Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to increase numeracy and literacy rates of primary school students from lower income households in the UK.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is committed to continuing to raise literacy and numeracy standards to ensure that all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can read fluently and have knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics.
To support literacy standards, the Department introduced the light touch phonics screening check for Year 1 pupils in 2012. Since then, performance has improved, with 82% of pupils meeting the expected standard in 2019, compared to 58% when the check was introduced. In 2018, the Department launched a £26.3 million English Hubs Programme. The programme is led by 34 primary schools across England and supports nearly 3000 schools across England to improve their teaching of reading through systematic synthetic phonics, early language development, and reading for pleasure. The English Hubs are focused on improving educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged pupils in Reception and Year 1. Broadclyst Community Primary School is working closely with nine schools across the Dorset area, and aims to support up to 85 schools across Dorset, West Somerset and Devon.
To support mathematics standards, the Department funds a network of 37 Maths Hubs which provide school-based continuous improvement in mathematics education for all pupils from Reception year through to post-16 study in England. The Department is also investing in the £76 million Teaching for Mastery programme, which is based on teaching methods in the highest performing jurisdictions and aims to reach 11,000 schools from 2016 to 2022. This includes a ‘mastery readiness’ programme to support schools with the greatest need. We have seen good progress in mathematics – in 2019, 79% of pupils across all schools in England met the expected standard at Key Stage 2 in maths. This is an increase of 9% since new tests were introduced in 2016 and includes a 3% rise in the latest results. Maths Hubs engaged with 84 schools in the Poole and Dorset local authorities in the last academic year (2018-19), and they aim to support another 99 in the current academic year (2019-20).
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to increase numeracy and literacy rates of primary school students from lower income households in Poole.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is committed to continuing to raise literacy and numeracy standards to ensure that all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can read fluently and have knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics.
To support literacy standards, the Department introduced the light touch phonics screening check for Year 1 pupils in 2012. Since then, performance has improved, with 82% of pupils meeting the expected standard in 2019, compared to 58% when the check was introduced. In 2018, the Department launched a £26.3 million English Hubs Programme. The programme is led by 34 primary schools across England and supports nearly 3000 schools across England to improve their teaching of reading through systematic synthetic phonics, early language development, and reading for pleasure. The English Hubs are focused on improving educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged pupils in Reception and Year 1. Broadclyst Community Primary School is working closely with nine schools across the Dorset area, and aims to support up to 85 schools across Dorset, West Somerset and Devon.
To support mathematics standards, the Department funds a network of 37 Maths Hubs which provide school-based continuous improvement in mathematics education for all pupils from Reception year through to post-16 study in England. The Department is also investing in the £76 million Teaching for Mastery programme, which is based on teaching methods in the highest performing jurisdictions and aims to reach 11,000 schools from 2016 to 2022. This includes a ‘mastery readiness’ programme to support schools with the greatest need. We have seen good progress in mathematics – in 2019, 79% of pupils across all schools in England met the expected standard at Key Stage 2 in maths. This is an increase of 9% since new tests were introduced in 2016 and includes a 3% rise in the latest results. Maths Hubs engaged with 84 schools in the Poole and Dorset local authorities in the last academic year (2018-19), and they aim to support another 99 in the current academic year (2019-20).
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to increase numeracy and literacy rates of primary school students from lower income households in Dorset.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is committed to continuing to raise literacy and numeracy standards to ensure that all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can read fluently and have knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics.
To support literacy standards, the Department introduced the light touch phonics screening check for Year 1 pupils in 2012. Since then, performance has improved, with 82% of pupils meeting the expected standard in 2019, compared to 58% when the check was introduced. In 2018, the Department launched a £26.3 million English Hubs Programme. The programme is led by 34 primary schools across England and supports nearly 3000 schools across England to improve their teaching of reading through systematic synthetic phonics, early language development, and reading for pleasure. The English Hubs are focused on improving educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged pupils in Reception and Year 1. Broadclyst Community Primary School is working closely with nine schools across the Dorset area, and aims to support up to 85 schools across Dorset, West Somerset and Devon.
To support mathematics standards, the Department funds a network of 37 Maths Hubs which provide school-based continuous improvement in mathematics education for all pupils from Reception year through to post-16 study in England. The Department is also investing in the £76 million Teaching for Mastery programme, which is based on teaching methods in the highest performing jurisdictions and aims to reach 11,000 schools from 2016 to 2022. This includes a ‘mastery readiness’ programme to support schools with the greatest need. We have seen good progress in mathematics – in 2019, 79% of pupils across all schools in England met the expected standard at Key Stage 2 in maths. This is an increase of 9% since new tests were introduced in 2016 and includes a 3% rise in the latest results. Maths Hubs engaged with 84 schools in the Poole and Dorset local authorities in the last academic year (2018-19), and they aim to support another 99 in the current academic year (2019-20).
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps his Department has taken to increase the levels of literacy and numeracy in Dorset.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is committed to continuing to raise literacy and numeracy standards to ensure that all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can read fluently and have knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics.
To support literacy standards, the Department introduced the light touch phonics screening check for Year 1 pupils in 2012. Since then, performance has improved, with 82% of pupils meeting the expected standard in 2019, compared to 58% when the check was introduced. In 2018, the Department launched a £26.3 million English Hubs Programme. The programme is led by 34 primary schools across England and supports nearly 3000 schools across England to improve their teaching of reading through systematic synthetic phonics, early language development, and reading for pleasure. The English Hubs are focused on improving educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged pupils in Reception and Year 1. Broadclyst Community Primary School is working closely with nine schools across the Dorset area, and aims to support up to 85 schools across Dorset, West Somerset and Devon.
To support mathematics standards, the Department funds a network of 37 Maths Hubs which provide school-based continuous improvement in mathematics education for all pupils from Reception year through to post-16 study in England. The Department is also investing in the £76 million Teaching for Mastery programme, which is based on teaching methods in the highest performing jurisdictions and aims to reach 11,000 schools from 2016 to 2022. This includes a ‘mastery readiness’ programme to support schools with the greatest need. We have seen good progress in mathematics – in 2019, 79% of pupils across all schools in England met the expected standard at Key Stage 2 in maths. This is an increase of 9% since new tests were introduced in 2016 and includes a 3% rise in the latest results. Maths Hubs engaged with 84 schools in the Poole and Dorset local authorities in the last academic year (2018-19), and they aim to support another 99 in the current academic year (2019-20).
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps his Department has taken to increase the levels of literacy and numeracy in Poole.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is committed to continuing to raise literacy and numeracy standards to ensure that all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can read fluently and have knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics.
To support literacy standards, the Department introduced the light touch phonics screening check for Year 1 pupils in 2012. Since then, performance has improved, with 82% of pupils meeting the expected standard in 2019, compared to 58% when the check was introduced. In 2018, the Department launched a £26.3 million English Hubs Programme. The programme is led by 34 primary schools across England and supports nearly 3000 schools across England to improve their teaching of reading through systematic synthetic phonics, early language development, and reading for pleasure. The English Hubs are focused on improving educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged pupils in Reception and Year 1. Broadclyst Community Primary School is working closely with nine schools across the Dorset area, and aims to support up to 85 schools across Dorset, West Somerset and Devon.
To support mathematics standards, the Department funds a network of 37 Maths Hubs which provide school-based continuous improvement in mathematics education for all pupils from Reception year through to post-16 study in England. The Department is also investing in the £76 million Teaching for Mastery programme, which is based on teaching methods in the highest performing jurisdictions and aims to reach 11,000 schools from 2016 to 2022. This includes a ‘mastery readiness’ programme to support schools with the greatest need. We have seen good progress in mathematics – in 2019, 79% of pupils across all schools in England met the expected standard at Key Stage 2 in maths. This is an increase of 9% since new tests were introduced in 2016 and includes a 3% rise in the latest results. Maths Hubs engaged with 84 schools in the Poole and Dorset local authorities in the last academic year (2018-19), and they aim to support another 99 in the current academic year (2019-20).
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps his Department has taken to increase the levels of literacy and numeracy throughout the UK.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is committed to continuing to raise literacy and numeracy standards to ensure that all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can read fluently and have knowledge of the fundamentals of mathematics.
To support literacy standards, the Department introduced the light touch phonics screening check for Year 1 pupils in 2012. Since then, performance has improved, with 82% of pupils meeting the expected standard in 2019, compared to 58% when the check was introduced. In 2018, the Department launched a £26.3 million English Hubs Programme. The programme is led by 34 primary schools across England and supports nearly 3000 schools across England to improve their teaching of reading through systematic synthetic phonics, early language development, and reading for pleasure. The English Hubs are focused on improving educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged pupils in Reception and Year 1. Broadclyst Community Primary School is working closely with nine schools across the Dorset area, and aims to support up to 85 schools across Dorset, West Somerset and Devon.
To support mathematics standards, the Department funds a network of 37 Maths Hubs which provide school-based continuous improvement in mathematics education for all pupils from Reception year through to post-16 study in England. The Department is also investing in the £76 million Teaching for Mastery programme, which is based on teaching methods in the highest performing jurisdictions and aims to reach 11,000 schools from 2016 to 2022. This includes a ‘mastery readiness’ programme to support schools with the greatest need. We have seen good progress in mathematics – in 2019, 79% of pupils across all schools in England met the expected standard at Key Stage 2 in maths. This is an increase of 9% since new tests were introduced in 2016 and includes a 3% rise in the latest results. Maths Hubs engaged with 84 schools in the Poole and Dorset local authorities in the last academic year (2018-19), and they aim to support another 99 in the current academic year (2019-20).
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to extend data collection for care leavers aged 22-25 under its staying put policy.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Staying Put duty requires local authorities to support young people to continue living with their former foster carers up to age 21, where both parties want this. The government does not therefore collect Staying Put related data for care leavers aged 22-25 years.
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Care Leaver Covenant announced by his Department in October 2018, how many placements for (a) work experience, (b) internships and (c) apprenticeships have been made available to young care leavers under that strategy to date.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
As of 14 March 2019, 75 organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors had signed the care leaver covenant and published their offers to care leavers. All covenant offers are available to view at: https://mycovenant.org.uk/featured-signatories/. In addition, each government department has set out its offer to care leavers, copies of which have been published on GOV.UK. Spectra First, the government’s delivery partner for the care leaver covenant, is currently working with a number of other organisations which have signed a statement of intent confirming that they will provide opportunities to care leavers, but where the detail of their offer has not been finalised.
The aim of the care leaver covenant is to secure offers for care leavers that will support them to achieve one or more of the 5 outcomes set out in the cross-government care leaver strategy – Keep on Caring – one of which is to be engaged in education, employment or training. From the 75 organisations that have signed the covenant so far, employment offers include:
In addition, PGL (a provider of activity holidays for children and young people) has over 1,000 jobs in their summer camps in 2019 and has indicated that they would strongly encourage care leavers to apply for these vacancies. The government is leading the way through its civil service care leaver internship scheme, which in 2019 is providing 75 12-month paid internships across 18 government departments.
Other (non-employment-related) offers of support include: enhanced support packages for care leavers from universities and further education colleges, and offers of workshops/training on areas such as money management and maintaining a tenancy.
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Care Leaver Covenant announced by his Department in October 2018, how many organisations have signed up to offer placement opportunities to young care leavers.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
As of 14 March 2019, 75 organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors had signed the care leaver covenant and published their offers to care leavers. All covenant offers are available to view at: https://mycovenant.org.uk/featured-signatories/. In addition, each government department has set out its offer to care leavers, copies of which have been published on GOV.UK. Spectra First, the government’s delivery partner for the care leaver covenant, is currently working with a number of other organisations which have signed a statement of intent confirming that they will provide opportunities to care leavers, but where the detail of their offer has not been finalised.
The aim of the care leaver covenant is to secure offers for care leavers that will support them to achieve one or more of the 5 outcomes set out in the cross-government care leaver strategy – Keep on Caring – one of which is to be engaged in education, employment or training. From the 75 organisations that have signed the covenant so far, employment offers include:
In addition, PGL (a provider of activity holidays for children and young people) has over 1,000 jobs in their summer camps in 2019 and has indicated that they would strongly encourage care leavers to apply for these vacancies. The government is leading the way through its civil service care leaver internship scheme, which in 2019 is providing 75 12-month paid internships across 18 government departments.
Other (non-employment-related) offers of support include: enhanced support packages for care leavers from universities and further education colleges, and offers of workshops/training on areas such as money management and maintaining a tenancy.
Asked by: Michael Tomlinson (Conservative - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress he has made on (a) increasing the number of and (b) improving support for foster carers since the Fostering better outcomes report published in July 2018.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
‘Fostering Better Outcomes’ set out our commitment to improving the lives of children in foster care, including making sure there are sufficient foster parents to meet the needs of children, and that foster parents have access to the support they need. Whilst achieving this is a long-term strategy and requires everyone in the system to work together to bring about real improvements for foster parents and the children for whom they care, we have already made significant progress towards our commitments, including the following points: