Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what research they have conducted on school twinning programmes and their progress in improving community cohesion and religious understanding.

We want children and young people to have a greater awareness and experience of meeting those from backgrounds different to their own.

The Department for Education and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government are jointly providing funding of over £700,000 for a programme run by the Schools Linking Network. The programme provides sustained opportunities for children and young people from different communities to meet, build new relationships, work together and contribute to the wider community.

This follows the National Foundation for Educational Research report published by the department in 2011 (attached) which showed that schools linking can have a positive impact on many aspects of pupils’ skills, attitudes, perceptions and behaviours.

An evaluation strategy for the current programme is in place and we will ensure we learn from its results to develop our approach to school linking.