Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department makes available to teachers on supporting children who display behavioural problems resulting from phenylketonuria.
Answered by Edward Timpson
We know how important it is that children with medical conditions are supported to enjoy a full education. That is why we introduced a new duty to require governing bodies to make arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions and have provided statutory guidance outlining schools’ responsibilities in this area.
The Department has also issued advice on behaviour and discipline for schools. This advice is clear that schools should assess the needs of pupils who present with persistently difficult behaviour. We make clear that schools should consider whether the continuing disruptive behaviour is a result of unmet educational or other needs. At this point, the school should consider whether a multi-agency assessment is necessary.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that apprenticeships are undertaken by people in less affluent households.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Apprenticeships can transform lives. They are a great way for people of all ages and backgrounds to progress in work and life and a great way for employers to improve the skills base of their businesses.
Apprentices acquire skills much valued in the labour market, and the apprentice does not have to contribute to the costs of their learning. Apprenticeships are paid jobs with training and so, as with any other form of employment, selection decisions are made by individual employers, who choose the most appropriate candidates for their jobs.
We are encouraging a wider range of young people into apprenticeships. Traineeships are available to help 16-23 year olds become ‘work ready’. They include work preparation training, English, maths and work experience, which all help the trainee to enter the world of work, including apprenticeships. They are flexible so providers can adapt them to the needs of the trainee by including additional support such as mentoring.
We are giving employers more control of the funding for apprenticeships training in return for them investing more in apprenticeships; this includes simplifying the funding system to encourage employers to recruit more apprentices of all ages and from all backgrounds.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to simplify the application process for securing an apprenticeship.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Apprenticeships are paid jobs with quality training, and dependent upon employers offering apprenticeships, they set any entry criteria and make selection decisions. There will always be competition for the best apprenticeship places, as there is for the best universities.
Apprenticeships vacancies in England can be found at the Find an Apprenticeship pages on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship. The site offers information and guidance about finding and applying for vacancies advertised here – not all apprenticeships are advertised on this site.
A new ‘Get In Go Far’ campaign launched on 16 May aimed at 14-24 year-olds, their parents, teachers and employers. This major four-year campaign aims to influence public perceptions, awareness and attitudes towards apprenticeships as a route into a successful career, encouraging more young people to apply and more employers to offer apprenticeship opportunities. As of 24 August, there were over 560,000 visitors to the campaign website, with an average 35% of these being driven to view opportunities on the Find an Apprenticeship website.
The National Careers Service provides independent, professional advice on careers, skills and the labour market, including on the benefits of apprenticeships and how to apply for vacancies. The service is available on-line, over the telephone, via web chat, e-mail, text and online forums. A face-to-face service is available to adults aged 19 and over (or those aged 18 years plus if on out-of-work benefits or offenders in custody).
The statutory guidance for schools on careers guidance and inspiration was updated and published in March 2015 and is now in force. This is clear that schools should give employers and other providers delivering apprenticeships the opportunity to inform pupils directly, on school premises, about what they offer. It emphasises that apprenticeships and university offer two equally effective routes to a successful career.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to secure the appropriate data to monitor the progress of programmes which encourage the uptake of STEM subjects by girls.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government funds a number of programmes which encourage the uptake of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects by girls. We monitor the progress of these programmes against their key performance indicators through regular reports and by evaluating their impact.
In 2014 the Government published for the first time data showing the proportion of girls and boys studying A levels in science and maths at each post-16 institution, and in 2016 time series data of students entered for mathematics and science A level subjects by number of subjects and gender. Both sets of data will continue to be published on an annual basis.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make representations to exam boards to remove the five per cent marking for spelling and grammar for dyslexic students.
Answered by Nick Gibb
In 2013 the Government restored the policy of marks for spelling, punctuation and use of grammar (SPaG)to GCSE exams as a key part of our commitment to high standards and to ensuring that GCSEs match expectations set in the highest performing jurisdictions internationally. It gives a real incentive to teachers to provide effective support to all their students to improve their written communication skills.
For those pupils with special educational needs, including those with dyslexia, appropriate reasonable adjustments, including extra time, are available, as necessary. Details can be found in the Joint Council for Qualifications’ “Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration” at: http://www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/access-arrangements-and-special-consideration/regulations-and-guidance
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that decisions of the Independent Appeals Panel do not allocate places in excess of a school's planned admission numbers.
Answered by Nick Gibb
All parents are able to express preferences for at least three schools when applying for a school place. When parents are refused a place for their child, it is important that they are given the opportunity to appeal this decision.
The appeal panel should consider whether the school’s admission arrangements were lawful, have been properly applied and balance the effect on the school of admitting another child against the parents’ reasons for wanting their child to attend the school.
When considering an appeal for an infant class, however, appeal panels have less scope to admit over its admissions number. Legislation limits the size of an infant class to 30 pupils per school teacher and appeals for such classes can only be upheld in very limited circumstances.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made on the contribution of statutory PHSE to supporting young people with mental health issues.
Answered by Edward Timpson
Schools play an important role in promoting good mental health and supporting children and young people facing difficulties. In the introduction to the national curriculum, we have made clear that all schools should make provision for PSHE.
The Department funded the PSHE Association to publish guidance on teaching about mental health in PSHE. This was published in March 2015 and is available online: www.pshe-association.org.uk/resources. Our Mental Health and Behaviour advice helps teachers to identify and support pupils with mental health needs, including advice on making referrals to specialist services when appropriate. Our blueprint for school counselling services provides schools with practical, evidence-based advice on how to deliver high quality school based counselling.
The government has made children and young people’s mental health support a priority. We are investing an additional £1.4bn in children and young people’s and perinatal mental health services over the next 5 years. We are also contributing £1.5m to a joint pilot for training single points of contact in schools and specialist mental health services; and, through a dedicated mental health strand within our VCS programme, we are providing £4.9m of funding this year to support 17 projects delivering a wide range of support across the country to children and young people with mental health issues.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to address the effect of pornography on girls' impressions of sexual relations.
Answered by Edward Timpson
Education can play a vital role in helping young people understand healthy relationships and identify those which are unhealthy. Sex and relationships education (SRE) must be taught in all maintained secondary schools and we expect most secondary academies teach it as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. Any school teaching SRE must have regard to the Secretary of State’s Sex and Relationship Education Guidance (2000).
The guidance makes clear that all sex and relationship education should be age-appropriate and that schools should ensure young people develop positive values and a moral framework that will guide their decisions, judgments and behaviour. This is particularly relevant to sexual consent and the guidance makes clear that all young people should understand how the law applies to sexual relationships. The guidance is available online: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sex-and-relationship-education
Schools can also choose to teach about pornography in their PSHE lessons drawing on the guidance and resources available. The PSHE Association has produced a suggested programme of study as guidance for teachers, which includes teaching about the impact of pornography. We commissioned the PSHE Association to produce guidance for schools on teaching about the topic of consent, which was published in March 2015 and is available online: https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=1161.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools address sexual harassment and bullying.
Answered by Edward Timpson
All forms of bullying and harassment are unacceptable and every school is required to have in place a behaviour policy with measures to tackle all forms of bullying. They are held to account by Ofsted and inspectors will look at records and analysis of bullying, discriminatory and prejudicial behaviour.
The Longitudinal Study of Young Peoplein England(LSYPE), which was published by the Department in November 2015, compared bullying among two cohorts of 14 year olds (year 10 students)from 2004 and 2014. It found that 30,000 fewer people in year 10 said they had been bullied in the last twelve months. This represents a drop from 41 per cent in 2004 to 36 per cent in 2014.
Good schools have a whole school approach to behaviour management that fosters tolerance and respect. Schools can also choose to teach about internet safety and the safe use of social media through their PSHE and sex and relationships provision. Under the computing curriculum, children from the age of five are taught how to stay safe online and how to communicate safely and respectfully.
All schools must have regard to the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’. This highlights the specific safeguarding issues that staff should be aware of including bullying, child sexual exploitation, gender based violence against girls, sexting and teenage relationship issues, and signposts staff to additional information and support.
Asked by: Ben Howlett (Conservative - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect of the introduction of statutory PHSE on the uptake of STEM subjects by girls.
Answered by Edward Timpson
Through the introduction to the national curriculum, the Government has made clear that all schools should make provision for Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). PSHE is, however, a non-statutory subject.
The Government is determined to increase the number of young people studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects, particularly girls. There have been 12,000 more A Level entries in STEM subjects for girls over the last five years.
PSHE plays an important part in preparing young people for the world of work including dispelling gender stereotyping. Resources to support PSHE include those produced by Siemens in collaboration with the PSHE Association. These resourced explore equality and the world of work which aim to inspire the next generation of female scientists, technicians and engineers.
We are also supporting schools in other ways to tackle this issue through professional development and enrichment activities, including the Stimulating Physics Network, and the inspiring “Your Life” campaign, which will transform perceptions of science and mathematics.