Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2015 to the hon. Member for East Ham to Question 9951, if she will make it her policy to include attainment at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 in the education indicator in her Department's proposed Life Chances report.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
Education is important which is why we are legislating to introduce new life chances measures of worklessness and educational attainment at the end of Key Stage 4, which is the culmination of formal education, for children in England. The department will continue to publish other educational data in relation to attainment at Key Stages 1 and 2.
Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if the Government will use Sure Start centres to provide additional childcare as part of its policy of extending free childcare to 30 hours per week.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
Children’s centres provide a valuable service. They have the potential to make a critical difference to young families at vulnerable and challenging times in their lives. Local authorities are best placed to determine what children’s centre services best meet the needs of their local community, including the role they should play in delivering childcare provision.
Asked by: Harry Harpham (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to maintain the number of sure start centres in England.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
It is up to local authorities to decide how to organise and commission services from children’s centres in their areas. They are best placed to understand local needs and the different ways they can be supported locally. Local authorities must demonstrate that they have devised ways to ensure that services continue; what matters is the quality and impact of services, and how local needs are being supported.
We are clear in statutory guidance that there is a presumption against closure, and local authorities have a duty to consult where changes are planned to local children’s centre provision.