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\u2019s financial conduct. Section 3.3 sets out that trusts must seek prior approval from the EFA for transactions that are novel or contentious.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4270", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Nash"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Nash"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-03T14:16:55.3064532Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Academies"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether the terms of the Academies Financial Handbook allow an academy chain to outsource all non-teaching staff to a profit-making provider.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3792", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Jones of Whitchurch"} ], "uin" : "HL2422"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100967", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/100967/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Ofsted makes a judgement on the quality of teaching, including teaching of languages, when carrying out a school inspection.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4270", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Nash"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Nash"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-11-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-11-03T17:32:12.7551203Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Languages: Primary Education"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s 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.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3792", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Jones of Whitchurch"} ], "uin" : "HL2423"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93740", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93740/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
In September 2014, the Department launched a new marketing campaign \u2018Your Future | Their Future\u2019 which promotes teaching and persuades top graduates and career changers to enter teacher training.<\/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>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4270", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Nash"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Nash"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-22T16:09:12.7898015Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Teachers: Training"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s 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.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3792", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Jones of Whitchurch"} ], "uin" : "HL2164"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93741", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/93741/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
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>
The review \u2018Class size and education in England evidence report\u2019 was published on the Department\u2019s website in December 2011 and is available online at:<\/p>
www.gov.uk/government/publications/class-size-and-education-in-england-evidence-report<\/a><\/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>