Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department is providing to ensure that schools and other relevant agencies are working with all children and young people to ensure that (a) misogyny and sexism are challenged and (b) such attitudes, actions and behaviours are not normalised or trivialised within schools; what steps his Department is taking to ensure that progress in both those areas is monitored; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
The new statutory guidance for relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), which came into force in September 2020, emphasises that schools should be alive to issues such as everyday sexism, misogyny, homophobia and gender stereotypes, and take positive action to build a culture where these are not tolerated, and any occurrences are identified and tackled. The guidance states that schools should make clear that sexual violence and sexual harassment are not acceptable, will never be tolerated and are not an inevitable part of growing up.
Following Ofsted’s review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges, the department has committed to developing additional support to help teachers deliver statutory RSHE effectively and confidently. The government’s October 2021 ‘Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy’ emphasises the importance of educational interventions to change harmful attitudes. To ensure consistency of approach, the department will develop non-statutory guidance, monitor and evaluate teacher confidence to deliver these difficult topics, and continue to build a programme of support that meets teachers’ needs.
The department has also recently published revised statutory guidance, ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, which has been strengthened to better support schools and colleges to prevent abuse, identify abuse, and respond appropriately where abuse is reported. The department will be launching a consultation later this year on the non-statutory behaviour and discipline guidance which will provide more practical advice to schools about how to encourage good behaviour and respond effectively to incidents of poor behaviour, including advice on how to create a safe and respectful school culture in which sexual harassment and violence are not tolerated.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the reporting to education professionals of sexual harassment via (a) social media and (b) other means is fit for purpose; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Will Quince
Following Ofsted’s review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges, the department considered the effectiveness of reporting mechanisms. Amended statutory safeguarding guidance for schools and colleges, Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), came into force on 1 September 2021, alongside revised departmental advice on sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges. The guidance has been strengthened and updated following a public consultation and considering the findings from the Ofsted Review.
KCSIE provides detailed advice on how schools and colleges, generally led by their designated safeguarding lead, should respond to any report of sexual violence or sexual harassment. It sets out the importance of reporting systems that are well promoted, easily understood and easily accessible for children to confidently report abuse, knowing their concerns will be treated seriously. KCSIE and the departmental advice remain under constant review.
Ofsted inspectors will always report on whether arrangements for safeguarding children are effective.
The ‘Reporting Abuse in Education’ helpline was set up on 1 April and is available for those who may not be comfortable reporting abuse via their school or college.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2021 to Question 168825 on Languages: GCE A-level and GCSE and with reference to the data in provided in the Other modern languages category for each of the years from 2015-16 to 2019-20, how many entries there were for pupils studying (a) Arabic, (b) Bengali, (c) Chinese, (d) Gujarati, (e) Japanese, (f) Punjabi, (g) Persian and (h) Urdu at A-level; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The number of A level entries1 by students in England aged 16 to 182 in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Japanese, Punjabi, Persian and Urdu between 2015/16 – 2019/20 are provided in the table below:
| Subject entries5 |
| |||||
2015/163 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/204 |
| ||
Arabic | 460 | 485 | 504 | 615 | 276 |
| |
Bengali | 34 | 38 | 23 | 28 | 7 |
| |
Chinese | 2445 | 2517 | 2816 | 1924 | 1402 |
| |
Gujarati | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 6 |
| |
Japanese | 179 | 170 | 202 | 177 | 78 |
| |
Persian | 129 | 121 | 137 | 150 | 51 |
| |
Punjabi | 87 | 91 | 106 | 97 | 59 |
| |
Urdu | 317 | 325 | 341 | 339 | 188 |
| |
1. Covers A level examination results for the academic year specified in England in all schools and colleges. |
| ||||||
2. Covers students aged 16, 17 or 18 at the start of the relevant academic year, i.e. 31 August. | |||||||
3. Final data; data for all other years is revised data except 2019/20 | |||||||
4. Provisional data; data for all other years is revised data except 2015/16 | |||||||
5. Where more than one A level is taken by a student in the same subject ‘discounting’ rules have been applied to ensure performance measures only give credit once for teaching a single course of study. | |||||||
Note: the number of A level entries is influenced by the overall population of students at the end of 16 to 18 study, which was around 16,000 fewer in 2019/20 than 2018/19, or a decrease of 2.6%.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2021 to Question 168825 on Languages: GCE A-level and GCSE and with reference to the data in provided in the Other modern languages category for each of the years from 2015-16 to 2019-20, how many entries there were for pupils studying (a) Arabic, (b) Bengali, (c) Chinese, (d) Gujarati, (e) Japanese, (f) Punjabi, (g) Persian and (h) Urdu at GCSE level; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The number of GCSE entries[1] by pupils[2] in all schools in England at the end of Key Stage 4 in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Japanese, Punjabi, Persian and Urdu between 2015/16 – 2019/20[3] are provided in the table below:
Number of entries | |||||
| 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 |
Arabic | 3,481 | 3,575 | 3,870 | 2,443 | 2,965 |
Bengali | 797 | 718 | 693 | 445 | 454 |
Chinese | 3,575 | 3,654 | 3,629 | 2,190 | 2,774 |
Guajarati | 617 | 503 | 542 | 431 | 144 |
Japanese | 751 | 810 | 750 | 455 | 557 |
Persian | 413 | 400 | 394 | 394 | 132 |
Punjabi | 853 | 827 | 870 | 508 | 646 |
Urdu | 4,005 | 3,797 | 3,800 | 3,038 | 3,317 |
[1] Covers GCSE level entries for the academic year specified in England in all schools. All schools include state-funded schools, independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision.
[2] Includes entries and achievements by these pupils in previous academic years and includes pupils who were absent, whose results are pending and results which are ungraded or unclassified.
[3] The latest year figures are revised, all other years are final.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many widowers of female teachers who belonged to the Teachers' Pension Scheme are receiving smaller survivor pensions than they would have received if they had been the widower of a male teacher; and what proportion of those widowers will receive improved survivor pensions following the Goodwin Tribunal; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
There are 12,852 widowers of female scheme members who are, or may be, receiving a pension lower than they would if they were the widower of a male member. All affected widowers have been identified and will have their benefits corrected, with arrears if appropriate, as soon as practicable. The scheme administrator will soon begin writing to widowers who are affected to notify them of the change.
A Written Ministerial Statement following the Goodwin Employment Tribunal case was made on 20 July 2020 by the Chief Secretary to Her Majesty’s Treasury: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2020-07-20/hcws397.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many entries there were for exams in foreign languages at (a) GCSE and (b) A-level by each language in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The number of pupils, in England[1][2], at the end of Key Stage 4, who entered into GCSE by each language between 2015/16 – 2019/20[3] are provided in the table attachment.
We know that employers value languages and they are increasingly important in realising the ambitions of Global Britain. We recently launched a consultation on reforming the GCSE in French, German, and Spanish to make it more accessible. Our £4.8 million pilot led by the National Centre for Excellence in Language Pedagogy at the University of York aims to improve uptake and attainment in languages at Key Stages 3 and 4, and to share best practice in pedagogy.
For A level results of all students aged 16-18 by foreign language subject please see table attachment. Note, the number of A level entries is influenced by the overall population of students at the end of 16 to 18 study, which was around 16,000 fewer in 2019/20 than 2018/19, or a decrease of 2.6%.
In addition, some of the decline in language entries in 2019/20 is due to private candidates, who make up a disproportionate number of entries in these subjects, not being able to get a Centre Assessment Grade.
[1] All schools include state-funded schools, independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision.
[2] Includes entries and achievements by these pupils in previous academic years.
[3] Total number of entries include pupils who were absent, whose results are pending and results which are ungraded or unclassified.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to Answer of 23 October 2020 to Question 104028 on Primary Education: Harrow West, how much additional funding for unavoidable costs incurred during the covid-19 outbreak has been disbursed to (a) Hatch End School and (b) other schools in Harrow West; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department has thoroughly assessed all claims to the COVID-19 exceptional costs fund where schools claimed for costs other than the standard categories set out in the guidance and have determined there were no additional categories of extraordinary costs that we are able to reimburse. As a result, the funding Hatch End School and other schools in Harrow West have received from the COVID-19 exceptional costs fund remains unchanged from the figures provided in my answer to Question 104028 here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2020-10-15/104028.
The Department has opened a second claims window for schools to claim from the fund for any costs that fell between March and July in the same approved categories, for which they did not claim during the first window. Information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/claiming-exceptional-costs-associated-with-coronavirus-covid-19/exceptional-costs-associated-with-coronavirus-covid-19--2.
In addition to this, the Department has announced a new COVID-19 workforce fund for schools and colleges to help them to remain open. It will fund the costs of teacher absences over a threshold in schools and colleges with high staff absences that are also facing significant financial pressures. Guidance on the claims process will be published shortly so schools and colleges have confidence in the costs they can incur and be eligible to reclaim.
To support schools in making up for lost teaching time, there is a £1 billion catch up package for schools, which includes a universal £650 million ‘Catch Up Premium’. An initial payment of the premium (25% of the total) has been made to schools. Data published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium-provisional-allocations shows that Hatch End School received £18,300 in the autumn payments, and schools in Harrow West received £280,920 in total.
Alongside this, the catch up package includes a National Tutoring Programme (NTP) which will provide additional, targeted support for disadvantaged 5-16 year olds who need the most help to catch up. The programme has two pillars which can be accessed by schools. Firstly, schools will be able to access high quality, subsidised tuition from a selection of approved Tuition Partners. Schools can access information about Tuition Partners here: https://nationaltutoring.org.uk/ntp-tuition-partners. The second pillar supports schools in the most disadvantaged areas to employ in-house Academic Mentors who can provide small group and one-to-one tuition to selected pupils. If schools in Harrow West would like to check their eligibility and register their interest for a Mentor, they can do so here: https://www.teachfirst.org.uk/hire-academic-mentors. In addition to the 5-16 programme, the NTP will provide funding to support small group tuition for 16-19 years olds: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-16-to-19-tuition-fund. The NTP will also provide funding to support an early language skills programme for reception-aged children: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/catch-up-premium-coronavirus-covid-19/the-reception-year-early-language-programme-neli.
The Department will continue to review the pressures schools are facing into next term and what further actions might be needed.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to require his Department and its agencies to provide a payroll deduction service to allow staff to save more easily with a credit union; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The facility to deduct money and send this to a credit union is not currently offered by the Department or its Executive Agencies. However, the feasibility and costs of doing so would be considered if there were sufficient demand.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November to Question 106214 how many and what proportion of pupils in receipt of free school meals have been given laptops in each school in Harrow since March 2020.
Answered by Nick Gibb
As part of over £195 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care, over 340,000 laptops and tablets are being made available this term to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Year 3 to 11 whose face-to-face education may be disrupted.
This supplements over 220,000 laptops and tablets which have already been delivered during the summer term. This represents an injection of over 500,000 laptops and tablets by the end of the year.
Laptops and tablets are owned by schools, trusts or local authorities who can lend these to children and young people who need them the most in the event that they experience disruption to face-to-face education due to COVID-19. In many cases, this will be children who are also eligible for free school meals.
Data about the number of laptops and tablets delivered and provided as of 27 August 2020 is published here, which includes those delivered to Harrow Council and trusts in the Harrow region: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/912888/Devices_and_4G_wireless_routers_progress_data_as_of_27_August_2020.pdf.
Information on the devices provided this term to schools, local authorities and academy trusts, as of 23 October 2020, is published here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/929064/Ad-hoc_stats_note_shipped_data_231020_FINAL.pdf.