COVID-19 response.</p><p> </p><p>The full list of critical workers eligible for a school place is here<strong>:</strong> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 28/04/2020 13:58:35 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1188640

registered interest
date	20/04/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Supply Teachers: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on ensuring that supply teachers that are employed through umbrella companies receive 80 per cent of their average wage, rather than 80 per cent of their basic pay, while furloughed as a result of the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	37402
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2020 answer text <p>Officials at all levels are working collaboratively across Government to meet the extraordinary challenges of these unprecedented times.</p><p>Employers can claim for any regular payments they are obliged to pay their employees. This includes wages, past overtime, fees, and compulsory commission payments. However, discretionary bonus, commission, and non-cash payments, including tips, should be excluded.</p><p>Full guidance on how to calculate 80% of employees’ wages can be found at:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/work-out-80-of-your-employees-wages-to-claim-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/work-out-80-of-your-employees-wages-to-claim-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 27/04/2020 17:58:56 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1183133

registered interest
date	05/03/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Education: Refugees
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 improve access to education of refugees; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	25616
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2020 answer text <p>Refugee children in the UK must be treated as UK residents for the purposes of admission to schools in England. The School Admissions Code contains provisions to ensure that refugee children are able to secure a suitable school place.</p><p>All schools are required to give highest priority in their admissions criteria to looked after children and previously looked after children. Unaccompanied refugee children are looked after children and will therefore have highest priority for admission.</p><p>Outside the normal admissions round, every local authority is required to have a Fair Access Protocol to ensure that unplaced children, especially the most vulnerable, which specifically includes refugees, are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 13/03/2020 11:39:36 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1182403

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Food Poverty: Academic Year
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 19 February 2020 to Question 620 on Food Poverty: Academic Year, what the combined value was of the bids received by his Department to provide free school meals during school holidays; and whether his Department received bids from organisations covering the London Borough of Harrow.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	24229
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2020 answer text <p>School summer holidays can be a difficult time for some families due to increased food and childcare costs and reduced incomes. We have therefore announced £9 million of funding for the 2020 summer school holidays to again support children and their families with free access to holiday clubs across the country.</p><p>This follows our £9 million investment in 2019 which explored a model of local coordination of free holiday provision in 11 local authority areas.</p><p>We held a competitive bidding round for the summer 2020 fund which closed on 13 December. All bids will be assessed against our published criteria and applicants needed to demonstrate that they could coordinate high-quality holiday clubs for children across their areas.</p><p>The combined value of the bids received by the department in 2020 is £41,397,841.78 and no bids were received covering the London Borough of Harrow.</p><p>Successful bids will be announced in due course.</p> answering member constituency Chelmsford answering member printed Vicky Ford question first answered 11/03/2020 16:25:56 answering member 4674 label Biography information for Vicky Ford
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas