Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the evidential basis is for the Government's policy that there should be one technical certificate offered by only one awarding organisation; and what assessment she has made of the risks for post-16 education of that policy.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Following the Wolf Report[1], the Government removed thousands of low-quality qualifications that were not valued by employers from accountability measures. However, as highlighted in the Technical Education Reform Case for Change[2], there is still a confusing array of qualifications available to learners and employers, who struggle to identify which are appropriate for their skills needs. Learners are also faced with variation within programmes and training methods vary widely.
The Independent Panel on Technical Education, chaired by Lord Sainsbury[3], was formed to advise the Government on measures that could improve technical education in England. Through considering best practice in the UK and internationally, and consultation with employers, providers and young people, the Independent Panel recommended moving away from the current awarding organisation market model, where qualifications that deliver similar but different outcomes compete with one another, and instead adopt a licensing approach[4].
The Government has accepted this recommendation based on the evidence set out in the Panel’s report[5] and through considering its own evidence base as set out in the Technical Education Reform Case for Change. In particular, the Panel identified evidence that suggested ‘the current system of awarding organisations which operate in many parts of the UK (but works differently in Scotland) has very serious drawbacks. The proliferation of competing qualifications in England and Northern Ireland undermines the labour market value of vocational qualifications, and prevents employers from engaging effectively in the construction of qualifications.[6]’ The Panel also examined international technical education systems, finding our market-based approach to awarding qualifications appeared to be unique.
Based on the evidence considered, the Panel believe that the simplicity and clarity offered by a licensing approach would bring many advantages to employers and individuals alike.
The Government is undertaking further work to fully understand the benefits and effectively mitigate any risks this new approach may pose to post-16 education.
[1] Wolf, A. (2011), Review of Vocational Education – The Wolf Report. (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/180504/DFE-00031-2011.pdf)
[2] Page 17, Department for Education (2016), Technical education reform: the case for change. (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536048/Technical_Education_Reform_-_Case_For_Change.pdf)
[3] Department for Education (2016), Report of the Independent Panel on Technical Education.( https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536046/Report_of_the_Independent_Panel_on_Technical_Education.pdf)
[4] Page 43, Department for Education (2016), Report of the Independent Panel on Technical Education
[5] Page 6, Department for Education (2016), Post-16 Skills Plan. (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536043/Post-16_Skills_Plan.pdf)
[6] Page 42, Department for Education (2016), Report of the Independent Panel on Technical Education
Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the role of independent training providers in post-16 years' education.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Independent providers deliver a wide range of post-16 education, including apprenticeship training, and the Government expects that to continue.
Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish an updated timetable on the development of the Institute for Apprenticeships.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Institute for Apprenticeships will come into being in April 2017. We expect to publish further information about how the Institute will operate in due course.
Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage nurseries to teach early language skills.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards for the provision of learning, development and care for children from birth to five year olds that all registered early years providers such as maintained nurseries must follow. Within the EYFS, there are several areas of learning and development that shape the educational programme in the early years settings, one of which is communication and language.
The EYFS makes clear that children should be given opportunities to experience a rich language environment to help them develop the confidence and skills they need to express themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations. The EYFS requires practitioners to ensure all children have the opportunities to learn and develop a good standard of English language to ensure they are ready to benefit from the opportunities available to them when they begin primary school.
We have also worked closely with 4Children to develop the What to Expect, When? guide which illustrates to parents and early years providers the tools they can use to help their children’s language development from birth to five years old, and can be found at: http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2015/03/what-to-expect-when-a-parents-guide/
The Department for Education has also awarded £5.3 million to voluntary and community sector organisations of which a number are supporting staff to develop strong pedagogical approaches to language development and early literacy.
Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to remove any contractual gagging orders or similar measures applicable to staff in the West Midlands involved in the ongoing investigation into school governance in that area led by Ian Kershaw.
Answered by Edward Timpson
The Department for Education hopes that any individual with relevant information about the serious allegations made in relation to a number of schools in Birmingham will come forward and share this with the Education Commissioner, Peter Clarke, and Ian Kershaw, the Chief Adviser for Birmingham City Council's investigation.
Amendments to The Employment Relations Act 1996, introduced by the Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA) 1998, mean that any confidentiality clauses in settlement agreements cannot have the effect of preventing a protected disclosure and any provision will be void to the extent it seeks to do so. The Department revised the model settlement agreements for new academies in January to make this absolutely clear. The PIDA Act 1998 also introduced provisions to protect workers from detrimental treatment or victimisation from their employer if, in the public interest, they blow the whistle on wrongdoing.
Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will direct the Park View Educational Trust to disclose the sources of other income, donations or fundraisers as identified in their accounts.
Answered by Edward Timpson
Under the terms of their funding agreements with my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, all academy trusts are required to prepare annual financial statements in accordance with company, charity and public accountability requirements. Academy trusts are required to have their financial statements audited by a registered auditor, including the regularity of income and expenditure. Disclosure requirements are set out in the Academies Accounts Direction, which is available at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-accounts-direction-2013
Asked by: Khalid Mahmood (Labour - Birmingham, Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons eight of the 13 governors from Park View Academy resigned within five months of its transfer to academy status.
Answered by Edward Timpson
Governors may resign at any time for their own reasons; they do not need to tell the Department for Education or their fellow governors why.
The Department's preference is for small and manageable, skill-based strategic governing bodies as these are more effective, and it will normally recommend this when an academy trust is first formed. The governance arrangements for an academy trust are set out in its articles of association.
Park View Educational Trust has told the Department that there was a need to rationalise the governing body to ensure it could operate more effectively, and in order to comply with the Department's preferred model when other academies joined the trust to form a multi-academy trust.
We are aware of the serious allegations made in relation to some local authority schools and academies in Birmingham. Park View Academy has recently been inspected by Ofsted, and officials from the Department have also visited the school. We will not hesitate to take firm action if the high standards and requirements expected of schools are not being met – in particular, where we become aware of issues of concern in an academy we will move quickly to resolve these. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.