Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) capacity and (b) number of students on roll was for 16 to 19 education in (i) state-funded (A) sixth-forms and (B) colleges and (ii) independent schools in each parliamentary constituency in the most recent period for which data is available.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Information on the capacity and pupils on roll in primary and secondary state-funded schools, including sixth forms, as at May 2023, which is the latest period for which data is available, is published in the annual ‘School capacity’ in England statistics.
This can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity.
Data is published at school level and has been joined with information from Get Information About Schools to aggregate to parliamentary constituency. The attached document ‘Table 1_1653’ provides this data. Information is not available on the capacity of independent schools.
Information on the number of students enrolled in state-funded and independent schools as at January 2024, which is the latest published census data available, is published in the 'Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ statistics. This can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics. Under ‘additional supporting files’ is a school-level file titled ‘School level underlying data - 2023/24 (csv, 22 Mb)’ which includes phase of school (column ‘O’), type of establishment (column ‘S’) and parliamentary constituency (column 'AB’)
Please note that where statistics were published prior to the changes in parliamentary constituency boundaries, they will be updated to reflect the new boundaries in the next publication of the statistics.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) capacity and (b) number of pupils on roll was in (i) state-funded and (ii) independent schools at each phase of (A) primary education and (B) secondary education to the end of key stage four in each parliamentary constituency in the most recent period for which data is available.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Information on the capacity and pupils on roll in primary and secondary state-funded schools as at May 2023, which is the latest period for which data is available, is published in the annual ‘School capacity’ in England statistics. This can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity.
Data is published at school level and has been joined with information from ‘Get Information About Schools’ to aggregate to parliamentary constituency. The attached document ‘Table 1_1652’ provides this data. Information is not available on the capacity of independent schools.
Information on the number of students enrolled in state-funded and independent schools as at January 2024, which is the latest published census data available, is published in the 'Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ statistics. This is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics. Under ‘additional supporting files’ is a school-level file titled ‘School level underlying data - 2023/24 (csv, 22 Mb)’ which includes phase of school (column ‘O’), type of establishment (column ‘S’) and parliamentary constituency (column 'AB’).
Please note that where statistics were published prior to the changes in parliamentary constituency boundaries, they will be updated to reflect the new boundaries in the next publication of the statistics.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on potential workforce participation effects of the availability of (a) year-round and (b) term-time only childcare provision.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Ensuring that parents are able to access affordable and high-quality childcare is a priority for this government. This means ensuring that a variety of different types of provision are available, including year-round and term-time only, that suit the needs of different parents.
Regular discussions are held with Cabinet colleagues on how this government can deliver these priorities, including through our work on our mission to break down opportunities for every child.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what underspends are projected in (a) her Department and (b) each of its arms length bodies in (i) this financial year and (ii) the Spending Review period.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
As my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out in her statement on July 29, the government’s spending audit has identified a forecast Resource Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) overspend of £21.9 billion against the plans set out for departments at Spring Budget 2024. This already factors in the Treasury’s assessment of a £7.1 billion fallaway over the course of the year, as set out in Table 1 of ‘Fixing the foundations: public spending audit 2024-25’.
The government has announced £5.5 billion of savings in the 2024/25 financial year, bringing the in-year pressures down to £16.4 billion.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the proposed additional nursery places in primary schools will be (a) year-round and (b) term-time only.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
There are a range of models of nursery provision run on school sites, including nursery classes attached to primary schools, provision for 2 year olds and full day care run by schools, as well as private and voluntary providers running provision on school sites. The department will be working closely with the sector as it develops this commitment to ensure new nursery provision meets the varied needs of parents, children and schools.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has set aside capital funding for the provision of potential additional places in state schools in the event they are required as a result of pupils moving from the independent sector to the state sector.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Education is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity so every child gets the best start in life. Ending tax breaks on private schools will help raise revenue to drive forward the change this government is committed to deliver. The department is supporting HM Treasury, which will deliver the tax changes. Further details were published by the government on 29 July 2024 and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees-removing-the-charitable-rates-relief-for-private-schools.
The department collects pupil forecasts and school capacity data from local authorities annually through the School Capacity survey. This data shows that, in May 2023, 11.7% of primary capacity and 11.5% of secondary capacity was unfilled nationally, meaning school places are available in many parts of the country.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has received representations on the impact on the workloads of (a) teachers and (b) school leaders of significant changes to the curriculum.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The views of experts, parents, teachers and leaders will be pivotal to the expert-led Review of Curriculum and Assessment announced on 19 July, and a call for evidence will be launched in September. The review will also take written evidence from key stakeholders and undertake a national roadshow, meeting and taking input from staff on the frontline.
The department recognises the pressure that staff in schools and colleges have been under and is enormously grateful to them for their efforts, resilience and service in educating children and young people.
In recognition of this pressure, the review will seek evolution not revolution. It will be aware of the trade-offs required to deliver high and rising standards alongside greater breadth, and in particular to any recommendations that would impact on workload. The review will seek to identify and focus on the most significant and pressing issues facing curriculum and assessment, without destabilising the system.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of pupils at (a) primary, (b) secondary pre-16 and (c) post-16 independent schools (i) have an Education Health and Care plan and have their school fees paid for in full by their local authority, (ii) have an Education Health and Care plan and do not have their school fees paid for in full by their local authority and (iii) have special educational needs but do not have an Education Health and Care plan, broken down by local authority.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Where a local authority names an independent school on a child or young person’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, the local authority must secure a place and must pay fees where applicable. However, if a child’s parents wish to make a private fee-paying placement which has not been named following the EHC assessment process, the local authority may be relieved of its duty to secure the special educational provision, if it is satisfied that the parents have made ‘suitable alternative arrangements’.
The department publishes statistics on EHC plans, including the establishment children and young people attend. These can be accessed at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans.
As at January 2024, local authorities named an independent special school for 25,620 EHC plans and an independent mainstream school for 6,768 EHC plans. Local authorities maintained 916 EHC plans where parents had made alternative arrangements, which includes where parents have chosen to arrange and pay for an independent school placement. Numbers and percentages by local authority are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/67bb4b0f-de93-4558-b7f4-08dcab23a860.
This information is provided at individual level by local authorities in the SEN2 collection.
Phase of independent schools data is not collected. Therefore, the age group of the child and young person has been provided as a proxy in the attached table. However, please note that this does not necessarily translate to state-funded sector primary, secondary and post-16 schools.
The department also publishes statistics on special educational needs (SEN) provision for children in schools. More information can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england.
This publication includes children in independent schools recorded as having special educational needs who do not have an EHC plan, and is available at local authority level here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/de7807ad-ea91-4e25-b8aa-08dcab23db45.
This information is provided by independent schools in the School Level Annual School Census and does not include school phase or an age breakdown of SEN.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timetable is for reviewing the way bursaries are allocated and the structure of retention payments.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department reviews bursaries each year before deciding the offer for trainees starting Initial Teacher Training (ITT) the following academic year. In doing this, the department takes account of a number of factors, including historic recruitment, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need in each subject.
The government is committed to delivering 6,500 new expert teachers. To deliver this commitment, the department will review the way bursaries are allocated and the structure of retention payments. The department will announce its recruitment and retention incentive offer for 2025/26 in due course.
Asked by: Damian Hinds (Conservative - East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the targeted increase of 6,500 more teachers recruited to teach key subjects means a net increase in the full-time equivalent number of teachers teaching those subjects, in post in secondary schools; what the subjects are; what her planned timescale is for reaching that target; and whether she has a target for other subjects over the same period.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department knows that high quality teaching is the factor that makes the biggest difference to a child’s education, which is why this government will recruit 6,500 new expert teachers.
The department is developing its approach and putting plans in place to achieve this, which will be shared publicly in due course. These measures will include getting more teachers into shortage subjects, supporting areas that face recruitment challenges and tackling retention issues. The way bursaries are allocated, and the structure of retention payments, will also be reviewed.
The department has taken a key step towards delivering an additional 6,500 teachers by accepting the School Teachers’ Review Body recommendation of a 5.5% award for teachers and leaders in maintained schools in England from September.
This is a substantial award that recognises hard-working school teachers and leaders, and demonstrates this government’s commitment to the teaching profession.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has already addressed over 14,000 people from the workforce, is expanding the teacher recruitment campaign ‘Every Lesson Shapes a Life’, and has committed to working alongside the sector to re-establish teaching as an attractive profession and as one that existing teachers want to remain in, former teachers want to return to and new graduates wish to join.