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100966

registered interest
date	27/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Academies
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the terms of the Academies Financial Handbook allow an academy chain to outsource all non-teaching staff to a profit-making provider.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL2422
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Academies Financial Handbook is not prescriptive about where academy trusts buy the services that they need. Trusts are free to choose, but in doing so they have important responsibilities. Paragraph 1.5.11 of the Handbook explains that trusts must exercise their discretion reasonably and in a way that commands broad public support. Paragraph 1.5.21 explains that the accounting officer is personally accountable for regularity, propriety and value for money in the trust’s financial conduct. Section 3.3 sets out that trusts must seek prior approval from the EFA for transactions that are novel or contentious.</p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 03/11/2014 14:16:55 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

100967

registered interest
date	27/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: Primary Education
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what overall assessment will be made of the quality of foreign language teaching in primary schools following such teaching becoming compulsory in September 2014.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL2423
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>Ofsted makes a judgement on the quality of teaching, including teaching of languages, when carrying out a school inspection.</p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 03/11/2014 17:32:12 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

100968

registered interest
date	27/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: Primary Education
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to provide additional training and resources to support primary school teachers teaching foreign languages.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL2424
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>As stated in the answer to the noble Lady’s question at HL Deb, 24 October 2014, c113W, the Government is providing funding of £1.8 million over two years for continuing professional development for primary and secondary teachers to support delivery of the new modern languages curriculum. The training is being funded through nine organisations whose performance will be monitored against the agreements the Department for Education is making with them.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the National College for Teaching and Leadership is funding a number of teaching school alliances to develop and deliver a range of post-initial teacher training subject knowledge enhancement courses in shortage subjects. Five of these alliances have included modern languages as a subject focus for their provision, and one of these is primary phase.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 03/11/2014 17:36:25 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

100969

registered interest
date	27/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Class Sizes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest calculation of the number of infant classes of over 30 pupils in schools in England.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL2425
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>As of January 2014, there were 2,985 infant classes with over 30 pupils in schools in England.</p><p> </p><p>This data is taken from the January 2014 School Census, published online at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2014" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2014</a></p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 03/11/2014 17:38:59 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

93740

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Training
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to boost teacher training applications, particularly in subjects with known shortages, in the light of a shortfall in applications in the last three years.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL2164
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting recruitment to initial teacher training (ITT) and we are continuing our focus to recruit the best graduates, particularly in subjects where they are most needed.</p><p>UCAS data from 15 September shows that 138,610 applications had been made for just 34,890 ITT places in 2014/15, indicating that teaching is a popular choice. However, some subjects fell below published targets in 2013/14 following strong recruitment between 2010/11 and 2012/13, and others such as physics represent a consistent challenge. The Department for Education will not know the final figures for ITT 2014/15 until the ITT census is published in November 2014. We recognise that, as the economy recovers, the labour market is becoming increasingly competitive, which is why we announced increases to ITT bursaries and scholarships for 2015/16.</p><p>The Department has again increased tax-free bursaries for mathematics, physics, chemistry, computing and languages trainee teachers, which are now worth up to £25,000 for 2015/16. In addition, the Department continues to work jointly with the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics and BCS, and the Chartered Institute for IT, to offer scholarship awards of £25,000 in order to attract the most talented graduates into ITT.</p><p>We have extended our School Direct (salaried) training programme to encourage more experienced graduates to enter teacher training. School Direct (salaried) is an employment-based route for high-quality, experienced graduates who earn a salary whilst training. For those training in 2015/16 in maths, physics and computing, we have made additional funding available to schools so they can offer salaries of £21,000 nationally and £25,000 in London.</p><p>We are also continuing to fund subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) courses for those who need to build up or refresh their subject knowledge in order to teach. To support ITT in 2015/16, SKE is available in maths, physics, chemistry, computing, languages and design and technology.</p><p>In September 2014, the Department launched a new marketing campaign ‘Your Future | Their Future’ which promotes teaching and persuades top graduates and career changers to enter teacher training.</p><p>Specific support is also provided for individuals interested in teaching shortage subjects through targeted marketing, personal advisors and help securing school experience.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 22/10/2014 16:09:12 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

93741

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Class Sizes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the educational impact on infant pupils of being taught in classes of over 30 pupils.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL2165
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Education has reviewed academic studies on the relationship between class size and attainment. The effect of class sizes on attainment in primary schools has long been contested and complicated by debates about how it can be accurately measured. The most robust studies have been reviewed and suggest class sizes have little effect beyond the early years when smaller classes have some positive impact.</p><p>The review ‘Class size and education in England evidence report’ was published on the Department’s website in December 2011 and is available online at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/class-size-and-education-in-england-evidence-report" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/class-size-and-education-in-england-evidence-report</a></p><p>Children are only permitted to join classes of 30 or more in exceptional cases - if for instance they are in care or from military families and admitted outside the normal admission round. On 12 June, the Department published data that showed the average infant class size currently stands at 27.4, which is well within the statutory limit of 30 pupils per teacher. This is published online at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2014" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2014</a></p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 24/10/2014 11:33:08 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

93742

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Governing Bodies
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 30 July (HL1619), when the Secretary of State for Education intends to respond to Parliament on the recommendations of the Education Commissioner.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL2166
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>This Government is clear that there is no place for extremism in our schools. As my Rt hon. friend the Secretary of State for Education set out in her recent evidence to the Education Committee, a great deal of progress has been made in implementing Peter Clarke’s thorough and wide-ranging recommendations. The Secretary of State has appointed Sir Mike Tomlinson as Education Commissioner to work with Birmingham City Council to oversee its improvement. New trust members are in place in the four academies in special measures, and several teachers have been suspended. We have strengthened guidance on governance and set out the importance of promoting fundamental British values. The Secretary of State plans to update Parliament with further progress shortly.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 24/10/2014 12:37:05 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

93743

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Academies
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria will be used to assess proposals by academy chains planning to outsource all non-teaching posts to profit-making providers.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL2167
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The criteria that all academy trusts must adhere to in conducting their financial affairs are set out in the Academies Financial Handbook, which can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-financial-handbook" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-financial-handbook</a></p><p>Paragraph 1.5.21 of the handbook explains that the accounting officer of a trust must ensure that the trust’s financial conduct is regular, proper and represents good value for money. In addition, paragraph 3.3.1 of the handbook explains that all novel and/or contentious transactions must be referred to the Education Funding Agency (EFA) for prior authorisation.</p><p>In the case of a novel and/or contentious transaction, the EFA would always seek strong assurance from the trust that its proposal represented excellent value for money and that there was no risk of irregularity or impropriety. If there were any doubt about a trust’s ability to provide this assurance, authorisation would not be granted.</p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 22/10/2014 16:25:42 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

92806

registered interest
date	13/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	GCE AS-level
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will reconsider the abolition of AS level qualifications in the light of the representations from the A-Level Content Advisory Board about the effect on the take-up of mathematics.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL2042
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>We are not abolishing the AS level. It will be available as a stand-alone qualification taught over one or two years. The full A level will become a linear qualification with assessment at the end of two years’ study, so that students can benefit from more time spent on teaching and are encouraged to make connections between topics.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 27/10/2014 15:46:42 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

92807

registered interest
date	13/10/2014
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Admissions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the oversight in place to monitor the application of school admissions policies at a local and national level.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL2043
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>The School Admissions Code (the Code) provides a robust framework that governs the determination of school admissions policies and the allocation of school places,whereby 86.5% of parents secured a place at their first preference school in 2014.</p><p>All admission arrangements must comply with the Code and must be consulted on at a local level. Anyone who feels a school’s admission policies and arrangements are unfair or unlawful may object to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator. Where a local authority is of the view that a school’s admission arrangements may not be lawful, they have a duty to refer them to the Adjudicator, whose decision is binding and enforceable.</p><p>Local authorities also have a duty to report annually to the Chief Schools Adjudicator on the effectiveness of admissions in their area, and to publish their report locally. These reports inform the Adjudicator’s annual report to the Secretary of State.</p><p>The Department for Education also receives feedback on the operation of local admission policies from parents, local authorities, schools and other bodies.</p><p>Taken together these measures allow the Department to monitor the effectiveness of the Code at both the national and local level.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 21/10/2014 14:23:31 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch