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1685796

	registered interest
	date	30/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pupils: Nutrition
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help promote healthy eating in schools.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	11996
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2024 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member for Strangford to the answer of 9 January 2024 to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-01-09/8739" target="_blank">8739</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 06/02/2024 17:06:39 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1683991

	registered interest
	date	22/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Education
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the Department of Education in Northern Ireland on the potential merits of teaching agriculture in schools in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	10812
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2024 answer text <p>Education is devolved in Northern Ireland. Therefore, with a small number of exceptions, the department’s responsibilities relate to England only.</p><p>In England, the science national curriculum has space for agriculture to be taught in various places. For example, in the science Key Stage 1 and 2 topics of ‘Plants’, and ‘Living things and their habitats’, the biology Key Stage 3 topics of ‘Reproduction’ (in plants, including fertilisation) and ‘Relationships in an ecosystem’, and the Key Stage 4 topics of ‘Evolution, inheritance and variation’.</p><p>The department does not specify how schools should teach the curriculum, instead the national curriculum is a framework setting out the content of what the department expects schools in England to cover in each subject. The department believes that teachers should be able to use their own knowledge, professional expertise and understanding of their pupils to determine what is the most appropriate way for them to teach, the aim here being that they develop the right approach for the pupils in their particular school.</p><p>There is also an Agriculture, Land Management and Production T Level available to students in England. During the two-year programme, students will learn the core knowledge and skills that are needed for entry to a range of agriculture, land management and production occupations that include agricultural engineer, farmer, and tree surgeon, amongst a number of others.</p><p>Whilst education is a devolved matter, if it would be helpful, departmental officials would be content to meet their relevant counterparts in the Department of Education and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 30/01/2024 12:19:20 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1683992

	registered interest
	date	22/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland on the adequacy of funding for SEND in schools in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	10813
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2024 answer text <p>As education is a devolved matter, the Department of Education in Northern Ireland is responsible for its education policies, including funding for Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) in schools.</p><p>The department engages with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland at ministerial and official level on a range of areas, though, to date, this has not included a ministerial discussion on the adequacy of funding for SEND in schools in Northern Ireland.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 30/01/2024 13:35:54 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1684118

	registered interest
	date	22/01/2024
	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, whether her Department plans to require all students undertaking the Advanced British Standard to study religious education until the age of 18.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	10815
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2024 answer text <p>The department launched a consultation on 14 December 2023 on our proposals for the Advanced British Standard, seeking views on the design of the overall programme. This includes seeking views on the approach to agreeing subjects included, and on what should be covered in the Employability, Enrichment and Pastoral (EEP) offer for all students.</p><p> </p><p>The government firmly believes that religious education (RE) is important, which is why it remains compulsory for all state-funded schools in England, including academies and free schools, in each year group. Quality RE can develop knowledge of British values and traditions and refine pupils’ ability to construct well-informed, balanced, and structured arguments.</p><p> </p><p>The publication of the consultation on 14 December 2023 marks a new phase of working in partnership with students, teachers, leaders, schools, colleges, universities, and employers to develop these proposals. The department will consult extensively over the coming months, and this will inform our plan for subjects and EEP, which the department will set out in a White Paper this year.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 10816 question first answered 30/01/2024 15:38:52 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1684119

	registered interest
	date	22/01/2024
	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, for what reason religious education has not been included in the consultation document for the Advanced British Standard.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	10816
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2024 answer text <p>The department launched a consultation on 14 December 2023 on our proposals for the Advanced British Standard, seeking views on the design of the overall programme. This includes seeking views on the approach to agreeing subjects included, and on what should be covered in the Employability, Enrichment and Pastoral (EEP) offer for all students.</p><p> </p><p>The government firmly believes that religious education (RE) is important, which is why it remains compulsory for all state-funded schools in England, including academies and free schools, in each year group. Quality RE can develop knowledge of British values and traditions and refine pupils’ ability to construct well-informed, balanced, and structured arguments.</p><p> </p><p>The publication of the consultation on 14 December 2023 marks a new phase of working in partnership with students, teachers, leaders, schools, colleges, universities, and employers to develop these proposals. The department will consult extensively over the coming months, and this will inform our plan for subjects and EEP, which the department will set out in a White Paper this year.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds grouped question UIN 10815 question first answered 30/01/2024 15:38:52 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1680785

	registered interest
	date	09/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Pupils: Nutrition
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to promote healthy eating in schools.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	8739
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2024 answer text <p>The department encourages a healthy balanced diet and healthy life choices through school funding, legislation and guidance.</p><p>The standards for school food are set out in the Requirements for School Food Regulations 2014. These regulations are designed to ensure that schools provide pupils with healthy food and drink options, and to make sure that pupils have the energy and nutrition they need throughout the school day.</p><p>Under the benefits-based criteria, over 2 million of the most disadvantaged pupils are eligible for and claiming a free school meal. An additional 1.3 million infants enjoy a free, healthy and nutritious meal at lunchtime following the introduction of Universal Infant Free School Meals.</p><p>The School Fruit and Vegetables Scheme also provides over 2.2 million children in Reception and key stage 1 with a portion of fresh fruit or vegetables each day at school. Schools are encouraged to use it as an opportunity to educate children and to assist a healthy, balanced diet.</p><p>The importance of a healthy diet is also included in the science curriculum for both primary and secondary school. Healthy eating is covered through topics relating to nutrition and digestion, which cover the content of a healthy diet and the impact of diet on how the body functions.</p><p>The Relationships, Sex and Health Education statutory guidance states that by the end of primary school, pupils should know what constitutes a healthy diet; the principles of planning and preparing a range of healthy meals; the characteristics of a poor diet; and risks associated with unhealthy eating and other behaviours. By the end of secondary school pupils should know how to maintain healthy eating and the links between a poor diet and health risks.</p><p>Healthy eating and opportunities to develop pupils’ cooking skills are covered in the design and technology (D&amp;T) curriculum. Cooking and nutrition are a discrete strand of the D&amp;T curriculum and is compulsory in maintained schools for key stages 1 to 3. The curriculum aims to teach children how to cook and how to apply the principles of healthy eating and nutrition. The department has also introduced a new food preparation and nutrition GCSE to provide pupils with practical cookery experience and teach them the underlying scientific concepts of nutrition and healthy eating.</p><p>The Healthy Schools Rating Scheme celebrates the positive actions that schools are delivering in terms of healthy living, healthy eating and physical activity. This voluntary rating scheme is available for both primary and secondary schools.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 16/01/2024 13:39:23 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1677396

	registered interest
	date	12/12/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Administration on SEN teaching provision in Northern Ireland.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	6560
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2023 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter and therefore, England and Northern Ireland have different systems for supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Officials in the Department for Education and the Department of Education in Northern Ireland keep in regular touch about SEND policy, sharing information about developments and good practice.</p><p>My right hon. Friend, The Secretary of State for Education, has not recently had such contact with the Northern Ireland Administration.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 20/12/2023 13:47:26 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1673902

	registered interest
	date	29/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Uniforms: Low Incomes
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support families on low incomes with the cost of school uniforms.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	4427
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2023 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter; the response outlines the information for England only, not Northern Ireland.</p><p>Rather than subsiding expensive uniform policies with financial assistance, the department published statutory guidance on the cost of school uniform to ensure uniform is affordable for all families. Schools needed to start being compliant with the guidance from September 2022. The guidance is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms</a>.</p><p>​Schools must have regard to this guidance when designing and implementing their uniform policy. The guidance requires schools to ensure that their uniform is affordable and secures best value for money for parents.</p><p>There is no specific funding for schools to support families to meet the costs of school uniform, but schools may offer additional support in cases of financial hardship where they choose to do so.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 06/12/2023 17:20:37 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1672146

	registered interest
	date	22/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Schools: Repairs and Maintenance
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that schools are able to carry out high quality repairs on their buildings.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	3226
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2023 answer text <p>Well-maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the department in order that they support a high-quality education for all children.</p><p> </p><p>Responsibility for keeping buildings safe and well-maintained lies with schools and their responsible bodies, such as local authorities, academy trusts and voluntary-aided bodies. The department supports them by providing access to annual capital funding, delivering major rebuilding programmes, and offering guidance and support.</p><p> </p><p>The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools in England safe and operational, including £1.8 billion in 2023/24. This funding is informed by consistent data on the condition of the school estate. Devolved administrations received funding for education through the Barnett formula at the Spending Review 2021.</p><p> </p><p>Responsible bodies in England, depending on their size and type, are either eligible to receive annual school condition allocation (SCA) funding to use on improving the condition of their schools, or are instead able to bid into the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) each year for specific capital projects. Schools in England also receive funding to spend on their capital priorities or contribute to larger projects through an annual devolved formula capital allocation (DFC). Details on SCA, DFC and CIF can be found on GOV.UK.</p><p> </p><p>CIF eligible schools can apply for urgent capital support at any time in the year, if they have urgent building issues that need to be addressed. Details on how to apply for urgent capital support are available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/condition-improvement-fund" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/condition-improvement-fund</a>.</p><p> </p><p>The department provides extensive guidance for responsible bodies to help them make effective spending decisions and manage their estates strategically and safely through resources such as the ‘Good estate management for schools’ guidance. The guidance is available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools</a>.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to condition capital funding, the school rebuilding programme (SRP) will transform buildings at 500 schools in Engand over the next decade, prioritising schools in poor condition and with evidence of potential safety issues. The department has announced 400 schools to date, including 239 in December 2022.</p><p> </p><p>The department is providing targeted support for RAAC and will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make school and college buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, the department expects all reasonable requests will be approved. The department will also fund refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to remove RAAC from the school estate, including through the SRP.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 01/12/2023 14:07:47 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1671535

	registered interest
	date	20/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support children with ADHD in schools.
	tabling member constituency	Strangford
	tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
	uin	2593
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2023 answer text <p>In the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) improvement plan, the department set out its vision to improve mainstream education by setting standards for the early and accurate identification of needs and for timely access to support to meet those needs, including for children and young people with ADHD. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and who is responsible for securing the support.</p><p>The department will also develop practitioner standards to equip frontline professionals to make best use of provision and identify needs early, accurately and consistently. The first three practice guides will be published by the end of 2025 and will focus on advice for mainstream settings which is rooted in existing best practice.</p><p>To support the needs of pupils with SEND, particularly in mainstream settings where most of these learners are educated, the department has funded the Universal Services programme. This programme, backed by almost £12 million of funding, will help the school and further education workforce to identify and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND earlier and more effectively. It will also help them successfully prepare children and young people for adulthood, including employment.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 28/11/2023 14:46:56 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon