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Written Question
Special Educational Needs
Monday 23rd October 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the statutory timescales are for production of an amendment to an Education, Health and Care Plan; and what guidance is provided to local authorities that do not adhere to those timescales.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Where the local authority proposes to amend an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, it must send the child’s parent or the young person a copy of the existing (non-amended) plan and an accompanying notice providing details of the proposed amendments, including copies of any evidence to support the proposed changes.

Following representations from the child’s parent or the young person, if the local authority decides to continue to make amendments, it must issue the amended EHC plan as quickly as possible and within 8 weeks of the original amendment notice. If the local authority decides not to make the amendments, it must notify the child’s parent or the young person, explaining why, within the same time limit.

The amended EHC plan should make clear which parts have been amended. Where an EHC plan is amended, the following review must be held within 12 months of the date of issue of the original EHC plan or previous review (not 12 months from the date the amended EHC plan is issued).

When sending the final amended EHC plan, the local authority must notify the child’s parent or the young person of their right to appeal and the time limit for doing so, of the requirement for them to consider mediation should they wish to appeal, and the availability of information, advice and support and disagreement resolution services.

Full guidance for local authorities is set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years.


Written Question
Pupils: Autism
Monday 23rd October 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Applied Behaviour Analysis for autistic children.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of Applied Behaviour Analysis for autistic children and young people.

The 2023 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan sets out our vision to improve mainstream education through setting standards for early and accurate identification of need and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practice guides will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practice guides will be published by the end of 2025 and will include a practice guide on autism.

To inform this, we are continuing to work with a wide range of stakeholders to understand what the most effective ways are to support autistic children and young people in education settings.


Written Question
Special Educational Needs
Monday 23rd October 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the statutory timescales are for the production of an initial Education, Health and Care Plan.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

A local authority must send the finalised Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan to the child’s parent or to the young person, the governing body, proprietor or principal of any school, other institution or provider of relevant early years education named in the EHC plan, and the responsible commissioning body as soon as practicable, and in any event within 20 weeks of the local authority receiving a request for an EHC needs assessment in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Children and Families Act, or of the local authority becoming responsible for the child in accordance with Section 24 of the Act.

The local authority need not comply with the time limit referred to above if it is impractical for any of the reasons set out in regulation 10(4)(a) to (d) of The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014.


Written Question
Engineers
Friday 15th September 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to encourage school leavers to become engineers.

Answered by Robert Halfon

Science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) skills are in demand by employers across the country and demand is growing. The department is committed to delivering the Talent and Skills strand of the UK Science and Technology Framework, a cross-government strategy which aims to cement the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower by 2030. Further information about the strand is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-science-and-technology-framework/the-uk-science-and-technology-framework#talent-and-skills. The department is investing in STEM education at all levels so people have access to high-quality STEM teaching and can access STEM career opportunities, including roles in engineering. The department supports school leavers by:

  • Providing an excellent STEM curriculum which gives students the skills they need for future careers, including the opportunity to study GCSE Engineering.
  • Raising awareness and inspiring young people to consider engineering as a career.
  • Developing a strong technical education system that offers new opportunities for young people.

More students are being encouraged into entering STEM courses across all stages of education. The number of students studying STEM subjects is already growing. Since 2010, there has been a 31% proportional increase in STEM A level entries by 16-to-18-year-olds in England. Since 2017, students have had the opportunity to study an Engineering GCSE in which they can develop the subject knowledge, skills and understanding to solve engineering problems, as well as understanding engineering’s contribution to society and the economy. The Design and Technology curriculum was also developed to provide the skills pupils need to become the next generation of British designers and engineers.

Careers guidance is a vital step on the ladder of opportunity, setting individuals on the path to success and allowing talent to flourish. The department is investing over £34 million in 2023/24 to help schools and colleges improve their careers programmes for young people. Over 4,000 senior business volunteers are supporting schools and colleges in Careers Hubs to develop career strategies and employer engagement plans. In 2021/22, 81% of institutions in well-established Careers Hubs involved 10 or more businesses in careers activity, including many in the engineering sector. The Careers Enterprise Company who established the Careers Hubs have also worked with Engineering UK to develop a resource for employers around virtual work experience for young people to increase access to opportunities.

On top of this, the National Careers Service also supports young people over 13 and all adults in England with careers advice. The website includes around 800 job profiles, covering a range of industry sectors including engineering available at: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/.

The government also supports programmes such as STEM Ambassadors, which inspires young people from under-served backgrounds to engage with STEM subjects and consider STEM careers. The department is a partner signatory to the Tomorrow’s Engineers Code which works with the engineering community to improve the quality, targeting, inclusivity and reach of engineering specific inspiration activities.

For young people that want to explore engineering as a career and pursue further education, departmental technical reforms are designed to provide them with a quality education which equips them with the skills and experience to meet employers needs and enable them to get great jobs. 21 Institutes of Technology (IoTs) are being established across the country, providing access to industry standard facilities which focus on the needs of employers and learners in their specific geographical areas. IoTs aim to help close skills gaps in STEM sectors, including engineering and manufacturing.

T Levels, a two-year technical qualification alternative to A levels, are boosting access to high-quality technical education for thousands of young people and creating our skilled workforce of the future. 11 T Levels are now available in STEM subjects, including Engineering and Manufacturing, opening up great careers to young people and helping to address the UK’s STEM skills gap.

Apprenticeships are a great way for school leavers to receive high-quality training and start a career in engineering. The department is increasing investment in apprenticeships to £2.7 billion by financial year 2024/25. Employers in the engineering and manufacturing sectors have developed over 150 apprenticeship standards, right through to Masters level.


Written Question
Engineering: Graduates
Friday 15th September 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many undergraduate engineering students graduated (a) last year, (b) on average over the last five years and (c) on average over the last 20 years.

Answered by Robert Halfon

In the 2021/22 academic year, 29,130 students at UK higher education (HE) providers qualified with a first degree in Engineering and Technology (CAH10). This is a decrease of 735 compared to 2020/21, where the number of first degree qualifications in Engineering and Technology stood at 29,865, the highest in the series.

Over the last 20 years, the number of students qualifying with a first degree each year has generally increased. The number qualifying in this subject increased from 19,455 in 2002/03 to 29,130 in 2021/22, an increase of 9,675. However, in 2019/20, the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) system replaced the Joint Academic Coding System (JACS) system as a way classifying academic subjects and modules. Therefore, caution is advised when interpreting subject information over time.

Number of Engineering [1] qualifiers on a Full-person equivalent (FPE) [2] basis

First degrees only

All domiciles

All modes of study

UK HE providers

Academic year

JACS Subject Area

CAH Level 1

2002/03

19,455

[z]

2003/04

19,780

[z]

2004/05

19,575

[z]

2005/06

19,765

[z]

2006/07

19,900

[z]

2007/08

20,420

[z]

2008/09

20,805

[z]

2009/10

21,955

[z]

2010/11

22,905

[z]

2011/12

23,595

[z]

2012/13

24,755

[z]

2013/14

25,870

[z]

2014/15

25,400

[z]

2015/16

25,085

[z]

2016/17

26,280

[z]

2017/18

27,410

[z]

2018/19

27,580

[z]

2019/20

[z]

29,630

2020/21

[z]

29,865

2021/22

[z]

29,130

Source: HESA Table-50, HESA Table-17, HESA Publications Archives

Footnotes:

1. From 2019/20, Engineering and technology is defined as code CAH10 of HESA's Common Aggregation Hierarchy: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/support/documentation/hecos/cah. Prior to 2019/20, Engineering and technology is defined as code 9 in HESA's Joint Academic Coding System (JACS): https://www.hesa.ac.uk/support/documentation/jacs. The different subject classification systems are split into two columns to highlight that caution should be taken when comparing data across time. The system not in use at the time of the academic year is denoted with “[z]”.

2. Counts are on the basis of full-person-equivalents (FPE). Where a student is studying more than one subject, they are apportioned between the subjects that make up their course.

Universities are independent, autonomous institutions, and are therefore responsible for their own decisions about the courses that they deliver.

The department is investing an additional £3.8 billion in further education (FE) and higher education (HE) over the course of this Parliament. This will ensure people can access high-quality training and education that addresses skills gaps and boosts productivity, meaning that industries such as engineering get people with the skills that they need.

Apprenticeships are a great way for people to receive high-quality training and begin or progress in a career in engineering. The department is increasing investment in apprenticeships to £2.7 billion by 2024/25 financial year. Employers in the engineering and manufacturing sectors have developed over 150 apprenticeship standards right up to Masters level, supplying the skills they need for today and supporting them to develop a pipeline of talent for the future.

T Levels offer a two-year technical qualification alternative to A levels. Designed with employers, T Levels are boosting access to high-quality technical education for thousands of young people and creating our skilled workforce of the future. Eleven T Levels are now available in STEM subjects, including Engineering and Manufacturing, opening up great careers to young people and helping to address the UK’s STEM skills gap.

The department has established 21 Institutes of Technology (IoTs) across the country to help close skills gaps in key STEM areas. IoTs are partnerships between further education providers, universities and employers, with employers at the heart of identifying the technical skills needs in their specific geographical areas to inform IoTs’ curriculum development and delivery. Supported by departmental capital investment in state of the art facilities and industry standard equipment, IoTs offer higher technical education pathways through Engineering from L3 through to L6 including T Levels, HTQs and Degree Apprenticeships. So far, IoTs have seen 7,255 starts in Engineering over three academic years with year on year increases expected.

In HE, around £750m is being invested in the Strategic Priorities Grant funding over a three year period from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to support high-quality teaching and facilities including in science and engineering, subjects that support the NHS, and degree apprenticeships. This includes the largest increase in government funding for the higher education sector to support students and teaching in over a decade.

Moreover, as part of cross-government work the UK Science and Technology Framework, sets out 10 key interventions to cement the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower by 2030. The Unit for Future Skills is developing a Skills Dashboard for the department to understand the supply and demand of science and technology skills for critical technologies.



Written Question
Engineering: Admissions
Friday 15th September 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of engineering degree places at universities.

Answered by Robert Halfon

In the 2021/22 academic year, 29,130 students at UK higher education (HE) providers qualified with a first degree in Engineering and Technology (CAH10). This is a decrease of 735 compared to 2020/21, where the number of first degree qualifications in Engineering and Technology stood at 29,865, the highest in the series.

Over the last 20 years, the number of students qualifying with a first degree each year has generally increased. The number qualifying in this subject increased from 19,455 in 2002/03 to 29,130 in 2021/22, an increase of 9,675. However, in 2019/20, the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) system replaced the Joint Academic Coding System (JACS) system as a way classifying academic subjects and modules. Therefore, caution is advised when interpreting subject information over time.

Number of Engineering [1] qualifiers on a Full-person equivalent (FPE) [2] basis

First degrees only

All domiciles

All modes of study

UK HE providers

Academic year

JACS Subject Area

CAH Level 1

2002/03

19,455

[z]

2003/04

19,780

[z]

2004/05

19,575

[z]

2005/06

19,765

[z]

2006/07

19,900

[z]

2007/08

20,420

[z]

2008/09

20,805

[z]

2009/10

21,955

[z]

2010/11

22,905

[z]

2011/12

23,595

[z]

2012/13

24,755

[z]

2013/14

25,870

[z]

2014/15

25,400

[z]

2015/16

25,085

[z]

2016/17

26,280

[z]

2017/18

27,410

[z]

2018/19

27,580

[z]

2019/20

[z]

29,630

2020/21

[z]

29,865

2021/22

[z]

29,130

Source: HESA Table-50, HESA Table-17, HESA Publications Archives

Footnotes:

1. From 2019/20, Engineering and technology is defined as code CAH10 of HESA's Common Aggregation Hierarchy: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/support/documentation/hecos/cah. Prior to 2019/20, Engineering and technology is defined as code 9 in HESA's Joint Academic Coding System (JACS): https://www.hesa.ac.uk/support/documentation/jacs. The different subject classification systems are split into two columns to highlight that caution should be taken when comparing data across time. The system not in use at the time of the academic year is denoted with “[z]”.

2. Counts are on the basis of full-person-equivalents (FPE). Where a student is studying more than one subject, they are apportioned between the subjects that make up their course.

Universities are independent, autonomous institutions, and are therefore responsible for their own decisions about the courses that they deliver.

The department is investing an additional £3.8 billion in further education (FE) and higher education (HE) over the course of this Parliament. This will ensure people can access high-quality training and education that addresses skills gaps and boosts productivity, meaning that industries such as engineering get people with the skills that they need.

Apprenticeships are a great way for people to receive high-quality training and begin or progress in a career in engineering. The department is increasing investment in apprenticeships to £2.7 billion by 2024/25 financial year. Employers in the engineering and manufacturing sectors have developed over 150 apprenticeship standards, right up to Masters level, supplying the skills they need for today and supporting them to develop a pipeline of talent for the future.

T Levels offer a two-year technical qualification alternative to A levels. Designed with employers, T Levels are boosting access to high-quality technical education for thousands of young people and creating our skilled workforce of the future. Eleven T Levels are now available in STEM subjects, including Engineering and Manufacturing, opening up great careers to young people and helping to address the UK’s STEM skills gap.

The department has established 21 Institutes of Technology (IoTs) across the country to help close skills gaps in key STEM areas. IoTs are partnerships between further education providers, universities and employers, with employers at the heart of identifying the technical skills needs in their specific geographical areas to inform IoTs’ curriculum development and delivery. Supported by departmental capital investment in state of the art facilities and industry standard equipment, IoTs offer higher technical education pathways through Engineering from L3 through to L6 including T Levels, HTQs and Degree Apprenticeships. So far, IoTs have seen 7,255 starts in Engineering over three academic years with year on year increases expected.

In HE, around £750m is being invested in the Strategic Priorities Grant funding over a three year period from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to support high-quality teaching and facilities including in science and engineering, subjects that support the NHS, and degree apprenticeships. This includes the largest increase in government funding for the higher education sector to support students and teaching in over a decade.

Moreover, as part of cross-government work the UK Science and Technology Framework, sets out 10 key interventions to cement the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower by 2030. The Unit for Future Skills is developing a Skills Dashboard for the department to understand the supply and demand of science and technology skills for critical technologies.


Written Question
Schools: Smoking
Thursday 7th September 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent guidance she has given to schools on teaching pupils about the dangers of (a) smoking and (b) vaping.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance states that, in both primary and secondary school, pupils should be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including smoking, alcohol use, and drug taking.

To support schools to deliver this content effectively, the Department has published a suite of teacher training modules, including training on teaching about drugs, alcohol and tobacco, which makes specific reference to e-cigarettes (vaping).

In addition, content on drugs, alcohol and tobacco is taught in compulsory health education. This supplements drug education which is part of the National Curriculum for science in Key Stages 2 and 3.

Schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy that sets out what is expected of all pupils, including what items are banned from school premises. This should be communicated to all pupils, parents and school staff.

Schools have the autonomy to decide which items should be banned from their premises, and these can include vapes. Items banned by the school can be searched for as outlined in the Department’s ‘Searching, Screening and Confiscation’ guidance, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/searching-screening-and-confiscation.

The Department believes that this will help head teachers to manage vaping on school premises and inform young people about the risks of vaping, to reduce the numbers of young people who are currently vaping, or who might be tempted to try it in the future.

The Department has brought forward the review of the RSHE statutory guidance, which commenced in March 2023. On 1 June 2023, the Prime Minister announced an intervention taking steps to prevent children obtaining vapes illegally. As part of this, the Department is planning to include the harms of vaping in the RSHE curriculum.

The Department expects to publish an amended draft of the statutory guidance for consultation in the autumn, with a view to a final version being published in 2024.


Written Question
Special Educational Needs
Friday 30th June 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will help ensure that local authorities within Education Investment Areas ensure that Education, Health and Care plan assessments occur within the statutory deadline.

Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

In Education Investment Areas (EIAs) the department is taking steps to support underperforming schools to make the necessary improvements, build trust capacity and improve digital connectivity. Ensuring the right support is available for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is important to the success of EIAs. The local authority must complete the whole Education, Health and Care plan process as soon as practicable, and in any event, within 20 weeks of the local authority receiving a request for an EHC needs assessment.

In addition, the department is strengthening accountability across the system. The department has a range of interventions that can be utilised to bring about rapid improvement. These include the use of Improvement Notices, Statutory Directions, and the appointment of SEND Commissioners. The department’s Ofsted and Care Quality Commission joint area SEND inspection activity commenced in January 2023.


Written Question
Basic Skills: Primary Education
Friday 30th June 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on the aim of 90 per cent of primary school children in England achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to improving outcomes for all pupils. The Government has successfully driven up standards over the past decade. In 2010, only 68% of schools were rated good or outstanding, compared to 88% today.

Primary aged children in England came 4th out of the 43 countries in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, with an average score of 558. This was significantly above the International Median of 520 and significantly higher than all countries except for Singapore, Hong Kong and Russia.

Alongside this international picture, the Department continues to deliver the proposals set out in the Schools White Paper, including the headline attainment ambitions for 2030. These include 90% of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 2, and the average grade in GCSE English language and mathematics increasing from 4.5 to 5. Since publishing the White Paper, the Department has worked to deliver its commitments and has made progress towards the headline ambitions for 2030. Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has affected pupils, the Department is taking robust action to drive up attainment, with evidence showing progress is being made.

At Key Stage 2 in the 2021/22 academic year, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics (combined) decreased compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 at both the expected and higher standard. Despite this, recent data from the Education Policy Institute and Rising Stars/Hodder Education shows that for primary age pupils, most year groups have either caught up in English and mathematics or are now on average 1 to 1.5 months behind pre-pandemic levels. This contrasts with studies conducted during the pandemic where learning loss in reading and mathematics was typically estimated to have peaked at around 2.5 to 3.5 months for primary age pupils.

At Key Stage 4 in the 2021/22 academic year, 49.8% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or higher in both English and mathematics. This is an increase of 6.6 percentage points (from 43.2%) in comparison with 2018/19.

The Department continues to deliver ambitious multiyear education recovery funding. This has provided almost £5 billion for teachers, staff training, tutoring and additional teaching time, as well as providing funding directly to schools. It is targeted especially at those that need the most help the most quickly. This funding is making a difference in helping pupils to catch up, with over 3 million courses started through the National Tutoring Programme since it began in November 2020. We can see that recovery is taking place, but we know that there is more to do.


Written Question
English Language and Mathematics: GCSE
Friday 30th June 2023

Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on the aim of increasing the average GCSE grade at Key Stage 4 in English language and maths from 4.5 to 5.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is committed to improving outcomes for all pupils. The Government has successfully driven up standards over the past decade. In 2010, only 68% of schools were rated good or outstanding, compared to 88% today.

Primary aged children in England came 4th out of the 43 countries in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, with an average score of 558. This was significantly above the International Median of 520 and significantly higher than all countries except for Singapore, Hong Kong and Russia.

Alongside this international picture, the Department continues to deliver the proposals set out in the Schools White Paper, including the headline attainment ambitions for 2030. These include 90% of pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 2, and the average grade in GCSE English language and mathematics increasing from 4.5 to 5. Since publishing the White Paper, the Department has worked to deliver its commitments and has made progress towards the headline ambitions for 2030. Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic has affected pupils, the Department is taking robust action to drive up attainment, with evidence showing progress is being made.

At Key Stage 2 in the 2021/22 academic year, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics (combined) decreased compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 at both the expected and higher standard. Despite this, recent data from the Education Policy Institute and Rising Stars/Hodder Education shows that for primary age pupils, most year groups have either caught up in English and mathematics or are now on average 1 to 1.5 months behind pre-pandemic levels. This contrasts with studies conducted during the pandemic where learning loss in reading and mathematics was typically estimated to have peaked at around 2.5 to 3.5 months for primary age pupils.

At Key Stage 4 in the 2021/22 academic year, 49.8% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or higher in both English and mathematics. This is an increase of 6.6 percentage points (from 43.2%) in comparison with 2018/19.

The Department continues to deliver ambitious multiyear education recovery funding. This has provided almost £5 billion for teachers, staff training, tutoring and additional teaching time, as well as providing funding directly to schools. It is targeted especially at those that need the most help the most quickly. This funding is making a difference in helping pupils to catch up, with over 3 million courses started through the National Tutoring Programme since it began in November 2020. We can see that recovery is taking place, but we know that there is more to do.