Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has plans to encourage businesses to run new apprenticeship schemes.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The department is increasing funding for apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year. We are also encouraging the use of more flexible training models, such as accelerated and flexi-job apprenticeships, so that employers in all sectors can benefit from apprenticeships and apprentices can attain occupational competence as quickly as possible.
We recognise the important role that small-and-medium-sized employers (SMEs) play in creating apprenticeship opportunities, particularly for younger people and those in disadvantaged areas. On 1 June, we reset the reservation levels for all employers who do not pay the levy to zero. This means that employers will be able to make up to 10 new reservations to fund new starts.
We continue to make improvements to the apprenticeship levy transfer system to make it easier for large employers to make full use of their levy funds and support starts in their supply chain, sector, or local area, and to support more employers, including SMEs, to meet local or sectorial skills needs.
We also provide £1,000 payments to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged between 16 and 18 years old, helping to support younger people into apprenticeships.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to increase SEND provision in the Black Country.
Answered by Will Quince
In March 2022, the department announced High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) 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 special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision (AP).
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. It will support local authorities to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings, and will also be used to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings.
Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton collectively received a total of just over £33.9 million through these allocations announced in March 2022 and just under £6.6 million through previous HNPCA allocations announced in April 2021 to deliver new places for the 2022/23 academic year. Information on these allocations can be found published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-provision-capital-allocations. It is ultimately up to each local authority to determine how to best utilise their HNPCA funding to address local priorities.
The department is also supporting local authorities through our ongoing delivery of new special and AP free schools. Sandwell currently has a new special free school in the pipeline and the department has recently launched the ‘How to Apply’ guidance for the 2022 Special and AP free school application waves. These waves are open to all local authorities in England. Guidance can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-free-school-applications and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-to-open-an-alternative-provision-free-school.
The department is further supporting local authorities to achieve the shared endeavour to secure a financially sustainable high needs system. This includes investment of £9.1 billion high needs revenue funding in 2022/23 (a £1 billion increase from 2021/22), continuing work with local authorities as part of the safety valve programme, the introduction of the Delivering Better Value programme and the recommendations outlined in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Green Paper.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps are being taken to support the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of teachers in (i) early years and (ii) primary education.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department recognises the huge contribution the early years and teaching workforces make to giving every child the best start in life, especially during this period of education recovery.
The department continues to work with the early years sector to build our understanding of our workforce needs, including any issues related to recruitment and retention. The government is committed to ensuring there are routes to graduate level qualifications, alongside wider professional development activity for the workforce.
As part of our work to support recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the department announced up to £153 million in programmes to support workforce development. This includes increasing the number of places available for early years initial teacher training (EYITT). We are also developing new early years training routes.
The department recognises more needs to be done to ensure that primary teaching remains an attractive, high-status profession. At the heart of the Schools White Paper’s vision to boost literacy and numeracy outcomes is the need for an excellent teacher for every child. We aim to continue attracting and retaining the highly skilled teachers that every child needs. The Schools White Paper can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/opportunity-for-all-strong-schools-with-great-teachers-for-your-child.
To do this, the department is taking action to improve teacher recruitment and retention by transforming the training and support we provide, not only to attract more people into teaching, but to encourage them to stay and thrive in the profession. Every teacher now has access to a golden thread of high-quality, evidence-based training and professional development at every stage of their career.
The department is creating an entitlement to at least three years of structured training, support, and professional development for all new teachers, bringing teaching into line with other prestigious professions such as law, accountancy, and medicine. Underpinning this is the new Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework and the Early Career Framework (ECF). Together, these ensure that new teachers will benefit from at least three years of evidence-based training, across ITT and into their induction. We also remain committed to increasing teacher starting salaries to £30,000 to make teaching an attractive graduate option.
Beyond the first few years of teaching, our priority is to help all teachers and school leaders to continuously develop their expertise throughout their careers so every child in every classroom in every school gets the best start in life. Teachers can now benefit from an updated suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs). Aimed at those who want to develop expertise in high-quality teaching practice, to those leading multiple schools across trusts, these professional development programmes are now free to access for those eligible to apply.
Teacher retention is key to ensuring effective teacher supply and quality, and we are taking action to support teachers to stay in the profession and thrive. The department has published a range of resources to help address teacher workload and wellbeing and support schools to introduce flexible working practices.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of services for children with special educational needs and disabilities in (a) Wolverhampton and (b) the West Midlands.
Answered by Will Quince
In Wolverhampton, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission conducted a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) inspection in September 2021. Inspectors identified six areas of significant weakness. As a result, Wolverhampton was required to produce and publish a Written Statement of Action (WSoA) which sets out how they intend to address these areas of concern. The WSoA is published on the local authority website.
We are committed to supporting and monitoring progress of the identified areas for improvement and have put in place regular monitoring and challenge meetings with SEND advisers from the department and NHS England.
In the West Midlands the SEND inspection framework assesses at a local authority level so there is no single assessment for West Midlands. However, as highlighted in the SEND and Alternative Provision Green Paper, there is inconsistency in the standard of services for children and young people with SEND and their parents in the West Midlands as there is across the country. The Green Paper, published on 29 March 2022, sets out a suite of proposed reforms that seek to create a coherent education, health and care system that works in the interests of all children in England and levels up opportunities.
The department is providing opportunities for children, parents, carers and those working across the SEND system to provide feedback during the 13-week consultation period which runs to 1 July 2022.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help promote the take up of careers in teaching (a) humanities and (b) arts subjects.
Answered by Robin Walker
The number of teachers remains high, with over 461,000 working in state-funded schools across the country, 20,000 more than in 2010. Over 37,000 new trainee teachers were recruited to start training in the 2021/22 academic year.
The department is driving an ambitious transformation programme to overhaul the process of becoming a teacher, from stimulating initial interest through world-class marketing through to the start of training.
In October 2021, the government’s new digital service, ‘apply for teacher training’, was rolled out. This is a key milestone in the delivery of a more streamlined, user-friendly application route. New data and insight from government services will also drive innovation with a view to boosting recruitment in priority subjects.
To promote careers in teaching humanities and arts subjects, the department uses a combination of financial incentives, marketing, and school experience.
Trainee teachers on both undergraduate and postgraduate initial teacher training (ITT) courses are able to apply for student finance, regardless of the subject they train to teach. This includes a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and additional means-tested funding for trainees in particular circumstances, including those with children, adult dependants, or a disability. Trainees on employment-based courses are ineligible for student finance as they earn a salary whilst they train instead.
In addition, the department is offering a £15,000 tax-free bursary for both languages and geography trainee teachers starting ITT courses in the 2022/23 academic year. The government will review the need for financial incentives across all subjects before announcing the bursaries for the 2023/24 academic year.
The department’s teaching marketing campaign provides inspiration and support to explore a career in teaching and directs people to the ‘Get Into Teaching service’. Through the website, prospective candidates in any phase or subject can access support and advice through expert one-to-one teacher training advisers, a contact centre, and a national programme of events. The ‘get school experience’ digital service also arranges school experience placements between prospective candidates and schools. This service is available here: https://schoolexperience.education.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure wraparound childcare is available for new parents who wish to return to work.
Answered by Will Quince
Ensuring parents can continue to access childcare remains a priority for the government. The department has issued guidance to childcare providers to ensure they can continue to operate whilst reducing transmission of COVID-19, alongside accompanying guidance for parents and carers: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-parents-and-carers-of-children-attending-out-of-school-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.
The government announced on 21 December 2021 that a further £102 million would be made available for local authorities to support businesses severely impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. This grant gives local authorities discretionary funding to support any sector within their area that requires it and this may include wraparound childcare providers.
Parents have the ‘right to request’ wraparound childcare and the department has published guidance for schools on how to respond to such requests: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/778997/Rights_to_request_guidance-2019.pdf. Schools should not refuse a request without a reasonable justification.
All local authorities also have a legal duty to ensure there are sufficient childcare places, so far as is reasonably practicable, for working parents in their area with children aged 0-14, or up to 18 for disabled children. Parents may contact their local Family Information Service who can give advice on childcare providers in their area.
New parents may benefit from our Tax-Free Childcare scheme which provides working parents with financial support with their childcare costs. For every £8 a parent or carer deposits into their account, they will receive a £2 top-up, up to the value of £500 every three months, or £1,000 if their child is disabled. Tax-Free Childcare is available for children aged 0-11, or 0-16 if their child is disabled, and can be used for a range of childcare providers, such as childminders, nurseries, and play schemes. It can be also used in conjunction with 30 hours free childcare for 3 and 4-year-olds and can be used to help pay for additional hours a parent wants to take up.
We would strongly advise all new parents to find out what government childcare support may be available to them by visiting the government’s Childcare Choices website: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to increase the availability of defibrillators at school sites.
Answered by Will Quince
All new and refurbished state funded schools are required to have at least one defibrillator installed on their premises, and we encourage all other schools to include defibrillators as part of their first aid equipment.
Defibrillators are currently available for schools and other education providers in the UK to purchase through the NHS Supply Chain’s defibs4schools programme at a reduced cost. These arrangements are available to all UK schools, including academies and independent schools, sixth-form colleges, further education institutions and early years settings.
The department wants as many schools as possible to have this equipment and we are exploring all available options to see what more we can do.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to promote awareness of vocational career routes in schools.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The department is determined to take action so that all young people can learn about the high-quality opportunities that technical education and apprenticeships can offer. Through the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill, we aim to strengthen the Baker Clause so all pupils will have the opportunity to have encounters with providers of approved technical education and apprenticeships.
We expect to see schools setting up career events, assemblies and options evenings so that providers can talk to pupils about what they offer and what it is like to learn in a different environment. The school must prepare and publish a policy statement setting out the circumstances in which education and training providers will be given access to pupils and ensure that this is followed. The policy statement must include:
As well as steps taken to ensure compliance with the Baker Clause, we are making sure that all government careers information is available in one place to enable people to make informed decisions on the education, training and employment options that are right for them. This will include information on routes into apprenticeships, including higher and degree apprenticeships, and T Levels via an improved course directory accessible via the National Careers Service website.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that families have access to wrap-around childcare, including after-school clubs.
Answered by Will Quince
Ensuring parents can continue to access childcare remains a priority for the government. The department recognises the important role wraparound childcare, such as before and after-school clubs, plays in providing additional childcare options to parents and carers, as well as providing enriching activities and promoting the wellbeing of children. We have prioritised these childcare settings to help them remain open throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, and continue to encourage schools to ensure they are offering this provision.
Parents have the ‘right to request’ wraparound childcare, and the department has published guidance for schools on how to respond to such requests which is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/778997/Rights_to_request_guidance-2019.pdf. Schools should not refuse a request without a reasonable justification.
All local authorities also have a legal duty to ensure there are sufficient childcare places, so far as is reasonably practicable, for working parents in their area with children aged 0-14, or up to 18 for disabled children. Parents may contact their local Family Information Service who can give provide advice on childcare providers in their area.
In addition, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 27 October, that the department will be providing over £200 million a year for the continuation of the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which provides enriching activities and healthy meals for disadvantaged children during school holidays. Local authorities will be able to use the funding for this programme, which is delivered through grants, to arrange childcare provision.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to support the additional needs of children with special educational needs in the recovery from the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Will Quince
Since June 2020, we have announced more than £3 billion to support education recovery in schools which includes support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), 16-19 providers and in early years settings to help pupils make up education lost as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Our recovery programmes have the flexibility to support those pupils most in need, including children with SEND, with additional funding provided for those interventions that the evidence tells us will have a significant impact, high quality tutoring and great teaching.
We have consistently prioritised children who attend specialist settings by providing additional uplifts both in the 2020 Catch-up Premium and in the 2021 Recovery Premium and providing the flexibility to deliver provision based on pupils’ need. Additionally, specialist settings received an uplift to deliver the summer schools programme.
We have also ensured that settings have the flexibility to target this to meet the needs of their pupils and students. In addition, we continue to work hard to ensure children and young people are given access to therapies and equipment so that the right support is in place for all children and families, including addressing the backlog in assessments, we are providing over £42 million in 2021-22 to continue funding projects to support children with SEND. This investment will ensure that specialist organisations around the country can continue to help strengthen local area performance, support families, and provide practical support to schools and colleges. This includes £27.3 million to the Family Fund in 2021-22 to support over 60,000 families on low incomes raising children and young people with disabilities or serious illnesses.