Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to encourage students with low literacy rates to develop a love of reading.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
High and rising school standards, with excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.
The department knows that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits. There are a number of strong links with attainment, such as the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study report, which found a 34 point difference in reading performance between pupils in England who “very much” liked reading and pupils who “do not” like reading. Additionally, the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment study found that enjoyment of reading links to pupils’ reading engagement, and that reading engagement was strongly positively correlated with reading performance. There is also a strong evidence base linking reading for pleasure with other positive effects, such as expanding pupils’ knowledge about the world and about language, as well as their understanding of subject-specific academic and technical vocabulary.
Furthermore, pupils who read regularly report heightened levels of social and emotional wellbeing. For many, reading is a form of relaxation, a place to escape everyday challenges, or a source of entertainment. Reading allows readers to adopt new perspectives, develop empathy and become more socially conscious.
In recognition of this, the department has implemented a range of measures to support reading for pleasure. The English Hubs programme supports the teaching of phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure, with £23 million committed for the 2024/25 academic year to support this work. Furthermore, the government’s reading framework provides guidance on improving the teaching of reading, to ensure that every child is not only able to read proficiently but also develops a genuine love of reading.
On 5 February, the government announced a £2 million investment to drive high and rising standards in reading and writing. Building on the success of phonics, teachers will receive additional training to help children progress from the early stages of phonics in reception and year 1 through to reading fluently by the time they leave primary school. This will be delivered through the English Hubs programme.
In secondary school, teachers will be offered new training and resources this year to help them support readers at all levels, and next year the department will commission further training that will be focused specifically on struggling readers in secondary school who are at risk of falling behind.
The current national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which will look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, in line with the government’s ambition for a curriculum that delivers excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed increase in employers National Insurance contributions on private suppliers providing local authority-funded home-to-school transport to children with special educational needs.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to support more employers to provide technical apprenticeships.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government’s first mission is to kickstart economic growth. Across the country skills gaps are holding back business growth and the government has committed to widening the apprenticeships offer into a levy-funded growth and skills offer.
Our levy-funded growth and skills offer, with apprenticeships at the heart, will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers in England, aligned with our industrial strategy creating routes into good, skilled jobs in growing industries. As a first step, this will include shorter duration and foundation apprenticeships in targeted sectors, helping more people learn new high-quality skills at work, fuelling innovation in businesses across the country, and providing high-quality entry pathways for young people.
In addition, as Skills England have highlighted, employer demand for higher technical skills at levels 4 and 5 is growing. The department is supporting employers to meet the need for higher technical skills, with over 150 apprenticeship standards approved for delivery at levels 4 and 5. Skills England will also help to ensure that there is a comprehensive suite of apprenticeships, training and technical qualifications for individuals and employers to access, which are aligned with skills gaps and what employers need.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory requirements for nurseries to provide itemised breakdowns of additional service charges.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
In December the government published its Plan for Change, which outlines the priority deliverable for the Opportunity Mission is for a record number of children to be starting school ready to learn, measured by attainment against the early learning goals. This is key to breaking the link between young people’s background and their success. The department is hugely ambitious for the early years because we know how important this is for parents and their children.
It is important that the funded childcare hours are accessible and affordable for all families that need them. That is why the government is taking action to tackle reported instances of parents facing very high additional charges on top of the funded entitlement hours. These could include extra charges for nappies, lunch or other ‘consumables’, which should not be made a condition of accessing a funded place. It is also important that any additional charges are completely transparent to parents.
As part of the department’s regular review of the early years statutory guidance for local authorities, we have engaged with local authorities, providers and groups representing parents to clarify our statutory guidance on charging, including on so-called ‘top up fees’, and are considering how the department can better support local authorities to protect parents from overcharging.
The department will publish its updated statutory guidance in due course.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with childcare providers on (a) changes in the level of additional service charges and (b) their potential impact on working families’ ability to access affordable childcare.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
In December the government published its Plan for Change, which outlines the priority deliverable for the Opportunity Mission is for a record number of children to be starting school ready to learn, measured by attainment against the early learning goals. This is key to breaking the link between young people’s background and their success. The department is hugely ambitious for the early years because we know how important this is for parents and their children.
It is important that the funded childcare hours are accessible and affordable for all families that need them. That is why the government is taking action to tackle reported instances of parents facing very high additional charges on top of the funded entitlement hours. These could include extra charges for nappies, lunch or other ‘consumables’, which should not be made a condition of accessing a funded place. It is also important that any additional charges are completely transparent to parents.
As part of the department’s regular review of the early years statutory guidance for local authorities, we have engaged with local authorities, providers and groups representing parents to clarify our statutory guidance on charging, including on so-called ‘top up fees’, and are considering how the department can better support local authorities to protect parents from overcharging.
The department will publish its updated statutory guidance in due course.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of interest rates for university student loans on (a) students and (b) their families.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Interest rates on student loans do not affect monthly repayments made by borrowers. Regular repayments are based on a fixed percentage of earnings above the applicable repayment threshold, not on amount borrowed or the rate of interest. The income of the wider household/family is not included.
If income is below the relevant repayment threshold, or a borrower is not earning, they do not have to make any repayments. Any outstanding debt, including interest accrued, is written off after the loan term ends, or in case of death or disability, at no detriment to the borrower. The debt does not pass to the borrower’s family.
An impact assessment on the current student loan plan type can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reform-equality-impact-assessment.
The government is determined that the higher education funding system should deliver for our economy, universities and students. The department has taken the system under consideration and will continue to engage with stakeholders on this.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to extend home-to-school transport for SEND students to include those in post-16 education.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon to the answer of 11 September 2024 to Question 4162.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of schools that have applied full-time attendance targets for (a) autistic and (b) neurodivergent children without reasonable adjustments in place.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department’s guidance to schools, trusts and local authorities on supporting school attendance sets clear expectations to provide a ‘support-first’ approach to attendance, while maintaining high ambitions for all pupils.
The department knows that some pupils face more complex barriers, including pupils who have long-term physical or mental health conditions, or who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Their right to an education is the same as any other pupil and therefore the attendance ambition for these pupils should be the same as it is for any other pupil. However, additional support may need to be provided to deliver those ambitions.
For pupils with SEND, schools are expected to:
The department’s ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf300da44f1c4c23e5bd1b/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance_-_August_2024.pdf, and additional information about SEND support can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/special-educational-needs-support.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to review the School Food Standards; and if she will update those standards in line with the UK’s climate targets.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The school food standards regulate the food and drink provided at lunchtime and at other times of the school day. Compliance with the school food standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies and free schools. It is important that children eat nutritious food at school and the department encourages schools to have a whole school approach to healthy eating.
The government has the ambition to source half of all food served in public sector settings from local producers or food that has been produced by growers certified to higher environmental standards, where possible. The government wants to use the purchasing power of the public sector food supply chain to lead the way and to set the tone in delivering the government’s wider ambitions on sustainability, animal welfare, economic growth, nutrition and health. The department has also committed to supporting schools to drive up their sustainable practices on food. Schools can voluntarily follow the government buying standards, which include lots of good advice around sustainable sourcing.
Ministerial teams are working with departmental officials on plans to deliver the government’s manifesto commitments, including making quick progress to deliver breakfast clubs in every primary school. The department’s aim is to deliver better life chances for all through a system which works for all. As part of this, as with all government programmes, the department will keep its approach to school food under continued review.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help improve school transport for children living in rural areas in Stratford-on-Avon constituency.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department’s home to school travel policy aims to make sure that no child is prevented from accessing education from a lack of transport. Local authorities must arrange free home to school travel for children of compulsory school age, 5 to 16, who attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or because the nature of the route means it would be unsafe for them to do so. There are extended rights to free travel for children from low-income families.
Parents are responsible for making travel arrangements for children who are not eligible for free home to school travel. Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities, providing access to schools and other services. This government has set out an action plan to deliver better bus services, grow passenger numbers and drive opportunity to under-served regions. As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will pass the Better Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders to ensure networks can meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including in rural areas. The government also plans to empower local transport authorities by reforming bus funding to give local leaders more control and flexibility over their funding so they can plan ahead to deliver their local transport priorities.