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156471

registered interest
date	18/11/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Music: Education
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are putting in place to encourage local authorities to spend their Education Services Grants on providing music lessons in schools; and what steps they are taking to safeguard the National Plan for Music Education.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL2913
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>The Education Services Grant is an unringfenced grant and it is entirely at the discretion of local authorities how funding is spent. Different local authorities will make different choices based on local decisions about their priorities.</p><p> </p><p>The Government remains fully committed to the National Plan for Music Education.</p><p> </p><p>In July we announced a further £18 million for 2015-16 for music education; of which a minimum of £17 million will go to the 123 music education hubs, the most crucial feature of the Plan’s implementation.</p><p> </p><p>Hubs are working to improve the quality and consistency of music education across the country. They provide core roles designed to ensure every child aged 5-18-years-old has the opportunity to learn a musical instrument through whole-class ensemble teaching, is provided with opportunities to play in ensembles and to perform, and has clear and affordable progression routes available to them. All hubs must also develop a singing strategy for their area; and may also provide extension roles including continuous professional development and instrument loans.</p><p>A more detailed announcement on all music education programme funding for 2015-16 will be made shortly.</p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 01/12/2014 12:08:53 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

156472

registered interest
date	18/11/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Grammar Schools
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of grammar schools have been granted dispensation from the Department for Education to arrange their admissions procedures in favour of disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for free school meals, in each of the last five years.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL2914
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2014 answer text <p>All schools with academy status, including grammar schools which are academies, may give priority in their admissions arrangements to disadvantaged children (ie those eligible for the pupil premium). The freedom granted through the funding agreement, allows these grammar schools to lawfully implement oversubscription criteria prioritising disadvantaged children within their admission arrangements, should they wish to do so. It is for the individual grammar schools to decide whether or not to adopt this priority within their own oversubscription criteria. To date, we understand 32 grammar schools have prioritised disadvantaged children in their arrangements and a further 65 intend to consult on doing so.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Maintained schools – including maintained grammars – can currently adopt this freedom if they are granted a Power to Innovate Order. However, we have revised the School Admissions Code to allow all state-funded schools to adopt a pupil premium priority, should they wish to do so. Subject to parliamentary approval the revised Code will come into force in December 2014.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 26/11/2014 18:03:59 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

156473

registered interest
date	18/11/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Supply Teachers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that supply teachers receive the same pay and pensions as other teachers.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL2915
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/11/2014 answer text <p>Supply teachers employed directly by a maintained school or local authority must be paid, like other teachers employed by these institutions, in accordance with the statutory arrangements set out in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document. They are also automatically enrolled in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and are eligible for the same pension benefits as other teachers. The arrangements for supply teachers employed by private agencies, including their pensions and rates of pay, are private commercial arrangements.</p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 26/11/2014 18:04:32 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

100553

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	PE and Sport Premium: Obesity
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to increase support for head teachers and school leaders in directing the Primary Physical Education and Sports Premium to combat childhood obesity.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL2290
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2014 answer text <p>One of the objectives of the PE and sports premium is to improve children’s health outcomes. Schools may use this funding as part of their wider programme to improve the health and well-being of their pupils, and we will ensure that case studies of good practice are available to help them do this. Our research has found that the premium is already having a positive impact in this area; 96% of schools report that their pupils are now living healthier lives as a result of the funding.</p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 30/10/2014 16:25:24 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

100554

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pre-school Education: Basic Skills
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to reduce attainment gaps in literacy and numeracy between boys and girls in pre-school education in the short and long term.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL2291
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory framework for all early years providers [1]. The EYFS seeks to provide quality and consistency in all early years settings, so that every child makes good progress, attainment gaps are reduced and no child gets left behind. The EYFS specifies areas in which early years providers must support children to develop, including literacy and numeracy. It is the responsibility of early years providers to identify and meet the learning and development needs of the children attending their setting. The EYFS requires providers to carry out ongoing assessment of children’s development and needs and should address any learning and development needs in partnership with parents and/or carers, and any relevant professionals.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Education is increasing the level of required English and maths qualifications for members of the early years workforce. This will ensure that all those working with young children have the right skills to support all children to achieve appropriate levels of literacy and numeracy.</p><p> </p><p>1. We have published guidance on Teacher’s Standards (Early Years) which includes a requirement for Early Years Teachers to demonstrate a clear understanding of synthetic phonics and strategies for teaching early mathematics. The standards also require Early Years Teachers to plan and adapt education to cater for the needs of individual children, to make accurate assessments to inform children’s learning and development and to promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.</p><p> </p><p>2. Early Years Teachers must pass the same professional skills tests as trainee school teachers and must have GCSE English and maths at grade C or above on entry to training courses.</p><p> </p><p>3. NCTL published new, more robust, criteria for level 3 qualifications in July 2013 – the “Early Years Educator” criteria. They set out the minimum requirements for the knowledge, understanding and skills which learners must demonstrate during assessment for their qualification to be considered qualified at level 3. The criteria include a requirement for qualifications to include a focus on recognising and meeting the individual learning and development needs of children.</p><p> </p><p>4. From 1 August 2014, Government funding of Level 3 Early Years Educator training courses through the Skills Funding Agency will require trainees to have GCSEs in English and maths, at grade C or above, on entry. The EYFS has been amended to require staff holding a new Early Years Educator qualification to have achieved GCSEs in English/English Language and maths, at grade C or above, in order to count in the staff ratios at level 3. From September 2014, GCSE English and maths, at grade C or above, will be required on exit from a level 3 early years apprenticeship. This is an interim measure to support the sector in reaching the higher standards required. From August 2015, the GCSEs in English and maths, at grade C or above, will be required on entry to an early years apprenticeship.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Department is also working with experts in the voluntary sector and charitable organisations to support work in these key areas. We have funded English and Maths Champions programmes through the National Day Nurseries Association to spread good practice in teaching literacy and numeracy in the early years.</p><p> </p><p>We are investing £1.4m in the Early Language Development Programme – which has so far helped well over 100,000 parents and family members to spot problems and get support with their children’s speech and language. This work is being led by I CAN, the children’s communications charity. We are also investing almost £1m in the work of the Literacy Trust to develop a model to improve targeting and engagement of the most vulnerable families by staff in Children’s Centres and support volunteers to improve children's early literacy and language skills.</p><p> </p><p>[1] <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2</a></p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 03/11/2014 17:12:51 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

100555

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Climate Change: Curriculum
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to increase the presence of climate change analysis in schools' science curricula.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL2292
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The draft key stage 4 science curriculum, currently being consulted on, and the new science GCSE criteria, published in April 2014, include opportunities for students to learn about climate change as part of what they are taught about atmospheric and Earth science. This includes evidence for the composition and evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere since its formation, along with the evidence, and uncertainties in evidence, for additional anthropogenic causes of climate change. This builds on the key stage 3 science curriculum introduced into schools in September 2014 where pupils are taught about the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere and the carbon cycle. This includes the production of carbon dioxide by human activity and the impact on climate.</p><p> </p><p>Pupils will also be taught about the change in the Earth’s climate from the Ice Age to the present day as part of the new key stage 3 Geography curriculum that was also introduced in September 2014.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 03/11/2014 15:30:24 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

100556

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Secondary Education
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to increase the teaching of philosophical and critical thinking in secondary schools at a (1) pre-GCSE, and (2) post-GCSE level.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL2293
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The new national curriculum, which was introduced in September 2014, focuses on the essential knowledge that must be taught, allowing teachers to take greater control over the wider curriculum in schools and how it is taught. Whilst philosophical and critical thinking skills are important, it is not necessary to specify these in the national curriculum. Instead, it should be left to teachers’ professional judgement to decide how best to ensure that their pupils develop these skills, as part of a broad and balanced school curriculum which encompasses, but is not limited by, the national curriculum.</p><p> </p><p>A number of Religious Studies GCSE specifications allow pupils to study philosophy. At post GCSE-level, level 3 qualifications are available in critical thinking and philosophy.</p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 03/11/2014 15:29:03 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

93684

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Disadvantaged
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take to co-ordinate good leadership with local authorities to improve the attainment levels of disadvantaged pupils.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL2113
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Education expects local authorities to provide strategic leadership to improve the attainment of disadvantaged pupils in their maintained schools. This was set out in the recently revised guidance to local authorities on <em>Schools Causing Concern</em>, which was published in May 2014. Since May 2013, Ofsted has inspected local authority school improvement arrangements which relate to their duty to ensure that, ‘their education functions are exercised with a view to promote high standards and fulfilment of potential’ (Education Act 1996, s13a).</p><p>My Rt. hon. Friend the Minister of State for Schools, has met leaders from the nine local authorities that have failed these inspections to date. These discussions have focused on the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. In addition, in his role as Pupil Premium Champion, Sir John Dunford has worked closely with school leaders in 25 local authority areas with the poorest results for disadvantaged pupils during the 2013/14 school year. This work continues.</p><p>Peer-to-peer support for school leaders is a highly effective way to tackle poor school performance. The Department is therefore increasing the number of National Leaders of Education (NLEs) and the number of teaching schools. The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) has designated over 900 NLEs and establish 602 teaching schools to date, and some local authorities use local teaching school alliances and national leaders to provide school improvement.</p><p>The Talented Leaders programme and School-to-School Support Fund, both launched on 10 September 2014 by the Minister of State for Schools, will also help drive school improvement through better leadership. The Talented Leaders programme will recruit one hundred talented school leaders and deploy them to take on headship positions in challenging schools, working with local authorities who sign up to the programme. The £13m School-to-School Support Fund will support NLEs and teaching schools to undertake deployment in under-performing maintained schools and academies.</p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 24/10/2014 11:32:32 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

93685

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Regional Schools Commissioners
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the total set-up costs of the school commissioner network; and what are the total running costs.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL2114
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>The first year set-up and running costs of the Regional Schools Commissioners and their offices are estimated to be approximately £4.5 million. This is not new additional funding: it will be met from within the Department for Education’s existing budget envelope.</p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 21/10/2014 14:26:45 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

93686

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Care Leavers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Action For Children’s recent report <i>Too Much, Too Young </i>on the recognition of the emotional needs of young care leavers; and what steps they are taking to improve the emotional well-being of young care leavers.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL2115
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>Improving the lives of care leavers has always been a priority for this Government, and the Department for Education has significantly improved the support on offer to this vulnerable group. The Department published the first cross-Government care leavers’ strategy in 2013, and will shortly produce a ‘one year on’ report setting out how those commitments have been met. We have tightened the rules so that fewer young people leave care before they are ready. We have also provided an additional £40 million to local authorities, backed by a change in the law, so that looked-after children can remain with their former foster carers until they are 21 years old.</p><p>The Action for Children report highlights the importance of mental health and emotional wellbeing.[1] We recognise that there is more to be done, and the Government has established the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Task Force to make recommendations on improving mental health commissioning for young people. This will include a particular focus on the needs of vulnerable groups. The Government recently published a National Prospectus setting out the key activities it wishes to fund at a national level though organisations working with children, young people and families in 2015-16. One of the policy areas we wish to fund through this programme relates to improving the identification of children and young people’s mental health issues (including care leavers’), prevention, improved commissioning of support and more effective collaboration between agencies and services.</p><p>[1] <a href="http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/policy-research/policy-priorities/too-much-too-young" target="_blank">www.actionforchildren.org.uk/policy-research/policy-priorities/too-much-too-young</a></p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 24/10/2014 13:51:07 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey