Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the withdrawal by Oxford Council of guidance to schools which allowed transgender pupils to choose which toilet facilities to use, what plans they have issue national guidance to ensure the provision of single-sex spaces and facilities in all schools; and what plans are in place to ensure the safeguarding of all female schoolchildren.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
All children and young people must be kept safe. All schools must continue to have regard to statutory guidance as stated in the Department for Education document ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
This document covers issues that disproportionately effect girls, such as peer on peer abuse, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The department prescribes standards for the premises of all maintained schools, and independent schools including academies and free schools. The department has published guidance for local authorities, proprietors, school leaders, school staff and governing bodies advising on standards for school premises.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to convert some universities back to polytechnics.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We currently have no plans to introduce legislation to convert some universities back to polytechnics.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the National Education Union has instructed teachers not to provide online lessons from home.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
On its website, the National Education Union has highlighted the importance of any school which carries out online lessons having protocols in place to protect staff and safeguard pupils. They also advise teachers against live streaming lessons from home and say that any contact between pupils and teachers should only be through a platform provided by the school and not through personalised accounts open to public viewing.
We know that school leaders, teachers and pupils are all having to adjust to remote education strategies. While this is happening, it is more important than ever that schools continue to follow safeguarding procedures. The department has published guidance on safeguarding and remote education during COVID-19 at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/safeguarding-and-remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19.
This recognises that teaching from home is different from teaching in the classroom and confirms that ‘there is no expectation that teachers should live stream or provide pre-recorded videos. Schools should consider the approaches that best suit the needs of their pupils and staff.’
All schools and colleges should be considering the safety of their children when they are asked to work online. The starting point for online teaching should be that the same principles as set out in the school’s or college’s staff behaviour policy (sometimes known as a code of conduct) should be followed. This policy should amongst other things include acceptable use of technologies. The policy should apply equally to any existing or new online and distance learning arrangements which are introduced.
Further guidance for schools and colleges to support them keeping children safe, including online, during the COVID-19 outbreak is also available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-safeguarding-in-schools-colleges-and-other-providers.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to converting the 30 poorest-performing universities to vocational training colleges following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The Office for Students (OfS) has made it clear that all higher education providers must continue to meet conditions related to the quality of their courses and the standard of qualifications they award. This means ensuring that courses are high quality, students are supported and achieve good outcomes, and standards are protected. If providers breach those conditions the OfS has powers to impose a range of sanctions, potentially culminating in deregistration and the loss of university status.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the finding of the Sutton Trust on 20 April that only about 30% of pupils are taking part in online lessons, what action they will take to ensure that schools and teachers are performing their duties.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The department is committed to ensuring that children can continue to learn at home in these very difficult circumstances. It is up to each school to determine how best to deliver education to its pupils and we recognise that many schools have already shared resources for children who are at home.
The department has not required schools to teach online lessons and this is only one way in which they may opt to provide remote education to pupils. The department has, however, issued guidance for schools on delivering remote education, including case studies and an initial list of free resources identified by educational experts and teachers. Many other suppliers have also helpfully made their online and hard-copy resources available for free.
Schools can also make use of Oak National Academy, which was launched online on 20 April. This new initiative is led by 40 teachers who have assembled video lessons and resources for any teacher in the country to make use of if they wish to do so. 180 video lessons will be provided each week, across a broad range of subjects, for every year group from Reception through to Year 10. Additionally, the BBC has developed resources for families as part of a comprehensive new education package, which is now available on TV and online at BBC Bitesize.
The government has also committed over £100 million to boost remote education, by providing devices and internet access for those who need it most, ensuring every school that wants it has access to free, expert technical support to get set up on Google for Education or Microsoft’s Office 365 Education, and offering peer support from schools and colleges leading the way with the use of education technology.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what plans there are, if any, to publish a record of the length of time taken by members of the House to ask supplementary questions.
Answered by Lord McFall of Alcluith
When introducing virtual proceedings the Lord Speaker and his Deputies have consistently emphasised the importance of brevity when asking and answering supplementary questions, and the part that this can play in allowing a greater number of members to contribute within the time limits. These sentiments were echoed in an email that I sent to all members on 12 May, updating them on virtual proceedings. Revised guidance issued by the Procedure Committee on the same day also stated that ‘Members should avoid taking up time in Virtual Proceedings thanking other members for their contributions’. There are no plans to publish a record of the length of time taken by members of the House to ask supplementary questions; the Procedure Committee will continue to keep these matters under review.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage teachers who are no longer required to work in schools because of the COVID-19 pandemic to undertake other activities in their community.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The department anticipates that teachers who are no longer required to be physically present in schools would focus on developing educational resources or supporting home-education wherever possible. It is for schools to understand and decide how to deploy their teachers in the most effective way possible. We would encourage all teachers who are not attending school to consider and act in accordance with the latest guidance from Public Health England.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of universities rescinding invitations from speakers; and what plans, if any, they have to reduce funding to universities when that happens.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The government does not support no-platforming of individuals or organisations.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has made it clear that he is concerned about the cases reported in the press where external speakers are alleged to have been no-platformed, students and their societies are reportedly having their voices restricted and academics are not able to pursue research projects. It is important that universities take robust action to prevent this happening.
This government has committed to strengthen academic freedom and free speech in universities and ensure they are places where free speech and debate can thrive – this includes considering the underpinning legal framework. We have made it clear that if universities do not uphold free speech, the government will.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their justification for backing a scheme to ask students (1) how often they should change their sheets, and (2) how to cook a meal; and whether they have an official policy on the frequency with which sheets should be changed; and if so, what it is.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The Leap Core Skills workshops were announced by the former Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds), my right hon. Friend, for East Hampshire on 10 July. They have been developed by student accommodation provider Unite Students, who will offer schools and colleges the workshop resources for teaching Years 12 and 13 pupils about independent living, managing personal finances, developing and maintaining relationships and also how and where to access support, should they go to university. The sessions have no focus on cooking or changing bedsheets, and government has no official policy in these areas.
Data show that 7.6% of entrants to full-time first degrees in England in 2016/17 did not continue with their studies in the following year. Our priority is to reduce the proportion of undergraduates who discontinue their studies for whatever reason. Providing the right pastoral care will contribute to this.
The Leap Skills workshops are being promoted to schools and colleges through the Education Transitions Network created by the former Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds), my right hon. Friend, for East Hampshire, to look at how students moving from sixth-form or college to university can be better supported in their crucial first year.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Jolly on 21 November 2014 (Hl Deb, col 664) that, if “a service-provider fails or refuses to make a reasonable adjustment, the disabled person could take their custom elsewhere … [or] bring a case of alleged disability discrimination before the civil courts”, how many cases have been brought in the civil courts concerning shops being inaccessible to wheelchair users; and whether they recommend that wheelchair users should take their business elsewhere as an alternative to bringing a civil claim.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The county court central case management system does not hold the information requested, which could only be obtained from the paper records of each county court.
It is for a person who believes they have been subject to discrimination because of disability (including a failure to provide reasonable adjustments, such as access ramps) to decide whether or not to bring a case to court. Government does not seek to advise individuals about specific courses of action when pursuing a particular claim.
If an individual does wish to consider pursuing a claim, there are organisations and groups that are available to help disabled people through this process through either advice or direct support. For example, if someone has a complaint against a specific service provider, they may seek advice from the Equality Advisory and Support Service which provides bespoke advice and in-depth support to individuals with discrimination problems.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has powers to enforce compliance with the Equality Act 2010, including those provisions relating to disability discrimination and reasonable adjustments.