Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure full professional and community engagement in its Initial teacher training (ITT) market review given it is taking place while schools are closed for the holidays.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The report from the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Market Review was published on 5 July, around two weeks before the end of the school term, and the department launched a public consultation at the same time. The department recognises some of the consultation period fell during the school summer holidays, but this reflects the ambitious timetable that has been set for the review. We want to deliver any improvements decided upon as soon as is feasible as trainees, schools and pupils ultimately stand to benefit. The ITT Market Review is central to the department’s wider COVID-19 recovery plans and our approach to further narrowing attainment gaps to improve outcomes for all children and young people. During the spring, the department engaged with a broad range of sector representatives to help shape the report and will continue these discussions as we work towards publishing our response to the recommendations and ensuring all trainees have access to the highest quality ITT.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Global Future Silenced Voices, published on 10 March; and what plans they have to help community language teaching (1) recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) increase.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The government remains committed to increasing take-up of all languages at GCSE through the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). Languages serve to broaden young people’s horizons and, as referred to in the Global Future Silenced Voices report, provides them with a number of employment opportunities and equips them with valuable skills that help ensure they can compete in the global market.
Since 2014, the national curriculum was reformed to include a modern or ancient language from age 7 to 11 at key stage 2. The expectation for secondary schools is to teach a modern language from age 11 to 14 at key stage 3 and for an increasing proportion of 14 to 16 year olds at key stage 4 to study a GCSE in a foreign language. Since 2010, the proportion of pupils at the end of key stage 4 entering modern foreign language GCSEs has increased from 40% to 46%.
We do not prescribe which languages schools should teach. Schools are free to teach any languages, including community languages, for whatever reasons they consider relevant, such as local demographics, social unity, or opening up wider career and future education opportunities. There is a broad range of community languages on offer in which pupils can take a GCSE or A level and we would like this to continue to be the case.
The Global Future Silenced Voices report mainly focuses on the importance of those studying GCSEs or A levels in a community language receiving a grade this year – in particular, those who have been studying outside a mainstream school environment. 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 has issued guidance for centres about assessing private candidates, taking into account their different circumstances.
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: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to replace the eTwinning scheme, which ended when they withdrew from the Erasmus+ programme.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The new Turing Scheme, which replaces the Erasmus+ programme, will provide funding for school pupils to participate in international placements and exchanges, and the scheme is now open for schools to apply to. The scheme does not provide a like-for-like replacement of the eTwinning online platform. In considering what elements of the Erasmus+ programme we would immediately replicate under the Turing Scheme, we prioritised funding school pupils and students to participate in exchanges in person, to ensure that as many pupils as possible can benefit, including a focus on widening access for disadvantaged students. We want to give as many pupils as possible the opportunity to travel abroad to experience different cultures, improve their language skills, and build their independence.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Berridge on 14 January (HL Deb, col 882), what do they consider a reasonable maximum profit for a contractor to make on the new Edenred school food voucher scheme.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The government has taken unprecedented and substantial action to ensure that children do not go hungry as we take measures to tackle COVID-19, including in relation to free school meals.
Schools were free to decide the best approach for their free school meal pupils. They could provide lunch parcels, locally arranged vouchers, or the national voucher scheme.
The department does not comment on the commercial arrangements of third parties, but can confirm that we are only paying for the face value of goods delivered, which in this case is vouchers.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of counsellors in schools have specialist training in (1) assisting young victims of intimate partner violence, and (2) dealing with perpetrators of intimate partner violence.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The Department for Education does not collect data on the specialist training of counsellors working in schools. It is up to schools decide what support to offer to pupils, depending on their circumstances. To support the provision of counselling support in schools, the Department published a blueprint for school counselling services. This provides schools with practical, evidence based advice, informed by schools and counselling experts, on how to deliver high quality school based counselling and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools.
The guidance reflects the importance of using qualified and experienced counsellors and strongly advises that counsellors should have a diploma and be on an Accredited Voluntary Register. The precise qualifications held will depend on the role being carried out by the counsellor and how what they do fits with wider school support.
Headteachers and governing bodies are responsible for making decisions about how best to educate staff on their school’s responsibilities for safeguarding and child protection. All staff should undergo safeguarding and child protection training. This training should be in line with advice from the local three safeguarding partners, considering the specific needs of individual schools. In addition, designated safeguarding leads have a duty to ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the school’s child protection and procedures.
Schools should consider reflecting domestic abuse in this training. The ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ statutory guidance also makes it clear that if a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm a referral should be made to children’s social care immediately and, if appropriate, the police. The guidance includes an annex providing additional information on specific types of harm and abuse and additional information for staff on identifying and responding to domestic abuse. The guidance sets out that all schools should have an effective child protection policy.
The founders of Operation Encompass, an information sharing, safeguarding initiative between police and schools, have set up a teachers’ helpline to assist staff in educational settings to support children who may be experiencing domestic abuse. Currently funded by the Home Office, with contribution from the Department for Education, the helpline is available weekdays from 8am to 1pm during term-time. It is manned by educational psychologists who can offer support and guidance to teachers, to help them to better understand the effect of domestic abuse on a child and to discuss strategies to help support the child during the school day. Further information about the helpline and resources for teachers are available here: https://www.operationencompass.org/school-participation/resources-for-teachers.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the skills contributed to the UK by academic staff and vocational trainers through the Erasmus+ programme; what plans they have to ensure that the contribution of any such skills is maintained; and what apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities they plan to introduce to replace those previously provided through the Erasmus+ Programme.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
In considering what elements of the Erasmus+ programme the department would immediately replicate under the Turing Scheme, we prioritised ensuring that as many students, learners, and pupils as possible have access to life-changing mobilities to support them in developing the skills they need to thrive. I am pleased that the government has committed £110 million in funding to support the scheme, which will be used to provide opportunities for students in all parts of the UK. Traineeships for higher and further education students will be funded, supporting students to do work placements around the world.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that those people from EU member states due to participate in the Eramus+ scheme in the UK have access to the Turing scheme.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Under the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with the EU, the UK will continue to participate fully in the 2014–20 Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes. This means that the projects successfully bid for during the current programmes will continue to receive funding for the full duration of the project, including those where it runs beyond 2020 and the end of the transition period.
The government has decided that it is not in the UK's interests to seek continuing participation in the next Erasmus+ programme. Instead, we are introducing a new international educational exchange scheme which has a genuinely global reach. Under the Turing scheme, UK universities, colleges, and schools will be able to bid for funding to enable their students to travel abroad for study and work placements – for any of their students, regardless of nationality.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on greenhouse gas emissions of the replacement of the Erasmus+ Scheme with the Turing scheme; and what plans they have to mitigate any such impact.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government is committed to bringing all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 – being the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming in this way. In order to achieve this target, we are building on our Clean Growth Strategy and recognise the importance of considering the environmental impact across all policy areas, including the recently announced Turing Scheme. We also note the importance of academic and educational exchange in driving forward international work to combat this shared challenge.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to assist private candidates denied a centre assessment grade due to the cancellation of exams this year; and what plans they have to prevent a similar situation in 2021.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The department recognises that there is a small group of students for whom there was not enough evidence for a grade to be awarded in the summer. These students will have the opportunity to sit exams in all subjects in the autumn. These candidates should be supported by their previous exam centre to enter the series, even if the student is no longer enrolled at that centre or where they are a private candidate. The department’s exam support service will help schools and colleges with any additional costs associated with running exams in the autumn, including fees charged by awarding organisations, sites and invigilation.
The government is committed to ensuring that students taking exams in 2021 receive the qualifications they deserve and that next year’s exam series proceeds fairly, efficiently and commands public confidence. We recognise that students due to sit exams and assessments next year will have experienced disruption to their education due to the COVID-19 outbreak. We have been working closely with Ofqual, the exam boards and groups representing teachers, schools and colleges to consider our approach to exams and other assessments next year. Although we are clear in our expectation that exams will go ahead in 2021, we are preparing for all eventualities and this includes considering arrangements for private candidates next year.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to set the Adoption Support Fund on a stable basis rather than making year-by-year announcements; whether they will consider lifting the cap for individual support above £5,000; and whether they plan to extend their support to respite care and psychological support for parents, on the same basis to that currently provided to foster families.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The Adoption Support Fund provides funds to local authorities and regional adoption agencies to pay for essential therapeutic services for children who have left the care system either through adoption or special guardianship order. Since its launch in 2015, the Adoption Support Fund has approved £168 million to deliver support, such as therapeutic parenting, creative therapies, and specialist assessments to 59,000 families.
The government acted quickly to establish the Adoption Support Fund COVID-19 Scheme in April 2020, and has provided over £6 million to local authorities and regional adoption agencies to support up to 61,000 families to meet needs arising from the COVID-19 outbreak. The funding included support for activities, such as couples counselling, which would normally be outside the scope of the standard Adoption Support Fund.
On 17 July 2020, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the 2020 Comprehensive Spending Review, which will set out the government’s spending plans for the next three years. The Comprehensive Spending Review will be published in the autumn. We will consider future funding, scope and fair access limits for the Adoption Support Fund as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review discussions.