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Written Question
Arts: English Baccalaureate
Thursday 25th April 2019

Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of the English Baccalaureate on access to creative subjects.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Government is clear that the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) should be studied as part of a broad and balanced curriculum. It is limited in size in order to allow pupils to continue to study additional subjects that reflect their individual interests and strengths, including arts subjects. The proportion of pupils taking at least one Arts GCSE has fluctuated but remained broadly stable since the EBacc was introduced in 2010

Arts subjects are not limited to the classroom, and according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Taking Part Survey, in 2017-18, 96% of children aged 5-15 had engaged with the arts in the past 12 months[1]. The government is providing almost £500 million of funding between 2016-20 for arts and cultural education programmes.

[1] The arts cover music activities, theatre/drama, reading/writing, arts crafts and design, film, video, media, and radio activities, dance activities, street arts, circus, carnival, and festival activities.


Written Question
Pupil Exclusions: Reviews
Friday 8th February 2019

Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the review of exclusions practice led by Edward Timpson CBE will publish its final report.

Answered by Nick Gibb

​In March 2018, the Government launched an externally-led review of exclusions practice, led by Edward Timpson CBE. The review is exploring how head teachers use exclusion, and why pupils with particular characteristics are more likely to be excluded from school. It is also considering the differences in exclusion rates across primary and secondary schools in England.

​The review has gathered substantial evidence, including over 900 submissions to the call for evidence. Edward Timpson has also chaired a series of roundtables and the review has met with over 100 organisations and individuals, including schools, local authorities, parents and children. The review will report in this term.


Written Question
Care Leavers
Thursday 13th September 2018

Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the guidance, Staying put: arrangements for care leavers aged 18 years and above, published on 22 May 2013, what progress the Government has made on implementing the staying put policy.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

Staying Put has helped thousands of care leavers to continue to benefit from a stable and secure family setting and to prepare for independence at a more gradual pace rather than facing a ‘cliff-edge’ at the age of 18. The policy has been welcomed by care leavers and the sector.

The latest data for the year ending March 2017 shows that 51% of those ceasing to be looked after in a foster placement on their 18th birthday remained with their former foster carer. In addition, 25% of 19 and 20 year olds were still living with their former foster carers.


Written Question
Care Leavers
Thursday 13th September 2018

Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress the Government has made on its staying close scheme for children leaving residential care; and how many such children have been involved in that scheme.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

We are providing around £6 million in the period 2018 to 2019 and in the period 2019 to 2020 for a national pilot of Staying Close in eight sites.

These pilots provide an enhanced support offer for those leaving residential care. The support offer includes an accommodation offer close to their former children’s home alongside practical and emotional support from a member of staff from their former children's home whom they know and trust.

Reports from the pilots show that 120 care leavers participated in the Staying Close pilots from January 2018 to July 2018.

A full evaluation will be available when the pilots end in March 2020.


Written Question
Foster Care: Care Leavers
Thursday 13th September 2018

Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the guidance, Staying put: arrangements for care leavers aged 18 years and above, published on 22 May 2013, what progress the Government has made on implementing the staying put policy.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

Staying Put has helped thousands of care leavers to continue to benefit from a stable and secure family setting and to prepare for independence at a more gradual pace rather than facing a ‘cliff-edge’ at the age of 18. The policy has been welcomed by care leavers and the sector.

The latest data for the year ending March 2017 shows that 51% of those ceasing to be looked after in a foster placement on their 18th birthday remained with their former foster carer. In addition, 25% of 19 and 20 year olds were still living with their former foster carers.


Written Question
Primary Education: Free School Meals
Tuesday 27th March 2018

Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of primary school children were eligible for free schools meals in (a) 2009-2010, (b) 2013-2014 and (c) 2017-2018.

Answered by Nadhim Zahawi

For 2010, the number and percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals are 717,060 and 17.3%, respectively.

For 2014, the number and percentage of pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals are 755,485 and 17.0%, respectively.

For 2017, the number and percentage of pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals are 666,708 and 14.1%, respectively.

The ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics: January 2018’ statistical release will be released in June 2018, (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2018).


Written Question
Erasmus+ Programme
Thursday 27th April 2017

Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has made to her EU counterparts on the UK continuing to participate in the Erasmus programme after the UK leaves the EU.

Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone

The Department recognises the value of international exchange and collaboration in education, as part of our vision for the UK as a global nation. There may be European programmes in which we might want to participate. We will consider this as part of the negotiation.


Written Question
Teachers: Pension Rights
Monday 24th April 2017

Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to equalise survivors' benefits from the Teachers' Pension Scheme for widowers, civil partners and same sex married couples with those for widows.

Answered by Nick Gibb

There are no plans to review survivors’ benefits from the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. It has been the policy of successive Governments that any changes or improvements to public service pension schemes are not normally applied retrospectively. This policy protects the current membership and taxpayers from having to meet unforeseen additional costs that were not previously taken into account, and to which those who would benefit have not contributed towards.


Written Question
Schools: Finance
Monday 12th September 2016

Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department issues guidance on the proportion of a school's annual budget it considers prudent for a school to hold as a cash balance.

Answered by Nick Gibb

For maintained schools, local authorities have devolved responsibility for their funding and determine locally their balance control mechanisms. For academies, the Trustees determine the appropriate level of reserves that the Trust should hold in accordance with their responsibilities under Charity Law. The Department monitors the overall level of balances across the sector and keeps this under review.


Written Question
Teachers: Veterans
Monday 12th September 2016

Asked by: Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative - Stafford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on expanding the Troops to Teachers scheme.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The September 2016 cohort of Troops to Teachers is the last to be delivered under the current contract by the University of Brighton. Future options for Service leavers to train as teachers are currently being considered.