Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) initial and (b) additional allocated budgets for special needs provision in West Sussex schools have been in each of the last three years.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
Local authorities are required to provide schools with sufficient funds to enable mainstream schools to meet the additional cost of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, up to the value of £6,000 per pupil. This funding comes from the schools’ block of the dedicated schools grant.
When the costs of additional support required for a pupil with SEN exceed £6,000, the local authority should also allocate additional top-up funding to cover the excess costs. This top-up funding, and all funding for special schools comes from the local authority’s high needs budget.
West Sussex have received the following amounts in the schools and high needs blocks in the last three years:
Year | Schools block funding | High needs funding |
2016 to 2017 | £428.0 million | £71.7 million |
2017 to 2018 | £434.9 million | £75.7 million |
2018 to 2019 | £445.6 million | £79.3 million |
On 17 December 2018, we announced an additional £250 million in high needs funding across the current financial year and the next. The additional allocation for West Sussex was £1.8 million for 2018 to 2019. This is included in the figures above.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of children who have special educational needs and disability in West Sussex; and how many of those children are supported with formal education, health and care plans.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The National Statistics release ‘Special educational needs in England: January 2018’ includes numbers of children with special educational needs (SEN) and education, health and care (EHC) plans.
The release is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england-january-2018. Table 15 of the local authority tables includes information on the number of pupils in West Sussex with SEN and EHC plans.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the waiting time is for an education, health and care plan application to be processed in West Sussex.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The information requested is not held by the department.
Data is collected by the department on assessments for education, health and care plans that are completed within their 20-week target. This is published in table 8 of the ‘Statements of SEN and EHC plans: England, 2018’ publication, which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statements-of-sen-and-ehc-plans-england-2018.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will review initial teacher training to ensure that it includes effective training on behaviour management.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Initial Teacher Training (ITT) must prepare trainees to meet the Teachers' Standards (2011) in order to gain Qualified Teacher Status. This includes enabling trainees to demonstrate that they can manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment.
Providing the best possible training is at the heart of the Government’s drive to improve teaching standards. The Department published the framework of core content for ITT in July 2016, alongside a behaviour management report. The framework advises that trainees should “learn and practise a range of routines for improving pupil behaviour…and be able to employ strategies to secure and maintain an orderly classroom.” The behaviour management report advises that providers should “ensure trainees have the skills, knowledge and attitudes to manage behaviour successfully”.
In May 2018, the Department committed to extending the induction period for new teachers, supported by an early career framework (ECF). The content of this framework will complement ITT and support trainees to continue to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours as they embark on their early careers.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance he has issued to head teachers on tackling low-level disruption in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department for Education produces guidance for head teachers and school staff on developing school behaviour policy and explains the powers members of staff have to maintain discipline in the classroom. The full guidance can be viewed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/488034/Behaviour_andDiscipline_in_Schools_-_A_guide_for_headteachers_and_School_Staff.pdf.
In addition, the Government commissioned behaviour expert, Tom Bennett, to conduct an independent review on behaviour management in schools. ‘Creating a culture’, published in 2017, focused on leadership, culture and systems used to tackle disruptive pupil behaviour. It provides practical advice for head teachers about creating a school culture that prevents low-level disruption, maintains good discipline and promotes pupils’ education, focus and wellbeing. The full report can be viewed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/602487/Tom_Bennett_Independent_Review_of_Behaviour_in_Schools.pdf.
In 2018, the Government announced a £10 million investment to further support schools and teachers to share best practice and knowledge on behaviour management and classroom management.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance he has issued to schools on restricting the use of smart phones in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Head teachers have powers to set school behaviour policies, including rules for mobile phone use. Schools can therefore choose to ban or limit the use of smart phone or tablets on school premises during the school day. Schools should make any policies on smart phones or tablets known to all staff, pupils and parents. These policies should outline any sanctions that will be imposed if pupils break these rules. The guidance on behavioural policies can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools.
The Bennett Review of behaviour in schools includes a chapter about the use of technology in schools and case studies of policies in place. The report, which was published in 2018, can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-in-schools.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the amount of teaching time for music in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Music is compulsory in the national curriculum for 5 to 14 year olds. At primary school level, data from the Omnibus Survey in 2017 reveals that the average amount of teaching time in primary schools was broadly similar to the amount of time spent teaching history and geography. At secondary schools, the data from the school workforce census in the table below shows that the proportion of time spent teaching music between 2010 and 2017 has remained broadly stable.
Proportion (%) of total teaching hours spent on music in years 7-13 in state-funded secondary schools | |||||||
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.3% |
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the quality of language teaching in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
This Government recognises the importance of quality language teaching at primary and secondary school. Ofsted are responsible for inspecting maintained schools and academies, including language provision.
The Department has made languages compulsory at Key Stage 2. Modern foreign languages (MFLs) are compulsory at Key Stage 3, giving pupils skills and knowledge and broadening their horizons. At Key Stage 4, languages are an essential part of the EBacc combination of core academic subjects. The proportion of pupils studying languages has risen from 40% in 2010 to 46% in 2018. Ofsted plans to conduct research into languages at secondary schools and is due to report on this in 2019-20.
In 2016, Her Majesty’s former Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, reported that the majority of primary-age pupils in schools visited enjoyed having the chance to learn a foreign language. The report did however note concerns including a lack of allocated time to study languages. The Department is developing greater expertise in secondary school provision of languages, and will use this to encourage improvements in primary provision. Sir Michael’s comments can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/hmcis-monthly-commentary-may-2016.
The Department is developing a number of initiatives to encourage improved languages provision in schools including an MFL Pedagogy Hub pilot programme, a Mandarin Excellence Programme, and a package of financial incentives to attract the best candidates into MFL teaching.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many specialist maths schools his Department has established since 2011; and how many he plans to establish in each of the next five years.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Currently, there are two maths schools, Exeter Mathematics School and King’s College London Mathematics School, both of which opened in 2014.
The Government has not set a specific target for the number of maths schools it will establish in each of the next five years. We want to work with leading universities to establish high quality schools, ensuring our most mathematically able students succeed in mathematics related disciplines at top universities.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many specialist maths schools his Department has established since 2011; and how many he plans to establish in each of the next five years.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Currently, there are two maths schools, Exeter Mathematics School and King’s College London Mathematics School, both of which opened in 2014.
The Government has not set a specific target for the number of maths schools it will establish in each of the next five years. We want to work with leading universities to establish high quality schools, ensuring our most mathematically able students succeed in mathematics related disciplines at top universities.