Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have a (i) school nurse, (ii) healthy lifestyles coach and (iii) equivalent health worker.
Answered by Nick Gibb
In November 2021, the latest available information, 49 (0.3%) state funded primary schools and 266 (8.1%) state funded secondary schools in England employed at least one person whose role was reported as ‘nurse’.
Please note that the figures provided are based on staff roles as reported by the school, and as such ‘nurse’ may not necessarily indicate a qualified specialist community public health nurse. School nurses play a pivotal role in supporting schools to meet this duty, but they will not be the only healthcare professionals available to help schools in supporting their pupils.
The information requested on the number and proportion of (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools that have a (i) healthy lifestyles coach and (ii) equivalent health worker is not held centrally.
Information on the state funded school workforce in England, including the number of support staff employed by schools each November, is published in the annual ‘School Workforce in England’ national statistics release at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her correspondence with teachers of 29 March 2023, if she will make an assessment of the affordability of the proposed pay award for teachers at schools that signed fixed-term energy contracts at peak prices that will expire after 31 March 2024.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government’s recent pay offer was fully funded, nationally, as set out in the Department’s recent Education Hub post, which can be found here: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/03/28/teacher-strikes-latest-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-teacher-pay-offer/.
Following the rejection of this offer, final decisions on teachers’ pay for 2023/24 will now be made following recommendations on pay rises by the independent School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB).
The Autumn Statement announced additional funding of £2 billion in each of the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years, over and above totals announced at the 2021 Spending Review. This means funding for both mainstream schools and high needs is £3.5 billion higher in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23.
Total funding for both mainstream schools and high needs will total £58.8 billion in the 2024/25 financial year, the highest ever level in real terms per pupil. After accounting for the new pay offers in 2023, the Institute for Fiscal Studies estimate that school funding is still growing faster than school costs.
The Government provides these annual increases to school revenue budgets so that schools can cover cost increases in the year ahead, including teacher pay increases. England’s funding system, using a national formula, is designed so that schools seeing the largest pressures typically attract the largest funding increases, but it does not match each individual school’s precise costs, as schools have autonomy over their own spending. The Government’s judgement of the affordability of teacher pay increases is based on national figures, which equate to the position for an average school.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to correspondence from the Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing to the hon. Member for St Albans dated 21 February 2023, on what date her Department received a letter from Hertfordshire County Council on special educational needs and disabilities funding in Hertfordshire; and if she will meet with the hon. Member for St Albans to discuss that matter.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Following on from my initial reply to the hon. Member for St Albans, received on 21 February, I will be sending a further response, copied to other hon. Members representing Hertfordshire constituencies. This will address the matters raised in the letter from Hertfordshire County Council’s Director of Inclusion and Skills dated 7 December 2022, which the hon. Member passed on to me.
As arranged, I look forward to meeting the hon. Member for St Albans on Wednesday 19 April 2023.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on (a) the number of requests for new needs assessments for education, health and care plans from upper-tier local authorities and (b) the number of such requests that have been open for more than 20 weeks.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The requested information is available in the National Statistics publication on education, health and care (EHC) plans, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans.
The latest available data shows that 93,300 initial requests were made for an assessment for an EHC plan during 2021. Of requests which led to a new EHC plan made during 2021, 34,249 (59.9%) were issued within 20 weeks.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing free school meal vouchers to those students who are eligible for free school meals but cannot access a school setting due to (a) disability, (b) Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), (c) Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) or other factors.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Education Act 1996 places a duty on maintained schools and academies to provide free school meals (FSM) to pupils of all ages that meet the criteria for eligibility and who are attending school during term time. The Act makes clear that a child must be registered at a publicly funded school as a condition of claiming FSM.
Local Authorities are funded to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those who are unable to attend school on a long term basis. Parents are advised to liaise with Local Authorities to consider suitable alternatives in line with the guidance on long term illnesses, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/illness-child-education.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government is on course to reach the target that 90 percent of all deaf children having expected standards in maths and literacy by the age of 11 by 2030.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
In the Schools White Paper, published March 2022, the department set clear ambitions for 90% of all children to leave primary school having achieved the expected standard in Key Stage 2 reading, writing and mathematics, and that in secondary schools, the national GCSE average grade in both English language and in mathematics will increase from 4.5 in 2019 to 5 by 2030.
The department is confident that the policies set out in the White Paper will have a significant impact on improving literacy and numeracy at both KS2 and GCSE. The White Paper marked the start of a journey towards these targets.
The department knows that children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are disproportionately represented in those cohorts not meeting expected standards. If we are going to achieve our 90% and grade 5 targets by 2030 it is vital that we ensure pupils of all characteristics and backgrounds are making progress.
On 29 March 2022, we published the SEND and Alternative Provision Green Paper, which set out our plans to improve the experience and outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with Sensory Impairment, within a fairer and financially sustainable system. We are now carefully considering the feedback we received through the thousands of responses to the consultation and in the many events that took place during the 16-week consultation period. We will publish a full response in an Improvement Plan imminently.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of deaf teachers.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
I refer the honourable member for St Albans to the answer I gave on 13 February 2023 to Question 140375.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the 2022 National Plan for Music Education and prescribed geographic areas for new Hub Lead Organisations, whether individual county-wide upper tier authorities may act as a Local Authority Hub without having to join with other local authorities to create a hub that would cover multiple local authority areas.
Answered by Nick Gibb
In June 2022, the Government published a National Plan for Music Education. The plan sets out the Government’s priorities until 2030 for music education for children and young people, including plans to strengthen the success of Music Hubs. The plan also builds on the Model Music Curriculum published in March 2021, setting out how pupils can progress in music from Key Stages 1 to 3, including on instrumental teaching.
Music Hubs are partnerships, covering one or multiple Local Authority areas, co-ordinated by a hub lead organisation and are made up of schools and academy trusts, Local Authorities, music and wider arts and education organisations, community or youth organisations, and more. They were established in 2012, with direct funding from the Department that had previously been awarded to Local Authority Music Services. While no longer directly receiving funding, some Music Services do currently serve as lead organisations in addition to their other responsibilities. The Department has committed £79 million per year for the Music Hubs programme over three years, up to and including 2025.
The Department’s intention is that the current model of how Music Hubs operate will transition to one where more Hubs will cover multiple Local Authority areas. This reflects the increase of formal partnerships across England over the last decade.
These Music Hub lead organisations will be in place for children and young people in September 2024. Arts Council England has consulted with potential bidders regarding prescribed geographical areas. All feedback will be used to inform next steps and further information will be communicated to all potential bidders later this year.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether their Department has purchased mobile UV virus irradiation units.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is currently funding a programme of work to assess the ability of air cleaning devices to mitigate aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other air borne pathogens. This includes research to assess the ability of UVC devices to mitigate aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other airborne pathogens.
As part of commissioning the Rapid Covid-19 Disinfection Study (RCADS), NHS Test & Trace, which is now part of UKHSA, purchased upper room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (ur-UVGI) and active enclosed UVC devices via an accelerated open procedure as per government policy.
In addition, funding to purchase high efficiency particulate air filters with integral UVC was provided to Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Addenbrookes Hospital as part of commissioning the Addenbrookes Air Disinfection Study.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many primary schools in England employ a (a) play or (b) creative arts therapist.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The 2022 Schools White Paper set out the Government’s plan for all schools to provide safe, calm and supportive school environments, with targeted academic, pastoral and specialist support, helping children and young people to fulfil their potential.
It is for schools to decide what support they provide, taking into account the needs of their pupils.
The roles of staff employed by schools is collected as part of the annual School Workforce Census each November. The data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.
Data from the November 2022 census is currently being collected and will be published in the summer of 2023.