Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Janet Daby and Damian Hinds

Monday 24th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

Primary schools in my constituency are facing reorganisation due to the financial pressures placed on them by this Government, even though the Government claim that funding for schools has never been higher. Due to this I am aware of several schools making cuts to their classroom teaching assistants. What has the Minister to say to parents, children and teachers in my constituency who know that that will have a detrimental effect on learning in the classroom?

[Damian Hinds]

As I have acknowledged on a number of occasions, I know the strains on school budgets and how difficult it can be to manage them. The hon. Lady specifically raised the question of teaching assistants: there has been an increase of over 40,000 teaching assistants since 2010.

Relationships and Sex Education

Debate between Janet Daby and Damian Hinds

Monday 25th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

I can confirm that. What schools do should complement what parents do, and I recognise that parents are in many ways the primary educators in these matters.

[Janet Daby (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

I welcome today’s announcement about specialist subjects and new learning, but constituents have come to me both applauding these changes and raising concerns. What will the Department be doing to bring parents alongside schools, so that they can assist in their children’s learning?

[Damian Hinds]

We want schools to work alongside parents, recognising that there are sensitivities to some areas of the subject matter. There is a requirement to consult parents and to publish the school’s policy on the internet. More broadly than that, we want schools to work alongside parents because this should be a collaborative effort.