Asked by: Derek Thomas (Conservative - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for the Home Department to help prevent people (a) promoting, (b) encouraging and (c) glorifying terrorism at universities.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Higher education (HE) providers must comply with the statutory Prevent duty to have 'due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism'. The statutory Prevent duty can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance/prevent-duty-guidance-for-england-and-wales-accessible.
HE providers should have effective policies and procedures in place to safeguard individuals susceptible to radicalisation. This includes assessing the risk of learners becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. The Office for Students has delegated responsibility from the Secretary of State for Education for monitoring compliance of the Prevent duty in Registered HE Bodies.
The department has a team of Prevent Regional Education Co-ordinators who work directly with HE institutions in England to provide advice, support and training to ensure providers are well equipped to prevent people from being drawn into or supporting terrorism. Further guidance, including bespoke training material for HE providers, can be found on GOV.UK.
In the 'Independent Review of Prevent: One year on' progress report, the department announced that it is committed to publishing research on the implementation of the Prevent duty in HE, and guidance for universities on managing external speakers on campus. The Independent Review of Prevent can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-prevents-report-and-government-response/independent-review-of-prevent-one-year-on-progress-report-accessible.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools and colleges to adapt their curriculum offering following the withdrawal of the WJEC Level 3 qualification in criminology (a) where the qualification was a significant component of vocational education programmes and (b) generally.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The intentions of the reforms to qualifications at Level 3 and below are to streamline the qualifications landscape, simplify choices for students, and only fund qualifications that are high-quality and lead to good progression outcomes. By ensuring that approved qualifications meet new, more rigorous criteria, young people can be confident that they will be able to progress to university and higher technical education and directly into apprenticeships and skilled employment.
Qualification reform puts A levels and T Levels at the heart of study programmes. Qualifications reforms are being undertaken in cycles.
Criminology qualifications will be considered in cycle 2 of the qualification’s reforms. An announcement, on which qualifications will be approved and which will see funding removed, will be made in 2025 and will be implemented from 1 August 2026. For students interested in the police, prison service, and other uniformed or emergency services, large applied general qualifications in uniformed protective services will remain funded until 2026. After this, qualifications in these subjects will either be approved as small alternative academic qualifications (AAQs), or technical qualifications mapped against relevant Level 3 occupational standards. Criminology is contained in the sector subject area of sociology and social policy. This sector subject area also contains a sociology A level which will serve students wishing to progress to higher education.
Students will have the option to choose A levels or a mixed study programme. A student aspiring to be a police constable for example, could study a small AAQ alongside appropriate A levels such as law, physical education, or sociology. Alternatively, they can study a relevant technical occupational entry qualification, which will be based on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education approved occupational standards. These have been designed by employers to give the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed for the occupations to which they pertain. Consequently, criminology has not been listed as an area where the department would accept a small AAQ.
Over the last six months the department has invited all providers to attend one of ten in-person events in five cities across England to support them in understanding the details and timeline for reform and to provide information to help planning and designing their curriculum offer. The department has launched a set of web pages that provide colleges with the information they need. These web pages can be found here: https://support.tlevels.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/sections/16829562632850-Qualifications-Review.
The department will continue to support schools and colleges through online information, future guides and events as the dates where the new qualifications landscape is introduced move closer.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help broaden access to work experience for disadvantaged young people.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Work experience is an important aspect of the support pupils receive to follow rewarding learning and training pathways which lead to fulfilling careers.
The department works with The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) to support secondary schools to provide pupils with multiple interactions with employers from year 7 to year 13 in line with Gatsby Benchmark 6, Experiences of the Workplace. The department has asked CEC to drive this agenda forward at pace to increase workplace opportunities, targeting pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, in response to evidence that these pupils are less likely to access work experience opportunities than their peers. In the latest annual data, 64% of institutions fully achieved the experiences of the workplace benchmark, which is a 12% increase from the year before.
The CEC Careers Hub network has been asked to use a proportion of their Hub Delivery Fund to stimulate meaningful employer-led activities to increase the quantity and quality of opportunities for young people to engage in encounters of the workplace with a focus on alternative provision, special educational needs and disabilities and Pupil Referral Units across all year groups.
In addition, £1.9 million has been invested to support Careers Hubs to offer workplace experiences for up to 15,000 economically disadvantaged young people, including virtual workplace experience pilots for more than 1,000 schools in coastal and rural communities, providing access to wider national networks of employers outside their local community.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on steps to help improve levels of health literacy in school children.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Pupils need to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal, and social lives in a positive way. That is why the department has made health education compulsory in all state-funded schools in England alongside making Relationships Education (for primary pupils) and Relationships and Sex Education (for secondary pupils) compulsory, collectively known as Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE).
The department has also published implementation guidance and teacher training modules covering all the RSHE topics to help schools develop their curricula and teach subjects confidently and effectively, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health. Topics in the RSHE curriculum at both primary and secondary include health and prevention, healthy eating, mental wellbeing and physical health and fitness.
The department is reviewing the RSHE statutory guidance this year, working with colleagues in the Department of Health and Social care to do so. The department is taking a comprehensive, evidence-based approach in deciding what should be included and will consider whether the current content on health education could be amended or expanded to enhance the health literacy of pupils. The department intends to publish revised guidance later in 2024.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the results of trials of reduced teaching hours for teachers in schools.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The department is taking action to encourage and support schools to adopt a strategic approach to implementing flexible working.
The department knows that flexible working is increasingly viewed as an expectation for employees across other sectors. That is why the department is always interested to hear from stakeholders who are trialling new approaches to embedding flexible working practices in schools. For example, the department knows that some schools have re-organised their timetable within their existing funding, giving teachers one full day of planning, preparation and assessment time a week which they can undertake from home. Innovative approaches like this could be an effective way to improve staff wellbeing and help with staff retention.
If a school decides to make significant changes to its staffing arrangements, it will be important to consider the impact on those affected, including pupils and teachers. Schools should also consider the government expectation that all state-funded mainstream schools will deliver at least a 32.5 hour school week by September 2024.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of the withdrawal of the WJEC Level 3 qualification in Criminology on the (a) diversity and (b) inclusivity of post-16 education (i) for students from (A) disadvantaged backgrounds and (B) underrepresented groups and (ii) generally.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
Qualifications reform aims to streamline the qualifications landscape, simplify choices for students and only fund qualifications that are necessary, high-quality and lead to good progression outcomes.
Between October 2020 and January 2021, the government consulted on proposals to reform post-16 technical and academic qualifications at Level 3. A subsequent policy statement, published in July 2021, considered all the evidence submitted by consultation respondents. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reforms-to-post-16-qualifications-at-level-3-in-england.
Qualification reform places A levels and T Levels at the heart of study programmes, which evidence shows provide the best foundation to progress, either into higher education (HE) or skilled employment. The department recognises there is a need for alternative academic qualifications (AAQs) in a small range of subjects aimed at progression to HE, to support the A level offer. The department will fund small AAQs where they are necessary because there is no A level in the sector subject area or where it is strategically important to do so.
Qualifications reforms are being undertaken in cycles. Criminology qualifications will be considered in cycle 2. An announcement, on which qualifications will be approved and which will see funding removed, will be made in 2025 and implemented from 1 August 2026. Criminology is contained in the sector subject area of sociology and social policy which also contains a sociology A level that will serve students wishing to progress to HE. For those wishing to progress into other careers, such as police or prison officer, they could undertake small AAQs in subjects such as uniformed protective services alongside A levels such as physical education and sociology. Our reforms also allow for technical occupational entry qualifications to be developed. Consequently, criminology has not been listed as an area where the department would accept a small AAQ.
An impact assessment was undertaken to consider the post-16 reforms at Level 3 as a whole, which can be read here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1091841/Revised_Review_of_post-16_qualifications_at_level_3_in_England_impact_assessment.pdf.
For students from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented groups, the department expects the impact to be generally positive, as those learners will see the biggest improvement in the quality of qualifications, and their outcomes thereafter. Students are expected to benefit from a more rigorous qualification system, with qualifications that better equip students with the necessary skills for progression into employment or further study. This in turn should help improve their economic returns and employability. However, the department recognises that for a small minority of students, Level 3 may not be achievable in future. That is why the department is raising the quality of qualifications at Level 2 and below so that there is plenty to offer students from all backgrounds who cannot access Level 3 straightaway, or for students who wish to exit into valuable occupations at Level 2.
There will also be provision available for students who require additional help and support to reach Level 3. This includes the academic progression programme pilot and the T Level foundation year, where the department has seen 49% of students progress to Level 3 or higher from the first cohort.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will provide support to schools and colleges to help prepare minority ethnic young people to transition into work.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
High-quality careers information, advice and guidance is key to helping all young people make informed decisions about their future, including being able to find out about and consider the different options available to them.
The department funds the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) to support schools and colleges to deliver high-quality careers programmes, to increase young people’s exposure to the world of work and to smooth the transition into their next step.
The support provided by CEC is universal and provides young people in every part of the country, no matter what their background, with high-quality, tailored advice and guidance. Secondary schools are expected to develop and improve their careers provision for young people in line with the world-class Gatsby Benchmarks, including benchmark 3 which focuses on addressing the individual needs of each pupil.
To support schools to address the individual needs of each pupil, in September 2021 CEC launched the Future Skills Questionnaire (FSQ), which is a student self-completion questionnaire that measures career readiness at points of transition across secondary education. Careers Leaders in secondary schools use FSQ insights to identify those students that require additional support in making their next career learning choice.
Careers Hubs in the 2023/24 academic year are providing additional funding to deliver three distinct strands of activity focused on supporting more disadvantaged pupils:
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the oral statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education of 23 April 2023 on Childcare Entitlements, Official Report, for what reason the statement was made (a) before the publication of a National Audit Office (NAO) on that matter and (b) while the NAO report was under embargo.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government’s plan to support hard working families is working. The department are making the largest ever investment in childcare in England’s history. By September 2025, when the new entitlements are fully rolled out, working families will on average save £6,900 with 30 hours free childcare from when their child is 9 months old until they start school.
The roll out has already been successful, with the government exceeding its targets for the April roll out of the first 15 hours for two year olds. As the Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing set out in a statement to the house yesterday, and as acknowledged by the National Audit Office report, parents of over 195,000 two year olds are now benefitting from this government’s new and historic childcare offer.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Mayoral Combined Authorities on Local Skills Improvements Plans.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The department is delighted that across all areas of England, employer-led local skills improvement plans (LSIPs) have already helped engage thousands of local businesses and have brought them together with local providers and stakeholders, including the Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) and the Greater London Authority (GLA), to collaboratively agree and deliver actions to address local skills’ needs. LSIPs were designed to support local innovation and growth so that every part of the country can succeed in its own unique way.
The department has purposely given employers the leading role in developing LSIPs, as they know their skills’ needs best. However, the department recognises the importance of the MCAs and GLA being involved in LSIPs, given their role as commissioners in their local areas and to support employer representative bodies (ERBs) to consider skills priorities within the broader context of economic growth and development. That is why the department placed a duty on the Secretary of State for Education to be satisfied, in approving LSIPs, that the views of the MCAs and the GLA had been considered in their development. The department also engaged MCAs and the GLA in the development of the LSIP statutory guidance in 2022, which clearly sets out the role they should play.
We welcome the positive engagement that took place between MCAs and the designated ERBs during the development of the plans and which is currently taking place as they are implemented. Indeed, each ERB will provide a public annual progress report in June 2024 and 2025 setting out progress made since publication of the plans.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many level 7 apprenticeship starts there have been in small and medium sized businesses in each of the last five years.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The most recent statistics on apprenticeship starts by business size relate to the 2020/21 academic year and are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-in-england-by-industry-characteristics.
The following table shows the number of apprenticeship starts at Level 6 and above by business size in the last five academic years for which data is available. Apprenticeships at Level 6 and 7 are not split out within published data so the figures are a combined total.
| 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 |
Small (0-49 employees) | 240 | 1,430 | 2,880 | 3,870 | 5,540 |
Medium (50-249 employees) | 80 | 850 | 1,550 | 1,850 | 2,390 |
Data for 2021/22 will be published in July 2024.
Apprenticeship starts are defined as the count of apprenticeship programmes that begin in an academic year, showing the take-up of programmes. An apprentice is counted for each apprenticeship they start at a provider.
More details on the methodology can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/methodology/apprenticeships-in-england-by-industry-characteristics-methodology#content-section-4-content-1.