Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Bridgen and Nadhim Zahawi

Monday 29th April 2019 Commons Chamber

[Nadhim Zahawi]

No teacher or school leader would disagree about the lust for learning and making learning fun, but testing is the building block that allows us to make the investment and have the focus necessary to produce the extraordinary results that we are producing for children and families up and down the country.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

Does the Minister agree that the early years stage should include a broad range of learning goals, including communication, physical development and self-confidence, as well as of course a thirst for knowledge?

[Nadhim Zahawi]

I certainly do. Our proposals retain 17 early learning goals to reflect the breadth of the current early years foundation stage approach as well.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Bridgen and Nadhim Zahawi

Monday 11th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Nadhim Zahawi]

I had hoped that the hon. Lady would commend today’s announcement and confirm that she takes a different view from her Front Bench on abolishing free schools. If we abolished these very good free special schools, we would actually put more children with SEND at risk. We are undertaking a root-and-branch review of restraint with the Department of Health and Social Care, and we will be reporting back.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

7. What steps his Department is taking to ensure that school funding is equitably distributed.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Bridgen and Nadhim Zahawi

Monday 17th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Nadhim Zahawi]

This is new money—£250 million plus £100 million for capital spending—from the underspend in the Department. The additional funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of provision for some of our most vulnerable children and young people. I think it is a shame that the Opposition are scaremongering in this way with the most vulnerable families in our society.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

4. What steps his Department is taking to raise standards in secondary schools.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Andrew Bridgen and Nadhim Zahawi

Monday 19th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Nadhim Zahawi]

The hon. Lady has heard from the Secretary of State regarding school finance, and all I would add is that the Department is working with the Home Office, and of course other stakeholders—the police, Ofsted, and the Health and Safety Executive—on updating our school security guidance to make clear the risks of carrying knives and to provide advice on dealing with this important issue. It is unacceptable to carry a knife in school.

[Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)]

Will my hon. Friend join me in welcoming the award from the Home Office of £765,000 for the new anti-knife crime community fund, some of which will be spent on delivering knife-crime awareness sessions in schools themselves?

[Nadhim Zahawi]

I do welcome the Home Office’s commitment to this, and I hope the Mayor of London will do the same for the schools of the hon. Member for Croydon Central (Sarah Jones) in Croydon.