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1697398

registered interest
date	20/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Workplace Pensions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the potential impact of ending funding for employers' contributions to the teachers' pension scheme for music teachers employed by music hubs unattached to schools on costs to the public purse.
tabling member constituency	Worsley and Eccles South
tabling member printed	Barbara Keeley
uin	19580
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2024 answer text <p>In March 2024, the department announced an additional £1.1 billion in the 2024/25 financial year to support schools and local authorities with the increased Teachers’ Pension Scheme employer contribution rate. This additional funding will be distributed in 2024/25 via the new teachers’ pension employer contribution grant (TPECG) 2024.</p><p> </p><p>The department is providing additional funding through the TPECG 2024 to local authorities in respect of teachers categorised as centrally employed on the schools’ workforce census 2023. The department expects local authority-based Music Hub teachers to be recorded on the schools’ workforce census, and so to be in scope for this grant.</p><p> </p><p>The department has also committed to providing funding to cover the increase in employer contribution rates for existing non-local authority hubs for the current academic year, until August 2024, and officials are working to agree the precise amount. Further details, including funding rates and allocations, will be provided soon.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 25/03/2024 13:15:41 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	1588 label Biography information for Barbara Keeley

1697446

registered interest
date	20/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: South Holland and the Deepings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) Level 4 and (b) Level 5 apprenticeships have been started in South Holland and the Deepings constituency since 2019 as of 20 March 2024.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	19527
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Level 4 and 5 apprenticeship starts in South Holland and The Deepings constituency can be found in the following table:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Academic year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Level 4</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Level 5</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>70</p></td><td><p>50</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>40</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>60</p></td><td><p>70</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022/23</p></td><td><p>80</p></td><td><p>60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023/24 reported to date</p></td><td><p>50</p></td><td><p>30</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>340</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>330</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Note:</p><p>(1) Figures for 2023/24 are provisional and cover the first two quarters (Aug 2023 to Jan 2024). All other years are final, full-year figures.</p><p>(2) Apprenticeship start volumes are rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p>(3) The data source is the Individualised Learner Record.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on apprenticeship starts can be found in the apprenticeships publication, available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships</a>.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harlow answering member printed Robert Halfon question first answered 26/03/2024 13:56:30 answering member 3985 label Biography information for Robert Halfon
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1697456

registered interest
date	20/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to review the current funding formula for schools to ensure that it is adjusted for (a) inflation and (b) increases in the cost of living.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	19682
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2024 answer text <p>The overall core school budget will total £60.7 billion in the 2024/25 financial year, the highest ever level in real terms per pupil. School funding is therefore set to have risen by £11 billion next year, compared with 2021/2022.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 27/03/2024 16:45:53 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1696965

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: GCE A-level
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of schools in (a) St Helens North constituency and (b) the North West she expects to offer A-Levels in modern foreign languages in the next five years.
tabling member constituency	St Helens North
tabling member printed	Conor McGinn
uin	19388
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2024 answer text <p>The department does not produce projections of future trends of the number of students taking specific qualifications or future trends in the number of schools or colleges offering specific qualifications.</p><p>The department recognises the importance of the study of languages in Britain and is taking steps to increase the number of pupils studying languages at GCSE level and beyond. This is particularly important given that languages became non-mandatory at GCSE in 2004. The recently launched Language Hubs programme is comprised of 15 lead hub schools from across England, including a hub based in the North West. The lead hub schools will work with other schools in their areas to improve standards of language teaching, in line with recommendations of the Teaching Schools Council’s 2016 ‘Modern Foreign Languages Pedagogy Review’.</p><p>Managed by the National Consortium for Languages Education, the programme provides high-quality teacher Continuing Professional Development and includes improving transition from key stage 2 to key stage 3, increasing opportunities among disadvantaged pupils to study languages, and increasing the access to home, heritage, and community languages.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 25/03/2024 17:54:57 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4458 label Biography information for Conor McGinn

1696966

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Foster Care: North West
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 increase the number of foster care placements in (a) St Helens North constituency and (b) the North West.
tabling member constituency	St Helens North
tabling member printed	Conor McGinn
uin	19389
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2024 answer text <p>The department is investing over £36 million this parliament to deliver a fostering recruitment and retention programme, so that foster care is available for more children who need it. This will boost approvals of foster carers, as well as aiding the retention of foster carers already in place.</p><p>St Helens North is participating in this programme, working in a regional cluster group, ‘Foster4’, which is led by Warrington.</p><p>Greater financial support for foster carers will help improve the experiences of all children in care. For the second year running, the department is increasing the National Minimum Allowance (NMA) above the rate of inflation. For 2024/2025, the NMA will increase by 6.88%. This is on top of a 12.43% NMA increase in 2023/24.</p><p>In addition, the department estimates that changes to tax and benefit allowances will give the average foster carer an additional £450 per year as well as simplifying the process for self-assessment returns for most foster carers.</p><p>The department will also build on its investment since 2014 of over £8 million to advance the work of the Mockingbird programme, an innovative model of peer support for foster parents and the children in their care where children benefit from an extended family environment.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 27/03/2024 15:18:05 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	4458 label Biography information for Conor McGinn

1697020

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pre-school Education and Primary Education: Down's Syndrome
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 (a) early years learning and (b) primary education for children with Down's Syndrome.
tabling member constituency	South Holland and The Deepings
tabling member printed	Sir John Hayes
uin	19250
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2024 answer text <p>The department is committed to improving the life outcomes and opportunities for children with Down syndrome, including through follow-up to the Down Syndrome Act 2022. From 2025, the department will begin collecting data on the numbers of children and young people with Down syndrome in schools and colleges. This will help inform the planning locally of long term services.</p><p>The special educational needs and disability (SEND) system in education settings provides support for all children with SEND. The system focuses on removing barriers to education and putting the right support in place to meet need, regardless of the specific condition a child may have. The department set out its mission for more children and young people with SEND to have their needs met effectively in mainstream settings in the SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan in March 2023. The SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-and-alternative-provision-improvement-plan" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-and-alternative-provision-improvement-plan</a>.</p><p>In the Improvement Plan, the department confirmed that frontline professionals, such as teachers and early years practitioners, would be equipped with the skills and expertise to make best use of provision and to identify needs early, accurately and consistently. The department is developing a suite of practitioner standards to help early years staff, teachers and teaching assistants to identify and support the needs of children and young people they work with, prioritising areas such as speech and language development. The department is funding up to 7,000 early years staff to gain an accredited Level 3 early years special educational needs co-ordinator qualification.</p><p>Additionally, the department is investing £2.6 billion in new specialist places to increase the number of places for those children who need specialist support in mainstream and special schools, and alternative provision. These developments will help children with Down syndrome in early years settings and primary schools reach their full potential.</p><p>Specifically on early years learning, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards and requirements that all early years providers must follow, including learning and development requirements. The EYFS includes specific requirements for supporting children with SEND, including those with Down syndrome. All early years providers must have arrangements in place to support children with SEND and all providers who are funded by the local authority to deliver early education places must have regard to the SEND Code of Practice.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 27/03/2024 15:45:54 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	350 label Biography information for Sir John Hayes

1697079

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Nurseries: North West
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 increase nursery staff in the North West, in the context of the Government's plans to expand the number of free childcare places.
tabling member constituency	Preston
tabling member printed	Sir Mark Hendrick
uin	19260
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2024 answer text <p>By the 2027/28 financial year, the government will expect to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education, helping working families with their childcare costs. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.</p><p> </p><p>In February, the department launched a new national recruitment campaign for the early years and childcare sector, ‘Do something BIG. Work with small children’, and a financial incentives pilot. Eligible joiners and returners will receive a tax-free payment of up to £1,000. This followed the introduction of workforce flexibilities to the Early Years Foundation Stage in January.</p><p> </p><p>The department has also introduced Skills Bootcamps for Early Years, which will create a pathway to accelerated Level 3 Early Years Apprenticeships. The number of paid childcare staff in 2023 is estimated at 347,300 compared to 334,400 paid childcare staff in 2022, an increase of 3.86%. Additionally, the department has invested up to £180 million in providing an early years education recovery package of workforce training, qualifications and support and guidance for the early years sector. This includes additional places for early years initial teacher training (EYITT), and new level 3 qualifications criteria for early years educators to ensure higher quality training and better care for children. The new criteria will come into effect from September 2024.</p><p> </p><p>For the North West, the total number of staff working in group and school based providers has increased from 39,394 in 2018 to 42,027 in 2023, an increase of 6.68%.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston question first answered 27/03/2024 16:38:10 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
tabling member	473 label Biography information for Sir Mark Hendrick

1697104

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption and Guardianship: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department has provided through the adoption and special guardianship support fund in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Eastbourne
tabling member printed	Caroline Ansell
uin	19415
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2024 answer text <p>The information requested can be found in the attached table.</p><p>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 19416 question first answered 27/03/2024 15:09:27 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston attachment 1 file name 19415 19416 Table QC 210324.xlsx title 18415_19416_Table
tabling member	4512 label Biography information for Caroline Ansell

1697105

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption and Guardianship: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications to the adoption and special guardianship support fund were (a) made and (b) successful (i) in total and (b) by local authority area; and what the average amount awarded was for those claims (A) in total and (B) by local authority area in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Eastbourne
tabling member printed	Caroline Ansell
uin	19416
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2024 answer text <p>The information requested can be found in the attached table.</p><p>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 19415 question first answered 27/03/2024 15:09:27 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston attachment 1 file name 19415 19416 Table QC 210324.xlsx title 18415_19416_Table
tabling member	4512 label Biography information for Caroline Ansell

1697121

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Students: Transgender People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to consult (a) transgender students, (b) the families of transgender students and (c) organisations that represent the views of transgender people on the draft guidance entitled Guidance for Schools and Colleges: Gender Questioning Children, published on 19 December 2023.
tabling member constituency	Bristol North West
tabling member printed	Darren Jones
uin	19429
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2024 answer text <p>From the 19 December 2023 to the 12 March 2024, the department carried out a full public consultation on the draft guidance for schools and colleges on gender questioning children. Any member of the public could respond and provide their views.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 22/03/2024 14:43:23 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4621 label Biography information for Darren Jones