Education is a devolved power; as such, this reply concerns schools in England only.<\/p>
<\/p>
It is for schools to tailor their personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) programme to reflect the needs of their pupils. We expect teachers to understand how best to create a safe environment for PSHE, so that pupils feel able to discuss and reflect on issues that are important to them. We have provided funding to the PSHE Association to work with schools to advise them in developing their own PSHE curriculum and improve the quality of teaching. This includes signposting schools to high-quality resources.<\/p>
<\/p>
Department for Education guidance on promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils states that pupils must be encouraged to regard people of all faiths, races and cultures with respect and tolerance. The guidance for schools is found online at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-fundamental-british-values-through-smsc<\/a><\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1605", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Timpson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crewe and Nantwich"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Timpson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-09-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-09-21T09:02:31.317Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-09-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education"}
, "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 her Department is taking to ensure pupils are able to share information about their backgrounds and cultures as part of personal, social and health education.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
], "uin" : "10019"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/381430", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/381430/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The new national curriculum, which came into force in maintained schools in England from September 2014, focuses on the essential knowledge that schools should cover. It gives teachers and schools the freedom and flexibility to develop a wider school curriculum that meets the needs of their pupils.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> Design and Technology (D&T) is compulsory for pupils aged 5-14. As part of the D&T curriculum pupils have opportunities to design and make products that solve real world problems. The D&T curriculum encourages schools to use a wide range of industrial, commercial and domestic contexts for their teaching. Whilst the curriculum does not specify which craft skills or activities should be taught, it is possible for schools to teach home maintenance and improvement skills.<\/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" : "2015-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-06-24T15:17:21.72Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing Improvement: Education"}
, "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 she will make an assessment of the potential benefits of home maintenance and improvement skills being taught in schools.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
], "uin" : "2699"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/381432", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/381432/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Physical Education (PE) remains compulsory at all four key stages in the new national curriculum in England and the programmes of study at key stages 2, 3 and 4 all state that pupils should take part in outdoor, adventurous activities. At key stage 4, these activities should take place in a range of environments and present intellectual and physical challenges. The national curriculum programme of study for PE is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-physical-education-programmes-of-study<\/a><\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We also know that some schools are using their Primary PE and Sport Premium to provide enhanced opportunities for their pupils in this area \u2013 this includes rock-climbing, mountaineering and sailing.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1605", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Timpson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crewe and Nantwich"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Timpson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-06-24T09:54:13.987Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Physical Education: Young People"}
, "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 her Department is taking to increase opportunities for young people to undertake physical activity in the countryside.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
], "uin" : "2700"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349206", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/349206/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We want schools to reduce their overall absence rates because evidence shows there is a link between regular school attendance and high levels of academic attainment [1]. In September 2013 we changed the law so that schools in England can only grant leave of absence in exceptional circumstances. The most recent figures show that almost 2.4 million fewer school days were missed because of term-time family holidays in the 2013/14 academic year, compared to the 2012/13 academic year.<\/p>