Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support sixth-form colleges.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is committed to driving economic growth and supporting opportunity for all, and further education (FE) is central to this.
My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £300 million in 2025/26 for FE at the Autumn Budget 2024. We will set out how the additional funding will be distributed in due course.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help improve the (a) employment, (b) training and (c) educational opportunities available for young people participating in cadet programmes.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The government, through the Ministry of Defence, provides in the region of £180 million to support cadets schemes. The Cadet Expansion Programme will receive £3.6 million in government funding for this academic year and through to the 2033/2034 financial year. This goes to the single Service (i.e. Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force) cadet organisations, to provide funding for cadet expansion in schools.
The department provides £3.5 million to enable cadets to achieve an ‘out of school hours’ level 2 or 3 vocational qualification. The qualifications recognise the wide variety of skills, including teamwork, communication and leadership skills that cadets gain while attending their unit, which are transferable to further and higher education, as well as the workplace.
These qualifications are directly linked to community, social action and volunteering, and are carefully mapped to the training programmes of the cadet forces. For the cadet forces, the current offer is:
Further details are available here: https://cvcollege.org/our_qualifications/.
There are no current plans to make an assessment of the merits of introducing 16 to 18 scholarships for young people participating in cadets programmes. However, there are initiatives at a local level to support cadets with financial barriers to participate.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
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 16-18 scholarships for young people participating in cadet programmes.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The government, through the Ministry of Defence, provides in the region of £180 million to support cadets schemes. The Cadet Expansion Programme will receive £3.6 million in government funding for this academic year and through to the 2033/2034 financial year. This goes to the single Service (i.e. Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force) cadet organisations, to provide funding for cadet expansion in schools.
The department provides £3.5 million to enable cadets to achieve an ‘out of school hours’ level 2 or 3 vocational qualification. The qualifications recognise the wide variety of skills, including teamwork, communication and leadership skills that cadets gain while attending their unit, which are transferable to further and higher education, as well as the workplace.
These qualifications are directly linked to community, social action and volunteering, and are carefully mapped to the training programmes of the cadet forces. For the cadet forces, the current offer is:
Further details are available here: https://cvcollege.org/our_qualifications/.
There are no current plans to make an assessment of the merits of introducing 16 to 18 scholarships for young people participating in cadets programmes. However, there are initiatives at a local level to support cadets with financial barriers to participate.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to hold discussions with (a) parents of children with SEND and (b) specialist charities that support parents on reforms to the SEND system.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department is committed to ensuring that co-production with parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and with the specialist charities that support them is a priority.
The department has two contracts which enable it to talk directly to both parents and carers of children with SEND and the specialist charities who support them in order to get their input into its policy development. The department uses these contracts to regularly discuss policy development and delivery with parents, carers and with the SEND sector. The department also presents, and hold workshops, at regular events coordinated by SEND specialist charities, such as the Council for Disabled Children, throughout the year.
The department recognises the importance of, and will continue to work together, with parents and carers, specialist organisations, children and young people with SEND, so that they get the right support to succeed in education, lead happy and healthy lives.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to (a) take steps to (i) improve accountability processes for and (ii) simplify complaint routes for the parents of children that access SEND provision in schools and (b) continue the SEND Change Programme.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Ofsted and Care Quality Commission commenced a strengthened local inspection framework in January 2023, which places a greater emphasis on the outcomes being achieved for children and young people. It is the primary tool to maintain a focus on high standards in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, across all partners.
Where a council does not meet its duties, the department can take action that prioritises children’s needs and supports local areas to bring about rapid improvement. The department works to monitor, support and, where necessary, challenge local authorities, working closely with NHS England to tackle any weaknesses that sit with health partners.
The department welcomes the publication of the Big Listen response. We will continue to work with Ofsted to consider how outcomes for children with SEND or in alternative provision (AP) are better reflected in the Education Inspection and the Area SEND inspection frameworks going forwards.
There are several routes of redress for parents or young people who disagree with decisions or actions of their educational setting or local authority. However, the department does understand these processes can be lengthy and difficult for families to navigate. It is in everyone’s interests that routes of redress are set out clearly and that complaints are resolved at the earliest possible stage.
The work of the Change Programme partnerships has provided valuable insights and learning across the SEND and AP system. This includes informing the department's thinking about effective inclusive mainstream practice, which is an area where more needs to be done to ensure children with SEND receive the support they need and deserve. We will share more news on the future direction of the Change Programme in due course.