Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Barran on 27 January (HL Deb col 434), what was the breakdown for (1) the 16,500 applicants in 2019–20 for the Erasmus+ scheme, (2) the 41,000 applicants in 2020–21 for the Turing Scheme, between (a) undergraduates, (b) graduates, (c) school students, (d) apprentices, (e) youth workers, and (f) staff from educational institutions; and in each category for each scheme, how many students were disabled.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Data on Erasmus+ is produced by the European Union. Mobility breakdowns across countries and activities can be found in EU annual reports and factsheets here: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/resources-and-tools/statistics-and-factsheets and https://ec.europa.eu/assets/eac/factsheets/factsheet-uk-2020_en.html. According to this data, in academic year 2019/20, 16,596 students from UK higher education institutions participated in Erasmus+.
Under the Turing Scheme, providers successfully applied for funding to cover over 41,000 individual placements overseas across the academic year 2020/2021. This included over 28,000 in higher education, over 6,000 in further education and vocational education and training and over 5,000 in schools. Further information on eligibility is available in the programme guide here: https://www.turing-scheme.org.uk/news/the-programme-guide-is-now-available/.
As the 41,000 placements in academic year 2020/21 relates to planned activity, and the type and duration of mobilities will vary under the Turing and Erasmus+ Schemes, an immediate direct comparison of the figures cannot be made. A fuller evaluation is being planned to accurately compare figures from both programmes.
Current eligible durations for activity are as follows:
To address the ongoing impact of COVID-19, universities, colleges and schools can adjust plans for activities taking place this academic year if needed. The Turing Scheme is offering flexibility to change the duration, destination and timing of placements. Turing Scheme projects, however, cannot be extended past 31 August 2022 in accordance with government spending requirements.
Due to the fact that many providers are changing plans for activities because of COVID-19, this will have an impact on the actual placements that take place. More data on durations will be published once the 2021/22 academic year concludes.
From successful applications for the first year of the Turing Scheme, over 150 destinations across the globe were included in plans for placements overseas. Over 60% of activity was planned to take place in countries outside of the EU. A detailed breakdown of each destination, including those outside the EU, can be found on the funding results page on the Turing Scheme website here: https://www.turing-scheme.org.uk/project-community/funding-results/.
All destinations successfully applied for in higher education can be found here: https://www.turing-scheme.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Proposed-Destinations-of-Funded-Higher-Education-Turing-Scheme-Participants-in-2021.pdf.
All destinations successfully applied for in vocational education and training and further education can be found here: https://www.turing-scheme.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Proposed-Destinations-of-Funded-Further-Education-and-Vocational-Education-and-Training-Turing-Scheme-Participants-in-2021.pdf.
All destinations successfully applied for in Schools can be found here: https://www.turing-scheme.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Proposed-Destinations-of-Funded-Turing-Scheme-Schools-Participants-in-2021.pdf.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether claims for the Private Candidate Support Grant may be made retrospectively.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The online claims service for the Private Candidate Support Grant was launched on 29 November 2021. The claims form and accompanying guidance can be found here: https://form.education.gov.uk/service/exam-funding.
Centres can make retrospective claims of £200 per entry to meet the costs associated with the additional demands of assessment for private candidates this year.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish details of the Private Candidate Support Grant for approved examination centres, including when the online claims service will go live.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The online claims service for the Private Candidate Support Grant was launched on 29 November 2021. The claims form and accompanying guidance can be found here: https://form.education.gov.uk/service/exam-funding.
Centres can make retrospective claims of £200 per entry to meet the costs associated with the additional demands of assessment for private candidates this year.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many primary schools in England are not teaching a foreign language at Key Stage 2.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
All maintained schools are required to follow the national curriculum, which includes teaching any modern or ancient foreign language at key stage 2. Academies are expected to teach a curriculum which is similar in breadth and ambition as the national curriculum.
The department does not collect data on all schools on the teaching of individual subjects in primary schools, and this includes languages. Similarly, Ofsted does not inspect each individual subject in its inspections but would look at whether schools are teaching a broad, balanced, and well-sequenced curriculum.
Any concerns that a maintained school may not be complying with the requirement to teach languages at key stage 2 should, in the first instance, be raised via the school’s complaints procedure. If the complaint is not resolved, then the issue can be escalated to the Department for Education’s school complaints unit.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to monitor the delivery of the national curriculum requirement that a foreign language be taught at Key Stage 2.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
All maintained schools are required to follow the national curriculum, which includes teaching any modern or ancient foreign language at key stage 2. Academies are expected to teach a curriculum which is similar in breadth and ambition as the national curriculum.
The department does not collect data on all schools on the teaching of individual subjects in primary schools, and this includes languages. Similarly, Ofsted does not inspect each individual subject in its inspections but would look at whether schools are teaching a broad, balanced, and well-sequenced curriculum.
Any concerns that a maintained school may not be complying with the requirement to teach languages at key stage 2 should, in the first instance, be raised via the school’s complaints procedure. If the complaint is not resolved, then the issue can be escalated to the Department for Education’s school complaints unit.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on (1) language learning in UK schools, and (2) the teaching of English in schools overseas, of the removal from the tiered visa regime for unpaid student internships.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We continue to welcome talented individuals from overseas to teach or train to teach in the UK, including through the Language Assistants Programme (LAP). The programme is owned by the Department for Education and delivered by the British Council.
Over 150 UK institutions hosted language assistants last year. Annual evaluation reported that language assistants made a significant impact on attainment and learning outcomes for pupils, including improved exam grades, improved cultural awareness, improved standards in listening and speaking, and improved confidence in using the language.
In addition, as part of the LAP, around 2,500 UK students are able travel to 15 destinations to support the teaching of English, through paid teaching placements around the world. UK students rated their experience positively, with improved teaching and language skills.
The Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) scheme also provides individuals with opportunities to come to the UK for a short time for work experience, training, to complete an Overseas Government Language Programme, and for research or a fellowship. Students are also permitted to undertake a work placement as part of a course on the student route, provided the work placement is an integrated and assessed part of the course of study. The Appendix GAE lists all the schemes available and more information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-government-authorised-exchange-schemes.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the value to language learning in secondary schools of foreign language classroom assistants.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We continue to welcome talented individuals from overseas to teach or train to teach in the UK, including through the Language Assistants Programme (LAP). The programme is owned by the Department for Education and delivered by the British Council.
Over 150 UK institutions hosted language assistants last year. Annual evaluation reported that language assistants made a significant impact on attainment and learning outcomes for pupils, including improved exam grades, improved cultural awareness, improved standards in listening and speaking, and improved confidence in using the language.
In addition, as part of the LAP, around 2,500 UK students are able travel to 15 destinations to support the teaching of English, through paid teaching placements around the world. UK students rated their experience positively, with improved teaching and language skills.
The Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) scheme also provides individuals with opportunities to come to the UK for a short time for work experience, training, to complete an Overseas Government Language Programme, and for research or a fellowship. Students are also permitted to undertake a work placement as part of a course on the student route, provided the work placement is an integrated and assessed part of the course of study. The Appendix GAE lists all the schemes available and more information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-government-authorised-exchange-schemes.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the submission to the consultation on reforms to modern language GCSEs from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages will be recorded as one response, or reflect its endorsement by almost 100 organisations and 1,000 individuals.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government intends to publish its response to the consultation before the end of this year.
The response of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Language (APPGML) to the government’s consultation on the revised GCSE modern foreign language subject content review will be recorded as one response. Individuals and organisations are always advised to respond directly to government consultations, rather than to be signatories of independent campaigns.
In addition, we know that a number of organisations and individuals who endorsed the APPGML statement also responded to the government consultation separately. By doing so, the government is able to consider responses systematically, including the responses of individuals and organisations to the specific questions in the consultation.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the responses to the consultation on proposed reforms to modern language GCSEs.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government intends to publish its response to the consultation before the end of this year.
The response of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Language (APPGML) to the government’s consultation on the revised GCSE modern foreign language subject content review will be recorded as one response. Individuals and organisations are always advised to respond directly to government consultations, rather than to be signatories of independent campaigns.
In addition, we know that a number of organisations and individuals who endorsed the APPGML statement also responded to the government consultation separately. By doing so, the government is able to consider responses systematically, including the responses of individuals and organisations to the specific questions in the consultation.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the annual cost of supporting Modern Foreign Languages Hubs.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The annual funding of the existing Mandarin Excellence Programme committed by the department since the launch in 2016 is set out in the table below:
Financial year | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | Total |
Funding | 0.93 | 1.47 | 2.63 | 1.35 | 2.97 | 9.35 |
The programme is led by the Institute of Education, University College London. It initially started with 14 schools and has now grown to 75 schools with over 6,300 pupils, and the increased funding over the period reflects this. The next phase of the programme and funding is due to be announced shortly and will start from September this year.
The funding of the Modern Foreign Language (MFL) Pedagogy Pilot Hubs by contract period, committed by the department, is set out in the table below:
Contract period | Dec 2018 | Dec 2020 | Dec 2021 | Total |
Funding | 2.17 | 1.45 | 1.17 | 4.79 |
The MFL Pedagogy Pilot is managed by the National Centre for Excellence for Languages Pedagogy (NCELP) and was launched in December 2018. In addition to the support provided to the 45 schools in the pilot programme, NCELP has also so far developed Key Stage 3 schemes of work, lesson plans and accompanying resources for French, German and Spanish, which are available free of charge through its resource portal for all teachers.
In the 4th year of the programme, NCELP will deliver free professional development courses on MFL curriculum design and pedagogy to over 1,350 teachers nationally and develop fully resourced schemes of work for Key Stage 4 that will align with the new GCSE in French, German and Spanish.