Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and David Evennett

Monday 29th April 2024 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

Again, I commend my hon. Friend for his work. I also appreciate the importance of the provision of local services—none is more important than education—where there is housing development. I would be very pleased to convene such a meeting as he requests.

[Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

12. What steps her Department has taken to improve standards of reading in schools.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and David Evennett

Monday 11th March 2024 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

I think the hon. Gentleman needs to do some research before he starts asking questions in Parliament. On recruitment and retention, I join him in stressing the importance of retention, which we are absolutely focused on, including through our workload programme. We have a good set of scholarships and bursaries for encouraging entry and a range of different routes into teaching to get the full range of talent that can benefit our children and young people.

[Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

Would my right hon. Friend agree that good and enthusiastic teachers are vital to ensuring that we have good, successful schools and pupils? What more can be done to assist schools with discipline and truancy issues, because it would obviously help teachers’ morale if they could have some more support?

[Damian Hinds]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right about the importance of brilliant teachers—I think he might have some personal experience of that. He is also right about the central importance of behaviour. In relation to retention, we hear back in surveys that we need to improve further on this. This is one of the reasons that we have the network of behaviour hubs, so that schools can learn one from another about what works best.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and David Evennett

Monday 11th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

A relatively low number of teachers from other EU countries are working in our education system. For the development of languages, for example, we could do more, and of course we will always look at the immigration system and make sure that the highly skilled people we need for our system are welcome.

[Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

4. What progress he has made on closing the attainment gap for disadvantaged children.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds)]

Our reforms, backed by the £2.4 billion pupil premium, have helped schools to narrow the disadvantage attainment gap by 13% at age 11 and 9% at age 16 since 2011.

[Sir David Evennett]

I thank the Secretary of State for his response. Research shows that when children fall behind in the early years it is incredibly difficult for them to catch up. Will he advise me as to how his Department is supporting disadvantaged children in those crucial early stages of education?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and David Evennett

Monday 4th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

I warmly welcome the introduction of T-levels, but what action has been taken to upskill the teachers and lecturers who will be delivering them? That process is vital to the success of the project.

[Damian Hinds]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely correct. We must engage in a number of preparations, such as setting up relationships with businesses for the industrial placements and also, as my right hon. Friend says, relationships with people working in our sector. We created the T-level professional development offer for precisely that purpose.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and David Evennett

Monday 17th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

We think it is up to headteachers, within the rules, to set the behaviour policy in their schools. They have to set it out clearly in their behaviour policy, on which there are clear guidelines.

[Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend welcome the rising percentage of good and outstanding places in special schools, meaning that no matter what challenges someone faces, real opportunities are on offer for all?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and David Evennett

Monday 10th September 2018 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

I am always happy to meet the hon. Lady, who rightly highlights the particular hurdles and challenges that children with special needs can have, which I absolutely recognise. That is one of the reasons that we have the highest high-needs budget on record, and there is more recognition across the entire education system of some of the methods that can be used to support such children. However, we can always do more and I will be pleased to hear from her.

[Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

My borough of Bexley has many good and excellent schools that are delivering social mobility. However, does my right hon. Friend agree that more needs to be done through investment in early language and literacy skills to ensure that all children have equal opportunities?

[Damian Hinds]

I very much agree with my right hon. Friend about the importance of early language and literacy, and he is right to identify some of the excellent provision in his constituency. I recently set out my ambition to halve the number of children who start school without vital literacy skills. There are many facets to that, such as what happens in early years settings and in the home learning environment, which we will have to pay more attention to in the years to come.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and David Evennett

Monday 25th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

In a wide-ranging question, as they say, the hon. Gentleman presents a number of different aspects, ranging from the World cup to T-levels. He is right about one thing, and that is the earlier children acquire skills and knowledge the better. That is why it is so important we have managed to narrow the attainment gap both in the early years and in primary school.

[Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

May I welcome the advances the Government have achieved in this field and my right hon. Friend’s positive approach, contrary to what the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman) said? What more can be done to tackle the skills shortage in the construction sector?

[Damian Hinds]

My hon. Friend raises a very important point about the construction sector, and of course we have considerable requirements because of the need to accelerate residential development. One of the first T-levels will be in construction, and we are working closely with the sector to bring that on.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Hinds and David Evennett

Monday 14th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

My right hon. Friend rightly identifies the importance of making sure that apprenticeships are fully inclusive, and we continue to look at ensuring that such facilitation is available.

[David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to ensure that more women are taking up apprenticeships in science, technology and manufacturing?

[Damian Hinds]

My right hon. Friend is right to identify the challenge that we have in STEM—science, technology, engineering and maths. That goes for apprenticeships and for other parts of the education and training system, as well as employment. It is partly about encouraging girls through programmes such as “Girls Get Coding”. We are taking part in the Year of Engineering, and we continue to support improvements in gender representation through our diversity champions network.

Post-18 Education

Debate between Damian Hinds and David Evennett

Tuesday 20th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

The internationally recognised definition of tertiary education is largely post-18. The hon. Gentleman is right about some of the challenges in post-16 education. A moment ago, I mentioned T-levels, for which considerably more funding will come forward. There is also the great expansion in apprenticeships.

[David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

I welcome my right hon. Friend’s statement and strongly support his review. It is essential that we deliver the skills that our country needs, and give opportunities for all. Will he ensure that the concerns and views of business and industry are taken into account in the review?

[Damian Hinds]

It is vital that the views of industry and business are taken fully into account. I know that the independent panel will listen to them carefully.