Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of children accessing the free early education entitlement for under two-year-olds in Coventry.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
The government does not offer a funded early education entitlement for under 2-year-olds.
For families with children under 2, the government provides support with up to 85% of childcare costs through Universal Credit and parents being given £2 for every £8 spent on childcare through Tax-Free Childcare.
As of January 2019, 1,102 2-year-old children benefited from funded early years education at providers within Coventry local authority.
The number of 2-year-old children benefiting from funded early years education by region and local authority is available within Table 1LA at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/education-provision-children-under-5-years-of-age-january-2019. The percentage of 2-year-old children benefiting from funded early education can be found within Table 8LA.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in (a) Coventry and (b) the UK are planning to become new academy schools within the next 12 months.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate he has made of the gender pay gap in higher education (a) at Coventry University, (b) at Warwick University and (c) in the UK.
Answered by Gavin Williamson
Since April 2017, employers with more than 250 staff are required by law to annually report gender pay gap information. All of the gender pay gap data published by organisations, including Coventry University and Warwick University, is available on the government’s reporting website: https://gender-pay-gap.service.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of pupils learning about the British Empire at (a) GCSE and (b) A level.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The history curriculum gives teachers and schools the freedom and flexibility to use specific examples from history to teach pupils about the history of Britain and the wider world. This can include the topic of the British Empire. Schools and teachers are able to determine which examples, topics and resources to use to stimulate and challenge pupils, as well as reflect key points in history. A high quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past, and that of the wider world.
The Department does not estimate the numbers of pupils being taught specific topics within the curriculum. Entries to history GCSE have increased by 7% from 2018, and there has been a 5% increase to A level history this year, meaning that history A level entries are now at a higher level than in 2010.
The Department sets out the subject content for GCSE and A level history. Within this framework, exam boards have the flexibility to offer a greater focus on particular knowledge areas within the scope of the subject content, including, if they choose, the British Empire. Exam boards can only award GCSEs and A levels once the Office for Qualifications and Examinations regulation (Ofqual) accredits them. Ofqual accredits qualifications when it is confident that the exam board can comply with the requirements for the qualification on an ongoing basis.
Although the subject content does not specifically require teaching on the British Empire, both GCSE and A level history must include a substantial element of British history and/or the history of England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales. The new GCSE subject content requires a minimum of 40% British history, and the new A level subject content requires a minimum of 20% British history.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the (a) quality and (b) quantity of British Empire history modules offered by exam boards at (a) GCSE and (b) A level.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The history curriculum gives teachers and schools the freedom and flexibility to use specific examples from history to teach pupils about the history of Britain and the wider world. This can include the topic of the British Empire. Schools and teachers are able to determine which examples, topics and resources to use to stimulate and challenge pupils, as well as reflect key points in history. A high quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past, and that of the wider world.
The Department does not estimate the numbers of pupils being taught specific topics within the curriculum. Entries to history GCSE have increased by 7% from 2018, and there has been a 5% increase to A level history this year, meaning that history A level entries are now at a higher level than in 2010.
The Department sets out the subject content for GCSE and A level history. Within this framework, exam boards have the flexibility to offer a greater focus on particular knowledge areas within the scope of the subject content, including, if they choose, the British Empire. Exam boards can only award GCSEs and A levels once the Office for Qualifications and Examinations regulation (Ofqual) accredits them. Ofqual accredits qualifications when it is confident that the exam board can comply with the requirements for the qualification on an ongoing basis.
Although the subject content does not specifically require teaching on the British Empire, both GCSE and A level history must include a substantial element of British history and/or the history of England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales. The new GCSE subject content requires a minimum of 40% British history, and the new A level subject content requires a minimum of 20% British history.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to improve training on LGBT matters for secondary school teachers.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rests with schools, headteachers, and teachers. The Department does not decide how much of a school’s budget should be used for teachers’ professional development. They are helped by the Standard for Teachers’ Professional Development, which was developed by an expert group of headteachers, teachers and academics. This supports teachers and headteachers to understand what makes professional development effective and how to make choices to prioritise high quality professional development.
Initial Teacher Training providers should also equip trainee teachers to analyse the strengths and needs of all pupils effectively, ensuring that trainees have an understanding of cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and mental health factors that can inhibit pupils’ education.
The Department has previously announced funding of up to £6 million in this financial year to support schools in delivering high quality teaching of relationships education in all primary schools, relationships and sex education in all secondary schools and health education in all schools. This funding will focus on developing a programme to help all schools improve their teaching practice, such as an implementation guide, easy access to high quality resources, and support for staff training. The Department will ensure that all of the materials supporting implementation of the new subjects are inclusive.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to increase funding allocated to training for secondary school teachers on LGBT matters.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rests with schools, headteachers, and teachers. The Department does not decide how much of a school’s budget should be used for teachers’ professional development. They are helped by the Standard for Teachers’ Professional Development, which was developed by an expert group of headteachers, teachers and academics. This supports teachers and headteachers to understand what makes professional development effective and how to make choices to prioritise high quality professional development.
Initial Teacher Training providers should also equip trainee teachers to analyse the strengths and needs of all pupils effectively, ensuring that trainees have an understanding of cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and mental health factors that can inhibit pupils’ education.
The Department has previously announced funding of up to £6 million in this financial year to support schools in delivering high quality teaching of relationships education in all primary schools, relationships and sex education in all secondary schools and health education in all schools. This funding will focus on developing a programme to help all schools improve their teaching practice, such as an implementation guide, easy access to high quality resources, and support for staff training. The Department will ensure that all of the materials supporting implementation of the new subjects are inclusive.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the average salary of executive heads at academy schools in (a) London and (b) outside London.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
The attached table provides the number and average salary details of executive headteachers in academy schools in London, all other regions and England for the years 2016 to 2018. Figures for local authority maintained schools are included for context.
The department would expect executive headteacher roles in academies to be more highly paid as they generally have a wider range of responsibilities compared to headteachers in local authority schools.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of school staff members who are paid more than £150,000 a year.
Answered by Nick Gibb
There were 66 teachers recorded with a salary of over £150,000 in the November 2018 school workforce census; all were in head or executive headteacher grades.