Asked by: Polly Billington (Labour - East Thanet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to include skills training for nature restoration and ecological programmes as part of the new Technical Excellence Colleges.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is introducing Technical Excellence Colleges (TECs) to specialise in training skilled workforces which industry needs in priority sectors. This starts with the launch of ten construction TECs from September 2025. This will be followed by the launch of TECs to address shortages in engineering, which is critical to the skills needed in priority sectors including advanced manufacturing, clean energy industries, and digital and technologies.
The department will also invest in the estate and facilities needed to deliver priority training with £200 million capital investment via the Skills Mission Fund to tackle sector-specific shortages, including expanding TECs beyond construction.
Asked by: Polly Billington (Labour - East Thanet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Enrichment Framework will (a) provide a minimum of 80 hours of enrichment across the academic year and (b) be in addition to curriculum time for arts subjects.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department, working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, has committed to publishing a new Enrichment Framework by the end of 2025. The framework is being developed alongside a working group consisting of experts from schools, youth, sports, arts and research organisations, to identify and reflect effective practice in schools.
The working group will consider how the framework can support equal access and support all pupils to engage with a school’s offer. The department expects the framework to set out benchmarks for high quality enrichment offers and to provide advice for schools with how to plan their offer strategically and intentionally. We do not expect the Framework to set new national requirements for schools, who need the flexibility to plan and deliver enrichment activities in a manner that best suits their unique circumstances and community needs. This is in addition to the teaching of arts subjects in the national curriculum.
Asked by: Polly Billington (Labour - East Thanet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of art and design education on the school-readiness of children entering primary school.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government’s Plan for Change sets out the department’s ambition for a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn. We will measure progress through 75% of children at the end of reception reaching a good level of development in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) profile assessment by 2028.
Expressive Arts and Design is one of the areas of learning within the EYFS, as the department recognises the importance of this area within the early years curriculum to spark children’s innate curiosity, build artistic abilities and interests, and develop self-expression and communication skills. In the 2023/24 academic year, 84.7% of children achieved the expected level of development in Expressive Arts and Design in the EYFS profile assessment. This is one of the highest percentages among the different areas of learning.
To improve the department’s understanding of children’s progress throughout key phases of learning and education, we have commissioned and funded the ‘Children of the 2020s’ study. We continue to monitor all available data to consider how we shape future policy for early education, to ensure every child has the best start in life and is prepared for school.
Asked by: Polly Billington (Labour - East Thanet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) process and (b) criteria is for the selection of young future hubs.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity. Too many children and young people do not have access to the same enrichment opportunities as their peers, suffer from poor mental health and, in some cases, end up being drawn into crime rather than going on to achieve and thrive. Young Futures Hubs are just one part of addressing this, as part of a much wider youth landscape which will be brought together in the forthcoming youth strategy.
Using evidence of what works, officials from across a range of departments are working together to shape how the Young Futures Hubs will work in practice. To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, the department will establish a number of early adopter hubs. Locations for these will be determined by where they would have the most impact. These early adopters and the work in local areas will inform the longer-term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs. More details on timelines will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Polly Billington (Labour - East Thanet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timeline is for the introduction of young future hubs.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity. Too many children and young people do not have access to the same enrichment opportunities as their peers, suffer from poor mental health and, in some cases, end up being drawn into crime rather than going on to achieve and thrive. Young Futures Hubs are just one part of addressing this, as part of a much wider youth landscape which will be brought together in the forthcoming youth strategy.
Using evidence of what works, officials from across a range of departments are working together to shape how the Young Futures Hubs will work in practice. To roll-out Young Futures Hubs, building on the success of existing infrastructure and provision, the department will establish a number of early adopter hubs. Locations for these will be determined by where they would have the most impact. These early adopters and the work in local areas will inform the longer-term development of the programme, including how quickly we move to a greater number of hubs. More details on timelines will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Polly Billington (Labour - East Thanet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of how much funding her Department provided for (a) art, (b) craft and (c) design education in schools in the (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2023-24 financial year; and if she will make an assessment of the difference in (A) real terms and (B) percentage terms between funding in the (1) 2009-10 and (2) 2010-11 financial year and that in the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government is clear that arts and music should be part of every child’s education.
The Independent Curriculum and Assessment Review will advise on how the department delivers a broader curriculum for every child, including subjects such as art and, music and drama. The department will also support children to study a creative or vocational subject to 16 and ensure accountability measures reflect this.
Schools have autonomy over how they spend their core funding and can decide how to best allocate their resources for the benefit of their students. The department does not provide schools with additional in-year funding for art, craft and design education, or for dance, drama or music education. Schools do not report back on the funding they have allocated to different subjects.
The total funding for mainstream schools in 2023/24 through the dedicated schools grant (DSG) and mainstream schools additional grant (MSAG) was £44.3 billion. The department cannot provide comparable funding data back to 2010 due to the changes in the funding system since that time. In particular, funding for schools was only identified separately from funding for high needs or early years in 2013, and funding for central school services provided by local authorities was split out from the schools block funding in 2018/2019.
Asked by: Polly Billington (Labour - East Thanet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of how much funding her Department provided for dance education in schools in the (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2023-24 financial year; and if she will make an assessment of the difference in (i) real terms and (ii) percentage terms between funding in the (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11 financial year and that in the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government is clear that arts and music should be part of every child’s education.
The Independent Curriculum and Assessment Review will advise on how the department delivers a broader curriculum for every child, including subjects such as art and, music and drama. The department will also support children to study a creative or vocational subject to 16 and ensure accountability measures reflect this.
Schools have autonomy over how they spend their core funding and can decide how to best allocate their resources for the benefit of their students. The department does not provide schools with additional in-year funding for art, craft and design education, or for dance, drama or music education. Schools do not report back on the funding they have allocated to different subjects.
The total funding for mainstream schools in 2023/24 through the dedicated schools grant (DSG) and mainstream schools additional grant (MSAG) was £44.3 billion. The department cannot provide comparable funding data back to 2010 due to the changes in the funding system since that time. In particular, funding for schools was only identified separately from funding for high needs or early years in 2013, and funding for central school services provided by local authorities was split out from the schools block funding in 2018/2019.
Asked by: Polly Billington (Labour - East Thanet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of how much funding her Department provided for drama education in schools in the (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2023-24 financial year; and if she will make an assessment of the difference in (i) real terms and (ii) percentage terms between funding in the (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11 financial year and that in the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government is clear that arts and music should be part of every child’s education.
The Independent Curriculum and Assessment Review will advise on how the department delivers a broader curriculum for every child, including subjects such as art and, music and drama. The department will also support children to study a creative or vocational subject to 16 and ensure accountability measures reflect this.
Schools have autonomy over how they spend their core funding and can decide how to best allocate their resources for the benefit of their students. The department does not provide schools with additional in-year funding for art, craft and design education, or for dance, drama or music education. Schools do not report back on the funding they have allocated to different subjects.
The total funding for mainstream schools in 2023/24 through the dedicated schools grant (DSG) and mainstream schools additional grant (MSAG) was £44.3 billion. The department cannot provide comparable funding data back to 2010 due to the changes in the funding system since that time. In particular, funding for schools was only identified separately from funding for high needs or early years in 2013, and funding for central school services provided by local authorities was split out from the schools block funding in 2018/2019.
Asked by: Polly Billington (Labour - East Thanet)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an estimate of changes to levels of funding to music education in schools (a) in real terms and (b) as a percentage since 2010; and what the level of funding in 2010 is at current values.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government is clear that arts and music should be part of every child’s education.
The Independent Curriculum and Assessment Review will advise on how the department delivers a broader curriculum for every child, including subjects such as art and, music and drama. The department will also support children to study a creative or vocational subject to 16 and ensure accountability measures reflect this.
Schools have autonomy over how they spend their core funding and can decide how to best allocate their resources for the benefit of their students. The department does not provide schools with additional in-year funding for art, craft and design education, or for dance, drama or music education. Schools do not report back on the funding they have allocated to different subjects.
The total funding for mainstream schools in 2023/24 through the dedicated schools grant (DSG) and mainstream schools additional grant (MSAG) was £44.3 billion. The department cannot provide comparable funding data back to 2010 due to the changes in the funding system since that time. In particular, funding for schools was only identified separately from funding for high needs or early years in 2013, and funding for central school services provided by local authorities was split out from the schools block funding in 2018/2019.