Sex and Relationships Education

Debate between Lord Nash and Lord Geddes

Thursday 24th November 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

As the noble Baroness will know, in the past few years we have tried to strengthen the role of school governors to make sure that they have the right skills. It is certainly true to say that many governors coming through now are fully aware of the role that schools should play in providing a much wider education and being aware of the issues facing young people being brought up in modern Britain.

[Lord Geddes (Con)]

My Lords, is there not a particular onus on parents in the context of this Question?

[Lord Nash]

That is certainly true. My noble friend makes a very good point about parents. We have done a lot of work with parents in relation to online security and access to things such as pornographic material. Of course, schools engage with parents increasingly well, but the sad fact is that too many of our young people are brought up in homes where, frankly, the only brick in life is their school—and it is schools that have to take an increasing responsibility.

Adoption

Debate between Lord Nash and Lord Geddes

Tuesday 8th December 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

I have just said that this was discussed in some detail last night.

[Lord Geddes (Con)]

My Lords, I may have misheard my noble friend, but I thought that in his Answer he referred to misinterpretation of court judgments. Misinterpreted by whom?

[Lord Nash]

We believe this may have been misinterpreted by some social workers with, I am sure, the best interests of children in mind. The president of the Family Division has clarified the meaning, particularly in Re B-S and in Re R, where he made it absolutely clear that the law on adoption had not changed. However, it seems that these decisions have sometimes been misinterpreted as raising the legal test for adoption so that adoption should not be pursued unless there is no other option. We are particularly concerned about this.

Schools: Arts Subjects

Debate between Lord Nash and Lord Geddes

Tuesday 20th January 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

I entirely agree with the noble Baroness on the importance of arts subjects, but we are starting from a very low base. Under the last Government, the number of pupils taking a core academic suite of subjects collapsed from 50% to 22%. Under this Government, the figure is back up to nearly 40%. We hope that with Progress 8 building on our EBacc we will now see an increase in arts subjects—and we have seen an increase in arts GCSEs in 2013 and 2014.

[Lord Geddes (Con)]

Does my noble friend agree that dance and music, in particular, form part of an all-round education?

[Lord Nash]

I agree entirely with my noble friend; they are essential subjects. We hope that as a result of our reforms there will be an increased focus on them.

Schools: Bullying

Debate between Lord Nash and Lord Geddes

Thursday 16th May 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

I could not agree more. Suicide is a tragedy whenever it occurs. I am not familiar with Ten Ten but I would like to be; perhaps the noble Lord and I could discuss it later. We are particularly focusing on cyberbullying. Our central thrust is to send a strong message to all schools that bullying is not to be tolerated. We have focused Ofsted much more on four specific categories of which behaviour and well-being—including bullying—is one. We have also recently funded four organisations with £4 million to work with schools specifically on bullying.

[Lord Geddes]

My Lords, what practical help is being given to schools to prevent bullying?

[Lord Nash]

My Lords, in addition to the points that I have covered, including the Ofsted framework and the four organisations we have funded—namely BeatBullying, the Diana Award, Kidscape and the NCB—we are working with other innovative provision. In my own school, for instance, we have a programme where, if a child has been bullied and wishes to be out of school for a while, there is a student centre where they can come back in on a temporary basis and gradually engage again with classes until they have the confidence to get back into school life. I am keen to spread this practice elsewhere.

Young People: Personal Finances

Debate between Lord Nash and Lord Geddes

Thursday 7th February 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Nash]

It will be covered in terms of some financial fluency in maths lessons but I think it is going to be more integrated into citizenship.

[Lord Geddes]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Nash]

I agree entirely with the noble Lord and that is why we are enacting these proposals.

[Lord Geddes]

Does my noble friend agree that this is vitally important for those embarking for the first time on tertiary education—particularly the requirement to budget their expenses?

[Lord Nash]

I agree entirely with my noble friend. Schools should provide these pupils in particular with all the information that they need, including budgeting, student loans, bursaries and any other products available.