Educational achievement is at the heart of this Government\u2019s commitment to ensure no young person is left behind because of the place or circumstances of their birth. Due to our reforms, 86% of pupils attend a Good or Outstanding school compared with 66% in 2010.<\/p>
\u2018Working class\u2019 is not a description recognised or measured by the Department. We measure the outcomes of those pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds as defined by the benefit-related definition for \u2018disadvantaged\u2019. We recognise that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds \u2013 including those currently or formerly claiming free school meals and currently or formerly looked after - may face extra challenges in achieving their potential at school. We introduced the pupil premium in 2011 and have invested over £15 billion \u2013 and another £2.4 billion this year \u2013 so that schools have the resources to provide extra support for disadvantaged pupils of all abilities. White disadvantaged boys and girls constitute the largest group of eligible pupils and so benefit significantly from this extra support.<\/p>
Against a background of rising standards, disadvantaged pupils are catching up with their peers. The attainment gap index shows that since 2011, the gap at the end of primary school has narrowed by 13% and the gap at the end of secondary school has narrowed by 9%. This indicates better prospects for a secure adult life for disadvantaged pupils. Our reforms, and the focus provided by the pupil premium, have supported this improvement.<\/p>
The Department recognises there is more to do for disadvantaged pupils. Our ambition is to halve the number of children who finish Reception without the communication and reading skills they need to thrive. Our £72 million Opportunity Areas programme will focus resource on areas with low social mobility. We have also dedicated £24 million to Opportunity North East to address the specific challenges in that region.<\/p>
The Department\u2019s establishment of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) with a £137 million grant has ensured that schools have access to high quality, evidence-based, effective practice drawn from hundreds of trials across England. We recommend that schools consult the EEF\u2019s resources, particularly its recent \u2018Pupil Premium Guide\u2019, when they are considering how best to support their pupils and close the attainment gap.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-31T11:20:44.97Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Education: Boys"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support working class boys to close the attainment gap.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4663", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ben Bradley"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mansfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ben Bradley"} ], "uin" : "6162"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172259", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172259/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In the school sport and activity action plan, published in July 2019, the Government announced its intention to set up regional pilots to trial new and innovative approaches to drive up activity levels, and particularly focus on engaging the least active pupils.<\/p>
The Department is working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Sport England to design the pilots, drawing on information from schools and sport and physical activity providers. The Department will confirm the nature and process for the pilots later in the year, taking into account how they can fit with other initiatives that aim to increase access to activities for pupils.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-29T17:37:42.267Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Schools: Sports"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the School sport and activity action plan, when the pilot areas for schools to work with sport providers and local organisations to put in place a coordinated offer of sport, competition and activity in and outside school will be selected.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4663", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ben Bradley"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mansfield"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ben Bradley"} ], "uin" : "6163"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172299", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172299/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Funding for schools is given to local authorities through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), which in turn distribute this money to schools in their area through their own local formulae. The following table outlines the schools block DSG allocations for Durham County Council since 2015-16 in cash terms. Prior to the introduction of the National Funding Formula (NFF), schools block allocations were only calculated at local authority level.<\/p>
<\/p>
Schools block DSG allocations for Durham<\/strong><\/p> <\/p><\/td> Funding per pupil (£)1<\/sup><\/strong><\/p><\/td> Total schools block (£)<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2015-16<\/p><\/td> £4,641<\/p><\/td> £287.1 million<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2016-17<\/p><\/td> £4,649<\/p><\/td> £288.8 million<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2017-18<\/p><\/td> £4,674<\/p><\/td> £293.0 million<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2018-19<\/p><\/td> £4,694<\/p><\/td> £298.6 million<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2019-20<\/p><\/td> £4,758<\/p><\/td> £306.1 million<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2020-21<\/p><\/td> £4,937<\/p><\/td> £319.5 million<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> Since 2018-19, schools block allocations have been calculated through the NFF, based on individual schools\u2019 characteristics. The following table outlines in cash terms notional NFF allocations for schools in Easington in 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> NFF allocations for Easington<\/strong><\/p> <\/p><\/td> Funding per pupil (£)<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Total cash funding (£)<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> NFF 2018-192<\/sup><\/p><\/td> £4,817<\/p><\/td> £51.6 million<\/p><\/td><\/tr> NFF 2019-202<\/sup><\/p><\/td> £4,862<\/p><\/td> £52.8 million<\/p><\/td><\/tr> NFF 2020-212<\/sup><\/p><\/td> £5,012<\/p><\/td> £54.7 million<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> To smooth the transition to the NFF, local authorities have continued to be responsible for designing the distribution of funding in their areas in 2018-19 through to 2020-21. The actual amount that schools receive may be different from the amount they are attracting through the NFF. Local authorities set their local formula in consultation with local schools. The Department will now move to a single national formula as soon as possible to complete our reforms to make the funding system fair and equitable for every school in the country.<\/p> <\/p> 1<\/sup> The schools block unit of funding has been calculated by dividing the local authority\u2019s total schools block allocation.<\/p> 2<\/sup> Notional NFF allocations for individual schools were calculated based on available pupil data at the time, which was pupil data from the previous year. Final allocations given to local authorities were calculated based on updated pupil data. The figures in these tables are therefore not directly comparable.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-29T17:45:43.08Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Schools: Easington"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding in real terms has been allocated to schools in Easington constituency in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3973", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Grahame Morris"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Easington"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Grahame Morris"}
], "uin" : "6084"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172323", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172323/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel\u2019s first national review focuses on what can be done to protect children who are threatened and exploited by criminal gangs. The date for publication is being determined, as is that for the triennial analysis of serious case reviews, 2014 to 2017. We expect that both documents will be published in the coming weeks. <\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Michelle Donelan"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chippenham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Michelle Donelan"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "6127"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-29T14:32:43.89Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Protection"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the timetable is for the release of the analysis of serious case reviews from 2015 to 2018.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4268", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Reed"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve Reed"}
], "uin" : "6126"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172324", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172324/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel\u2019s first national review focuses on what can be done to protect children who are threatened and exploited by criminal gangs. The date for publication is being determined, as is that for the triennial analysis of serious case reviews, 2014 to 2017. We expect that both documents will be published in the coming weeks. <\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Michelle Donelan"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chippenham"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Michelle Donelan"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-01-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "6126"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-01-29T14:32:43.937Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the timetable is for the publication of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel First National Review.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4268", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Reed"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Croydon North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve Reed"}
], "uin" : "6127"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172332", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1172332/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Higher education providers (HEPs) are independent and autonomous institutions. While we recognise the work of Advance HE and the value that both the Race Equality and Athena Swan charters bring to the sector the government does not compel HEPs to participate in equality charters.<\/p> <\/p> However, progress on addressing both gender and racial equality in HE has been unacceptably slow, particularly for minority ethnic staff securing senior university leadership positions. It is essential that HEPs urgently address those institutional and cultural barriers standing in the way of women and minority ethnic staff and students so that everyone who has the potential to thrive at university, does so.<\/p> <\/p> The government has brought forward sweeping reforms of higher education to tackle equality of opportunity through the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (HERA). This includes a mandatory condition of registration which, for the first time, requires all higher education providers registered with the Office for Students (OfS) to publish data including the number of applications for admissions, offers made and acceptance rates broken down by gender, ethnicity and socio-economic background. The OfS has issued guidance to higher education providers on how to comply with the transparency condition.<\/p> The OfS has also made available online an interactive dashboard of data, which will help to evaluate access and participation at specific universities and colleges. The dashboard can be used to compare different student groups (for example, disabled students or students by their ethnic background) and their peers, and reveal gaps in access, continuation, success and progression. More information is available at the link:<\/p>