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1505553

registered interest
date	06/09/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: Education
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much his Department spent on teaching (a) Punjabi, (b) Bengali, (c) Hindi, (d) Gujarati, (e) Urdu, (f) Sinhalese, (g) Tamil, (h) Pashto and (i) Dari in schools in England in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	48198
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2022 answer text <p>Awarding organisations offering GCSEs and A levels are independent, <ins class="ministerial">and mostly</ins> not-for-profit organisations<ins class="ministerial">, with the exception of Pearson Edexcel which is profit making</ins>. They are not contracted to provide assessments for pupils in particular subjects. AQA offer a GCSE and A level qualification in Punjabi and Bengali, as well as a GCSE in Urdu. Pearson Edexcel offer a GCSE and A level qualification in Gujarati and Urdu and International GCSEs (IGCSEs) in Bengali, Hindi, Sinhalese, and Tamil. Cambridge International offer an A level in Hindi, Urdu, and Tamil. There are no qualifications available in Pashto or Dari. Awarding organisations are free to introduce qualifications in any GCSE or A level subject where they consider there to be a case to do so.</p><p>It is up to schools to decide which languages are taught as part of their curriculum, both at primary and secondary school, and the government does not specify which languages should be taught or how to teach them.</p><p>There has been no funding provided directly for the teaching of Punjabi, Bengali, Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Sinhalese, Tamil, Pashto and Dari within the previous five years. However, the department has committed to establishing a network of language hubs, as per the Schools White Paper, and are considering ways in which we can support home, heritage and community languages as part of this.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 21/09/2022 17:23:22 question first ministerially corrected 17/10/2022 09:03:46 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst previous answer version 18097 answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

1487012

registered interest
date	06/07/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether UCAS plans to analyse its data to track young people who (a) receive lower A Level grades in the 2021-22 academic year than predicted as a result of their academic performance having been adversely affected by lockdown and other restrictions introduced to prevent the spread of covid-19 during 2020 and 2021 and (b) will consequently be without any Higher Education place at the end of the 2022 admission round; what discussions she has had with UCAS on steps to take to support young people in that position; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	31811
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2022 answer text <p>The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) operates as an independent charity and is separate from the government. The department will continue to work closely with UCAS, schools, colleges, awarding organisations, and the higher education (HE) sector to support the 2022 intake of students, so they can go on to their next step in life, whether that is university, further training, or work.</p><p>In November 2021, my right hon. Friend, the former Minister for Higher and Further Education, wrote to Vice Chancellors to recognise the hard work and dedication that the sector has shown to students throughout the 2021 and 2022 admissions cycles. The former Minister asked that additional resilience is built into strategies for the 2022 HE admissions cycle. HE sector bodies were engaged through the HE Taskforce to commend them on their efforts to date and to ask that they continue to put students first.</p><p>In June 2022, UCAS reported that 281,500 UK 18-year-olds were holding a firm offer, up 7,000 on last year and the highest on record. UCAS expect more students than in previous years to gain a place at their firm choice institution. It expects that on A level and T Level Results Day<del class="ministerial"> around 80%</del> <ins class="ministerial">the majority </ins>of students are likely to be confirmed at their firm choice. However, it is important to note that the exact numbers will not be known until 18 August, A level and T Level Results Day.</p><p>If students do not get the required grades, their preferred HE provider may still offer them a place. In the first instance, students are encouraged to talk to their school or college, or to their preferred university, who may be able to offer some flexibility. Students can also seek advice from the Exam Results Helpline run by the National Careers Service. UCAS will help thousands of students to find places through Clearing or explore other options once they have received their grades and predict that over 30,000<del class="ministerial"> places</del> <ins class="ministerial">courses </ins>will be available. Last year, 56,225 students (10%) entered university via Clearing.</p><p>While HE opens many doors for those who study at this level, it is by no means the right option for everyone, including those with the highest grades. There are multiple options for students to progress, including HE but also traineeships, T Levels, apprenticeships, the Kickstart scheme, and higher technical qualifications.</p> answering member constituency Morley and Outwood answering member printed Andrea Jenkyns question first answered 19/07/2022 16:56:27 question first ministerially corrected 17/08/2022 09:30:59 answering member 4490 label Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns previous answer version 12770 answering member constituency Morley and Outwood answering member printed Andrea Jenkyns answering member 4490 label Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1487013

registered interest
date	06/07/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Higher Education: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an estimate of how the number of finally unplaced young people at the end of the 2022 university admission round will compare to years prior to the covid-19 outbreak; if she will make it her policy to (a) fund additional and specific careers guidance and pastoral support, (b) make available an additional year of full further education funding, (c) provide additional access provision in Higher Education and (d) undertake any other measures needed to support young people in that position; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	31812
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/07/2022 answer text <p>The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) operates as an independent charity and is separate from the government. The department will continue to work closely with UCAS, schools, colleges, awarding organisations, and the higher education (HE) sector to support the 2022 intake of students, so they can go on to their next step in life, whether that is university, further training, or work.</p><p>In November 2021, my right hon. Friend, the former Minister for Higher and Further Education, wrote to Vice Chancellors to recognise the hard work and dedication that the sector has shown to students throughout the 2021 and 2022 admissions cycles. The former Minister asked that additional resilience is built into strategies for the 2022 HE admissions cycle. HE sector bodies were engaged through the HE Taskforce to commend them on their efforts to date and to ask that they continue to put students first.</p><p>In June 2022, UCAS reported that 281,500 UK 18-year-olds were holding a firm offer, up 7,000 on last year and the highest on record. UCAS expect more students than in previous years to gain a place at their firm choice institution. It expects that on A level and T Level Results Day<del class="ministerial"> around 80%</del> <ins class="ministerial">the majority </ins>of students are likely to be confirmed at their firm choice. However, it is important to note that the exact numbers will not be known until 18 August, A level and T Level Results Day.</p><p>If students do not get the required grades, their preferred HE provider may still offer them a place. In the first instance, students are encouraged to talk to their school or college, or to their preferred university, who may be able to offer some flexibility. Students can also seek advice from the Exam Results Helpline run by the National Careers Service. UCAS will help thousands of students to find places through Clearing or explore other options once they have received their grades and predict that over 30,000<del class="ministerial"> places</del> <ins class="ministerial">courses </ins>will be available. Last year, 56,225 students (10%) entered university via Clearing.</p><p>While HE opens many doors for those who study at this level, it is by no means the right option for everyone, including those with the highest grades. There are multiple options for students to progress, including HE but also traineeships, T Levels, apprenticeships, the Kickstart scheme, and higher technical qualifications.</p> answering member constituency Morley and Outwood answering member printed Andrea Jenkyns question first answered 19/07/2022 16:56:27 question first ministerially corrected 17/08/2022 09:31:12 answering member 4490 label Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns previous answer version 14131 answering member constituency Morley and Outwood answering member printed Andrea Jenkyns answering member 4490 label Biography information for Dame Andrea Jenkyns
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1485080

registered interest
date	30/06/2022
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Broadband and WiFi
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 17 May 2022 to Question 256 on Schools: Digital Technology, what factors are used to determine a priority area; and if he will publish further details on the work being undertaken by his Department with commercial providers to accelerate gigabit capable broadband rollout to schools.
tabling member constituency	Wansbeck
tabling member printed	Ian Lavery
uin	28421
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2022 answer text <p>Up to £150 million will be invested in our Connect the Classroom programme to upgrade schools that fall below our Wi-Fi connectivity standards in priority areas. At this time these are educational establishments within our 55 Education Investment Areas<ins class="ministerial"> (EIAs)</ins>, which include the places where attainment is currently weakest. <del class="ministerial">The qualifying criteria within these areas can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1051431/Education_Investment_Areas_selection_methodology.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1051431/Education_Investment_Areas_selection_methodology.pdf</a>.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> <p><ins class="ministerial">The qualifying criteria within these areas is:</ins></p><ul><li><ins class="ministerial">All schools in our 24 Priority EIAs, as part of our intensive investment to address entrenched causes of underperformance and barriers to improvement; and</ins></li><li><ins class="ministerial">Those within EIAs below the Ofsted rating of Good, i.e. rated Requires Improvement or Inadequate at their last assessment. These schools are most in need of the benefits improved connectivity can offer, so that they have more tools at their disposal to ensure high-quality teaching and drive improvement.</ins></li></ul><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">More information can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-investment-areas-selection-methodology" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-investment-areas-selection-methodology</a>.</ins></p></ins></p><p>Further details on the government’s separate programme to accelerate the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband to schools can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-of-rural-primary-schools-to-get-huge-broadband-upgrade" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-of-rural-primary-schools-to-get-huge-broadband-upgrade</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 22/07/2022 16:41:07 question first ministerially corrected 16/08/2022 09:32:42 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince previous answer version 15207 answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4139 label Biography information for Ian Lavery