Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to ensure that the Edenred school voucher system includes the Co-op stores.
Answered by Vicky Ford
As both my right hon. Friends, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.
The national voucher scheme for free school meals currently includes a variety of supermarkets. Initially, the scheme included supermarkets that already have e-gift card arrangements in place with our supplier, Edenred, including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose. On Monday 27 April, we added Aldi to this list and on Wednesday 29 April, we added McColl’s. We have been working with other supermarkets to encourage them to join. Any additional supermarkets would need to have the right infrastructure to deliver e-gift cards across their network of stores.
Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate free school meal arrangements for eligible pupils during this period. This can include food parcel arrangements, alternative voucher arrangements or provision through the national voucher scheme. Our guidance for schools sets out that they can be reimbursed for costs incurred where the national voucher scheme is not suitable for their families. This can include alternative voucher arrangements with supermarkets that are not part of the national voucher scheme.
Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate free school meal arrangements for eligible pupils during this period. This can include food parcel arrangements, alternative voucher arrangements or provision through the national voucher scheme. Our guidance for schools sets out that they can be reimbursed for costs incurred where the national voucher scheme is not suitable for their families. This can include alternative voucher arrangements with supermarkets that are not part of the national voucher scheme.
We have been working closely with the Co-op and welcome their efforts to support families across the country. We thank all supermarkets for their hard work during these challenging times.
These are rapidly developing circumstances. We continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has had discussions with exam boards on ensuring that autumn exams are held (a) at a financial loss to and (b) with other financial implications for exam boards in (i) geology, (ii) history of art and (iii) other subjects with a small cohort of students.
Answered by Nick Gibb
We are discussing arrangements for the Autumn GCSE and A level exam series with the exam boards and with Ofqual, the independent qualifications regulator. Ofqual will set out further proposals for consultation as soon as possible.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to require Edenred to set a maximum wait time to log in and use the school voucher system to generate vouchers.
Answered by Vicky Ford
As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.
During this period, we are asking schools to support children eligible for free school meals by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children and we encourage this approach where it is possible.
However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.
We understand that other approaches, such as providing food parcels or purchasing vouchers for shops currently not included in the national scheme, may mean that schools incur additional expenses. Guidance is available setting out how we will compensate schools who incur these additional costs in providing free school meals or vouchers: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-schools.
We are monitoring the use of the national voucher scheme on a daily basis. As of 28 April, our supplier Edenred reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme and as of 11 May, Edenred reported that more than £65 million worth of voucher codes had been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme.
If a family does not have an email address, the school can select an eGift card on the parent or carer’s behalf and print and post the eGift card to them.
We are working very closely with our supplier, Edenred, to improve the performance of the national voucher scheme, including in relation to the waiting times that parents have experienced when accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while we upgrade this service to meet increased demand.
These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that parents who do not have email addresses can access free school meals.
Answered by Vicky Ford
As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.
During this period, we are asking schools to support children eligible for free school meals by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children and we encourage this approach where it is possible.
However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.
We understand that other approaches, such as providing food parcels or purchasing vouchers for shops currently not included in the national scheme, may mean that schools incur additional expenses. Guidance is available setting out how we will compensate schools who incur these additional costs in providing free school meals or vouchers: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-schools.
We are monitoring the use of the national voucher scheme on a daily basis. As of 28 April, our supplier Edenred reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme and as of 11 May, Edenred reported that more than £65 million worth of voucher codes had been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme.
If a family does not have an email address, the school can select an eGift card on the parent or carer’s behalf and print and post the eGift card to them.
We are working very closely with our supplier, Edenred, to improve the performance of the national voucher scheme, including in relation to the waiting times that parents have experienced when accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while we upgrade this service to meet increased demand.
These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will ensure that schools that do not use the Edenred system will be reimbursed in full for each meal provided.
Answered by Vicky Ford
As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.
During this period, we are asking schools to support children eligible for free school meals by providing meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. We know that many schools are successfully delivering food parcels or arranging food collections for eligible children and we encourage this approach where it is possible.
However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for Education.
We understand that other approaches, such as providing food parcels or purchasing vouchers for shops currently not included in the national scheme, may mean that schools incur additional expenses. Guidance is available setting out how we will compensate schools who incur these additional costs in providing free school meals or vouchers: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-schools.
We are monitoring the use of the national voucher scheme on a daily basis. As of 28 April, our supplier Edenred reported that over 16,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme and as of 11 May, Edenred reported that more than £65 million worth of voucher codes had been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme.
If a family does not have an email address, the school can select an eGift card on the parent or carer’s behalf and print and post the eGift card to them.
We are working very closely with our supplier, Edenred, to improve the performance of the national voucher scheme, including in relation to the waiting times that parents have experienced when accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes. We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while we upgrade this service to meet increased demand.
These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with the Education and Skills Funding Agency on (a) auditing guided learning hours and (b) the leaving date that should be recorded by colleges for year 13 students.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
For funding purposes, guided learning hours are not used in the 16 to 19 system, as providers are funded based on planned hours recorded early in the academic year. The auditing of these hours is based on evidence of planned delivery (for example, with a timetable or learning agreement). In the adult education system, we do not use the planned guided learning hours recorded on the Individualised Learner Record, as the funding is based on a series of rates that are attached to each learning aim.
We have stated in our further education operational guidance that we are reviewing the impact of Covid-19 on retention in the 16 to 19 funding formula. We will provide further guidance on this and on recording leaving dates in due course.
To help manage the financial implications due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will continue to pay grant-funded providers their scheduled monthly profiled payments for the remainder of the 2019 to 2020 funding year.
For 2019 to 2020 only, the ESFA will not carry out the final reconciliation for grant-funded providers who are in receipt of the ESFA-funded Adult Education Budget (AEB), which relates to adult skills, community learning, learner and learning support and 19 to 24 traineeships. These providers will be funded in line with the current agreement schedule with no claw-back, subject to the conditions stated in the operational guidance. The conditions are that these providers will be funded unless they had already forecast significant under-delivery in their mid-year returns and that they support furloughed workers to enhance existing or develop new skills. The conditions also include that providers deliver online learning wherever possible, including for ESFA-funded AEB via existing subcontracting arrangements to support existing learners to successfully complete their courses or qualifications, or retain evidence where this is not possible.
ESFA allocations for 2020 to 2021 have been confirmed and payments will be made in line with the national profile.
Looking ahead, for 16 to 19 funding, as we will use data from the 2019 to 2020 academic year to calculate allocations for 2021 to 2022, the ESFA may need to apply a different approach to a number of elements within 16 to 19 funding. Where appropriate, we will therefore use alternative data sources to calculate allocations for 2021 to 2022 to ensure, as far as possible, that there is not a disproportionate impact on funding.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assurances he has provided to colleges that do not record the expected guided learning hours that no financial loss will be incurred as a result of moving to online learning during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
For funding purposes, guided learning hours are not used in the 16 to 19 system, as providers are funded based on planned hours recorded early in the academic year. The auditing of these hours is based on evidence of planned delivery (for example, with a timetable or learning agreement). In the adult education system, we do not use the planned guided learning hours recorded on the Individualised Learner Record, as the funding is based on a series of rates that are attached to each learning aim.
We have stated in our further education operational guidance that we are reviewing the impact of Covid-19 on retention in the 16 to 19 funding formula. We will provide further guidance on this and on recording leaving dates in due course.
To help manage the financial implications due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will continue to pay grant-funded providers their scheduled monthly profiled payments for the remainder of the 2019 to 2020 funding year.
For 2019 to 2020 only, the ESFA will not carry out the final reconciliation for grant-funded providers who are in receipt of the ESFA-funded Adult Education Budget (AEB), which relates to adult skills, community learning, learner and learning support and 19 to 24 traineeships. These providers will be funded in line with the current agreement schedule with no claw-back, subject to the conditions stated in the operational guidance. The conditions are that these providers will be funded unless they had already forecast significant under-delivery in their mid-year returns and that they support furloughed workers to enhance existing or develop new skills. The conditions also include that providers deliver online learning wherever possible, including for ESFA-funded AEB via existing subcontracting arrangements to support existing learners to successfully complete their courses or qualifications, or retain evidence where this is not possible.
ESFA allocations for 2020 to 2021 have been confirmed and payments will be made in line with the national profile.
Looking ahead, for 16 to 19 funding, as we will use data from the 2019 to 2020 academic year to calculate allocations for 2021 to 2022, the ESFA may need to apply a different approach to a number of elements within 16 to 19 funding. Where appropriate, we will therefore use alternative data sources to calculate allocations for 2021 to 2022 to ensure, as far as possible, that there is not a disproportionate impact on funding.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking with Edenred to ensure the timely receipt of free school vouchers by schools.
Answered by Vicky Ford
As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.
We are encouraging schools to use existing catering arrangements to provide meals or food parcels to pupils who are eligible for free school meals while they are staying at home. Where this is not possible, the Department for Education has developed a national voucher scheme as an alternative to support schools with this process.
We are working very closely with our supplier, Edenred, to improve the performance of the national voucher scheme, including in relation to the waiting times that parents and schools have experienced when accessing the website to redeem their voucher codes or place orders. Edenred has reported that over £65 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme as of Monday 11 May.
Once an eCode has been ordered, it will be sent within four days. Edenred is keeping schools informed of the status of orders once they have been placed. Schools can choose to ‘bulk order’ eCodes for regular distribution (e.g. on a weekly basis), in which case the eCode will be sent on or before the date specified. The eCodes must then be redeemed to create an eGift card, which will be received within 24 hours. We continue to work closely with our supplier and with schools to increase the speed at which orders can be processed.
We are very grateful to families and schools for their understanding and patience while we upgrade this service to meet increased demand.
These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when Ofsted inspections are planned to re-start.
Answered by Nick Gibb
As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19. We recognise that this is an extremely challenging time for leaders and staff in our education and care settings.
In the current circumstances, it is right that routine Ofsted inspections in the school, further education, early years, local authority and care sectors are suspended. Ofsted retains the power to inspect in all these areas, and will use its powers if it has significant concerns. Ofsted also continues to register and regulate children’s social care, childminding and nurseries.
No date has been set for a return to routine inspection at this time. We will continue to work closely with HM Chief Inspector, and the sectors Ofsted inspects, in determining when it will be appropriate to re-start routine inspections.
We continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, how many vouchers have been issued under the national voucher scheme to families whose children are eligible for free school meals; and what proportion of those vouchers have been used.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Our national voucher scheme is playing a significant role in ensuring that eligible pupils can still receive free school meals while they are staying at home due to the coronavirus outbreak. The scheme offers a valuable service where schools are unable to arrange meals or food parcels through their existing food suppliers.
In the maintaining educational provision guidance, we ask schools to continue to provide care for a limited number of children, including those who are vulnerable and children whose parents are critical to the coronavirus (COVID-19) response and cannot be safely cared for at home. Some schools are making their own arrangements for vulnerable children and schools are providing funding to support this.
The value of the vouchers redeemed into gift cards by parents and schools has increased significantly since the start of the summer term. Edenred has reported that over £29m worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the scheme as of Monday 27 April. Edenred has also reported that over 15,500 schools had placed orders for the scheme as of Wednesday 22 April.