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Written Question
Summer Schools: Enfield
Tuesday 13th June 2023

Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department allocated to Enfield Council through the Summer Schools Grant in each of the last ten years in real terms.

Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

The department has made available almost £5 billion for education recovery packages to support children and young people of all ages in catching up on missed education and development. Funding was made available for demand-led summer schools in summer 2021 so that children, particularly in transition years between primary and secondary, could access some of the fundamental teaching and enrichment activities that are so vitally important to development.

The allocations made available to each eligible secondary school, by local authority in England, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-summer-schools-programme-funding.

Enfield London Borough Council was allocated a maximum of £232,830 for its maintained schools. This funding was demand-led and, overall, claims for actual costs were less than that allocated.

Maintained schools received their funding via the local authority and academies received their funding directly in the October/November 2021 funding round.


Written Question
Schools: Finance
Monday 12th June 2023

Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding allocations her Department provides for schools outside the voluntary aided and state sector.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department allocates various funding streams in respect of pupils of compulsory school age (5-16) in schools outside the voluntary aided and state sector. Some of these streams also apply to pupils aged above 16. For the purposes of this response, maintained schools, academies (including free schools), and community technical colleges are considered to be part of the state sector. Where funding is provided to schools outside the state sector, it is predominantly provided to non-maintained special schools (NMSS) and, in some cases, to independent schools in respect of pupils for whom a Local Authority pay full tuition fees.

High needs place funding is allocated to non-maintained special schools (NMSS) directly by the Department and paid at £10,000 per place. Further details on high needs place funding is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-allocated-place-numbers. The total place funding for NMSS for the 2022/23 academic year was £38 million. Local Authorities also spend a portion of their high needs block allocations on placements in NMSS and independent schools. Further detail at Local Authority level is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/section-251-materials.

The Pupil Premium grant provides additional funding for NMSS for raising the educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils of all abilities to help them reach their potential, and provides support for pupils with parents in the regular armed forces. The Pupil Premium grant is also provided for eligible pupils in independent schools, where the Local Authority pays full tuition fees. Allocations are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2023-to-2024.

The Department provides funding for tutoring through the National Tutoring Programme. It is provided to NMSS, and to Local Authorities for eligible pupils in independent special schools, where the Local Authority pays full tuition fees. Allocations are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-tutoring-programme-ntp-allocations-for-2023-to-2024-academic-year.

The PE and Sport Premium is a ring-fenced grant to primary schools, and other educational establishments with primary aged children, including NMSS. Further details are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pe-and-sport-premium-conditions-of-grant-2022-to-2023.

The Recovery Premium is a time limited grant which is providing over £300 million of additional funding for schools in the 2021/22 academic year and £1 billion across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years. It is provided to NMSS, and to Local Authorities for eligible pupils in independent special schools, where the Local Authority pays full tuition fees. Details on allocations and conditions of the grant are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-recovery-premium-funding-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2022-to-2023.

NMSS receive Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) funding, as they have a duty to provide free school meals to eligible pupils. This includes the provision of UIFSM to pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. Provisional allocations to NMSS for UIFSM amounted to £34,000 for the 2022/23 academic year.

The Department also provides capital funding for schools outside the voluntary aided and state sector. In March 2022, the Department announced £1.4 billion in High Needs Provisional Capital Allocations to support Local Authorities to deliver new places for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years and improve existing provision for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities or who require Alternative Provision. It is for Local Authorities to determine how to use this funding to address their local priorities, but they can use this funding for new places in any school or institution in their area, including NMSS. Further details are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-provision-capital-allocations.

The Department further allocates condition funding to NMSS to support them in keeping their buildings safe and well maintained. Details of funding allocations are available at: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.publishing.service.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F1155676%2FSchool_capital_funding_allocations_for_2023_to_2024.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK. In the 2023/24 financial year, NMSS were allocated £3,000,000 in school condition allocations to invest in the condition of their buildings, and £410,000 in devolved formula capital for smaller capital projects.


Written Question
Educational Institutions: Coronavirus
Monday 5th September 2022

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to provide lateral flow test kits to (a) staff and (b) pupils in education settings in the autumn term.

Answered by Will Quince

Public health advice is that testing is no longer advised for pupils, students, and staff in education and childcare settings. The success of the COVID-19 vaccination programme means that immunity levels are high. Therefore, testing takes a less important role in preventing serious illness. As such, the majority of free testing ended on 1 April.

The most effective protection against severe disease from COVID-19 for everyone, including those at higher risk from COVID-19, is to get vaccinated. The vaccine offer remains open to those who have yet to receive their primary course or where eligible, a booster. Additional protection is also available for some at-risk groups, through further boosters, antivirals, and therapeutics.

Most infectious diseases in education and childcare settings, including COVID-19, should now be managed by following the advice in UKHSA’s updated health protection in education and childcare settings guidance, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities. Students and staff are encouraged to follow UKHSA’s advice for those who have symptoms of COVID-19, available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19.

The department has also updated its emergency planning and response guidance for educational settings. This sets out how education and childcare settings should plan for and deal with emergencies, including the possibility of future significant public health incidents. The guidance is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings.

If pupils, students, and staff in education and childcare settings wish to continue testing, they will be able to access test kits through the private market. They can find a list of private providers for COVID-19 testing at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-private-providers-of-coronavirus-testing.

The government does not endorse or recommend any private providers. Lateral flow tests are also available to buy from pharmacies and supermarkets, including online.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Schools
Thursday 30th June 2022

Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 6 January 2022 to Question 94344 on Schools: Coronavirus, whether the trial of ventilation technologies taking place in primary classrooms in Bradford has concluded; between which dates the trial was actively collecting data; when he expects to publish the results of that trial; how he plans to disseminate the results of that trial; what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education on that trial; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Maggie Throup

The Rapid Covid-19 Air Disinfection Study (RCADS) is due to report in October 2022. The trial commenced data collection in September 2021 and is ongoing. The results will be published in due course following the end the of the trial and disseminated through peer reviewed journals, presentations at conferences for members of the scientific community, school leaders and teachers and across the Government. Delivery of the study is overseen by the RCADS Working Group, which includes officials from Department for Education.


Written Question
Schools: Carbon Dioxide
Friday 22nd April 2022

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

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their guidance to keep windows in classrooms open to improve ventilation, what assessment they have made of (1) the amount of extra carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere because of higher energy use in all schools, and (2) the average increase in carbon dioxide emissions in (a) primary schools, and (b) secondary schools.

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

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the department has provided guidance to settings on how to manage ventilation, in addition to providing over 360,000 CO2 monitors to state-funded education providers in England. As well as helping to identify areas that are poorly ventilated, CO2 monitors can be useful to help education providers balance good ventilation with keeping classrooms warm.

Ensuring adequate ventilation does not need to be at the expense of keeping classrooms warm. Education providers do not need to keep windows fully open at all times. Opening windows regularly for 10 minutes, or a small amount continuously, can still improve ventilation substantially. The department’s guidance has also been clear that when CO2 monitors indicate good ventilation, there is no need to open additional windows. The guidance can be found in full here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-ventilation-of-indoor-spaces-to-stop-the-spread-of-coronavirus.

Maintaining adequate ventilation remains the responsibility of individual education providers. The department does not hold the information requested on the increase in energy usage or carbon emissions due to opening windows. This will vary according to a range of factors, including how individual education providers manage ventilation in their estate.


Written Question
Primary Education: Coronavirus
Thursday 17th March 2022

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in the context of the impact of the covid-19 outbreak on primary education, whether his Department has made an assessment of the appropriateness of the (a) phonics screening check in year 1, (b) autumn term phonics screening check in year 2, (c) key stage 1 SATs in year 2, (d) multiplication tables check in year 4 and (e) key stage 2 SATs in year 6 as a form of assessment.

Answered by Robin Walker

The department is taking forward a full programme of primary assessments to take place in the 2021/22 academic year. The assessments will help parents, schools, and the department to understand more clearly the impact of the pandemic on pupils, and how this varies between particular groups of pupils (for example, disadvantaged pupils), schools, and local authority areas.

At a local level, the data will provide vital information to parents about their child’s attainment, support transition to secondary schools, and identify where additional support is best targeted to individuals. At a national level, the data will help inform policy decisions about support for schools, enable analysis to underpin education recovery initiatives and understand their effectiveness, and to track system progress as we emerge from the pandemic.


Written Question
Schools: Assessments
Wednesday 2nd March 2022

Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what impact assessments he has undertaken on the potential effect of reintroducing high stakes testing at primary level on (a) student and (b) staff wellbeing.

Answered by Robin Walker

Pupil mental health and wellbeing are a priority for the government. We prioritised reopening schools above all else because it is so vital for children and young people’s wellbeing, as well as their education. The support schools are providing to their pupils following the return to face-to-face education should include time devoted to supporting wellbeing, which will play a fundamental part in supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing recovery. The expectations for schools in this regard are set out in the main departmental guidance to schools. This guidance also signposts further support and is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak.

Although schools should encourage pupils to work hard and achieve well, the department does not recommend that they devote excessive preparation time to assessment, and certainly not at the expense of pupils’ mental health and wellbeing. We trust schools to administer assessments in the appropriate way.

Supporting the wellbeing and mental health of staff is a crucial element of our commitment to help create a supportive culture in schools and colleges. This is why the department have worked in partnership with the education sector and mental health experts to inform and deliver commitments to protect and promote staff mental health and wellbeing.

All employers have a duty of care to their employees, and this extends to their mental health. The department published the education staff wellbeing charter, which we are encouraging schools and colleges to sign up to. The charter is a set of commitments from the government, Ofsted, and schools and colleges to protect and promote the wellbeing of staff. It can be used to inform a whole school or college approach to wellbeing or develop a staff wellbeing strategy. Further information on the charter can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter.

As primary assessments will be returning for the first time since 2019, without any adaptations, the results will not be published in key stage 2 (KS2) performance tables in the academic year 2021 to 2022. The department will still produce the normal suite of KS2 accountability measures at school level. These will be shared securely with primary schools, academy trusts, local authorities to inform school improvement discussions. The department will also share the data with Ofsted to inform, but not determine, inspection outcomes.

It is important to recognise that a school’s performance in the 2021/22 academic year may be affected by the uneven impact of COVID-19 on pupils and schools. That is why the department will ensure that clear messages are placed alongside any data shared, to advise caution in its interpretation, and will work with Ofsted to highlight these messages in inspector training.


Written Question
Special Educational Needs
Monday 28th February 2022

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2022 to Question 114851 on Special Educational Needs: Coronavirus, if he will publish a breakdown of estimated funding provided through the Nuffield Early Language Intervention in each (a) local authority and (b) parliamentary constituency.

Answered by Will Quince

The early years education recovery programme focuses on improving training for early years practitioners. This is one of the key levers for driving up quality in early education environments. Whilst elements of the programme will be initially targeted, the programme will ultimately have national coverage.

Up to £30 million will be invested in phases one and two of the Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP). Combined, the phases will reach early years providers in 101 local authority areas. A further phase of the programme, backed by up to £37.5 million, will ensure national reach.

To ensure assessment of the impact of EYPDP, the department has commissioned independent evaluation of the first phase of the programme.

The department has no plans to publish a breakdown of funding by local authority or parliamentary constituency area. However, we are committed to ensuring EYPDP reaches the areas and children who need it most.

For the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI), trained staff complete language assessments with their reception pupils, evaluating whether they would benefit from the 20-week programme. After completion of the programme, schools reassess the pupils’ language skills to monitor progress and help plan what provisions may be needed as the children move into year 1. The Education Endowment Foundation is delivering a long-term evaluation of the NELI programme and will publish reports on the results.

Two thirds of primary schools have signed up to deliver NELI, reaching an estimated 90,000 children. A list of schools signed up to deliver NELI in the 2020/21 academic year can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/neli-nuffield-early-language-intervention-programme. The department will shortly be publishing the list of schools signed up to deliver NELI in the 2021/22 academic year. It does not have plans to publish a breakdown of funding in local authorities or parliamentary constituencies.


Written Question
Special Educational Needs
Monday 28th February 2022

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2022 to Question 114851 on Special Educational Needs: Coronavirus, if he publish a breakdown of funding distributed via the Early Years Professional Development Programme in each (a) local authority and (b) parliamentary constituency.

Answered by Will Quince

The early years education recovery programme focuses on improving training for early years practitioners. This is one of the key levers for driving up quality in early education environments. Whilst elements of the programme will be initially targeted, the programme will ultimately have national coverage.

Up to £30 million will be invested in phases one and two of the Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP). Combined, the phases will reach early years providers in 101 local authority areas. A further phase of the programme, backed by up to £37.5 million, will ensure national reach.

To ensure assessment of the impact of EYPDP, the department has commissioned independent evaluation of the first phase of the programme.

The department has no plans to publish a breakdown of funding by local authority or parliamentary constituency area. However, we are committed to ensuring EYPDP reaches the areas and children who need it most.

For the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI), trained staff complete language assessments with their reception pupils, evaluating whether they would benefit from the 20-week programme. After completion of the programme, schools reassess the pupils’ language skills to monitor progress and help plan what provisions may be needed as the children move into year 1. The Education Endowment Foundation is delivering a long-term evaluation of the NELI programme and will publish reports on the results.

Two thirds of primary schools have signed up to deliver NELI, reaching an estimated 90,000 children. A list of schools signed up to deliver NELI in the 2020/21 academic year can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/neli-nuffield-early-language-intervention-programme. The department will shortly be publishing the list of schools signed up to deliver NELI in the 2021/22 academic year. It does not have plans to publish a breakdown of funding in local authorities or parliamentary constituencies.


Written Question
Special Educational Needs
Monday 28th February 2022

Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2022 to Question 114851 on Special Educational Needs: Coronavirus, what proportion of children his Department estimates those interventions will reach.

Answered by Will Quince

The early years education recovery programme focuses on improving training for early years practitioners. This is one of the key levers for driving up quality in early education environments. Whilst elements of the programme will be initially targeted, the programme will ultimately have national coverage.

Up to £30 million will be invested in phases one and two of the Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPDP). Combined, the phases will reach early years providers in 101 local authority areas. A further phase of the programme, backed by up to £37.5 million, will ensure national reach.

To ensure assessment of the impact of EYPDP, the department has commissioned independent evaluation of the first phase of the programme.

The department has no plans to publish a breakdown of funding by local authority or parliamentary constituency area. However, we are committed to ensuring EYPDP reaches the areas and children who need it most.

For the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI), trained staff complete language assessments with their reception pupils, evaluating whether they would benefit from the 20-week programme. After completion of the programme, schools reassess the pupils’ language skills to monitor progress and help plan what provisions may be needed as the children move into year 1. The Education Endowment Foundation is delivering a long-term evaluation of the NELI programme and will publish reports on the results.

Two thirds of primary schools have signed up to deliver NELI, reaching an estimated 90,000 children. A list of schools signed up to deliver NELI in the 2020/21 academic year can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/neli-nuffield-early-language-intervention-programme. The department will shortly be publishing the list of schools signed up to deliver NELI in the 2021/22 academic year. It does not have plans to publish a breakdown of funding in local authorities or parliamentary constituencies.