Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Gibb and Gavin Shuker

Monday 24th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)]

As my hon. Friend will know, the Department has a statutory duty to convert local authority maintained schools judged inadequate by Ofsted into sponsored academies, whereby a strong sponsor works with the school to secure improvements in education. We take a case-by-case approach to the conversion of these schools and to addressing failure in academies, which includes consideration of all the different means by which the Government can support the future success of a school, including capital investment where appropriate.

[Mr Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Ind)]

T3. My constituent Geno Brown rightly points out that education plays a vital role in teaching young people about our country’s colonial past and its implications for generations of black and minority ethnic children. What is the Minister doing to make sure that this history—not just our successes, but our failures—is taught properly in our schools?

[Nick Gibb]

We have had a debate on the content of the history curriculum and the role that migration and other issues play in it. We give a lot of discretion to schools and teachers over what they teach and how they teach it within that curriculum, and there are many elements in it where those issues can be taught effectively.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Gibb and Gavin Shuker

Monday 11th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Nick Gibb]

We take the issue of social mobility very seriously. The attainment gap between advantaged and disadvantaged children has narrowed by 7% in key stage 4 and by 9.3% in key stage 2, in primary schools. However, we continue to work hard to ensure, and believe passionately in ensuring, that all children, regardless of background and regardless of where they live, are able to fulfil their potential in our education system, which is why the pupil premium provides an extra £2.5 billion a year for children with disadvantaged backgrounds.

[Mr Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

9. What assessment she has made of the effect on children's nutrition of the absence of free primary school meals in the school holidays.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Gibb and Gavin Shuker

Monday 7th March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gibb]

The 50% limit on faith admissions to free schools ensures that the new high-quality school places that they provide are available to local children, not just those of a particular faith, and it helps to ensure that those pupils receive an inclusive and broad-based education. We are always happy to hear representations on how best to achieve those goals and I would certainly welcome applications to establish, for example, more Catholic free schools, but I understand why the Catholic Church in particular is reluctant to do so.

[Mr Gavin Shuker (Luton South) (Lab/Co-op)]

T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.