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1362290

registered interest
date	22/10/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions has he had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on trends in the level of absences of (a) teaching and non-teaching staff and (b) pupils in schools as a result of covid-19.
tabling member constituency	York Central
tabling member printed	Rachael Maskell
uin	60455
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2021 answer text <p>The Department for Education and the Department for Health and Social Care are working together closely to monitor COVID-19 related absence trends for both pupils and staff in schools. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, have regular discussions across a range of issues related to the COVID-19 outbreak. There has been a shared government priority throughout the COVID-19 outbreak to keep nurseries, schools and colleges open and reduce disruption to education.</p><p> </p><p>The number and proportion of pupils in state-funded schools absent for COVID-19 since the start of the academic year can be found on Explore Education Statistics. The published data has been tabulated here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/c95bbdf9-07e2-407e-8741-da6e00c837df" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/c95bbdf9-07e2-407e-8741-da6e00c837df</a>. Similarly, the number and proportion of teaching and non-teaching staff absent for COVID-19 since the start of the academic year can be found here: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/76767b09-1e9d-4871-bd10-4273aef84140" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/76767b09-1e9d-4871-bd10-4273aef84140</a>.</p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 29/10/2021 11:23:47 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4471 label Biography information for Rachael Maskell

1362535

registered interest
date	22/10/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Repairs and Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress has been made on the Government's School Rebuilding Programme.
tabling member constituency	Ashfield
tabling member printed	Lee Anderson
uin	61219
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2021 answer text <p>The School Rebuilding Programme was announced in 2020 with a commitment to deliver 500 rebuilding and refurbishment projects over the next decade. The department announced the first 100 projects this year at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme</a>. The most advanced projects started construction in September 2021.</p><p>A consultation on the approach to prioritising schools for future places in the programme closed on 8 October 2021. We plan to publish the response and details of the future prioritisation process in early 2022.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 29/10/2021 11:05:00 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4743 label Biography information for Lee Anderson

1362546

registered interest
date	22/10/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities are supported to meet (a) timescales and (b) legal thresholds for assessments for child Education and Health Care plans.
tabling member constituency	Batley and Spen
tabling member printed	Kim Leadbeater
uin	61233
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/11/2021 answer text <p>The special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice makes clear that local authorities must give their decision, in response to any request for an education health care (EHC) needs assessment, within a maximum of six weeks from when the request was received or the point at which a child or young person was brought to the local authority's attention.</p><p> </p><p>This year, local authorities have access to £51.3 billion to deliver their core services, including SEND services. Local authorities have the flexibility to spend according to local needs and priorities, including to undertake EHC needs assessments.</p><p>The Department for Education supports, and where needed challenges, local authorities to meet their statutory duties for SEND where there are long standing delays.</p><p>In addition, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission continue with their full inspection programme and officials, working with our team of SEND advisers and colleagues in NHS England, continue to provide support and challenge to help improve performance. Depending on the underlying issues a local authority faces, we commission specialist support from our delivery partners, or facilitate or fund peer to peer or regional support to address issues.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 01/11/2021 15:57:03 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4923 label Biography information for Kim Leadbeater

1362548

registered interest
date	22/10/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has any plans to increase training on ADHD for school staff.
tabling member constituency	Batley and Spen
tabling member printed	Kim Leadbeater
uin	61234
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2021 answer text <p>High-quality professional development is important for teachers at all stages of their careers. Decisions relating to teachers’ continuing professional development rests with schools, headteachers, and teachers themselves, as they are in the best position to judge their own requirements. This may include further training and development relating to pupils and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).</p><p>All new teachers receive at least three years of evidence-based professional development and support, starting with Initial Teacher Training (ITT) based on the new ITT Core Content Framework (CCF), and followed by a new two-year induction underpinned by the Early Career Framework (ECF). The CCF and ECF set out a minimum entitlement of knowledge, skills and experiences that trainees need to enter the profession in the best position possible to teach and support all pupils to succeed, including those pupils identified within the four areas of need set out in the SEND Code of Practice. ITT courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. This includes the requirement in Standard 5 that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including, where appropriate, those with ADHD or other special educational needs. Information on the Teachers' Standards are available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-standards" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-standards</a>.</p><p>The department is also launching a new and updated suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) for teachers and school leaders at all levels. Eligible teachers and leaders will be able to access fully funded scholarships to undertake NPQs from autumn 2021. These NPQs have been designed around how to support all pupils to succeed, including those pupils identified within the four areas of need set out in the SEND Code of Practice, and children in need of help and protection as identified in the Children in Need Review.</p><p>Through our contract with the National Association for Special Educational Needs, the department is continuing in the 2021-22 financial year to fund the Whole School SEND Consortium to provide the schools workforce with training and resources to support children and young people with SEND, including those with ADHD.</p><p>We are also supporting education settings to develop whole-school approaches to mental health and wellbeing, and have:</p><ul><li>Provided funding to enable up to 7,800 schools and colleges in England to train a senior mental health lead from their staff this academic year</li><li>Funded an adapted ‘Link' programme, which is designed to improve partnerships between health and education leaders in local areas, raise awareness of mental health concerns and improve referrals to specialist help when needed</li><li>Established new Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) to support groups of schools and colleges. MHSTs provide early intervention on mild to moderate issues, as well as helping staff within a school or college setting to provide a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing. The ambition is that new MHSTs will be established in 35% of the country by 2023, with 183 teams already operational and ready to support children and young people in around 3,000 schools and colleges</li></ul> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 29/10/2021 11:22:26 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4923 label Biography information for Kim Leadbeater

1362573

registered interest
date	22/10/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Stonewall
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding his Department has allocated to Stonewall in each of the last five years; and for what projects.
tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
uin	61056
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2021 answer text <p>Please find attached an Excel file summarising payments that the Department for Education has made to Stonewall. The data has been provided on a financial year basis and covers 2017-18 through to 2020-21. The majority of the spend incurred was not by the Department for Education, but instead the Government Equalities Office.</p><p><br> Expenditure data for the 2016-17 financial year is subject to an ongoing data migration process from a previous service provider and is therefore not accessible at this time.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Education has an internal five year Diversity and Inclusion Strategy to create a department where everyone is able to bring their whole self to work and where honesty, challenge and innovation are encouraged and valued. By forming these relationships and spending, the department is helping to create an environment where all staff, regardless of their protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 (including but not limited to sexual orientation or gender identity), are supported and do not face discrimination, and supports the department to fulfil its requirements under the Public Sector Equality Duty.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 04/11/2021 17:07:46 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan attachment 1 file name 61056_table_showing_stonewall_payments.xlsx title 61056_table
tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

1362603

registered interest
date	22/10/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Quarantine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many of his Department's ministers have been exempted from quarantine in a hotel after returning to the UK from a covid-19 red list country to which they have travelled for the purposes of conducting official business.
tabling member constituency	Exeter
tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
uin	61092
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2021 answer text <p>Ministers from the Department for Education have not claimed any exemptions from the requirement to quarantine in a managed quarantine facility that is required after returning from a red list country.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Chippenham answering member printed Michelle Donelan question first answered 29/10/2021 10:06:12 answering member 4530 label Biography information for Michelle Donelan
tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

1362646

registered interest
date	22/10/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the value and effectiveness of independent (a) schools and (b) special schools’ contribution to SEND education in England.
tabling member constituency	Aylesbury
tabling member printed	Rob Butler
uin	61220
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2021 answer text <p>In January 2021, local authorities reported placing 4,555 children and young people with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans in mainstream independent schools and 17,839 in independent special schools (5.2% of EHC plans). There are 610 independent special schools currently registered with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, representing 36% of special schools. 65% were rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ following inspection.</p><p>Local authorities are responsible for determining where children and young people with EHC plans should be educated. Decisions are informed by whether a school is suitable for the age, aptitude and needs of an individual, and compatible with the efficient use of resources. The local authority is responsible for monitoring the placement (for example through the annual review of the EHC plan), to ensure the provision continues to meet the child or young person’s needs.</p><p>In order to comply with the Independent School Standards, an independent school must take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those with an EHC plan, ensuring all pupils have the opportunity to learn and make progress. Where independent schools are identified as not meeting the required education or boarding standards, the Department for Education, as the independent school regulator, may take regulatory or enforcement action to require independent schools to improve within specified time constraints.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 29/10/2021 13:49:09 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4745 label Biography information for Rob Butler

1362705

registered interest
date	22/10/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Lifelong Education
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they intend to take to ensure that lifelong learning is available to all, including those with special educational needs.
tabling member printed	Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown
uin	HL3359
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2021 answer text <p>We are committed to supporting everyone, whatever their age and background, including those with a special education need or disability, to attain the skills that will be needed in the economy of the future.</p><p> </p><p>In the first three quarters of the 2020/21 academic year (August to April), 16.2% of all adult learners declared a learning difficulty or disability, which demonstrates our commitment to those learners with additional needs.</p><p><br> Our Skills for Jobs white paper published in January 2021, is focused on giving people the skills they need, in a way that suits them, so they can get great jobs in sectors the economy needs and boost this country’s productivity. Through our reforms we are ensuring people have opportunities to study, by delivering my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, to upskill and reskill at different points in their life.</p><p> </p><p>Starting this year, the government is investing £2.5 billion (£3 billion when including Barnett funding for devolved administrations) in the National Skills Fund. This is a significant investment and has the potential to deliver new opportunities to generations of adults who may have been previously left behind.</p><p> </p><p>Since 1 April this year, the government is supporting any adult who does not have A level equivalent or higher qualifications, to access over 400 fully funded level 3 courses, with Free Courses for Jobs.</p><p> </p><p>This offer is a long-term commitment, backed by £95 million from the National Skills Fund in year one. Removing the barrier of funding training for millions of adults gives more people the chance to get ahead in work, no matter their age or background.</p><p> </p><p>Complementing this support for adults, Skills Bootcamps offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. We expect the Skills Bootcamps to represent the diversity of the local population and we encourage people from under-represented groups to take advantage of these fantastic opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>Through our lifelong loan entitlement, introduced from 2025, we will make it easier for adults and young people to study more flexibly. This will allow them to space out their studies across their lifetimes, transfer credits between colleges and universities, and enable more part-time study.</p><p> </p><p>More specifically, students with special educational needs and disabilities are an important part of our vision for, and motivation behind, a flexible skills system. We believe that more flexible provision can be of particular benefit to these students and plan to use the upcoming consultation on the lifelong loan entitlement to build our evidence base on how to support all people to access or benefit from this offer.</p><p> </p><p>We are also continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) by providing £1.34 billion in the 2021/22 financial year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to support adults to gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning.</p><p> </p><p>The AEB also provides funds to providers to help adults overcome barriers to learning. This includes learner support for those with financial hardship and learning support to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 05/11/2021 11:15:12 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

1362212

registered interest
date	21/10/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	BTEC Qualifications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that students can continue to study BTEC qualifications in the future.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	60501
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2021 answer text <p>In July 2021 the department set out the qualifications that we intend to fund alongside A levels and T Levels at level 3. We want T Levels to be the core of the new technical offer so that in a fast-moving and high-tech economy we close the gap between what people study and the needs of employers. We are confident T Levels will lead to better progression into work or further study. T Levels offer a broad course content, giving students a thorough understanding of the sector and an occupational specialism to develop the knowledge and skills needed to work in specific occupations. This cannot be matched by qualifications currently available.</p><p>T Levels are challenging qualifications developed with 250 leading employers. They have significantly longer teaching hours and include a meaningful nine week industry placement that sets them apart from many current vocational qualifications. We want as many students to benefit as possible.</p><p>However, we will continue to fund some BTECs and other Applied General qualifications in future, and these qualifications will continue to play an important role for 16-19 year olds and adults as they do now.</p><p>We have been clear that we expect the changes to be generally positive as students will have access to higher quality qualifications in the future, including new T Levels. This will put students in a stronger position to progress onto further study or skilled employment.</p> answering member constituency Brentwood and Ongar answering member printed Alex Burghart grouped question UIN 60502 question first answered 29/10/2021 10:53:16 answering member 4613 label Biography information for Alex Burghart
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan

1362213

registered interest
date	21/10/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	BTEC Qualifications: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of removing funding for BTEC qualifications.
tabling member constituency	Portsmouth South
tabling member printed	Stephen Morgan
uin	60502
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2021 answer text <p>In July 2021 the department set out the qualifications that we intend to fund alongside A levels and T Levels at level 3. We want T Levels to be the core of the new technical offer so that in a fast-moving and high-tech economy we close the gap between what people study and the needs of employers. We are confident T Levels will lead to better progression into work or further study. T Levels offer a broad course content, giving students a thorough understanding of the sector and an occupational specialism to develop the knowledge and skills needed to work in specific occupations. This cannot be matched by qualifications currently available.</p><p>T Levels are challenging qualifications developed with 250 leading employers. They have significantly longer teaching hours and include a meaningful nine week industry placement that sets them apart from many current vocational qualifications. We want as many students to benefit as possible.</p><p>However, we will continue to fund some BTECs and other Applied General qualifications in future, and these qualifications will continue to play an important role for 16-19 year olds and adults as they do now.</p><p>We have been clear that we expect the changes to be generally positive as students will have access to higher quality qualifications in the future, including new T Levels. This will put students in a stronger position to progress onto further study or skilled employment.</p> answering member constituency Brentwood and Ongar answering member printed Alex Burghart grouped question UIN 60501 question first answered 29/10/2021 10:53:16 answering member 4613 label Biography information for Alex Burghart
tabling member	4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan