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Written Question
Children in Care
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the number of children that are looked-after.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The latest information on the number of children looked after in England on 31 March 2023 can be found in the annual statistical release ‘Children looked after in England including adoptions’, which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions.


Written Question
Skills Bootcamps
Monday 20th November 2023

Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people (a) attended and (b) completed a Skills Bootcamps in each region in the last 12 months.

Answered by Robert Halfon

On 9 November 2023, the department published a statistical release, which shows we exceeded our target, with a total of 40,040 Skills Bootcamps learner starts for the 2022/23 financial year. A start is an instance of training, not the number of individuals trained.

This data release only covers the number of Skills Bootcamps starts. Further breakdowns by region will be provided in the evaluation report, which will be published next year. A further release will be published later next year covering completions and outcomes data for this cohort.

In 2021/22, there were a total of 16,120 Skills Bootcamps learner starts. A data release will be published in early 2024 covering completions and outcomes information for the 2021/22 financial year.


Written Question
Skills Bootcamps
Monday 20th November 2023

Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people (a) attended and (b) completed Skills Bootcamps in each year since 2021.

Answered by Robert Halfon

On 9 November 2023, the department published a statistical release, which shows we exceeded our target, with a total of 40,040 Skills Bootcamps learner starts for the 2022/23 financial year. A start is an instance of training, not the number of individuals trained.

This data release only covers the number of Skills Bootcamps starts. Further breakdowns by region will be provided in the evaluation report, which will be published next year. A further release will be published later next year covering completions and outcomes data for this cohort.

In 2021/22, there were a total of 16,120 Skills Bootcamps learner starts. A data release will be published in early 2024 covering completions and outcomes information for the 2021/22 financial year.


Written Question
Care Leavers: Government Assistance
Tuesday 14th February 2023

Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support young care leavers who are more vulnerable to drug-use, mental illness and being forced into sex work; and if she will meet with the hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden to discuss a constituent's personal case.

Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

We recognise the importance of securing appropriate support for care leavers. All care leavers are allocated a Personal Advisor to support them to make a successful transition from care to independent living. This includes helping them to access services and support from wider agencies such as health and housing, and to provide practical and emotional support.

However, we know that better support is needed. The department’s response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, sets out six key missions to improve the lives of children in care and care leavers, including a commitment to reduce the disparities in long-term mental and physical health outcomes and improve wellbeing for care-experienced people.

The department is also providing over £230 million this spending review to support young people leaving care, including increasing the leaving care allowance from £2,000 to £3,000 and tripling the bursary that care leaver apprentices receive.

I am content to meet with the hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden as part of my MP surgery to discuss the constituent’s personal case.


Written Question
Audiobooks
Friday 1st April 2022

Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the (a) contribution of audiobooks in engaging reluctant and underrepresented readers and (b) potential role of audiobooks in (i) improving reading behaviours and (ii) supporting the Government's levelling up agenda.

Answered by Robin Walker

The department wants children to develop the habit of reading widely and often, both for pleasure and information. Research suggests that reading for pleasure is more important for children’s educational development than their parents’ level of education. The national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely. It emphasises the importance of pupils listening to, discussing, and reading a wide range of stories, poems, plays and information books for themselves as their fluency increases.

The department has not undertaken research on the specific contribution or role of audiobooks. However, we welcome their use alongside other formats of books.

On 28 March 2022, we published our Schools White Paper, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/opportunity-for-all-strong-schools-with-great-teachers-for-your-child. This sets out our long-term vision for a school system that helps every child to fulfil their potential, by ensuring that they receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time. At its heart is the government’s levelling up mission that by 2030, 90% of children will leave primary school having achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. As part of this, the department is committed to continuing to raise literacy standards, ensuring all children can read fluently and with understanding.


Written Question
National School Breakfast Programme
Tuesday 18th January 2022

Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has plans to (a) measure pupil uptake of free school breakfasts in each school as part of the National School Breakfast Programme and (b) publish the average pupil uptake across all schools involved in that programme.

Answered by Will Quince

The government is committed to continuing support for school breakfast clubs and the department is investing up to £24 million to continue our national programme until the end of the summer term in 2023. This funding will support around 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 focus of the programme is to target the most disadvantaged areas of the country, including the department’s opportunity areas.

The enrolment process for schools joining the programme is currently ongoing, and the department has seen a strong interest so far from eligible schools since we invited the expressions of interest.

Throughout the current contract the department will be working with our provider, Family Action, to monitor different aspects of the current programme, including data on pupil uptake. The department will consider the best opportunities to share information on the programme as it progresses.


Written Question
National School Breakfast Programme
Tuesday 18th January 2022

Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on the level of pupil uptake of free school breakfasts in schools receiving support from the National School Breakfast Programme from September to December 2021.

Answered by Will Quince

The government is committed to continuing support for school breakfast clubs and the department is investing up to £24 million to continue our national programme until the end of the summer term in 2023. This funding will support around 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 focus of the programme is to target the most disadvantaged areas of the country, including the department’s opportunity areas.

The enrolment process for schools joining the programme is currently ongoing, and the department has seen a strong interest so far from eligible schools since we invited the expressions of interest.

Throughout the current contract the department will be working with our provider, Family Action, to monitor different aspects of the current programme, including data on pupil uptake. The department will consider the best opportunities to share information on the programme as it progresses.


Written Question
National School Breakfast Programme: Mitcham and Morden
Friday 10th September 2021

Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which schools in Mitcham and Morden constituency will be supported by the new National School Breakfast Programme tender during the academic year 2021-2022.

Answered by Vicky Ford

The government is committed to continuing support for school breakfast clubs and we are investing up to £24 million to continue our national programme for the next two years. This funding will support around 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 focus of the programme is to target the most disadvantaged areas of the country, including the Department for Education’s Opportunity Areas. Schools’ eligibility for the programme is based on the Income deprivation affecting children index (IDACI) – a nationally recognised indicator of need – to ensure provision is directed where it is most needed. Schools will be eligible for the programme if they have 50% or more pupils within bands A-F of the IDACI scale.

The enrolment process for schools joining the programme is currently ongoing, and we have seen a strong interest so far from eligible schools since we invited the expressions of interest. Schools are currently still able to apply to join the programme. As we are still registering schools for the programme, it is too early to publish a list of participating schools. However, we will consider the best opportunities to share information on the programme as it progresses.


Written Question
National School Breakfast Programme
Friday 10th September 2021

Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to clarify (a) which schools are participating in the National School Breakfast Programme and (b) whether the purpose of that programme is to alleviate classroom hunger.

Answered by Vicky Ford

The government is committed to continuing support for breakfast clubs and we are funding up to a further £24 million to continue our programme over the next two years. This funding will support around 2,500 schools in disadvantaged areas meaning that thousands of children in low income families will be offered nutritious breakfasts.

The focus of the programme is to target the most disadvantaged areas of the country, including the Department for Education’s Opportunity Areas. Schools will be eligible for the programme if they have 50% or more pupils within bands A-F of the Income deprivation affecting children index (IDACI) scale. When schools join the programme, they will sign a partnership agreement that requires them to identify and target those children that are most in need of support. Our provider, Family Action, will monitor attendance data at each participating school, and will support those schools with their targeting where needed. This will ensure that the programme benefits the children who are most in need of support.

The enrolment process for schools joining the programme is currently ongoing, and we have seen a strong interest so far from eligible schools since we invited the expressions of interest. Schools are currently still able to apply to join the programme. As we are still registering schools for the programme, it is too early to publish a list of participating schools. However, we will consider the best opportunities to share information on the programme as it progresses.


Written Question
Pupil Premium
Monday 22nd March 2021

Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the changes to the amount of pupil premium funding schools will receive as a result of basing allocations on the October 2020 census rather than the January 2021 census.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The January 2021 census will be used to determine pupil premium eligibility for alternative provision and pupil referral units for the financial year 2021-22. Pupil premium eligibility for mainstream and special schools will be based on the October 2020 census.

Per pupil funding rates will be the same as in 2020-21, which is expected to increase pupil premium funding from £2.4 billion in 2020-21 to more than £2.5 billion in 2021-22 as more children have become eligible for free school meals. In addition to this the Government announced a further £300 million for a one-off Recovery Premium which will be allocated to schools based on the same methodology as the pupil premium. In this way, schools with more disadvantaged pupils will receive larger amounts.

The Department will confirm pupil premium allocations for the financial year 2021-22 in June 2021. This will provide the public with information on the specific amounts that regions, local authorities and schools are receiving through the pupil premium for 2021-22.

Data on the number of pupils who have become eligible for free school meals since 2 October 2020 is currently being collected in the spring school census and is not yet available.

The Department publishes information on pupil premium allocations and the number of pupils eligible annually. The most recent publicly available figures can be found via this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2020-to-2021.