Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of air purifiers in schools in Stockport.
Answered by Robin Walker
During the autumn term, the department provided CO2 monitors to all state-funded education providers, including early years, schools, and further education providers, backed by £25 million in government funding. The department has now delivered on our public commitment with over 353,000 monitors delivered in the autumn term. This includes 1,534 CO2 monitors which were delivered to schools in Stockport.
Air cleaning units were allocated to settings based on need, using the eligibility criteria the department set out in guidance, which is available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj. As of 24 January 2022, 1,265 settings that applied for department-funded air cleaning units were eligible for air cleaning units, including 3 education providers in Stockport.
The department is currently finalising the total number of units allocated to education providers, this will depend on the needs identified by eligible education providers, including the number of people using the room(s).
The total number of eligible education providers mirrors published summary findings from the department’s survey of the use of CO2 monitors, which show that only 3% of settings using carbon dioxide monitors reported sustained high carbon dioxide readings that couldn’t otherwise be addressed. This is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units.
The total number of air cleaning units that education providers have applied for was just over 8,000. Up to an additional 1,000 units have now been ordered, bringing the total number of units available up to 9,000, allowing all eligible applications to be fulfilled.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of CO2 monitors in schools in Stockport.
Answered by Robin Walker
During the autumn term, the department provided CO2 monitors to all state-funded education providers, including early years, schools, and further education providers, backed by £25 million in government funding. The department has now delivered on our public commitment with over 353,000 monitors delivered in the autumn term. This includes 1,534 CO2 monitors which were delivered to schools in Stockport.
Air cleaning units were allocated to settings based on need, using the eligibility criteria the department set out in guidance, which is available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12cU_I5q0v1_my97yPMpb87RsSL5d5lpj. As of 24 January 2022, 1,265 settings that applied for department-funded air cleaning units were eligible for air cleaning units, including 3 education providers in Stockport.
The department is currently finalising the total number of units allocated to education providers, this will depend on the needs identified by eligible education providers, including the number of people using the room(s).
The total number of eligible education providers mirrors published summary findings from the department’s survey of the use of CO2 monitors, which show that only 3% of settings using carbon dioxide monitors reported sustained high carbon dioxide readings that couldn’t otherwise be addressed. This is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/co2-monitor-survey-and-applications-for-air-cleaning-units.
The total number of air cleaning units that education providers have applied for was just over 8,000. Up to an additional 1,000 units have now been ordered, bringing the total number of units available up to 9,000, allowing all eligible applications to be fulfilled.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether there are measures in place to ensure that the executive board of Ofsted is representative of the demographics of the teaching profession and its pupils in England.
Answered by Robin Walker
Ofsted has a non-executive board, which is separate from Ofsted’s executive team. The board is responsible for setting the strategic priorities, targets, and objectives for Ofsted and overseeing its corporate governance.
Appointments to the board are made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and are conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/governance-code-for-public-appointments.
Ofsted’s remit is extensive, covering early years, schools, further education and skills, and social care. When appointing to the Ofsted board, the department ensures that board members have knowledge and understanding of these remits, as well as experience of ensuring good governance.
The department is committed to ensuring diversity and inclusion. When running recruitment campaigns, the department strongly encourages applications from a diverse range of applicants to secure a diverse and representative board.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether clinically vulnerable students are able to request remote learning in higher education during high infection rates of covid-19.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The government’s priority remains to keep students and staff as safe as possible and minimise disruption to university life. We continue to work with the higher education sector to deliver this, ensuring students are able to receive a full, enriching and enjoyable experience.
The shielding programme has ended and adults previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) should follow the same guidance as everyone else on staying safe and preventing the spread of COVID-19, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do?priority-taxon=774cee22-d896-44c1-a611-e3109cce8eae. It is important that everyone adheres to this guidance, but people previously considered CEV may wish to consider taking extra precautions. There is guidance for people previously considered CEV, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19. In some circumstances, people may have received personal advice from their specialist or clinician on additional precautions to take and they should continue to follow that advice.
All employers are required to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace and higher education providers should be able to explain what measures they have put in place to keep staff and students safe on campus. We would expect them to discuss any concerns that people previously considered CEV may have, including any request to change the way in which their teaching and learning is delivered.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is available to protect clinically vulnerable students from covid-19 in higher education.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The government’s priority remains to keep students and staff as safe as possible and minimise disruption to university life. We continue to work with the higher education sector to deliver this, ensuring students are able to receive a full, enriching and enjoyable experience.
The shielding programme has ended and adults previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) should follow the same guidance as everyone else on staying safe and preventing the spread of COVID-19, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do?priority-taxon=774cee22-d896-44c1-a611-e3109cce8eae. It is important that everyone adheres to this guidance, but people previously considered CEV may wish to consider taking extra precautions. There is guidance for people previously considered CEV, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19. In some circumstances, people may have received personal advice from their specialist or clinician on additional precautions to take and they should continue to follow that advice.
All employers are required to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace and higher education providers should be able to explain what measures they have put in place to keep staff and students safe on campus. We would expect them to discuss any concerns that people previously considered CEV may have, including any request to change the way in which their teaching and learning is delivered.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has provided additional funding to schools to help implement covid-19-safe environments.
Answered by Robin Walker
The measures in place in education settings to tackle COVID-19 are based on the latest scientific advice and strike a balance between managing transmission risk and reducing disruption to children and young people’s education.
The priority is for education and childcare settings to deliver face-to-face, high-quality education to all pupils and students. The evidence is clear that being out of education causes significant harm to educational attainment, life chances, and mental and physical health. To manage COVID-19 transmission, nurseries, schools and colleges should continue to ensure good hygiene for everyone, maintain appropriate cleaning regimes, keep occupied spaces well ventilated and follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation, face coverings and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19.
In order to support schools with these measures, CO2 monitors have been provided to all state-funded schools starting from September, so staff can quickly identify where ventilation needs to be improved. The department has also made over £100 million of funding available to secondary schools, colleges and specialist settings to support them with the workforce costs associated with delivering on-site testing, and continue to do so, in line with departmental testing policy.
More generally, throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, the department has ensured that all schools continued to receive their core funding as normal, regardless of any periods of reduced attendance. This year, mainstream school funding is increasing by 3.5% overall, and all schools are receiving at least a 2% increase to pupil-led per pupil funding.
As a result of the recent Spending Review, the department will be investing a further £4.7 billion by financial year 2024-25 for the core schools budget in England, over and above the Spending Review 2019 settlement for schools in 2022-23.
This investment includes a further £1.6 billion in financial year 2022-23, on top of year on year increases already announced. This additional funding will help the school sector respond to the pressures we know they are facing. The department will make announcements on the distribution of this additional funding shortly.
School leaders have the flexibility to make their own decisions on how to prioritise their spending to invest in a range of resources that will best support their staff and pupils.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the financial allocation from the National Tutoring Programme to schools in Stockport constituency was in the academic year 2020-21.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department does not hold data broken down by constituency.
In June 2020, £350 million was allocated to the National Tutoring Programme as part of the £1 billion COVID-19 catch-up package. In November 2020, it was confirmed that this would fund the programme for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic years.
The department awarded the Education Endowment Foundation funding of up to £80 million to deliver the Tuition Partners pillar of the programme. Teach First were given up to £8.5 million to deliver the Academic Mentors pillar of the programme last academic year (2020/21).
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the financial allocation from the catch-up premium to schools in Stockport was during the academic year 2020-21.
Answered by Robin Walker
Allocations for the 2020/21 academic year for the COVID-19 catch up premium for Stockport and all other local authorities in England are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-catch-up-premium-provisional-allocations.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that school meals are not affected by food shortages and supply chain issues.
Answered by Will Quince
There is no evidence to suggest there are widespread supply issues for schools. Schools are responsible for the provision of school meals and have flexibility under the school food standards to substitute food products if particular ingredients or meals are not readily available. School food contracts are set and held at school, academy trust, or council level. Schools can, therefore, enter into individual contracts with suppliers and caterers to meet this duty.
The flexibility in the school food standards exists to ensure that menus can be modified for variety, and dietary choices or restrictions can be catered for more easily. Where items or menus are unavailable, we expect caterers to communicate this with schools. It does not mean that pupils are going without meals.
The department routinely considers contingency arrangements and expects schools and catering companies supplying them to do the same.
The Department for Education holds regular meetings with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs as well as food industry representatives covering a variety of issues. In the event of any disruption to supply, we will work with councils and the sector to ensure warm, nutritious meals can continue to be provided.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has had discussions with relevant stakeholders on the impact of food shortages and supply chain issues on suppliers of school meals.
Answered by Will Quince
There is no evidence to suggest there are widespread supply issues for schools. Schools are responsible for the provision of school meals and have flexibility under the school food standards to substitute food products if particular ingredients or meals are not readily available. School food contracts are set and held at school, academy trust, or council level. Schools can, therefore, enter into individual contracts with suppliers and caterers to meet this duty.
The flexibility in the school food standards exists to ensure that menus can be modified for variety, and dietary choices or restrictions can be catered for more easily. Where items or menus are unavailable, we expect caterers to communicate this with schools. It does not mean that pupils are going without meals.
The department routinely considers contingency arrangements and expects schools and catering companies supplying them to do the same.
The Department for Education holds regular meetings with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs as well as food industry representatives covering a variety of issues. In the event of any disruption to supply, we will work with councils and the sector to ensure warm, nutritious meals can continue to be provided.