Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of having school children face each other in small groups, rather than facing the teacher, on (1) attentiveness, (2) learning, and (3) behaviour.

The Department for Education has made no assessment of the impact of children facing, or not facing, the teacher.

The Department believes that teachers should have a plan for pupil seating arrangements in classrooms, rather than leaving it to pupil preference or chance. Where and how pupils are seated will depend entirely on the lesson and its objectives. Teachers are best placed to take these decisions.