Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing targeted financial assistance to schools in response to the omicron covid-19 variant to support the (a) implementation of additional covid-19 safety measures on their premises and (b) purchase of air filtration devices where natural ventilation is limited due to design and capacity of buildings.
Answered by Robin Walker
The measures in place day-to-day in schools, colleges and nurseries to tackle COVID-19 are based on the latest scientific advice and strike a balance between managing transmission risk and reducing disruption to children and young people’s education.
The priority is for schools, colleges and nurseries to deliver face-to-face, high-quality education to all children, pupils and students. The evidence is clear that being out of education causes significant harm to educational attainment, life chances, and mental and physical health. To manage COVID-19 transmission, education providers continue to ensure good hygiene for everyone, maintain appropriate cleaning regimes, keep occupied spaces well ventilated and follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation, face coverings and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19.
To support schools with these measures, the department provided carbon dioxide monitors to all state-funded education providers, including nurseries, schools and further education colleges, backed by £25 million in government funding. We have now delivered on our public commitment with over 353,000 monitors delivered in the autumn term. Feedback following this roll out shows that in most schools, colleges and nurseries existing ventilation measures are sufficient.
For the very few cases where maintaining good ventilation is not possible, the department is supplying up to 7,000 air purifiers cleaning units. This is on top of the 1,000 funded units for special educational needs and disabilities and alternative provision providers that we announced in November. We have also made over £100 million of funding available to secondary schools, colleges, and specialist providers to support them with the workforce costs associated with delivering on-site testing, and continue to do so, in line with departmental testing policy.
This should also be seen in the wider context of funding for schools. Overall, core schools funding will increase by £4 billion in financial year 2022/23 compared to 2021/22, a 5% real terms per pupil boost. This includes an additional £1.2 billion for schools in the new school supplementary grant for financial year 2022/23. This funding boost will rapidly give schools the resources they need to rise to the challenges of COVID-19 response and recovery, increase teacher pay, and meet the cost of the Health and Social Care Levy, while continuing their work to raise attainment and educational outcomes for all children and young people.
The vast majority of schools are operating with a cumulative surplus, with only a small percentage having a deficit. The latest published figures show that the percentage of both academy trusts and local authority maintained schools in surplus or breaking even increased compared to the previous reporting year. At the end of financial year 2020/21, 92% of local authority maintained schools were in cumulative surplus or breaking even, compared to 88% the previous year. At the end of the 2019/20 academic year, 96% of academy trusts were in surplus or breaking even, compared to 94% the previous year.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the discretion of the Students Loans Company to offer loans to UK nationals who do not meet residency requirements as a result of circumstances outside their control.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Generally, to be eligible for student support a student must be resident in England and have ‘settled’ status or a recognised connection with the UK on the first day of the first academic year of the course and must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands (Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) for the 3 years prior to that date.
To be ordinarily resident in the UK a person must be here lawfully in the UK throughout the required period. It would not be practical or desirable for Student Finance England to have to make individual decisions about why a particular individual may not be here lawfully. We will continue to be guided by Home Office grants of leave to remain in assessing eligibility for student finance.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing student finance residency requirements to include UK nationals who have been resident in the UK for more than three years but have gaps in their Leave To Remain status.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Generally, to be eligible for student support a student must be resident in England and have ‘settled’ status or a recognised connection with the UK on the first day of the first academic year of the course and must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands (Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) for the 3 years prior to that date.
To be ordinarily resident in the UK a person must be here lawfully in the UK throughout the required period. It would not be practical or desirable for Student Finance England to have to make individual decisions about why a particular individual may not be here lawfully. We will continue to be guided by Home Office grants of leave to remain in assessing eligibility for student finance.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of delays to decisions on Leave to Remain or Indefinite Leave to Remain on applications for student finance.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
Generally, to be eligible for student support, a student must be ordinarily resident in England and ‘settled’ in the UK on the first day of the first academic year of the course and must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and Islands (Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) for the 3 years prior to that date.
Settled status is granted by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and, once confirmation of that status is received, and, if necessary checked with the Home Office, Student Finance England is able to assess whether the student is eligible for student support. In general, Student Finance England will endeavour to reach a decision on an application within 30 days of all relevant information being submitted by the student.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applicants for student finance were rejected by Student Finance England in the last twelve months because they did not meet the three year residency eligibility period.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
It is not possible to answer this question in the time available because the Student Loans Company (SLC) classes applicants who do not meet the residency criteria as ineligible and their application does not proceed any further. This activity is not automatically captured within the SLC systems.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what effect the review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 will have on performing arts courses.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The department is reviewing post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below, to ensure that every qualification approved for public funding has a distinct purpose, is high quality and supports progression to positive outcomes.
Our second stage consultation of the review proposed a number of groups of qualifications for funding alongside A levels and T Levels in the future. These include qualifications, such as performing arts, that have a strong practical focus and support progression to specialist higher education courses not accessible through A levels. We recognise concerns about the potential removal of well-established qualifications, which is why we have consulted extensively.
The consultation closed on 31 January 2021 and we will publish a full response later this year.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to publish a response to the consultation on the review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 that closed on 31 January 2021.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The second stage consultation for the post-16 qualifications review at level 3 closed on 31 January 2021. The department is currently considering the consultation responses received and will publish a final policy response later this year.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what process his Department has put in place to allow private candidates to be assessed effectively following the cancellation of GCSE and A Level exams in 2021.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department and Ofqual have ensured there is a clear and accessible route for private candidates to receive a grade this year, at the same time as other candidates.
Private candidates can work with a centre to be assessed on a range of evidence, which could include evidence from an established educational provider and the board-provided assessment materials. The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) have issued guidance for centres about assessing private candidates, taking into account their different circumstances. These candidates should have the same opportunity as other students to be assessed on what they were taught, and centres can conduct assessments remotely if needed. Further guidance on assessing all candidates (including private candidates) will be published before the end of March.
We are working with the sector to ensure there are enough centres available to support private candidates, and JCQ will publish a list of available centres by the end of March, giving private candidates the opportunity to find a centre at a similar cost to a normal year. The exam boards have committed that private candidates will not be charged late fees if entries are received by 26 April. To support centres with the additional requirements of assessing private candidates this year, and avoid the cost being passed on to candidates, we are providing a grant for centres to claim £200 per private candidate entry. The Government is encouraging all available exams centres to sign up to help these candidates achieve their qualifications in this exceptional year.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what measures to prevent infection are in place for children of medically vulnerable parents returning to school.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Schools continue to remain open for all children and young people, as they have been since the start of the autumn term, for the duration of the New National Restrictions. Being at school is vital for the education and wellbeing of children. It continues to be our aim that all pupils, in all year groups, remain in school full-time.
The risk to children themselves of becoming severely ill from COVID-19 is very low. For the vast majority of children, the benefits of being back in the classroom far outweigh the low risk from COVID-19, and schools can take action to reduce risks still further.
The Department has published actions for schools during the COVID-19 outbreak, to support schools in welcoming back all children from the start of the autumn term. The full guidance is available through the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.
Schools should continue to undertake risk assessments and implement the system of controls set out in this guidance. These measures provide a framework for school leaders to put in place proportionate protective measures for all pupils and staff. If schools follow the above guidance and maximise control measures, they can be confident they are managing risk effectively. The measures in place include regular handwashing, promoting good respiratory hygiene, and minimising contact between individuals.
From 5 November 2020, following guidance for education settings during the New National Restrictions, children who live with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable, but who are not clinically extremely vulnerable themselves, should continue to attend education. The guidance for education settings during the New National Restrictions can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-and-childcare-settings-new-national-restrictions-from-5-november-2020#schools.
New guidance for shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19 was published on 4 November. The guidance is available through the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/advice-for-people-at-high-risk/.
If parents have concerns about their child attending school because they consider that they, or members of their household, may have particular risk factors, they should discuss these with their school.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which schools in (a) London and (b) Erith and Thamesmead constituency have received funding through the National School Breakfast Programme.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The department is investing up to £35 million into the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP), using funds from Soft Drinks Industry Levy revenues. Overall, this money will kick-start or improve breakfast clubs in up to 2,450 schools in disadvantaged areas, making them sustainable in the long run. The programme has been extended by a further year until March 2021 and will support up to an additional 650 schools with up to £11.8 million being invested. We monitor management information from the programme on an ongoing basis and will review the number of children attending once the programme concludes. Future departmental spending decisions about the programme are subject to the spending review. Further details of this are yet to be determined.
More than 1,800 schools have benefitted from the programme from March 2018 - March 2020. Family Action have estimated 280,000 pupils have had access to a healthy nutritious breakfast in their report Food for Thought, published in July 2019, which can be found here: https://www.family-action.org.uk/content/uploads/2019/07/NSBP-Impact-report-v11-LOWRES.pdf.
A list of schools in London, Erith and Thamesmead taking part in the NSBP from March 2018 – March 2020 can be found in the attached table. More schools will have joined the programme since March 2020 as part of the extension to the contract.