The process to become an academy is school led, with schools\u2019 Local Governing Bodies taking the initiative to apply to their Regional School Commissioners\u2019 office on whether to join an existing academy trust, or form one with partner schools. The only exception to this, where the department takes a leading role, is where a school is judged as \u2018inadequate\u2019 by Ofsted, as the law requires the Secretary of State to make an order enabling the school to become an academy.<\/p>
<\/p>
The department aims to ensure that all schools considering becoming academies are able to join strong academy trusts, and this has historically been supported through trust capacity funding. Ultimately, our ambition is for every school that wants to, to benefit from the autonomy and freedom to innovate that academy status offers, and for schools to collaborate through strong academy trusts.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-17T14:43:33.64Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Academies: Multi-academy Trusts"} , "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 recent steps he has taken to help ensure that schools take the leading role in deciding whether to (a) form and (b) join a multi-academy trust.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4635", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Eddie Hughes"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Walsall North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Eddie Hughes"} ], "uin" : "276587"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138377", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138377/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The department published the \u2018Early years providers cost study: 2018\u2019 in February 2019, which shows that the mean hourly delivery cost for children under 2 years old in England is £5.18. This figure should be treated with caution due to the small sample size. Data is not available for the UK due to survey coverage and is not available at a regional level or local authority level due to small sample sizes.<\/p>
<\/p>
The data is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-providers-cost-study-2018<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-16T11:41:10.023Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nurseries: Babies"}
, "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 estimate he has made of the average nursery costs for children under two years old in (a) the UK, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) York in the most recent period for which figures are available.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"}
], "uin" : "276230"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138378", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138378/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The department collects data on children who are placed for adoption. However, the information requested is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The breakdown requested and the following significant caveats are:<\/p> The number of looked after children, nationally, who were adopted by age is published for the last 5 years in table E1 of the statistical release: Children Looked After in England (including Adoption) year ending 31 March 2018, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018<\/a>.<\/p> Figures on the number of children who ceased care due to adoption in 2018 by local authority is published in the underlying data table \u2018CEA2018\u2019 from the same statistical release: Children Looked After in England (including Adoption) year ending 31 March 2018.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-18T16:22:30.137Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Adoption: Yorkshire and the Humber"}
, "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 many babies under six weeks old were placed for adoption in Yorkshire and the Humber by local authority area in each year since 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"}
], "uin" : "276231"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138407", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138407/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We are determined to give every child, regardless of their background, the very best start in life. Free school meals are key to this and we want all parents whose children are entitled to them to apply for them. The continuing provision of free school meals to children from out of work families or those on low incomes is of the utmost importance to this government. We want to make sure as many eligible pupils as possible are claiming their free school meals, and to make it as simple as possible for schools and local authorities to determine eligibility.<\/p> To support this, we provide an Eligibility Checking System to make the checking process as quick and straightforward as possible for schools and local authorities. We have developed a model registration form to help schools encourage parents to sign up for free school meals. We also provide guidance to Jobcentre Plus advisers so that they can make Universal Credit recipients aware that they may also be entitled to wider benefits, including free school meals.<\/p> We understand there are some concerns that schools could be missing out on valuable pupil premium funding due to under registration for free school meals. However, school census data shows that the introduction of Universal Infant Free School Meals has not adversely affected infant registration rates.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-16T16:28:30.227Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Primary Education: Free School Meals"}
, "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 ensure that the provision of free school meals to all infant school aged children does not adversely affect (a) the allocation of and (b) level of registration for pupil premium funding.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4678", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sandy Martin"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ipswich"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sandy Martin"}
], "uin" : "276288"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138479", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138479/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has had many discussions with the Chancellor about a range of issues across the department. Spending plans beyond 2019-20 will be set at the next Spending Review and we cannot pre-empt these decisions. The department is committed to securing the right deal for early years education.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-16T10:22:56.383Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pre-school Education: Finance"}
, "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 discussions he has had with the Chancellor for the Exchequer on increasing funding for early years education in the forthcoming spending review.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4518", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tulip Siddiq"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hampstead and Kilburn"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tulip Siddiq"}
], "uin" : "276255"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138481", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138481/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " All future funding decisions on our early education entitlements will be taken as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-16T10:48:24.077Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Day Care"}
, "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 maintain Government funding for the 30-hours childcare policy.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4518", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tulip Siddiq"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hampstead and Kilburn"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tulip Siddiq"}
], "uin" : "276256"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138485", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138485/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We want parents to have access to a range of affordable childcare, giving them increased flexibility in their working hours and helping children thrive in the crucial early years. That is why the Department for Education is investing £3.5 billion in early education offers this year alone, more than any previous government.<\/p> The \u2018Steps to Sustainability\u2019 report makes a valuable contribution to our knowledge base about early education and childcare. We continue to monitor the provider market closely through a range of projects which provide insight into various aspects of the provider market.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-16T10:52:56.063Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Day Care"}
, "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 implications for his policies of the APPG for Childcare and Early Education July 2019 report entitled Steps to Sustainability; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4518", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tulip Siddiq"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hampstead and Kilburn"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tulip Siddiq"}
], "uin" : "276257"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138487", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138487/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information requested is not held centrally. The department\u2019s annual childcare and early years provider survey provides an estimate on the size of the early years\u2019 workforce. Based on the 2018 survey findings, there are an estimated 430,500 staff working in early years provision (including staff in school nurseries and reception classes). This information is available at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/788753/Survey_of_Childcare_and_Early_Years_Providers_2018_Main_Summary.pdf<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4113", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stratford-on-Avon"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nadhim Zahawi"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-07-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-07-16T11:08:23.047Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children: Day Care"}
, "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 adequacy of levels of (a) recruitment and (b) retention in the childcare sector in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4518", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tulip Siddiq"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hampstead and Kilburn"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tulip Siddiq"}
], "uin" : "276258"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138492", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1138492/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Ofsted publishes termly data on childcare providers and inspections. This statistical release confirms the number of providers that have registered with Ofsted (joiners) and the number that have left (leavers) in the relevant period. No data is published on trends of childcare settings opening and closing in affluent areas compared to disadvantaged areas.<\/p>