Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) primary and (b) secondary school provision in Romford constituency.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Primary and secondary pupil numbers are forecast to rise from 2025/26. The department will work with local authorities and trusts to manage future demand.
The department has previously approved two primary free school projects to serve planned housing development in the Rainham and Romford planning areas. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has asked the department to review mainstream free schools planned by the last government, and that have not yet opened, to ensure that they continue to meet a need for places in the local area and offer value for taxpayers’ money. As part of this, we are working with the London Borough of Havering to review the need for the planned provision in Romford.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure value for money in tertiary education public spending.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government defines tertiary education as all post-secondary education, encompassing both further education (FE) and higher education (HE). It includes education provided by colleges, universities and other specialist institutions, aimed at supporting progress to FE, training or work. Tertiary education typically starts from age 16.
The government publishes research on the net present value of FE, which consistently shows good value for the taxpayer, here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/609e78c6d3bf7f2883267c3b/Measuring_the_Net_Present_Value_of_Further_Education_in_England_2018_to_2019.pdf.
FE funding is designed to incentivise provision that has high economic value. For example, additional funding for 16 to 19-year-olds is available to encourage and support the delivery of selected courses in subjects that lead to higher wage returns. It is also available to support subjects that cost more to deliver. As part of the department’s FE accountability system, we issue guidance that requires colleges to publish an annual accountability statement detailing outcome targets for areas of the curriculum they are planning to change for the coming year.
The department knows that investment in apprenticeships provides good value for money for the taxpayer. Apprenticeships at level 2, level 3 and levels 4/5 deliver a net present value of £16, £16 and £25 respectively for each pound of government funding.
The department has also established Skills England, which will play a crucial role in identifying skills needs now and in the future and helping to ensure that training funded from the growth and skills levy delivers value for money.
In order for HE students to be eligible for publicly funded loans, HE providers are expected to meet the registration conditions set by the Office for Students. These include clear expectations for the quality of HE, including minimum thresholds for student outcomes.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of teachers in the London Borough of Havering.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
High quality teaching is the factor that makes the biggest difference to a child’s education. There are now 468,693 full-time equivalent teachers in state-funded schools in England, but more must be done to ensure we have the workforce needed to provide the best possible education for every child in all parts of the country. This is why the government has set out the ambition to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers.
The first crucial step towards achieving this is to ensure teaching is once again an attractive and respected profession, and to reset the relationship with the teaching profession. As part of this, it is important that teachers receive the pay they deserve, which is why this government has accepted in full the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendation of a 5.5% pay award for teachers and leaders in maintained schools from September 2024. Additionally, from 1 September 2024, schools are no longer required to use performance related pay as the basis for appraisals and decisions related to pay progression. This government is providing schools with almost £1.1 billion in additional funding in the 2024/25 financial year to support schools with overall costs.
Alongside teacher pay, the department is continuing to support teacher trainees with tax-free bursaries of up to £29,000 and scholarships of up to £31,000 in shortage subjects. To help with retention, new teachers of mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing in the first five years of their careers can also receive a Targeted Retention Incentive of up to £6,000 after-tax if working in disadvantaged schools. 13 schools in Havering are eligible for Targeted Retention Incentives.
The department has made available a range of resources to help address teacher workload and wellbeing, including its ‘Improve workload and wellbeing for school staff’ service and the ‘education staff wellbeing charter’. Additionally, effective use of technology can automate tasks and help manage workload for teachers. For example, high quality AI tools have the potential to reduce the amount of time that teachers spend marking, whilst supporting effective feedback and tailored teaching which drive pupil progress.
In August 2024, we announced a £1 million fund to support innovators to develop proof of concept AI tools to support teachers with marking and providing feedback. Oak National Academy has also recently launched a sector-leading AI lesson planning assistant which enables teachers who choose to use it to create personalised and tailored lesson plans and resources in minutes. 40% of Oak users save around four hours per week.
The department is committed to supporting schools to implement flexible working practices including taking planning, preparation and assessment time remotely, to improve recruitment and retention of teachers. The department is also funding bespoke support provided by flexible working ambassador schools and multi-academy trusts. The named flexible working ambassador for schools in Havering is Charles Dickens Primary School.
The department has established Teaching School Hubs across the country, which provide approved high quality professional development to teachers at all stages of their careers. They play a significant role in delivering Initial Teacher Training, the Early Career Framework, National Professional Qualifications and Appropriate Body services. London District East Teaching School Hub is a centre of excellence supporting teacher training and development across Havering.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding she plans to provide for school infrastructure in the London Borough of Havering in each of the next three financial years.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Making sure the education estate is fit for purpose is a key part of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.
The government has just announced £2.1 billion for the 2025/26 financial year to improve the condition of the school estate, part of a broader capital package totalling £6.7 billion in 2025/26. The department will aim to set out the details of school condition allocations to local authorities and other responsible bodies, as well as outcomes of the condition improvement fund for 2025/26, in spring 2025.
In addition, the government has committed to £1.4 billion in 2025/26 to continue the school rebuilding programme, which includes projects at Parklands Primary School and The Coopers’ Company and Coburn School in Havering. Furthermore, the department will continue to engage with trusts and local authorities in relation to free school projects with approved applications within Havering.
The department will additionally provide support for school infrastructure through providing capital funding to create mainstream and high-needs school places. The basic need grant supports local authorities to provide mainstream school places based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. Havering has been allocated £19.6 million in 2025/26 for places needed by September 2026. Other funding for place creation in the next three financial years will be confirmed in due course.
Funding for future years post-2025/26 will be confirmed following the second phase of the spending review, concluding in late spring 2025.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve access to artificial intelligence training.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Romford to the answer of 15 October 2024 to Question HL1654.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to make tertiary education in the UK more accessible for British Overseas Territory citizens.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Since 2007, persons who have settled status in the UK, and who have come to the UK from specified British Overseas Territories, have been eligible for home fee status if they meet the requirement of three years’ ordinary residence in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and/or specified British Overseas Territories.
Since 2022/23 those starting designated full-time and part-time undergraduate courses are also now eligible for tuition fee loans in England if they meet the residency requirements. These requirements are that they have been ordinarily resident in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and/or specified British Overseas Territories throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course, with at least part of that period having been spent in the British Overseas Territories.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a cap on student numbers per university, in the context of recent trends in the availability of student housing.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Student accommodation is a busy part of the housing market, and this government recognises the concerns that some students may have about the availability of accommodation. As universities and landlords are private, autonomous bodies, the government has no role in student admissions or the provision of student accommodation, nor a remit to intervene in how it is allocated.
Nevertheless, the department is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to promote the importance of a strategic approach to meeting student housing needs to providers and local authorities.
The department expects universities and private landlords to review their accommodation policies to ensure they are affordable, fair, clear and promote the interests of students.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to reduce unauthorised school absences.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises that school absence is a key barrier to learning. Thanks to the sector's efforts, more students are attending school this year compared to last. However, 1.6 million children remain persistently absent, missing 10% or more of lessons.
To address this, backed by £15 million, the government will expand the investment and reach of attendance mentoring. This will help to reach 10,000 more children and cover an additional ten areas which have some of the worst attendance rates across the country.
In addition, the department will roll out funded breakfast clubs to all primary schools so that all children are ready to learn. The department will also introduce new annual Ofsted reviews on safeguarding, attendance, and off-rolling. Mental health support is also being expanded, with specialists in every school.
The statutory ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance promotes a 'support first' approach, encouraging schools, trusts, and local authorities to work with families to address attendance barriers. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help support (a) primary and (b) secondary education for citizens of British overseas territories.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Education is a devolved matter and decisions about primary and secondary education is the responsibility of each Overseas Territory (OT). The department responds positively to direct requests from the OTs for support to enhance or reform their education systems by sharing information on approaches in England and facilitating opportunities to engage with policy and technical experts.
Montserrat, the Pitcairn Islands, St Helena and Tristan da Cunha are in receipt of Official Development Assistance through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which is used to assist their governments in the delivery of essential services including education. This includes funding for teaching staff and the FCDO work in partnership with the local governments to agree targets to improve outcomes and standards in education. Work is underway to establish partnerships between education teams in the OTs with counterparts in the UK, similar to the partnerships the FCDO have helped to establish on child safeguarding.
The FCDO funded capital investment programme in Montserrat has included improvements to building in the secondary school and equipment for schools in St Helena.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance will be issued to schools to assist with the new Ofsted framework for inspection.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member for Romford and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.