Debates between Helen Hayes and Nadhim Zahawi during the 2017-2019 Parliament

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Helen Hayes and Nadhim Zahawi
Monday 4th February 2019

(5 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Helen Hayes Portrait Helen Hayes (Dulwich and West Norwood) (Lab)
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T6. This morning, Chief Superintendent Ade Adelekan of the Metropolitan police’s violent crime taskforce described the factors common to many young people involved in knife crime and gangs, the foremost of which is exclusion from school. What action is the Secretary of State taking to ensure that academy schools, which are accountable not to local authorities but directly to him, stop illegitimately off-rolling pupils to boost those schools’ exam results, to the ultimate cost of vulnerable young people and our communities?

Nadhim Zahawi Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Nadhim Zahawi)
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Off-rolling of pupils is illegal. Edward Timpson’s review is in progress and will report very soon. Exclusion from school must not mean exclusion from education. Our priority in the Department is to make sure that AP—alternative provision—works for those children who cannot go to mainstream school.