Asked by: Rob Roberts (Independent - Delyn)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of PISA test scores.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
The OECD’s PISA 2022 results showed that 15-year-old pupils in England performed above the OECD averages for all of reading, mathematics and science. While the pandemic has had an adverse impact on education across the world, and also affected the study, England was ranked 11th in maths and 13th in both reading and science – up from 27th in maths, 25th in reading and 16th in science in 2009.
Asked by: Rob Roberts (Independent - Delyn)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the quality and affordability of (a) breakfast clubs, (b) after-school clubs and (c) childcare during school holidays.
Answered by Will Quince
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The department is committed to continuing our support for school breakfast clubs, announcing up to £24 million to continue our national programme until July 2023. This funding will support up to 2,500 schools in disadvantaged areas, meaning that thousands of children from low-income families will be offered free nutritious breakfasts to better support their attainment, wellbeing, and readiness to learn.
The department understands that good-quality wraparound childcare has a positive impact on children’s outcomes. Research shows that participating in organised sports and joining after school clubs can help to improve children’s academic performance, as well as their social, emotional, and behavioural skills.
All schools are encouraged to make their facilities available for use by the wider community, and many schools already do so. To support with the costs of childcare, for example for the use of wraparound childcare such as afterschool clubs, working families can access support through Tax-Free Childcare, with up to £500 every three months for each child and rising to £1,000 every three months for families of disabled children. Working families may also be able to claim back up to 85% of their childcare costs if they are eligible for Universal Credit. This is worth up to £646 for one child, and £1,108 for 2 or more children a month.
Children who are in receipt of free school meals are eligible for a free place on the holiday activities and food programme. Backed by more than £200 million available, we are providing access to healthy food and enriching activities during the longer school holiday periods for more than 600,000 children across the country.
Asked by: Rob Roberts (Independent - Delyn)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps his Department has taken to promote physical literacy and competitive sport in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools and (c) schools for children with special and other educational needs.
Answered by Will Quince
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The physical education (PE) national curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities, are physically active for sustained periods of time and lead healthy and active lives. From key stage 1 to 4, pupils are expected to master various fundamental skills relating to physical education.
The PE and sport premium has supported primary schools to deliver high quality PE, sport and physical activity since 2013. We are also developing tailored support to improve the teaching of PE at primary school which, along with a programme to support schools to open up their facilities, will be funded by nearly £30 million a year.
The department funds secondary school initiatives to encourage diverse groups of pupils to take part in and enjoy sport. This includes the Girls Competitive Sport contract, worth up to £980,000 over the next three years, which aims to improve and increase opportunities for girls aged 8 to 16 to access competitive sport and sport leadership opportunities. The Inclusion 2024 grant provides practical support to schools to increase opportunities for disabled young people and those with special educational needs to engage in sport and physical activity.
To support schools to take part in competitive sport, the government has funded the School Games since 2010. The School Games reaches over 95% of schools in England supporting four distinct levels of competition in over 40 sports and activities to cater for different ability levels, intra-school, inter-school, county level and a National Finals. Many schools also take part in their own inter-school competitions and National Governing Bodies of Sport run school sports events.
Asked by: Rob Roberts (Independent - Delyn)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many free schools there are as of 16 June 2022; what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the free schools programme; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
There are 613 open free schools which, based on the latest Ofsted judgements, will create more than 155,000 good and outstanding school places for children when at full capacity. Mainstream primary and secondary free schools are more likely to be rated good or outstanding by Ofsted than state-funded mainstream schools nationally and all open 16 to 19 free schools with an Ofsted judgement are good or outstanding.
The free schools programme remains an important part of the department’s plan to level up standards and respond where there is need for more school places.
The department launched a further round of free school applications on 10 June 2022 covering mainstream, special, and alternative provision free schools. The mainstream wave is seeking to approve free schools where there is the greatest need for new school places, prioritising proposals in Education Investment Areas. This will include a targeted number of new academic 16 to 19 free schools to help talented children from disadvantaged backgrounds get to leading universities.
Further information on free school application rounds is available here: https://www.gov.uk/education/set-up-a-free-school.
Asked by: Rob Roberts (Independent - Delyn)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to introduce an arts premium to fund enrichment activities in secondary schools.
Answered by Robin Walker
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The department is committed to high-quality education for all pupils, and the arts and music are integral to this. With the significant impact of COVID-19 on children’s learning, the department’s priorities have been to focus on education recovery in the recent Spending Review. The government remains committed to the ambitions in the Plan for Cultural Education published in 2013 and will give consideration for a future arts premium in due course.
In recognition of the merit of these subjects and how they contribute to a broad and balanced education in and out of school settings, the department will continue to invest around £115 million per annum in cultural education over the next three years, through music, arts, and heritage programmes.
The above funding is on top of core schools funding. The department has already committed to a real-terms per pupils increase in core schools funding, amounting to a £7 billion increase in the 2024/25 financial year compared with the 2021/22 financial year and nearly £5 billion in education recovery. This should support state-funded schools to provide a broad, ambitious curriculum, which includes cultural education and the arts.
The department has also committed to the publication of a Cultural Education Plan in 2023, working with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England.
Asked by: Rob Roberts (Independent - Delyn)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school places for children with Special Educational Needs his Department has made available in each of the (a) last and (b) next five years.
Answered by Will Quince
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The department does not collect or hold capacity data for special schools. As special schools sit outside the Admissions Code and mainstream admissions arrangements, there is currently no official methodology for determining a special school’s capacity. Furthermore, if a school is named in a pupil’s education, health and care plan, that school must admit that pupil without regard to the notional capacity of the school.
The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities. This includes places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The government does not currently collect data centrally on available or planned SEND provision, but is continuing to work with local authorities to better understand demand for SEND provision as it considers how it can best support the sector going forwards.
In March 2022, the department announced high needs provision capital allocations amounting to over £1.4 billion of new investment. This funding is to support local authorities to deliver new places for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years and improve existing provision for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This funding forms part of the £2.6 billion the department is investing between 2022 and 2025 and represents a significant, transformational investment in new high needs provision.
Asked by: Rob Roberts (Independent - Delyn)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of establishing a registration system similar to the General Medical Council's register of doctors for teachers in (a) state and (b) independent schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department has not and is not considering a return to a registration-based system for teachers in state maintained or independent schools. Whilst the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) does not maintain a register of teachers, it does maintain a list of qualified teachers and a list of those individuals prohibited from teaching work. Prospective employers in the state maintained and independent sector are able to verify instantly, via the TRA’s Teacher Services system, whether a teacher is qualified and/or is prohibited from teaching work as part of any recruitment process. Members of the public may check whether an individual is on the prohibited list via the TRA.
Asked by: Rob Roberts (Independent - Delyn)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether catch-up educational services for primary school pupils will include financial education in the next academic year.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Financial education is taught as part of the national curriculum subjects of mathematics and citizenship. Due to the unprecedented challenges for schools caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government ensured that during the national lockdown restrictions, schools were given flexibility around the education they are providing to their pupils. The Department expected schools and teachers to use their professional judgement and knowledge of their pupils’ educational needs to plan appropriate content that enables education to continue.
Schools should resume teaching an ambitious and broad curriculum, in all subjects, from the start of the autumn term. This means that all pupils will be taught a wide range of subjects so they can maintain their choices for further study and employment. Our latest guidance on teaching to support children is set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.
Our £1 billion COVID-19 “catch-up” package, including £650 million shared across schools over the 2020/21 academic year, will support schools to put the right catch-up support in place: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/billion-pound-covid-catch-up-plan-to-tackle-impact-of-lost-teaching-time.
The Education Endowment Foundation have published a COVID-19 support guide to support schools to direct this funding, which is accessible here: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/national-tutoring-programme/covid-19-support-guide-for-schools/.
For the longer term, the Department will continue to work closely with The Money and Pension Service and HM Treasury to consider how to provide further support for the teaching of financial education in schools.
Asked by: Rob Roberts (Independent - Delyn)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase the teaching of financial capability to children and young people as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Financial education is taught as part of the national curriculum subjects of mathematics and citizenship. Due to the unprecedented challenges for schools caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government ensured that during the national lockdown restrictions, schools were given flexibility around the education they are providing to their pupils. The Department expected schools and teachers to use their professional judgement and knowledge of their pupils’ educational needs to plan appropriate content that enables education to continue.
Schools should resume teaching an ambitious and broad curriculum, in all subjects, from the start of the autumn term. This means that all pupils will be taught a wide range of subjects so they can maintain their choices for further study and employment. Our latest guidance on teaching to support children is set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.
Our £1 billion COVID-19 “catch-up” package, including £650 million shared across schools over the 2020/21 academic year, will support schools to put the right catch-up support in place: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/billion-pound-covid-catch-up-plan-to-tackle-impact-of-lost-teaching-time.
The Education Endowment Foundation have published a COVID-19 support guide to support schools to direct this funding, which is accessible here: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/national-tutoring-programme/covid-19-support-guide-for-schools/.
For the longer term, the Department will continue to work closely with The Money and Pension Service and HM Treasury to consider how to provide further support for the teaching of financial education in schools.
Asked by: Rob Roberts (Independent - Delyn)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the effect of the covid-19 lockdown restrictions on the provision of financial education for primary school aged children.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Financial education is taught as part of the national curriculum subjects of mathematics and citizenship. Due to the unprecedented challenges for schools caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government ensured that during the national lockdown restrictions, schools were given flexibility around the education they are providing to their pupils. The Department expected schools and teachers to use their professional judgement and knowledge of their pupils’ educational needs to plan appropriate content that enables education to continue.
Schools should resume teaching an ambitious and broad curriculum, in all subjects, from the start of the autumn term. This means that all pupils will be taught a wide range of subjects so they can maintain their choices for further study and employment. Our latest guidance on teaching to support children is set out here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.
Our £1 billion COVID-19 “catch-up” package, including £650 million shared across schools over the 2020/21 academic year, will support schools to put the right catch-up support in place: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/billion-pound-covid-catch-up-plan-to-tackle-impact-of-lost-teaching-time.
The Education Endowment Foundation have published a COVID-19 support guide to support schools to direct this funding, which is accessible here: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/national-tutoring-programme/covid-19-support-guide-for-schools/.
For the longer term, the Department will continue to work closely with The Money and Pension Service and HM Treasury to consider how to provide further support for the teaching of financial education in schools.