Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to ensure that pupils at schools that may have lost teaching time as a result of disruption caused by the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete are not at a disadvantage when sitting GCSE exams in summer 2024.
Answered by Nick Gibb
It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an estimate of the total annual cost of providing (a) 30 hours a week of universal childcare for 48 weeks a year for children aged nine months to two years, (b) 30 hours a week of universal childcare for 48 weeks a year for children aged three and four, (c) 8.00am to 6.00pm wraparound for all primary-aged children and (d) 10 hours a day holiday childcare for 10 weeks a year for all primary-aged children assuming a (i) 50, (ii) 60 and (iii) 70 per cent take up of that provision.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Making predictions about the future costs of extended early years and childcare provision is complex, and subject to significant uncertainty. It requires predicting the size of future cohorts of children as well as making assumptions about the rate at which the government will fund provision, which would be subject to consultation, how many parents will take up new offers and for how long.
The department funds 15 hours a week of early education and care for all 3- and 4-year-olds in England for 38 weeks a year. It funds an additional 15 hours a week of early education and care for 3- and 4-year-olds in working families, also for 38 weeks a year. The department also funds 15 hours of free early education for disadvantaged 2-year-olds, which includes children with education, health and care (EHC) plans and looked after children, as well as families on low incomes. Further information is available at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
The department does not fund wraparound care for primary aged children. The department does fund the Holiday Activities and Food programme to disadvantaged children in England. At Spending Review 2021, the department announced it is investing over £200 million per year.
The department publishes funding allocations for its existing early education entitlements for children aged 2, 3 and 4. Further information is available at: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F1124737%2FEarly_years_funding_rates_and_step-by-step_calculations_2023_to_2024.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK. These funding rates are not applicable to children aged from 9 months to 1 years old inclusive.
The Childcare and Early Years Provider Survey also includes information on the hourly fees providers charge parents of children under 2, age 2, 3 and 4, and school age, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2021.
Expanding current entitlement offers to all children aged between 2 and 4, wraparound care for all primary-age children and additional holiday childcare could be estimated using population data published by the Office of National Statistics, available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/populationestimatesforukenglandandwalesscotlandandnorthernireland.
Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of pupil funding in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Taking the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocations and the additional funding announced in the Autumn Statement together, core schools funding is increasing by £3.5 billion in 2023/24, compared to 2022/23. By 2024/25, the core schools budget will total £58.8 billion, the highest level of investment in real terms per-pupil on record.
Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether funding for the PE and sport premium will continue at current levels for the 2023-24 school year.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Improving school sport and physical education (PE) is a key priority. The Department recognises the important role the PE and sport premium plays in helping schools ensure that children and young people play sport and keep fit.
We are considering arrangements for the Primary PE and sport premium for the 2023/24 academic year and beyond and will confirm the position as early as possible.
Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has plans to extend the PE and sport premium for the 2021-22 academic year; what his timeframe is for extending the School Games Organisers contracts; and if his Department will work with (a) Go Well and (b) other organisations to ensure the long-term future of PE and sport for young people in school and outside formal education.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department is aware of the importance of giving schools as much notice as possible of future funding and has confirmed that the Primary physical education (PE) and sport premium will continue at £320 million for the 2021/22 academic year. Schools will also be permitted to carry forward any unspent PE and sport premium funding from the current academic year to ensure that this is spent to benefit primary pupils’ physical education, school sport, and physical activity recovery.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has confirmed that School Games Organisers are now fully funded for the 2021/22 financial year. Funding beyond that point will be subject to future Government Spending Review decisions.
The Government has committed to provide an update to the School Sport and Activity Action Plan this year. It is working closely with sport organisations through the school sport and activity sector forum which represents over 50 organisations. The Department for Education and DCMS ministers recently hosted a roundtable with representatives of the forum to discuss the Government’s long-term approach to PE and school sport and the role they can play in supporting education recovery.
Schools have flexibility to work with organisations to support the delivery of high-quality PE and sport to their pupils. It is up to schools to decide whether to use their Primary PE and sport premium to pay for the sort of support offered by Go Well.
Asked by: Paul Howell (Conservative - Sedgefield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of the national funding formula for schools on levels of socio-economic inequality (a) in Sedgefield constituency and (b) nationally.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The National Funding Formula commits extra funding to pupils with additional needs, including deprivation, low prior attainment, English as an additional language and mobility. This is because evidence shows that pupils with these characteristics are more likely to fall behind and need extra support to reach their full potential. In 2020-21, £6.3 billion will be allocated to 5-16 year olds with additional needs in England. Areas with high levels of additional needs will attract more funding and as a result Sedgefield receives higher than average per pupil funding. Next year, primary schools and secondary schools in Sedgefield will, on average, attract £4,496 and £5,609 per pupil respectively. This is above the national average of £4,352 for primary schools and of £5,578 for secondary schools.