Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of applications each year for the past five years for re-sits and re-marks for (1) BTECs, (2) T Levels, (3) GCSEs, and (4) A Levels.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Dr Jo Saxton, to write to the noble Baroness and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools that had previously been graded outstanding have, not having been inspected for five years or more, been downgraded since full Ofsted inspections resumed in September 2021.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the noble Lady directly and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many dangerous weapons have been confiscated in English schools in each region, in each year for the past five years.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not hold data on weapons confiscated in schools in England, or on sexual assaults and rapes reported in schools in England. However, data is collected and published on suspensions and permanent exclusions of pupils from school and their reasons, including the reasons ‘use or threat of use of an offensive weapon or prohibited item’, and ‘sexual misconduct’. The information is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england/2020-21.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many sexual assaults and rapes have been recorded in English schools in each region, in each year for the past five years.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not hold data on weapons confiscated in schools in England, or on sexual assaults and rapes reported in schools in England. However, data is collected and published on suspensions and permanent exclusions of pupils from school and their reasons, including the reasons ‘use or threat of use of an offensive weapon or prohibited item’, and ‘sexual misconduct’. The information is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england/2020-21.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make changes to (1) standards, or (2) guidance, for the (a) construction, and (b) specification, of new school buildings, in respect of either (i) classroom ventilation, or (ii) air purification, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Schools should always create a healthy indoor environment for occupants, this includes keeping spaces ventilated to reduce the concentration of pathogens in the air, such as COVID-19. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the department have emphasised the importance of ventilation and provided guidance to settings on ventilation requirements.
In 2018, the department published Building Bulletin 100, guidance for school design on ventilation, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality. This includes the World Health Organisation’s air quality guidelines and Air Quality Standards Regulation 2010 for indoor air quality. The full publication can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-100-design-for-fire-safety-in-schools.
Furthermore, the department sets environmental standards for centrally delivered new schools and sets a minimum specification for ventilation to address healthy indoor air quality.
The current version was updated recently and published in November 2021. This can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/output-specification-generic-design-brief-and-technical-annexes.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, in pounds, of the total cost of the higher energy use in schools as a result of following their advice to keep windows in classrooms open as a form of ventilation; and what estimate they have made of the average extra cost for each (1) primary school, and (2) secondary school.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has provided schools with guidance on how to manage ventilation, in addition to providing over 360,000 CO2 monitors to state-funded education providers in England. As well as helping to identify areas that are poorly ventilated, CO2 monitors can be useful to help schools balance good ventilation with keeping classrooms warm.
Ensuring adequate ventilation does not need to be at the expense of keeping classrooms warm. Schools do not need to keep windows fully open at all times. Opening windows regularly for 10 minutes, or a small amount continuously can still improve ventilation substantially. The department's guidance has also been clear that when CO2 monitors indicate good ventilation, there is no need to open additional windows.
Maintaining adequate ventilation remains the responsibility of individual providers. The department does not hold the information requested on the increase in energy usage or costs due to opening windows, as this will vary according to a range of factors including how individual schools manage ventilation in their estate.
The department recognises that schools will be facing cost pressures in the coming months, particularly due to the increase in energy prices. The department is looking carefully at how this will impact schools. All schools can access a range of school resource management tools to help them get the best value from their resources, including two Schools Commercial Team recommended deals for energy costs and ancillary services relating to energy, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-a-dfe-approved-framework-for-your-school.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, in kWh, of the total amount of higher energy consumption in schools as a result of their advice to keep windows in classrooms open as a form of ventilation; and what estimate they have made of the average extra consumption for each (1) primary school, and (2) secondary school.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has provided schools with guidance on how to manage ventilation, in addition to providing over 360,000 CO2 monitors to state-funded education providers in England. As well as helping to identify areas that are poorly ventilated, CO2 monitors can be useful to help schools balance good ventilation with keeping classrooms warm.
Ensuring adequate ventilation does not need to be at the expense of keeping classrooms warm. Schools do not need to keep windows fully open at all times. Opening windows regularly for 10 minutes, or a small amount continuously can still improve ventilation substantially. The department's guidance has also been clear that when CO2 monitors indicate good ventilation, there is no need to open additional windows.
Maintaining adequate ventilation remains the responsibility of individual providers. The department does not hold the information requested on the increase in energy usage or costs due to opening windows, as this will vary according to a range of factors including how individual schools manage ventilation in their estate.
The department recognises that schools will be facing cost pressures in the coming months, particularly due to the increase in energy prices. The department is looking carefully at how this will impact schools. All schools can access a range of school resource management tools to help them get the best value from their resources, including two Schools Commercial Team recommended deals for energy costs and ancillary services relating to energy, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-a-dfe-approved-framework-for-your-school.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made on their trial in Bradford of air purification technology suitable for classroom contexts.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The study of air cleaning units in primary schools, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care, is run by the class-ACT (air cleaning technology) consortium and led by the Centre for Applied Educational Research at the University of Leeds.
The trial has provided valuable informal interim feedback on the practicalities of introducing ACT in schools. These interim findings have been published by the Class-ACT consortium as a 10-step guide for schools, published in the Times Educational Supplement on 27 January. This article can be found here: https://www.tes.com/magazine/analysis/general/covid-schools-ventilation-10-step-guide-using-air-cleaning-units.
The study of air cleaning technologies is still ongoing, findings are planned to be published in late 2022.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken any (1) engagement, or (2) analysis, of the impact of a free school meals programme for all primary school pupils.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The provision of free school meals to children from out-of-work or low income families is of the utmost importance to this government.
Under the benefits-related criteria, the department provides a free healthy meal to around 1.7 million children. This ensures they are well nourished and can concentrate, learn, and achieve in the classroom.
The department spends around £600 million per year to ensure an additional 1.3 million infants enjoy a free, healthy, and nutritious meal at lunchtime, following the introduction of the universal infant free school meal (UIFSM) policy in 2014.
Under this government, eligibility for free school meals has been extended several times to more groups of children than any other government over the past half a century. This includes the introduction of UIFSM and further education free meals.
We think it is right that provision is aimed at supporting the most disadvantaged, those out of work or on the lowest incomes. We do not have any plans to extend universal provision. but we will continue to keep all free school meal eligibility under review, to ensure that these meals are supporting those who most need them.
The department is also permanently extending free school meal eligibility to children from all groups with no recourse to public funds. This will come into effect for the start of the 2022 academic year summer term.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the First Minister of Wales regarding the Shared Prosperity Fund.
Answered by Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist
The UK Government has regular contact with the First Minister of Wales on a range of issues, including how the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will help to level up communities in Wales.
Through its share of the £2.6 billion UKSPF, we will boost productivity, jobs and living standards right across Wales whilst empowering local leaders to restore local pride and a sense of community. This is in addition to the investment Wales will receive though other local growth funds such as the Levelling Up Fund and the Community Ownership Fund.