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Written Question
Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Skidelsky (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to bring into force all the provisions of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act of 2023, including the statutory tort contained in section 4, that have not yet come into effect.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The remaining provisions of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 will come into force in two phases. The main provisions of the Act, including the statutory tort contained in section 4, free speech duties on higher education providers, constituent institutions and students' unions, and the new complaints scheme will come into force on 1 August 2024.

The second phase involves provisions relating to new conditions of registration on providers and monitoring of overseas funding. These will come into force on 1 September 2025. This information was published by the Office for Students on 13 September 2023, see: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/quality-and-standards/freedom-of-speech/changes-to-regulation/.

The department will lay the necessary secondary legislation to bring the Act’s provisions into force by those dates.


Written Question
Housing: Children
Wednesday 24th January 2024

Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support local authorities with finding homes for children with complex needs.

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

All children should live somewhere that meets their needs and keeps them safe. Under Section 22G of the Children Act 1989, it is the duty of each local social services authority to provide suitable accommodation for children in their care. However, the government recognises the challenges local authorities face, and the need for system-wide reform.

To support local authorities, the department has allocated £259 million in funding to maintain capacity and expand provision across open children’s homes (OCHs) and secure children’s homes (SCHs) within England, up until March 2025. Funding to develop OCH provision is provided on a match-funding basis with the department and the local authority local authority contributing 50% funding. For SCH provision, the department provides local authorities with 100% funding. Additional capacity has already been developed, with 36 smaller projects being complete and becoming operational within the SCH estate since the programme launched in 2021.

The government recognises the need for long-term, system-level reform of children’s social care. In February 2023, the government published “Stable Homes, Built on Love – Implementation Strategy and Consultation”, which set out the government’s proposals to reform children’s social care following reviews from the Competition and Markets Authority and Independent Review of Children’s Social Care. The report recommends system changes to ensure suitable placements are available to meet the needs of children.

The department recognises that some children and young people can fall between gaps in a complex system of education, social care and justice services, and there is a lack of evidence-based, integrated, co-commissioned models of care. These gaps are being addressed through a jointly led departmental and NHS England cross-government work programme to improve how system partners work together to improve outcomes for children who are in the most complex situations.

The department has established an ‘‘Improving support for Children in Complex Situations with Multiple Needs” Task and Finish Group (TFG), which aims to enhance support for children in complex situations. The goal is to improve collaboration among system partners to better serve children, particularly those at risk of losing their freedom. The group aims to align government efforts to design, commission and deliver integrated care models, including social care, health, education and youth justice, with the support of key stakeholders.

Transparency data has been published online which provides more information about the TFG and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/improving-cross-sector-support-for-children-in-complex-situations-with-multiple-needs-task-and-finish-group?cgfc.



Written Question
Multi-academy Trusts: Accountability
Wednesday 17th January 2024

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will review the effectiveness of governance structures of Multi-Academy Trusts (MAT) in ensuring adequacy of (a) accountability of MAT leadership and (b) avenues for resolving disagreement from school staff with decisions taken by the MAT leadership.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

The department sets clear standards and expectations for the governance of multi-academy trusts (MATs) through requirements set by the Academy Trust Handbook, in model articles of association, funding agreements and through the guidance provided by the Governance Handbook. These documents are reviewed regularly to ensure they are up to date.

The department requires a high level of accountability and transparency from academy trusts. Academy trusts’ status as companies, charities and public sector bodies means that they are subject to rigorous accountability systems. Trustees must comply with the trust’s charitable objects, with company and charity law, and with their contractual obligations under the trust’s funding agreement with the Secretary of State. The academy trust board has collective accountability and responsibility for the governance of the MAT and in assuring itself that there is compliance with regulatory, contractual, and statutory requirements; this includes providing effective challenge and support to school leaders.

The department also published detailed trust quality descriptions as part of the ‘Commissioning high-quality trusts’ guidance in July 2023. These define what trusts are expected to deliver across five key pillars, of which governance and leadership is one. The guidance is the basis for commissioning decisions, including approving the growth of trusts.

The description of governance and leadership includes the expectation that the trust’s accounting officer, board and leadership team create a culture of ethical leadership, including the seven principles of public life; trust leadership should involve parents, schools, communities and, where appropriate, dioceses and other religious authorities so that decision making is supported by meaningful engagement.

The evidence annex sets out the information the department uses to assess trusts under each pillar. In the case of governance and leadership, qualitative evidence is used within a risk-based approach. Where it is determined that a detailed assessment of the trust’s governance and leadership is appropriate, the department will make a judgement based on the evidence held and/or that provided by the trust, in line with the published guidance.

Academy trusts have the freedom to establish their own procedures for staff. Trusts should have the freedom to make these decisions, as they are best placed to understand their local needs, but in doing so, they must take account of relevant legislation and guidance. Advice for boards about establishing these procedures is provided in the department’s guidance on managing staff employment in schools, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staffing-and-employment-advice-for-schools.

Academy trusts must have a policy that details their procedures for addressing staff grievances. Governing boards should be mindful of their obligations under employment law and take into account the ACAS Code of Practice in their approach, which is accessible at: https://www.acas.org.uk/acas-code-of-practice-on-disciplinary-and-grievance-procedures. While this policy may be delegated to individual academies, the trust board remains accountable for all policies across its schools and they should ensure that members of their schools’ workforce are fully aware of the process by which they can seek redress as a result of any disagreement relating to their work at the school.


Written Question
Literacy: Education
Tuesday 5th December 2023

Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to help adults with poor literacy skills.

Answered by Robert Halfon

The department recognises the importance of good literacy skills, both in work and everyday life. That is why the department has taken steps to support adults to have the essential skills they need for life, work and further study, including literacy. Through our legal entitlement, the department provides the opportunity of fully funded study for adults who do not have essential literacy skills up to the equivalent of a GCSE grade 4/C or higher. In the 2021/22 academic year, around 239,000 learners participated in an English course funded through the entitlement. Further details can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/further-education-and-skills-november-2022.

The department also supports all adults for whom English is not their first language to secure the English language skills they need. Adults are fully funded or co-funded to study English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) courses and qualifications up to and including GCSE 4/C equivalent. The number of learners participating in ESOL courses and qualifications continues to grow, with around 123,000 learners in the 2021/22 academic year and the department has already seen around 139,000 learners participate in the first three quarters of this academic year. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/further-education-and-skills-november-2022.

The department also recognises that community learning within the adult education budget (AEB) can play a valuable role in helping individuals improve their English, particularly for learners where a qualification is not the most appropriate first step.

Currently 60% of the AEB has been devolved to nine Mayoral Combined Authorities and delegated to the Mayor of London (working where appropriate through the Greater London Authority). These authorities are responsible for the provision of adult education and allocation of the AEB in their local areas, including funding of English and maths statutory entitlements. The Education and Skills Funding Agency is responsible for the remaining AEB in non-devolved areas where colleges and other training providers have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their AEB to best meet the needs of their communities.


Written Question
Animal Welfare: Advanced British Standard and Curriculum
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that animal welfare is included in the (a) school curriculum and (b) Advanced British Standard.

Answered by Nick Gibb

There are many opportunities for animal health and welfare to be taught in schools. In science the curriculum includes teaching about animals and their environment, including understanding the basic needs of animals. The need to care for and return animals taken from their local environment is also included in the non statutory guidance notes section of the Key Stage 1 programme of study. More information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-science-programmes-of-study/national-curriculum-in-england-science-programmes-of-study#key-stage-1.

Schools also have the freedom to teach animal welfare in subjects such as citizenship and personal, social, health and economic education. Teachers are free to determine what further activities they offer in this subject to meet the needs of their pupils. All schools are required to teach a balanced and broadly based curriculum that promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

The Department will be consulting extensively over the coming months on the design and content of the Advanced British Standard, accompanied by a programme of stakeholder engagement. This will inform a White Paper to be published next year.


Written Question
Department for Education: Freedom of Information
Tuesday 26th September 2023

Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps their Department is taking to improve the response time to FOI requests.

Answered by Nick Gibb

Official National Statistics on Freedom of Information (FOI) performance for all central government departments and other monitored bodies can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

The Department continually monitors and looks for ways to improve its FOI performance.


Written Question
Department for Education: Freedom of Information
Tuesday 26th September 2023

Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education,what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the average time taken by her Department to respond to freedom of information requests in the 2022-23 financial year.

Answered by Nick Gibb

Official National Statistics on Freedom of Information (FOI) performance for all central government departments and other monitored bodies can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

The Department continually monitors and looks for ways to improve its FOI performance.


Written Question
Schools: Curriculum
Thursday 14th September 2023

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the involvement of parents in the education curriculum.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department welcomes and supports the work that many schools are doing tostrengthen parental engagement, for example through Parent Teacher Associations, to actively involve parents in supporting their child’s education.

Where schools decide to set homework, they should develop their own homework policies in consultation with staff, parents, pupils and governors. The Department does not determine how involved parents should be in the development of the school curriculum. Whilst parental support in pupils’ education is important, teachers are best placed to determine what support is needed and have the autonomy to decide how to involve parents.

The National Curriculum, which the Department reformed to set world class standards across all subjects, focusses on the key knowledge that schools should teach. Within a broad statutory framework, schools have considerable flexibility to organise the content and delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of the majority of their pupils and to take account of new developments, societal changes or topical issues.

Academies and free schools have greater freedom and autonomy in how they operate for areas such as the curriculum, but they are expected to teach a curriculum that is comparable in breadth and ambition to the National Curriculum, and many choose to teach the full National Curriculum to achieve this.

In addition to meeting their statutory duties, schools are also free to include othersubjects or topics they deem relevant for their pupils, as part of the school’s wider curriculum.

It is important that every school has a well designed and well sequenced curriculum which ensures pupils acquire knowledge in a broad range of subjects and prepares them to specialise and succeed in further and higher education or training.

For maintained schools, the National Curriculum provides parents with an understanding of what their child can be expected to know at every stage in their school career. All schools have a duty to share information about their curriculum with parents. The Department has been very clear that schools should respond positively where parents request to see specific materials. On 31 March 2023, the Secretary of State wrote to all schools to set out that, under current arrangements, schools can and should share curriculum materials with parents.


Written Question
Teachers: Qualifications
Tuesday 18th July 2023

Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many teachers at state-funded secondary schools in England do not have a teaching qualification in the subject that they teach.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Information on the school workforce in England, including qualified teacher status (QTS), qualifications held and for state-funded secondary schools, the subjects taught, is published in the school workforce in England statistical publication. A link to this information can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

QTS is considered desirable for teachers in most schools in England. In some schools, including academies, free schools, and independent schools, QTS is not a legal requirement. Academies have a fundamental freedom to employ talented teachers who do not necessarily have QTS.

Most teachers in all schools, including academies, have QTS and have undertaken Initial Teacher Training (ITT). The most recent data from November 2022 shows 12,739 full time equivalent teachers in state funded schools in England did not have QTS, which is equivalent to 2.7% of teachers. This information is in the attached table 1. Information on the qualifications held by teachers is collected in the annual census. However, the information collected does not identify teaching qualifications specifically. Information on the highest qualification of teachers is in the attached table 2. The percent of secondary school teachers with a relevant post A level qualification in the subject they are teaching is is in the attached table 3.

Timetabled teaching is reported for a typical week in November, as determined by the school. It does not cover an entire year of teaching. If there are variations in timetabling across the year, this is not covered in the data available to the department.

There are 27,000 more teachers now than there were in 2010. The quality of teaching is the most important in school factor in improving outcomes for children, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Evidence is clear that high quality professional development can lead to improved pupil attainment.

The department has invested in transforming training for teachers and head teachers. Every teacher and head teacher now has access to high quality, evidence based training and professional development at every stage of their career, starting with ITT.

By 2024, a reformed ITT provider market will be delivering quality assured training leading to QTS that places a greater emphasis than ever before on embedding structured practice into courses, ensuring trainees are ready to thrive in the classroom.

A new system of higher quality training provider partnerships will be supported by £36 million to introduce new quality requirements, including better training for mentors and the delivery of new, cutting edge, intensive training, and practice activity. Every teaching school hub will be involved in ITT to ensure that training places are available across the country.

The department wants to continue bringing great people into teaching and have introduced bursaries worth up to £27,000 tax free and scholarships worth up to £29,000 tax free, to attract talented trainees in subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing.

In addition to scholarships and bursaries, the department are offering a Levelling Up Premium worth up to £3,000 tax free for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. This will support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in these subjects and in the schools and areas that need them most.


Written Question
Teachers: Qualifications
Tuesday 18th July 2023

Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many teachers at state-funded schools in England do not have a teaching qualification.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Information on the school workforce in England, including qualified teacher status (QTS), qualifications held and for state-funded secondary schools, the subjects taught, is published in the school workforce in England statistical publication. A link to this information can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

QTS is considered desirable for teachers in most schools in England. In some schools, including academies, free schools, and independent schools, QTS is not a legal requirement. Academies have a fundamental freedom to employ talented teachers who do not necessarily have QTS.

Most teachers in all schools, including academies, have QTS and have undertaken Initial Teacher Training (ITT). The most recent data from November 2022 shows 12,739 full time equivalent teachers in state funded schools in England did not have QTS, which is equivalent to 2.7% of teachers. This information is in the attached table 1. Information on the qualifications held by teachers is collected in the annual census. However, the information collected does not identify teaching qualifications specifically. Information on the highest qualification of teachers is in the attached table 2. The percent of secondary school teachers with a relevant post A level qualification in the subject they are teaching is is in the attached table 3.

Timetabled teaching is reported for a typical week in November, as determined by the school. It does not cover an entire year of teaching. If there are variations in timetabling across the year, this is not covered in the data available to the department.

There are 27,000 more teachers now than there were in 2010. The quality of teaching is the most important in school factor in improving outcomes for children, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Evidence is clear that high quality professional development can lead to improved pupil attainment.

The department has invested in transforming training for teachers and head teachers. Every teacher and head teacher now has access to high quality, evidence based training and professional development at every stage of their career, starting with ITT.

By 2024, a reformed ITT provider market will be delivering quality assured training leading to QTS that places a greater emphasis than ever before on embedding structured practice into courses, ensuring trainees are ready to thrive in the classroom.

A new system of higher quality training provider partnerships will be supported by £36 million to introduce new quality requirements, including better training for mentors and the delivery of new, cutting edge, intensive training, and practice activity. Every teaching school hub will be involved in ITT to ensure that training places are available across the country.

The department wants to continue bringing great people into teaching and have introduced bursaries worth up to £27,000 tax free and scholarships worth up to £29,000 tax free, to attract talented trainees in subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing.

In addition to scholarships and bursaries, the department are offering a Levelling Up Premium worth up to £3,000 tax free for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. This will support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in these subjects and in the schools and areas that need them most.