Academies have the autonomy to set their own school curriculum. However, they are required to teach a broad and balanced school curriculum, including maths, English and science, that is comparable in breadth and ambition to the national curriculum as a piece of statutory guidance.<\/p>
For academies, the national curriculum acts as a benchmark for a high-quality, knowledge-rich school curriculum. Many academy schools choose to deliver the full national curriculum, but this is not a requirement. With their freedom, multi-academy trusts have been at the forefront of curriculum innovation, and they have led the development of evidence-based, subject-level teacher development programmes, resources, and research.<\/p>
Ministers have no intention of using regulatory reforms to interfere in the day-to-day management of academies, other than in cases of failure. Ministers have no intention to restrict the freedoms that enable academies to collaborate, innovate, and organise themselves to deliver the best outcomes for pupils.<\/p>
All schools are held accountable for delivering a broad and balanced curriculum through their performance in tests and exams and Ofsted inspections. Ofsted aims to reduce curriculum narrowing through the implementation of the 2019 education inspection framework, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-inspection-framework<\/a>. This framework evaluates the intent, implementation, and impact of each school's curriculum.<\/p> Oak National Academy was created in April 2020 as a rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers and colleagues from leading education organisations came together to support schools\u2019 efforts to keep children learning. This included several multi-academy trusts who contributed to the development of lessons and online resources and continue to work with Oak as curriculum partners.<\/p> Building on the success of Oak National Academy\u2019s work in the pandemic, the department announced in the Schools White Paper that we will establish a new arms-length curriculum body. It will work with thousands of teachers to co-design, create and continually improve packages of optional, free, adaptable digital curriculum resources and video lessons. These optional resources will be available across the UK, helping teachers deliver a high-quality curriculum. This sector-led approach will draw on expertise and inputs from across the country, involving teachers, schools, trusts, subject associations, national centres of excellence and educational publishers.<\/p> The resources are to be optional, non-Ofsted endorsed and intended to exemplify high-quality curriculum design to improve system curriculum thinking and support teachers across the country with their lesson planning and teaching.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Robin Walker"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worcester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robin Walker"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "16833"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-20T16:58:56.25Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Academies: Curriculum"}
, "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 assessment he has made of the current flexibility of academy schools in setting the criteria for the curriculum they teach.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "16832"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1469907", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1469907/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Academies have the autonomy to set their own school curriculum. However, they are required to teach a broad and balanced school curriculum, including maths, English and science, that is comparable in breadth and ambition to the national curriculum as a piece of statutory guidance.<\/p> For academies, the national curriculum acts as a benchmark for a high-quality, knowledge-rich school curriculum. Many academy schools choose to deliver the full national curriculum, but this is not a requirement. With their freedom, multi-academy trusts have been at the forefront of curriculum innovation, and they have led the development of evidence-based, subject-level teacher development programmes, resources, and research.<\/p> Ministers have no intention of using regulatory reforms to interfere in the day-to-day management of academies, other than in cases of failure. Ministers have no intention to restrict the freedoms that enable academies to collaborate, innovate, and organise themselves to deliver the best outcomes for pupils.<\/p> All schools are held accountable for delivering a broad and balanced curriculum through their performance in tests and exams and Ofsted inspections. Ofsted aims to reduce curriculum narrowing through the implementation of the 2019 education inspection framework, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-inspection-framework<\/a>. This framework evaluates the intent, implementation, and impact of each school's curriculum.<\/p> Oak National Academy was created in April 2020 as a rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers and colleagues from leading education organisations came together to support schools\u2019 efforts to keep children learning. This included several multi-academy trusts who contributed to the development of lessons and online resources and continue to work with Oak as curriculum partners.<\/p> Building on the success of Oak National Academy\u2019s work in the pandemic, the department announced in the Schools White Paper that we will establish a new arms-length curriculum body. It will work with thousands of teachers to co-design, create and continually improve packages of optional, free, adaptable digital curriculum resources and video lessons. These optional resources will be available across the UK, helping teachers deliver a high-quality curriculum. This sector-led approach will draw on expertise and inputs from across the country, involving teachers, schools, trusts, subject associations, national centres of excellence and educational publishers.<\/p> The resources are to be optional, non-Ofsted endorsed and intended to exemplify high-quality curriculum design to improve system curriculum thinking and support teachers across the country with their lesson planning and teaching.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Robin Walker"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worcester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robin Walker"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "16832"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-20T16:58:56.303Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Academies: Curriculum"}
, "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, if he will take steps to improve the ability of academy schools to (a) set the curriculum they teach and (b) amend the current national curriculum within their own institutions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "16833"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1465235", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1465235/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The department has sent a clear message that bullying should never be tolerated and we are committed to supporting schools to tackle it. The department provides advice for schools, outlining their responsibilities. The advice makes clear that schools should make appropriate provision for a bullied child's social, emotional and mental health needs. The advice is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> The department is providing over £2 million of funding, between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2023, to five anti-bullying organisations to support schools to tackle bullying. This includes projects targeting bullying of particular groups, such as those who are victims of hate-related bullying and homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.<\/p> <\/p> The department is also making sure that all children in England will learn about respectful relationships, in person and online, as part of mandatory relationships, sex and health education. This includes content on the different types of bullying, the impact it has, the responsibility of bystanders, and how to get help.<\/p> <\/p> The department has published \u2018Respectful School Communities\u2019, a self-review and signposting tool to support schools to develop a whole-school approach which promotes respect and discipline, available here: https://educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/<\/a>. This can combat bullying, harassment and prejudice of any kind, including hate-based bullying.<\/p> <\/p> The department is also committed to ensuring all schools should be calm, safe and supportive environments for pupils to learn and thrive in. To this end, we are investing £10 million through behaviour hubs so that schools that want and need to turn around their behaviour can work closely with schools with exemplary positive behaviour cultures, alongside a central offer of support and a taskforce of advisers, to improve their culture, and spread good practice across the country. The behaviour hubs programme includes mandatory modules on consequences, including sanctions and rewards and creating systems and social norms which are vital in enabling children to generate and maintain behavioural standards.<\/p> <\/p> The department has not made an assessment of the adequacy of support in schools for victims of bullying. All schools should set clear, reasonable and proportionate expectations of pupil behaviour in line with the department\u2019s \u2018behaviour and discipline in schools\u2019 guidance, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools<\/a>. It is for individual schools to develop their own best practice for managing behaviour in their school.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Robin Walker"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worcester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robin Walker"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "7895"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-06T16:43:41.13Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-05-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pupils: Bullying"}
, "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 he is taking to tackle bullying in schools.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "7894"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1465236", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1465236/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The department has sent a clear message that bullying should never be tolerated and we are committed to supporting schools to tackle it. The department provides advice for schools, outlining their responsibilities. The advice makes clear that schools should make appropriate provision for a bullied child's social, emotional and mental health needs. The advice is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> The department is providing over £2 million of funding, between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2023, to five anti-bullying organisations to support schools to tackle bullying. This includes projects targeting bullying of particular groups, such as those who are victims of hate-related bullying and homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.<\/p> <\/p> The department is also making sure that all children in England will learn about respectful relationships, in person and online, as part of mandatory relationships, sex and health education. This includes content on the different types of bullying, the impact it has, the responsibility of bystanders, and how to get help.<\/p> <\/p> The department has published \u2018Respectful School Communities\u2019, a self-review and signposting tool to support schools to develop a whole-school approach which promotes respect and discipline, available here: https://educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/<\/a>. This can combat bullying, harassment and prejudice of any kind, including hate-based bullying.<\/p> <\/p> The department is also committed to ensuring all schools should be calm, safe and supportive environments for pupils to learn and thrive in. To this end, we are investing £10 million through behaviour hubs so that schools that want and need to turn around their behaviour can work closely with schools with exemplary positive behaviour cultures, alongside a central offer of support and a taskforce of advisers, to improve their culture, and spread good practice across the country. The behaviour hubs programme includes mandatory modules on consequences, including sanctions and rewards and creating systems and social norms which are vital in enabling children to generate and maintain behavioural standards.<\/p> <\/p>