Low-Performing Areas: Education Funding
(Blackpool South) (Con)
1. What steps his Department is taking to increase funding for
education in low-performing areas. (900160)
(Hertford and Stortford)
(Con)
9. What steps his Department is taking to invest in education in
low-performing areas(900168)
(Eastleigh) (Con)
13. What steps his Department is taking to invest in education in
low-performing areas. (900172)
(Don Valley) (Con)
23. What steps his Department is taking to invest in education in
low-performing areas. (900182)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
I am sure that the whole House will join me in sending our well
wishes to the Minister for Higher and Further Education, my right
hon. Friend the Member for Chippenham (), as she is fighting covid
and, I am sure, will defeat it.
To help all pupils to achieve their potential, I have increased
core schools funding by £4 billion, which is a 7% increase in
cash terms per pupil this year, in 2022-23; and I have
directed—flexed—£2.6 billion of that funding towards low prior
attainment children through the national funding formula.
The additional funding that schools in Blackpool receive through
our status as an opportunity area and an education investment
area will make a real difference on the ground. However,
headteachers often raise with me the problem of digital exclusion
when pupils are at home due to a lack of IT equipment, which
obviously puts pupils from lower-income families at a comparative
disadvantage. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to ensure
that pupils from low-income backgrounds do not lose out due to
digital exclusion?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his excellent question. I am
working to ensure that every school has access to high-speed
broadband connectivity by 2025. Priority schools in education
improvement areas will be able to access our £150 million
programme to upgrade their internal network infrastructure.
During the pandemic, as my hon. Friend highlighted from his
teachers’ point of view, many children did not have access to
technology for learning at home, so we provided devices, wi-fi
and data to disadvantaged students to support digital inclusion
at home.
I am supporting my Bishop’s Stortford constituents’ “Turn on the
Subtitles” campaign to improve children’s literacy across the
board, but particularly in low-performing areas. Raj Chande, the
director of Nesta’s “A Fairer Start” mission, said that the
campaign’s evidence is compelling, and it has Nesta’s seal of
approval—an important endorsement. Therefore, what plans does my
right hon. Friend have to invest in the campaign by reviewing its
mass of evidence, and will he encourage parents and children to
turn on the subtitles?
I have set out in the White Paper that we share the commitment to
raising literacy standards, as I am sure the whole House does,
and we want to ensure that all children can read fluently and
with that understanding. I thank Henry Warren and Oli Barrett MBE
for their commitment to improving literacy levels, and they have
championed that campaign. It is a choice for parents and
guardians whether their child watches television and whether they
do so with the subtitles on, but it certainly makes a difference
in the Zahawi household.
Does the Secretary of State agree that as well as funding, data
and transparency matter so that we can monitor things, act
quickly and see that the plans that we have announced are working
to improve schools right across Eastleigh?
I never tire of saying that data and transparency are our
greatest allies in improving educational outcomes. We are
absolutely focused on delivering against the ambitious targets
that we have set for skills, schools and families, and on holding
ourselves in the Department against them. Sharing our plans and
performance data is a key lever to drive rapid improvement
through the complex system that we oversee in education. I have
committed to publishing a delivery plan setting out what we will
achieve and a performance dashboard showing progress, and I want
teachers and school leaders to do the same on behaviour,
absenteeism and, of course, standards.
Does the Minister agree that the future of children’s education
in the now city of Doncaster has never been brighter due to the
excellent steps taken by this Government, the fantastic schools
in Don Valley and the roll-out of my role models project on the
ground, which shows young people all the career opportunities?
With that in mind, will the Minister agree to come to Don Valley
and see for himself the good work that is being done?
My hon. Friend is certainly a role model in how he has celebrated
Doncaster becoming a city. I am delighted that the role models
project is connecting schools in Don Valley to local
professionals; it is inspiring and informative for young people
to hear about the career journeys of role models and to learn
about all the excellent career opportunities available to them in
Doncaster. I look forward to joining my hon. Friend and seeing
the project for myself.
(Hornsey and Wood Green)
(Lab)
Does the Secretary of State agree that any increases in funding
for schools should be spent on teaching and learning, not on
propping up failing energy companies? In an average primary
school, £30,000 more—the cost of a teacher—is being spent on
energy. What is the Secretary of State going to do about it? Will
he include nurseries and early years settings in his
assessment?
The 7% increase on last year, in cash terms, that we secured at
the spending review for this year includes significant additional
funding that allows us headroom, but the hon. Lady is right to
highlight the point. Energy represents about 1.4% to 1.5% of
schools’ budgets, but because of the energy spike, schools that
are out of contract have seen that proportion increase to 7%, 8%
or 9%. We are keeping a close eye on the matter. The one message
that I would like the hon. Lady and every other hon. Member to
take away to their schools is to get in touch with us if they are
close to coming out of contract, because we can really help.
(Denton and Reddish)
(Lab)
May I take the chance to congratulate Stockport children’s
services on their “good” Ofsted rating?
I am really concerned at the lack of progress in educational
attainment, particularly at secondary level, in schools in parts
of my constituency across Stockport and Tameside. What action is
the Secretary of State taking to ensure that all parents have the
choice of schools with good performance and that children have
the opportunities that a good education can bring?
I know that the hon. Gentleman and I share the same passion in
what we want for every child. I do not believe that children in
Stockport are less talented than children in South Kensington;
they have just not had the same opportunity of a great teacher in
every classroom in every school. I am determined to deliver that
through the White Paper.
I join the hon. Gentleman in celebrating the inspection result
for Stockport children’s services; they have done a phenomenal
job. I hope that he will be in the Chamber for the statement by
the Children and Families Minister—the Under-Secretary of State,
my hon. Friend the Member for Colchester ()—about Josh MacAlister’s very
important review, which has been published today.
(Caithness, Sutherland and
Easter Ross) (LD)
You will understand, Mr Speaker, how disturbed I was to learn
that Highland Council schools have been ranked as the worst in
the whole of Scotland for numeracy and literacy among P1, P4 and
P7 pupils. These children are our future. We used to be proud of
Scottish education. Will the Government share their best practice
with the Scottish Government so that this scandal is sorted
out?
That is concerning, I have to say, because although education is
devolved, we care about the whole United Kingdom. I am very happy
to share our work through the education White Paper and the
education Bill, and what we are doing on skills, with T-levels
and the lifelong learning entitlement. I worry that Scottish
children are being let down. It feels as if Scotland is in
freefall down the league tables of the programme for
international student assessment.
Mr Speaker
We now come to the shadow Minister.
(Chesterfield) (Lab)
I am more interested in the Government’s record on academic
inequality than in their rhetoric. The annual review of education
by the Institute for Fiscal Studies reveals that since 2010, the
most deprived secondary schools have suffered a 14% cut in
spending, while for the most affluent schools the figure is just
9%. The new national funding formula makes the disparity worse.
The Government’s 10 years of further education cuts also fell
harder on poorer students. We all know that the Government stand
against aspiration for deprived children and are increasing
inequality, as those figures show. Why do they not at least have
the courage to admit it?
The hon. Gentleman makes some powerful points, but they are
completely misguided. He speaks with great passion, but without
looking at the evidence before us. The past 12 years demonstrate
that schools have been on an improvement journey. When we came
into office, only two thirds of schools could achieve a good or
outstanding rating; the figure is now 86%. My predecessors’ work
on skills has taken investment in the skills agenda up to £3.8
billion. When we talk to teachers and school leaders around the
country, they know that the White Paper will deliver great
outcomes for every child. We have set our ambitions high for
children all over the country; we know how to get there, and we
will deliver.
Mr Speaker
I call the Scottish National party spokesperson, .
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
I was sorry to hear about the Minister for Higher and Further
Education, the right hon. Member for Chippenham (), and I wish her a speedy
recovery.
I am sure that Members on both sides of the House will join me in
wishing all the young people throughout the United Kingdom who
are currently sitting their national exams the best of
success.
The Secretary of State has praised private schools, including
Eton, for building free schools in places such as Oldham, which,
according to him, need that investment in education. Can he
confirm that it is now Government policy to rely on private
school investment where Government funds have been lacking?
I completely agree with the hon. Lady that we should send our
congratulations to the brilliant teachers who have delivered the
650,000 pupils who have taken their key stage 2 standard
assessment tests this month. Students began taking their A-levels
and GCSEs last Monday, and 3 million individual test scripts have
been returned for marking. That is a great achievement after two
years of being stuck with covid.
The hon. Lady asked about funding. This Government will be
putting £56.5 billion into our school system. We have a plan,
which is well evidenced, for delivering a great school with a
great teacher for every classroom in the country. Scotland has no
plan, and is in freefall in the international league tables.
SEND Review: Further Education
(Ipswich) (Con)
2. What steps he is taking through his Department’s SEND review
to support SEND students in further education. (900161)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
We are consulting on a wide range of proposals in our SEND and
alternative provision Green Paper to benefit young people with
special educational needs and disabilities in further education.
They include new national SEND standards delivered through new
local SEND partnerships and local inclusion plans. We will also
set out clear guidance for timely, effective, high-quality
transition into further education, higher education, employment
or adult social care for young people with SEND.
The Minister visited Suffolk New College recently with me. I went
back shortly afterwards to see the inclusion team there. I
appreciate that work on the SEND Green Paper is ongoing and has a
clear focus on primary and secondary schools, but will the
Minister assure me that there will also be a big focus on 16 to
18 FE? The work that Suffolk New College does in preparing these
individuals for the world of work is crucial. Sam, who I saw and
who had very little confidence, is now leading a whole team at
the Chefs’ Whites restaurant there, and will be manning
restaurants all over Ipswich. Will the Minister ensure that, when
it comes to funding and Ofsted inspections, inclusion should be a
requirement for every FE college?
I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Suffolk New College, and seeing
some of the excellent work that it is doing in respect of a range
of issues. I saw just how much the young people in that area are
benefiting from their hard work. As my hon. Friend knows, we are
engaging widely with a huge number of stakeholders to ensure that
we get our consultation right, and I hope very much that Suffolk
New College will bring its expertise to that process.
(Battersea) (Lab)
Children with vision impairment require high-quality specialist
support to access education and learn skills. I wrote to the
Minister outlining concerns about the SEND review’s failure to
include anything about the roles and responsibilities of local
authority vision impairment specialist education services.
According to research conducted by the Royal National Institute
of Blind People, more than 60% of local authorities in England
have reported a decrease or freeze in full-time specialist VI
teaching support. We cannot have a two-tier system. Will the
Minister agree to meet me to ensure that proposed local inclusion
plans include protected high needs funding for local authorities
to deliver specialist VI education services?
I know that the hon. Lady has a great deal of expertise in this
regard. We are very keen to ensure, through the SEND review, that
children and young people have the right support in the right
place at the right time. I strongly encourage the hon. Lady to
take part in that consultation, and the Minister responsible has
agreed to meet her.
(Dewsbury) (Con)
The announcement in the levelling up White Paper that Kirklees
has been allocated £100 million of extra funds as an education
investment area is welcome news for Dewsbury. Will the Minister
explain what that extra funding will mean for further education
students and children with special educational needs and
disabilities?
It is great to hear how our education investment areas are
starting to change the game in areas of great need across the
country, including my hon. Friend’s. This is aimed at building a
stronger schools system that works to improve outcomes for all
pupils, including those with SEND. Our investment will mean
improved teacher retention, more pupils in stronger trusts that
can offer SEND support effectively, and better connectivity so
that schools can use new technology to support learning
needs.
(Rhondda) (Lab)
Will the Government expressly include acquired brain injury in
the SEND review? A lot of youngsters who are affected by it,
particularly those from poorer backgrounds, who are four times
more likely to have a major brain injury in their teenage years.
Everybody gathers round for a few days after the event, but a
year later they can be suffering from neurocognitive stall, have
terrible fatigue and find it really difficult to get back into
the educational system because the support is not there.
The hon. Gentleman has been a powerful champion in this House for
that cause, and I am pleased to say that the Under-Secretary of
State for Education, my hon. Friend the Member for Colchester—the
city of Colchester—() will meet him to discuss
this.
Political Impartiality in Schools
(Orpington) (Con)
3. What steps his Department is taking to help ensure political
impartiality in schools. (900162)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
The law is clear that schools must remain politically impartial.
I know that colleagues on all sides of the House relish going
into schools for hustings during elections. Children need to
learn about the yellow team, the blue team, the red team and the
green team, but I recognise that some issues can be challenging
to deal with, so my Department has recently published clear,
comprehensive guidance to help teachers tackle sensitive issues
in the classroom in a politically impartial way.
In April this year, members of the National Education Union
claimed that it was somehow impossible to teach history in a
balanced manner. Does my right hon. Friend share my concern that
some children are at risk of being indoctrinated by political
activists masquerading as teachers? Will he bring forward powers
in the new Schools Bill to strike off those who repeatedly fail
to comply with impartiality guidelines?
Our knowledge-rich history curriculum requires teaching methods
of historical inquiry. We should be teaching children how to
think, not what to think, including how evidence is used
rigorously to make historical claims and discerning how and why
contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been
constructed. Our guidance supports this, and schools already have
powers to take disciplinary action where teachers repeatedly
breach their legal duties.
Condition Improvement Fund
(North West Durham)
(Con)
4. What recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that
condition improvement fund allocations reflect the needs of
schools and pupils. (900163)
The Minister for School Standards ( )
The condition improvement fund addresses significant condition
issues in eligible academies, voluntary-aided schools and sixth
form colleges. Applications are carefully assessed on condition
need, the quality of the project plan and value for money in
order to prioritise the most urgent works. We announced the
funding of more than 1,400 projects in the last round, including
10 in County Durham.
Mr Holden
Leadgate Primary School and Consett Junior School in my
constituency hit some of the core criteria outlined in the plan,
but at the top of County Durham’s list is Villa Real special
school, which does not meet the normal criteria, given that it is
less than 25 years old. However, there is a real need for
expanded special needs provision in County Durham, and that
school has serious structural issues. Can the Minister reassure
me that that school will be looked at properly, even though it
does not fit the traditional criteria?
Mr Walker
I recognise that my hon. Friend is a great champion of his
schools. I believe that this is a local authority-maintained
school. Local authorities receive condition allocations to
improve their school buildings. Instead of the school applying to
the condition improvement fund, Durham County Council will
receive £6.6 million for the 2022-23 year. We have also announced
£1.4 billion of investment for the financial years 2022-23 and
2023-24 to improve existing high needs provision, of which Durham
will receive £11.2 million.
Mr Speaker
I call shadow Minister .
(Portsmouth South) (Lab)
The reality is that the schools estate is crumbling after 12
years of Tory negligence. In 2019, the Government’s own survey
revealed that one in six schools required urgent repairs, and the
Minister’s own Department is warning that some school sites
present a risk to life. Millions of children are learning in
buildings that are not fit for purpose, so can he tell us whether
he has had any success in securing funding from the Chancellor
and whether he is confident that every school building in England
is safe for the children who learn in it?
Mr Walker
The safety of pupils and staff is paramount. We have one of the
largest condition data collection programmes in Europe, which
helps us to assess and manage risk across the estate. Through our
programmes, we prioritise buildings where there is a risk to
health and safety. We have invested more than £13 billion since
2015 in improving the condition of school buildings and
facilities, which includes £1.8 billion committed this year. In
addition, our new school rebuilding programme will transform the
learning environment at 500 schools over the next decade and will
prioritise evidence of severe need and safety issues.
Alternative Student Finance: Muslim Students
(East Ham) (Lab)
5. What progress his Department has made on developing an
alternative student finance product for Muslim students.
(900164)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
We remain committed to delivering alternative student finance,
and we are currently considering if and how it can be delivered
as part of the lifelong loan entitlement.
It is estimated that 4,000 Muslim students a year do not go into
higher education because there is no finance available that is
compatible with their faith. promised to fix this nine
years ago. A good deal of work was done, but it seems to have run
into the sand in the past few years. I am grateful to the
Secretary of State for reaffirming the Government’s commitment to
delivering on David Cameron’s promise, but can he give us an
indication of how much longer Muslim students will have to
wait?
We will provide a further update on alternative student finance
as part of our response to the LLE consultation, which closed
earlier this month.
Student Loan Interest Payments
(Clwyd South) (Con)
6. What steps his Department is taking to limit student loan
interest payments. (900165)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
Monthly student loan repayments are based on income, not interest
rates, meaning that no one will see their monthly repayment
increase due to interest rates. From September, we have reformed
the student loan system so that new borrowers will not repay more
in real terms than they originally borrowed—that is fair.
The level of student loan interest rates is of great importance
to students, past and present, in my constituency, half of which
is in the new city of Wrexham. Will my right hon. Friend provide
further detail on how we can apply a sustainable downward
pressure to student loan interest rates in future?
That is an important question, and I fully recognise the concerns
of students and their parents about increasing interest rates. I
am looking actively at how we can mitigate that, and we will be
setting it out shortly. I emphasise again that no one’s monthly
repayment will increase due to higher interest rates, which is an
important point to make when people’s budgets are tight.
Mr Speaker
The House will be in shock that Question 7 has been
withdrawn.
Violence Against Women on University Campuses
(Putney) (Lab)
8. What steps he is taking to help prevent violence against women
on university campuses. (900167)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
Violence against women is unacceptable, and we must pursue a
zero-tolerance culture. I have written to the Office for Students
to make clear my view that it should make tackling sexual
misconduct a binding condition of universities’ registration. I
have also launched a pledge that commits universities to not
using non-disclosure agreements to silence victims of sexual
harassment. Fifty-three providers have so far made the pledge,
and we expect many more to follow.
We are far from zero tolerance at the moment. As a parent of two
daughters who have attended or are attending two different
universities, I have seen that universities are not safe spaces.
Research shows that between two thirds and three quarters of
female students, and 70% of female university and college staff,
have experienced sexual violence.
The president of the University of Roehampton’s students union
has been in regular contact with me about incidents there and
about how the local police’s hands are tied because sexual
harassment is not a crime, so they cannot take action. There are
many factors. Will the Secretary of State go further and
commission a review of sexual violence on campuses across our
country and take more action to make our campuses safe?
Universities UK published a report a couple of years ago
assessing the sector’s progress on tackling gender-based
violence, harassment and hate crime. It showed some progress had
been made, but only 72% of responding institutions had developed
or improved the recording of data on harassment. I need them to
go much further, and we will keep everything on the table. I am
determined that we get to where the hon. Lady and I both want to
get. I am the father of a nine-year-old girl who will one day go
to college or, I hope, take a degree apprenticeship. A
zero-tolerance culture must be delivered.
Freedom of Speech in Education
(South Holland and The Deepings)
(Con)
10. What progress he has made on helping to protect freedom of
speech in education. (900169)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
The Government maintain our commitment to the protection of free
speech and academic freedom in universities with the
reintroduction of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill
following the Queen’s Speech on 10 May.
As the Secretary of State says, it is right and just that we are
in the vanguard of the fight for free speech. As the Bill that
will ensure that progresses through the House, the backdrop
against which we debate it is disturbing, with universities
continuing to use the Equality Act 2010 to elevate the fear of
disturbance or distress above the ability of free speech to
inspire, enthral and move the academic agenda forward. The case
of Dr Sarkar at the University of Oxford is a recent sad example,
but it is by no means exceptional. Will the Secretary of State,
before the Bill reaches the statute book, conduct a review of
free speech policies at universities, and, if necessary, issue
fresh guidance to ensure that academics and students in those
universities can speak freely? [Interruption.]
I shall attempt to be pithy, Mr Speaker.
The Government and I are clear that issues such as antisemitism
are abhorrent, but universities and students’ unions must balance
their legal duties, including freedom of speech and tackling
harassment. The Bill will place duties directly on students’
unions to secure freedom of speech for staff, students and
visiting speakers. No one should fear expressing lawful
views.
Early Years Services and Childcare
(Bedford) (Lab)
11. What steps he is taking to reform early years services and
childcare provision. (900170)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
We are committed to improving the cost, choice and availability
of childcare and early education. We have spent more than £3.5
billion in each of the past three years on early education
entitlements, and up to £180 million on addressing the impact of
the pandemic on children’s early development.
Parents of children attending the YMCA community nursery in
Bedford are facing unaffordable sevenfold price increases. Rising
business costs, huge losses and staff shortages are the
consequences of the Government’s funding model, which goes
nowhere near funding the costs for nurseries or parents. Does the
Minister agree that levelling up means nothing if children cannot
access the best start to their education and their parents cannot
work because they cannot afford nursery costs?
That is exactly why we spend more than £5 billion a year on
childcare and early years, including: the offer for disadvantaged
two-year-olds; the offer of 15 and 30 hours for three and
four-year-olds, which is worth about £6,000 per child to parents;
the universal credit offer, which is worth up to 85% of childcare
costs; the tax-free childcare; and the holiday activities and
food programme. Of course we take this issue incredibly
seriously.
(Dulwich and West Norwood)
(Lab)
For families with young children, soaring childcare costs are a
huge pressure on the cost of living. A quarter of households
earning between £20,000 and £30,000 a year are paying more than
£100 a week for childcare. The Government’s only response so far
has been a proposed cut to staff to child ratios in early years
settings. Parents have not asked for that, and 98% of providers
believe that it will do nothing to cut costs for parents and
could reduce the quality of care. Will the Minister set out why
he believes that asking parents to pay more for less is a
remotely adequate response to the rising cost of living?
Over the summer, we will consult on moving to the Scottish staff
to child ratios for two-year-olds—from a ratio of one to four
compared with one to five. I want all parents and carers to
receive value for money, and more families to benefit from
affordable, flexible and quality childcare. Such changes would
help settings to deliver that by handing them more autonomy and
flexibility. However—this is important—my priority continues to
be to provide safe and high-quality early years provision for our
very youngest children; as I have said before, I will not
compromise on those things.
More than half of families with two-year-olds do not access any
formal early years education or childcare at all, while a
shocking 65% of eligible two-year-olds are not receiving the full
free entitlement. Early years education makes a huge difference
to children’s development and can have a lifelong impact by
mitigating disadvantage. What is the Minister doing to increase
the pitifully low uptake of free places for two-year-olds?
The hon lady is absolutely right that take-up of the two-year-old
disadvantage offer is much lower than we want it to be. In truth,
take-up of the universal credit childcare offer is lower than we
want it to be and take-up of the tax-free childcare offer is
lower than we want it to be. Throughout the House, we all have a
duty to promote those offers more widely, and I certainly
understand that the House will.
(Stroud) (Con)
The truth is that even with the billions of pounds that have been
spent on childcare, the issue has proved to be a hot mess for
Governments of all colours for a number of years. I applaud the
Department for trying to grapple with this tricky issue. Will my
hon. Friend confirm that he is looking carefully—it is right that
he does so—at regulations across the whole of the childcare piece
that drive up costs for families, and that he is talking to
parents and the childcare sector about that? Will he also confirm
that he is looking to support childminders in respect of future
changes to regulations?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We are working jointly with
other Departments to consider options for how to improve the
system within the parameters of the 2021 spending review. As I
have said, as well as the quality of provision, health and safety
will continue to be of paramount importance, and any significant
changes to regulations would require consultation. My hon. Friend
is right that we need more childminders to enter the market; they
are often the most flexible and affordable type of provision and
I am looking into the regulatory changes we can make to encourage
more of them to enter the profession.
Mental Wellbeing of Pupils
(North Shropshire) (LD)
12. What steps he is taking to help primary and secondary schools
support pupils’ mental wellbeing.(900171)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
This month, we announced £10 million to extend senior mental
health lead training to more schools. Such training will be
available to two thirds of schools and colleges by 2023 and to
all by 2025. It will support our schools White Paper actions on
the promotion of a school week and targeting of support to
improve mental wellbeing.
Since being elected, I have been lucky to visit many schools
throughout my constituency. I have been told consistently, both
by teachers and by pupils, that students of all ages are
struggling to cope with poor mental health and that the situation
has worsened considerably since the pandemic. That comes against
the backdrop of a survey, reported on recently in The Guardian,
that found that 43% of GPs have told parents to seek private care
for children with poor mental health. Will the Minister adopt the
recommendations of my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham
() and commit not only to
support young people’s mental health but to report on it annually
to Parliament?
The hon. Lady is absolutely right to raise this issue, which is
one of the big challenges of our time. We know that pressures on
young people in relation to mental wellbeing are growing, which
is why on 12 May I announced an additional £7 million to extend
senior mental health lead training to even more schools and
colleges. That will help our ambition to reach two thirds of
eligible settings by 2023 and brings the total amount of funding
for 2022-23 to £10 million. In addition, we will roll out mental
health support teams to 35% of all schools by next year. In
truth, though, we do need to go further. I regularly speak to my
counterpart at the Department of Health and Social Care to see
what more we can do in this policy area.
(Rossendale and Darwen)
(Con)
One of the best ways to demonstrate, both to teachers and to
young people, that we value and support them is to make sure that
they have a decent school to go to in the first place. I hope the
Minister will therefore join me in congratulating Gillian
Middlemas and the staff and pupils of Whitworth Community High
School, which has just been topped out as part of the
Government’s school building programme. I hope he will also take
the time to visit my constituency to see the work—
Mr Speaker
Too long. Come on, Minister.
I would be happy to visit my right hon. Friend’s constituency.
The schools that are doing best on mental health and mental
wellbeing are the ones that take a whole-school approach, as that
school no doubt is.
(Enfield North) (Lab)
rose—
(Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
rose—
Mr Speaker
I call .
Mr Sheerman
Oh—sorry.
A set of schools that are usually forgotten are the pupil
referral units that take on pupils with extensive special
educational needs and disabilities. Tackling such a challenging
set of needs requires a multidisciplinary approach, but PRUs
throughout the country do not have set criteria for how they
should teach students or support children back into mainstream
schools, and nor do they have sustained funding. Will the
Minister look at the fantastic model for multidisciplinary and
multi-agency education that is delivered at Orchardside
School—the Department is aware of its work—in my constituency?
Perhaps he can come to see the work being done there and how
sustained investment can make a difference.
I would be very happy to do so. We need a step change in the way
that we approach alternative provision. That is why alternative
provision is a key part of the special educational needs and
disability and alternative provision review. We do need a step
change. I would be very happy to come to see the hon. Lady’s
constituency. We are investing an initial £2.6 billion in capital
for SEND and alternative provision places, which I know will be
game changing.
(Bolton North East) (Con)
On Friday past, I presented Arthur Redmond at High Lawn Primary
School with the Bolton North East community champion award for
litter picking. Does the Minister agree that a national campaign
for primary and secondary schools across the country to get
involved in litter picking would help boost kids’ mental
wellbeing?
That was an interesting link from my hon. Friend. None the less,
he does have a point that a whole-school approach to mental
wellbeing is about doing all sorts of extra-curricular
activities. One of the best ways, of course, is getting children
and young people outside. Would I encourage a campaign to tackle
littering? Of course, I would.
Mr Sheerman
I am both eager and angry this morning, which is why I wanted to
get in my question to the ministerial team as early as possible.
Are Ministers aware of the great scandal that children’s needs
are not being identified early enough to change their life
trajectory? Up and down the country, parents are waiting months,
even years, to get any sort of assessment or statement. Why do
the Government not wake up to that and do something about it?
As I have said, I regularly meet my counterpart at the Department
of Health and Social Care. The hon. Gentleman will be pleased to
know that at the heart of the SEND and alternative provision
review is not just inclusivity, but early identification.
Dyslexia and other Neurodivergent Conditions
(West Suffolk) (Con)
14. What steps his Department is taking to help improve (a) early
identification of, (b) teacher training in and (c) support for
pupils with dyslexia and other neurodivergent conditions in
primary schools. (900173)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
Our ambition, which I know my right hon. Friend shares, is that
we will level up opportunities for all children and young people.
That is why I have published the Schools White Paper and the SEND
and alternative provision Green Paper, which sets out our plans
to better identify children at risk of falling behind and then
provide them with the support they need. That includes those with
neurodivergent conditions
I am grateful to the Secretary of State for that answer and for
the work that he has done. The White Paper and the SEND review
have gone down very well, but they are about the direction of
travel; we need to get to the destination. Will he confirm the
need for a universal approach to screening for neurodiverse
conditions and will he also congratulate those who are doing good
work already such as those at Laureate Community Academy in
Exning in Newmarket, which I visited earlier this month?
The Under-Secretary of State for Education, my hon. Friend the
Member for Colchester (), will be hosting a roundtable
meeting this summer to discuss the different approaches being
taken around the country, where I hope we will learn from some of
those people—as my right hon. Friend knows, I will always be the
evidence-led Secretary of State. Early intervention is important,
and the SEND and alternative provision Green Paper will deliver
that. Moreover, the parent pledge in the Schools White Paper is a
lever for teachers to identify those children with dyslexia and
dyspraxia and to put that help in place.
Maths and English: Support for Pupils
(Stoke-on-Trent South)
(Con)
15. What steps his Department is taking to support pupils who
fall behind in maths and English. (900174)
(Bognor Regis and Littlehampton)
(Con)
24. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of
maths teaching in primary schools. (900183)
The Minister for School Standards ( )
The Schools White Paper includes a parent pledge to identify
children who have fallen behind in English or maths and provide
them with support. To help schools support pupils who have fallen
behind we have invested £1 billion in 6 million tutoring packages
by 2024, re-endowed the Education Endowment Foundation, set aside
£55 million for our accelerator fund and introduced a menu of
targeted support methods. We are continuing to invest in networks
of maths and English hubs to support schools. I was privileged to
visit a maths hub in St Marylebone’s C of E School on National
Numeracy Day.
I very much welcome Stoke-on-Trent being announced as a
prioritised education investment area. Locally, partners have
been working hard to drive up standards through an education
challenge board. Does my hon. Friend agree that we should welcome
that work and that this is the way that we will drive up
standards in both English and maths?
Mr Walker
I, too, am very pleased that Stoke-on-Trent is a priority
education investment area. With such proud and outspoken Members
of Parliament, the area is always well-championed in this House.
Our approach will look to build on the strong work to date in all
those areas, including existing partnerships such as the
education challenge board. We will be considering the best ways
to do that and ensure that a diverse range of local partners
inform our decision making in every priority investment area.
Does my hon. Friend share my view about the importance of
children knowing their multiplication tables by heart? Does he
therefore welcome the fact that the multiplication tables check
for nine-year-olds that takes place next month will, for the
first time, show how well-prepared children are for the future
demands of the maths curriculum?
Mr Walker
Yes, absolutely. I thank my right hon. Friend for his extensive
work, when he was Minister of State, to improve maths education,
not least through introduction of the multiplication tables
check. I assure him that we intend to continue to build on those
important reforms. The first statutory administration of the MTC
will be in June this year. The digital assessment of year 4
pupils will determine whether pupils can fluently recall their
times tables, which is essential for future success in
mathematics. Where the check identifies pupils who need extra
support, schools will provide that.
Severely Absent Pupils
(Harlow) (Con)
16. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of
his Department’s steps to help return severely absent pupils to
school. (900175)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
My schools White Paper and new attendance guidance set out how we
expect schools and local authorities to support severely absent
pupils so that they can attend regularly. We also recently
launched a live data trial for schools, trusts and local
authorities, enabling them to target support at pupils who need
it most.
My right hon. Friend rightly says that he is driven by the data,
and I thank him for the work he is doing to try to get these
children back to school. The Centre for Social Justice suggests
that 13,000 children in critical exam years were severely absent
in the autumn term 2020, and FFT Education Datalab suggests that
5% of pupils were severely absent from September to May this
year. What data are the Government collecting on children in exam
years who have been severely absent, and what is being done to
bring them back to school and to ensure that they get targeted
tuition through the catch-up programme?
I am delighted to confirm that, as my right hon. Friend knows, we
are bringing forward legislative measures to establish a local
authority registration system, but that is for the future. Those
GCSE, AS-level and A-level students sitting exams this year have
been given advance information to help them focus, and to give
them the confidence to come in and take exams this year. We are
also working to make sure that the alliance of national leaders
across education is doing everything it can to deal with
persistent absenteeism, and to make sure that all children are in
school, which is the best place for them to be.
Topical Questions
(Bolsover) (Con)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(900150)
The Secretary of State for Education ()
The United Kingdom’s education export was estimated at over £25
billion in 2019. I am delighted that 132 Education Ministers from
110 countries around the world are in town today to join us at
the Education World Forum this week.
We all want to congratulate all those students sitting exams.
Hundreds of thousands have already sat their exams, including
650,000 taking key stage 2 standard assessment tests. I am sure
the whole House will join me in wishing them very well.
In the platinum jubilee year, 4.5 million primary school children
in schools in England and Northern Ireland will receive a
hardback book, as will those in schools in Scotland and Wales who
opt in. In some homes there are no books, and those children will
take home this beautiful book about Her Majesty’s reign and the
Commonwealth.
Last week I received an email from a parent on Holbeck Avenue in
Bolsover, saying:
“There is no 6th form available at The Bolsover School and so
pupils wishing to do A levels have an expensive bus ride in order
to get anywhere. For instance it costs around £650 a year if your
child is successful to get a place at St Mary’s High School in
Chesterfield and the choice of courses at Chesterfield college
are quite limited.”
Does my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State share my passion
for ensuring post-16 education in the Bolsover constituency?
My hon. Friend and I met on 9 May to discuss access to the full
range of post-16 education in his constituency. I asked my
officials to look into the matters raised at that meeting. I know
my hon. Friend is a champion of this issue and has looked at the
evidence, and I will write to him very shortly.
Mr Speaker
I call shadow Secretary of State .
(Houghton and Sunderland
South) (Lab)
The Schools Bill gives the Secretary of State sweeping powers
over the operation of our schools. Does that mean that he
recognises that the Government’s approach to school improvement
over the past 12 years has failed?
Quite the opposite. The hon. Lady clearly does not follow the
evidence. If she looked at it, she would see that families of
schools in high-performing multi-academy trusts have delivered
better outcomes for their students. Whether they are Church of
England schools, Catholic schools or grammar schools, they are
all joining us on this journey, and I invite her to do the
same.
Headteachers are telling us they are having to cut back on
staffing, school trips, and even pens and paper. As costs soar
and the national insurance rise comes into effect, the Secretary
of State is still failing to invest in our children’s recovery.
Experts have lined up to tell him the damage his inaction will
cause, not just to our children’s future but to Britain’s future
success. What will it take to convince him to put our children
first?
I do not know whether the hon. Lady was listening when I talked
about the 7% cash increase in the budget for schools this year
compared with last year—that is £4 billion going to our schools.
By 2024 we will be investing £56.5 billion in education. Of
course money makes a difference, but if she visits Hammersmith
Academy she will meet a great leadership team who are delivering
for their students—60% of whom get the pupil premium—because
leadership matters. I wish her luck in her leadership
campaign.
Suzanne Webb (Stourbridge) (Con)
T4. Apprenticeships are a terrific opportunity for those with
learning difficulties, due to the vocational nature of the
training, but we need more such opportunities. Where there is a
surplus of funding from the apprenticeship levy allowance, will
the Minister consider directing it at incentivising smaller
companies to provide apprenticeships, thereby ensuring parity of
opportunity for those with learning difficulties, such as those
with 22q11 deletion syndrome?(900153)
I thank my hon. Friend for that question. We certainly want an
increased number of learners with disabilities starting
apprenticeships. Working with Disability Rights UK, our disabled
apprentice network provides valuable insight into attracting
disabled people to apprenticeships and retaining them on them. We
also offer financial support for employers and providers that
take on apprentices with additional needs.
Mr Speaker
I call , the SNP spokesperson.
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
This Government’s oven-ready Brexit deal allows the UK to
associate with Horizon Europe, but because of the faffing around
over their Northern Ireland protocol, there is still no certainty
about this association. When will this Government stop treating
research as a Brexit bargaining chip and provide assurance to our
researchers that funding and collaboration are safe?
This Government have always been clear about our desire to secure
a good relationship with Horizon and the huge benefits that the
UK’s world-leading universities can bring the scientific
community in that respect. We have made a clear offer to the EU,
and it is for the EU to come forward and engage with us.
(Burton) (Con)
T6. Burton and South Derbyshire College is a fantastic example of
a higher education facility using innovative learning techniques
to inspire and train tomorrow’s scientists and engineers. Will
the Secretary of State commit to investing more in higher
education facilities to ensure that young people get the learning
and experience they need to progress into sought-after, well-paid
careers?(900155)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education ()
I was delighted to visit that excellent college in my hon.
Friend’s constituency and to see the fantastic work being done
there. She will be pleased to know that we are investing £450
million of capital funding in higher education providers over the
next three years, and that £400 million of that will be targeted
on strategic priorities such as high-cost science, technology,
engineering and maths and degree apprenticeships, for which
providers can submit their bids until 27 June.
(Rochdale) (Lab)
T2. A few minutes ago, the Minister told the House what the
Government are doing about pre-school childcare, but what does he
say to families in constituencies like mine, where the financial
benefits of going into work are swallowed up by childcare costs,
or people do not even access childcare because they cannot afford
to?(900151)
As I said, we spend over £5 billion a year on supporting parents
with childcare costs. This year alone, we are putting an extra
£160 million into the sector. The important thing is to make sure
that the existing entitlements are being taken up, and as the
hon. Member for Dulwich and West Norwood () rightly pointed out, we need
as a House to ensure that our constituents are aware of what they
may be entitled to.
(Stoke-on-Trent North)
(Con)
T9. The decision to scrap grammar schools was once described as
“a real tragedy for this country…they are a very important part
of the mix in our educational system…and they should be
supported”.I completely agree with the Prime Minister and I am
glad that the Secretary of State is also so supportive, saying
that he wants to “spread the DNA” of grammar schools across the
education system and give them a special status to retain
academic selection in the upcoming Schools Bill, but it is not
right that children in Teesside and Stoke-on-Trent do not the
same opportunities as a child in Kent or Stratford-upon-Avon, so
will the Government support my right hon. Friend—(900158)
Mr Speaker
Order. Mr Gullis, I told you to be short, but you obviously
cannot. Secretary of State.
The Schools Bill will protect grammar schools. However, we have
165 grammar schools, and 90 of them are already playing their
part in those families of schools in multi-academy trusts. We
have a system with 22,000 schools. I mentioned Gary Kynaston’s
brilliant leadership of Hammersmith Academy. My hon. Friend
should go and have a look at Michaela and what Katharine
Birbalsingh has done there. That is—
Mr Speaker
Order. Come on, let us be fair. Both of you have lined these
comments up—that is great—but it is topical questions; they are
meant to be short and sweet. Do not take advantage. It is not
like you, Secretary of State; you are too nice a person.
(Lewisham, Deptford)
(Lab)
T3. Last week, the Government published a list of BTECs that they
intend to scrap, and impact assessments show that 27% of BTEC
students are deemed the most disadvantaged. I was one of those
students, and a BTEC got me back into education and on to
university. T-levels will not appeal to all those students.
Assessors are making decisions affecting the lives of thousands
of young people, so can the Minister confirm who these assessors
actually are?(900152)
We have a range of independent assessors going through the
process. The consultation process will last the next few months,
and we intend to publish the final list of qualifications to be
defunded to make way for our world-class, gold-standard T-levels
in September, thereby giving colleges two years to prepare.
(Ruislip, Northwood and
Pinner) (Con)
I was reminded, on a recent visit to the excellent Warrender
Primary School in my constituency, how important schools are to
safeguarding. Can my right hon. Friend tell me what plans will be
put in place, through the schools White Paper, to ensure that
schools continue to play a central part in statutory safeguarding
arrangements?
Schools are under a statutory duty to co-operate with the
arrangements set out by local safeguarding partners, and we have
asked safeguarding partners to review how they work with schools
in all their areas. We requested that all local areas review that
following the Ofsted review of sexual abuse in schools and
colleges. We will actively look at this issue as part of our
response to today’s care review.
(Rutherglen and Hamilton
West) (Ind)
T5. Universities right across the UK have been teaming up with
our counterparts in Ukraine, not only to try to ensure that
institutions still exist when the war is over, but to deliver
lectures to students virtually. What discussions has the Minister
had with his colleagues across Government about supporting this
impressive initiative, so that it can continue?(900154)
Mr Walker
Supporting Ukraine’s education system is a priority for us all,
as is supporting children and young people who come from Ukraine.
The Minister for Higher and Further Education has been working
closely with the sector, and I have been working across the
schools piece to make sure that our education sector is as well
placed as it can be to support Ukrainian students.
(South East Cornwall)
(Con)
Farming has a very important role in my constituency, and I am
amazed by the amount of technical knowledge that is needed these
days. What more can the Department do to introduce an interest in
farming in schools?
I am delighted to be able to tell my hon. Friend that from
September next year, the T-level in agriculture will be
available. I hope she will be promoting it in South East
Cornwall.
(Richmond Park) (LD)
T7. In my constituency, there are simply not enough school places
for children with special educational needs. What is really
needed is a new school to increase capacity. What conversations
has the Department held with local authorities to establish in
which areas there is the most need for special schools, and where
a new school would deliver the most benefit?(900156)
Over the course of the spending review period, we have secured an
additional £2.6 billion for special and alternative provision
places, with £1.4 billion of that being made available this year.
The hon. Lady should speak with her local authority to make sure
that provision is covered.
(New Forest East) (Con)
Last Friday was the 36th anniversary of the rebel amendment in
the House of Lords proposed by Lady Cox, which banned the
indoctrination of schoolchildren with partisan political views.
Does the Secretary of State accept that the concept of
anti-nuclear education, and of anti-imperialist education, which
led to that ban, are to be compared with the concepts of vicious
identity politics and of the decolonisation of subjects, which
rightly fall foul of the legislation he cited?
My right hon. Friend raises a very powerful point, and he is
quite right: children should be taught how to think, not what to
think.
(Glasgow South West)
(SNP)
T8. According to the Child Poverty Action Group, 27% of children
in the UK are living in poverty, which equates to eight in a
classroom of 30. A classroom with hungry children is not an
environment that is conducive to good learning, so what
discussions has the Secretary of State had with the Chancellor to
plan emergency interventions to tackle such shocking levels of
child deprivation and inequality across these
islands?(900157)
The Government have taken action that is worth more than £22
billion this financial year. We have also put in place immediate
support for families who are struggling by doubling the household
support fund. We have made changes to the taper rate of universal
credit and we have extended, by £200 million a year, the holiday
activities and food programme.
(Totnes) (Con)
Diptford Church of England Primary School in my constituency is
operating from the village hall, because its buildings have been
damaged. They are temporary buildings, so the money that might be
allocated from the Department would be to repair those temporary
buildings, which is clearly illogical. Will the Schools Minister
meet me to see what we can do to secure money for new buildings
for the school?
I would be delighted to meet my hon. Friend.
(North Shropshire) (LD)
T10. A recent investigation by Schools Week found that rural
schools make up 40% of school closures, which is an increasing
proportion. Small community schools are having to fight for
survival, but they are central to their communities. What steps
is the Secretary of State taking to ensure that rural schools
stay open?(900159)
Mr Walker
We have a presumption against closure for rural schools, but we
also want to make sure, through a fairer funding formula, that
they are properly funded according to the cohorts of people and
the sparsity of the area that they serve, rather than according
to a formula that was set up decades ago.
(South West Bedfordshire)
(Con)
The Church of England and the Catholic Church run a third of
schools in England. How does the Secretary of State plan to
improve that partnership even further for the benefit of all
children?
The Church of England and the Catholic Church have been partners
on the journey of the White Paper. They are already making
ambitious plans to deliver what we all want to see—great schools
where children get a great education in the classroom wherever
they live in the country.
(York Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
When a child experiences deep trauma, it can escalate their
vulnerability and can display itself in many ways, including harm
to themselves and others. Early intervention is key, but when
residential placements are required, it is inexcusable when there
are no places available locally or nationally. How will the
Secretary of State rectify that as a matter of urgency?
I thank the hon. Lady for her question; we have spoken about the
matter privately. As she knows, local authorities have a
statutory duty to ensure sufficient provision in their area to
meet the needs of children in their care. The example that she
presents should not have happened. The Government are supporting
local authorities by providing £259 million of additional funding
to expand their residential provision of both secure and open
children’s homes. That will provide more safe homes for
vulnerable children.
(West Bromwich West)
(Con)
I had the pleasure of visiting St. Paul’s C of E Academy in
Tipton on Friday and met its fantastic headteacher, Anna McGuire.
It was not successful in applying for condition improvement
funding, so will the Minister meet me to discuss how we can
ensure that schools get clear guidance on how to apply? Perhaps
he will visit the school in future.
I am always happy to meet my hon. Friend.
(Stockton North) (Lab)
Does the Secretary of State support the chair of the Office for
Students’ endorsement of Viktor Orbán, including his approach to
academic freedom in higher education?
I support the chair of the Office for Students for all the work
that he is doing to improve outcomes for students in our
universities.
(Blyth Valley) (Con)
Blyth Valley is at the forefront of the green industrial
revolution, but we need to ensure that our young people are
equipped to fill the skills gap in those industries. We need
local jobs for local people, so will the Secretary of State visit
to see how we can link schools and industry to deliver for young
people?
I am looking forward to visiting my hon. Friend’s apprenticeship
fair in a few weeks’ time.
(East Renfrewshire)
(SNP)
Last week, on Radio 4, a Leeds primary school headteacher said
that, due to cost cutting by catering companies, they were having
to challenge caterers about the size of school meals to ensure
that children have
“more than one potato or more than four chips”.
Given that the Scottish Government deliver free school meals for
children in primary 1 to 5, and will be expanding that to all
primary pupils, what consideration has been given to increasing
funding for free school meals to ensure that all primary pupils
have at least one decent-sized meal a day?
We certainly recognise the pressures that some schools may face
and we have been giving them the autonomy to agree individual
contracts with suppliers and caterers using their increased core
funding. As the Secretary of State set out, that funding has gone
up by £4 billion in 2022-23 alone, which is a 7% cash increase,
but of course, given the importance of the issue, I keep a
watchful eye.
