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Written Question
Universities: Antisemitism
Thursday 2nd February 2023

Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle antisemitism in UK universities.

Answered by Robert Halfon

This report that shows that the National Union of Students (NUS) has, over a number of years, systematically failed to represent the interests of Jewish students, and failed to tackle antisemitic practices within its own organisation. This is not acceptable. The NUS should be an organisation where Jewish students not only feel safe to be themselves, but where their full and equal participation is actively welcomed.

Higher education (HE), more broadly, should do all it can to root out antisemitism. The recent Community Security Trust (CST) report showing a 22% increase in antisemitic incidents on campus over the last two years is deeply concerning.

The department has encouraged HE providers to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, to have absolute clarity of what constitutes antisemitic behaviour. 245 providers in England have adopted the IHRA definition, including the vast majority of universities. We would urge those providers that have not yet adopted to the definition to do so, and for those that have, to ensure that they are fully complying with the definition.


Written Question
Pupil Exclusions
Wednesday 1st February 2023

Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of (a) primary and (b) post-primary school pupil in England have been expelled in each of the last three years.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department publishes figures from the school census on permanent exclusions and suspensions from state-funded schools in England. The latest full academic year figures are for the 2020/21 academic year and are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england/2020-21.

A table from this publication showing rates of permanent exclusions in primary, secondary, and special schools in England in the 2018/19 to 2020/21 academic years is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/5141203d-8691-4288-2cd5-08dafaf734a0.


Written Question
Children: Day Care
Wednesday 27th April 2022

Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase the affordability of childcare for low income families.

Answered by Will Quince

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only. Devolved administrations have their own specific offers. Information on funding can be found here: https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/articles/applying-funded-pre-school-place-202223.

The department recognises that the cost of childcare is a key concern for parents, which is why the government has made an unprecedented investment in childcare over the past decade, with over £3.5 billion spent in each of the past three years on our early education entitlements.

We have also introduced Tax-Free Childcare, which is available for working parents of children aged 0-11 (or up to 16 if their child is disabled). This scheme can save parents up to £2,000 per year (or up to £4,000 for children with disabilities) from their childcare costs.

Working parents on a low income, including those returning from maternity leave, may also be eligible for help with up to 85% of their childcare costs through the childcare element of Universal Credit. This is subject to a monthly limit of £646 for one child or £1108 for two or more children aged 0-16.

The government’s range of childcare offers includes 15 hours free early education for all three and four year olds, regardless of parental income or working status. This helps children to develop social skills and prepare them for school, regardless of their background.

Working parents of three and four-year-olds may also be eligible for an additional 15 hours of free childcare, known as 30 hours free childcare. To be eligible for 30 hours free childcare, a lone parent must earn from just over £7,400 a year, and a couple, where both parents are working, from just over £14,800 per year, to access 30 hours.


Written Question
Educational Institutions: Knives
Monday 8th March 2021

Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many knife possession orders have been issued in relation to (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools and (c) higher educational establishments in the last five years.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department does not hold data on the number of children found in possession of a knife at school. However, the School Snapshot Survey from winter 2019 showed that 29% of schools were actively dealing with knife crime as a safeguarding issue: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-snapshot-survey-winter-2019. Secondary schools were 4 times more likely to be actively dealing with knife crime than primary schools.

Schools and colleges have a duty and responsibility to protect pupils and staff. We support them with a range of guidance to help them fulfil their responsibilities, including advice on health and safety and school and college security. The school and college security guidance includes a suite of resources to assist schools and colleges with the development of policies and culture to help address a wide range of security related issues.

Relationships, Sex and Health Education is now compulsory, and schools can build on the core content to address local issues such as gang activity and recognising and avoiding exploitative relationships. In serious violence hotspot areas, schools, alternative provision settings and colleges are working with police and health through Violence Reduction Units to run interventions to tackle serious youth violence.


Written Question
Assessments: Coronavirus
Friday 13th November 2020

Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he is having with Education Ministers in each of the devolved Administrations to manage the effects of covid-19 on (a) GCSE and (b) A-Level exams to be sat in 2021.

Answered by Nick Gibb

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has met the Education Ministers from all devolved administrations to discuss arrangements for 2021 GCSE, AS and A level examinations. Ministers and departmental officials will continue to engage regularly with their counterparts from the devolved administrations in preparing for next summer’s examination series.


Written Question
Physical Education: Coronavirus
Monday 7th September 2020

Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to increase Government funding for physical education programmes in schools to help tackle (a) inactivity among children during the covid-19 lockdown and (b) childhood obesity.

Answered by Nick Gibb

Physical education (PE) is an important part of a broad and balanced curriculum and remains a national curriculum foundation subject at all Key Stages 1-4. The Department is working to ensure that schools are fully supported, as they welcome more children back to school, to give pupils opportunities to take part in physical education and be physically active during the school day.

Schools have the flexibility to decide how physical education, sport and physical activity will be provided whilst following the measures in their system of controls. It is important that children continue to remain fit and active and, wherever possible, have the 60 minutes of daily physical activity recommended by the Chief Medical Officers.

To support effective curriculum delivery, schools’ core funding is rising by £2.6 billion in 2020-21, £4.8 billion in 2021-22 and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20 funding levels. The Government has also announced an additional £650 million ‘catch up’ premium, as part of our wider £1 billion COVID catch-up package, to be shared across all state-funded schools over the 2020-21 academic year.

The Government is also providing funding specifically for PE and school sport and recently confirmed that the PE and sport premium will continue to provide £320 million for primary school PE and sport in the coming academic year. The Department for Education is working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Health and Social Care to implement the School Sport and Activity Plan. We are also looking at further action to deliver on manifesto commitments to help schools make good use of their sports facilities and to promote physical literacy and competitive sport, in light of the budget announcement earlier in the year.

While schools have been closed to some pupils, steps have been taken to support those who have had restricted opportunity to exercise while at home. As part of its guidance on remote education provision, the Department has published online educational resources approved by subject experts for schools and parents to help children to take part in PE and physical activity.


Written Question
Special Educational Needs
Thursday 14th May 2020

Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of school closures on the education of children with a statement of special education needs; and what steps his Department plans to take in response to that assessment.

Answered by Vicky Ford

The Department for Education (DfE) is committed to minimising the effects that school closures have on all children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). That is why we have asked educational settings to remain open to a limited number of children and young people, such as those with an education, health and care (EHC) plan, where a risk assessment has determined that their individual needs can be better supported at their school or college than at home.

Where children and young people have stayed at home following a risk assessment, DfE has asked local authorities, schools and colleges and parent/carers to consider whether moving either equipment or services into a child or young person’s home would enable them to be better supported there. For access to the full risk assessment guidance:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-send-risk-assessment-guidance.

DfE is assessing and carrying out research and surveys to help understand the impacts of COVID-19 on children and young people with EHC plans. We will use this information, alongside intelligence from engagement with key stakeholders, to inform the ongoing and future provision of support for children.

Decisions on the return to school of pupils with EHC plans will be informed by existing risk assessments, which should be kept up to date. These risk assessments will also be used to phase any increase in attendance of children and young people with EHC plans while maintaining preventative measures so that they can be safely catered for in their setting.


Written Question
Educational Visits: Coronavirus
Monday 11th May 2020

Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with travel insurance companies on the reimbursement of monies paid for school trips that are have been cancelled as a result of covid-19.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is in continual dialogue with the insurance sector regarding their response to the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak. Travel insurance typically applies only for losses that cannot be recovered from elsewhere, that is, after any refunds from tour operators, airlines, travel, or hotels.

Although insurance against travel disruption due to pandemics is typically included in travel insurance policies, schools should first contact travel agents or hotels for reimbursement. If there is still no recoverable cost from these sources, a travel insurance claim may be applicable. Some policies will only cover foreign travel, but more comprehensive policies will also cover UK travel. Travel insurance policies differ, so if in doubt, schools and tour providers should speak to their insurer or check the terms and conditions of their policy.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has produced information on school trip and travel insurance implications following the COVID-19 outbreak. The ABI’s Q&A on the subject is available here:
https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/topics-and-issues/coronavirus-hub/insurance-for-schools/.

Schools that are members of the Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) should submit their claims as per the RPA membership pack.


Written Question
Special Educational Needs
Wednesday 19th February 2020

Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to increase the level of sensory equipment in primary schools.

Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology

Every school is required to identify and address the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) of their pupils. Schools also have duties under the Equality Act (2010) towards individual disabled children and young people. They must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services, to ensure that disabled children are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers.

Local authorities are responsible for meeting the additional support costs for pupils with SEND up to the value of £6,000 per pupil by providing schools with sufficient funds to enable them to do so from the schools block of the Dedicated Schools Grant.

When the costs of additional support required for a pupil with SEND exceed £6,000, the local authority should also allocate additional top-up funding to cover the excess costs. This top-up funding, and funding for special schools, comes from the local authority’s high needs budget. The department recently announced £780 million in additional high needs funding for the next financial year, bringing total high needs funding to over £7 billion. Every local authority in England will see an increase in high needs funding of at least 8% per head of population aged 2 to 18.

The department have also allocated £365 million special provision capital funding to local authorities in England from 2018 to 2021, to increase the number of places available locally and enhance facilities for children with the most complex SEND. This could include re-purposing areas so that they meet the needs of pupils with SEND.


Written Question
Sign Language: GCSE
Thursday 13th February 2020

Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress he is making on introducing a GCSE in British Sign Language.

Answered by Nick Gibb

?The Department is currently working with subject experts to develop draft subject content for a potential British Sign Language GCSE. We are working with Ofqual, the independent qualifications regulator, to ensure that the subject content can be assessed appropriately and will be working with stakeholders to ensure that a wide range of views is reflected. Subject to being able to develop subject content which meets the rigorous requirements which apply to all GCSEs, we are aiming to consult publicly on draft content later this year.

Once final subject content has been published, individual exam boards can develop a specification if they wish. Ofqual would need to accredit any such specification before it could be taught in schools.