Education Ministers were answering questions in the Commons.
Subjects covered included... Special Educational Needs: Support
Services Children’s Academic and Practical Skills
Social Work Profession Care Crisis Review
Childcare Settings: Financial Viability Cold Water
Shock: Mandatory Teaching T-levels Education
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Education Ministers were answering questions in the Commons.
Subjects covered included...
To read any of these in greater detail, click on the link or see
below.
Special Educational Needs: Support Services
-
(Newton Abbot)
(Con)
1. What steps he is taking to ensure that children with
special educational needs are able to access support
services that are close to home. [906000]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
(Nadhim Zahawi)
Children and young people should receive the right support
to meet their special educational needs. In most cases,
that can be provided close to home through the schools and
services in their local area. Services must be jointly
commissioned, with a published local offer kept under
regular review.
-
Yet 41% of pupils attending special schools in Devon have
to travel more than 10 miles to reach their school. How
will the Minister support those children in Devon, to
ensure that SEN provision is locally available and of a
high quality?
-
I thank my hon. Friend for her question. If a local
authority identifies a shortage of special school places,
resulting in a significant number of children with special
educational needs and disabilities having to travel a long
way, they need to consider creating or expanding specialist
provision. We announced £50 million of funding in May this
year, and Devon will receive £2.8 million from 2018 to
2021.
-
(Battersea)
(Lab)
19. My mum fought for me to receive a mainstream education,
knowing that I, like the majority of children with special
educational needs or a disability, would benefit from that.
However, in 2016, for the first time in more than 25 years,
more children with SEND were educated outside the
mainstream education system. In response, the UN raised
concerns about an education system that segregates children
with disabilities in special schools. What will the
Minister do to reverse that concerning trend and instead
build a more inclusive education system? [906021]
-
It is important to ensure that children with SEND who want
to and can be in mainstream education are able to. For
example, 72% of children with autism are in mainstream
education. We recently announced 14 new free special
schools. As I said, it is important that, where councils
need further provision to help to maintain children in
mainstream education, they are able to create that.
-
(Harlow) (Con)
Every year, 3,285 children with special needs are excluded
from our schools—that is roughly 17 a day—and 833 children
with special needs are given fixed-term exclusions. Does my
hon. Friend recognise that that is a major social
injustice? I know that he has his review, but surely the
Department’s priority must be to address that.
-
I thank my right hon. Friend the Chairman of the Education
Committee for that question. I do recognise that, which is
why the Government have announced an exclusions review, led
by .
-
(Scunthorpe) (Lab)
Further to the previous question, what are the Government
doing to address the issue of academies excluding people
with special educational needs, which is contributing to
the rise in exclusions?
-
We are looking at different groups and the proportion of
those being excluded, which I hope will come out through
the Timpson exclusions review. We are also talking to
Ofsted about the issue of off-rolling.
-
(Taunton Deane)
(Con)
Some 1.4 million children in this country display some kind
of speech, language or communication disorder. That is 10%
of children, as was highlighted recently in the excellent
Bercow report, the second one on this. Given that children
entering school with lower than expected communication
skills tend to do less well academically and feature more
highly among excluded children and young offenders, can the
Minister give an indication of how the recommendations in
the Bercow report might be implemented in our education
system?
-
I spoke at the launch of the—
-
Mr Speaker
Ten years on.
-
Ten years on from the Bercow review; I am grateful to you,
Mr Speaker. We are looking very carefully at the
recommendations of that report. One thing we are already
doing is working with Public Health England to ensure that
the health workers who go to see parents at that crucial
young stage are trained in speech and language therapy.
Children’s Academic and Practical Skills
-
Mr (Huddersfield)
(Lab/Co-op)
2. What steps he is taking to ensure that all children have
continuing opportunities to develop academic and practical
skills. [906001]
-
The Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds)
Schools must provide a broad and balanced curriculum that
prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and
experiences of adult life.
-
Mr Sheerman
The team on the Front Bench could not beat Panama or any
other country in terms of effort and talent. Is not it a
fact that the earlier young children are able to use both
their academic and technical skills, the better, and that
this Government have cramped the curriculum? Is not it also
true that we can only deliver T-levels with the support of
the further education sector, which is being destroyed by
Government policies and underfunding?
-
In a wide-ranging question, as they say, the hon. Gentleman
presents a number of different aspects, ranging from the
World cup to T-levels. He is right about one thing, and
that is the earlier children acquire skills and knowledge
the better. That is why it is so important we have managed
to narrow the attainment gap both in the early years and in
primary school.
-
Sir (Bexleyheath and
Crayford) (Con)
May I welcome the advances the Government have achieved in
this field and my right hon. Friend’s positive approach,
contrary to what the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr
Sheerman) said? What more can be done to tackle the skills
shortage in the construction sector?
-
My hon. Friend raises a very important point about the
construction sector, and of course we have considerable
requirements because of the need to accelerate residential
development. One of the first T-levels will be in
construction, and we are working closely with the sector to
bring that on.
-
Sir (Twickenham) (LD)
Is the Secretary of State aware of the concern in the
creative industries about the contraction in the number of
pupils in maintained schools studying performing arts, and
how does he intend to address that problem?
-
The right hon. Gentleman is correct about the importance of
the performing arts. In fact, the number of children taking
a GCSE in arts subjects has not really moved very much, but
we very much believe in a broad and balanced curriculum,
with the breadth of opportunities he would want.
-
(Dover) (Ind)
In the funding of these opportunities, where an academy
runs up a debt because of the Department’s failure to
supervise the academy sponsor, does my right hon. Friend
agree that the Department should take responsibility for
that debt, rather than leave it with the school, as appears
to be the case with the Goodwin Academy in my constituency?
-
Where it does become necessary to re-broker an academy, as
it does on occasions—my hon. Friend and I have had an
opportunity to meet to discuss this—there is a bespoke
approach to make sure that the settlement for the new
arrangement with the new trust is sustainable.
-
(Manchester Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
Heads have recently warned that the new GCSEs are
“inhumane” and that the “collateral damage”, as they call
it, will be the less able pupils. Given that the Health and
Social Care and the Education Committees recently found
that one of the top causes of child mental ill health is
the new exam regime, when will the right hon. Gentleman’s
Department take action to assess the impact of the new
GCSEs, and will he ensure that private schools that are
opting out of the new GCSEs at the moment will be forced to
take them as well?
-
We take the mental health of children and young people
extremely seriously; hence the recent Green Paper and the
whole programme of activity. To be fair, I do not think
that the concept of exam stress is entirely a new one, and
at this time of year there obviously is heightened stress
among some young people. But the new GCSEs and A-levels
have been designed and benchmarked against the leading
systems in the world to make sure that we have a leading
exam and qualification system.
-
(Mid Dorset and
North Poole) (Con)
Whether it is for academic or practical skills, reading and
literacy are vital. In contrast to the hon. Member for
Huddersfield, does the Secretary of State welcome the fact
that pupils in England are outperforming their peers right
across the world when it comes to reading and literacy,
according to the latest PIRLS—the progress in international
reading literacy study—figures?
-
I very much welcome that. It has been very encouraging to
see how, particularly through the focus on the phonics
programme, our young readers have improved in their reading
so much, and that is reflected in those international
comparisons.
-
(Luton North)
(Ind)
The two colleges serving my own constituents are both
suffering severe financial pressures. My hon. Friend the
Member for Huddersfield is absolutely right: further
education is fundamental to providing ongoing education in
both practical and academic skills. When are the Government
going to look at FE in general and particularly at the two
colleges serving my constituency?
-
There are of course two enormous programmes of benefit to
FE colleges. First, there is the apprenticeships programme.
Through the levy, the total funding for apprenticeships by
the end of this decade will be double what it was at the
beginning. The other programme—the hon. Member for
Huddersfield and I touched on this briefly—is T-levels,
which will bring another half a billion pounds of funding.
Social Work Profession
-
(Brentwood and Ongar)
(Con)
3. What progress his Department has made on strengthening
the social work profession. [906002]
-
The Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds)
The crucial role of social workers should be recognised and
celebrated. We are improving initial education standards
and providing professional development. We have established
an independent regulator, focusing on better standards.
-
As the Secretary of State will know, one of the reasons
that we need to improve the quality of social workers in
our country is to ensure that children in care can move on
into employment and further education. Can he outline what
more the Government are going to do to ensure that those
children get the support they need?
-
My hon. Friend is right to emphasise the importance and
challenge of that transition. Care leavers can access a
personal adviser until they are 25. They can get a £2,000
bursary if they are in higher education, and a 16-to-19
bursary of up to £1,200 from the college if in further
education. Care leavers aged 16 to 24 can receive a £1,000
bursary in the first year of an apprenticeship.
-
Mrs (South Shields)
(Lab)
The Department’s own figures show a gap of over 10,000 in
the overall children’s social care workforce. Unison
analysis shows that children’s services have experienced a
funding shortfall of £600 million, with more cuts to come.
Will the Secretary of State explain why he is happy to see
hundreds of millions of pounds cut from vulnerable
children, yet he is outsourcing £73 million to train as few
as 700 new social workers and introduce an unpopular
accreditation scheme?
-
The hon. Lady is right to identify the importance of
funding and resourcing for children’s social work. The
spend on the most vulnerable children has been going up.
There are some 35,000 child and family social workers and
that number has increased a little between 2016 and 2017.
Care Crisis Review
-
(Sefton Central)
(Lab)
4. If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of
the recommendations for his Department in the Family Rights
Group report, “Care Crisis Review: Options for Change”,
published in June 2018; and what discussions he has had
with Cabinet colleagues on that report. [906003]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
(Nadhim Zahawi)
The sector-led review is an important contribution to the
family justice system. Across government we will consider
its findings and recommendations carefully. My counterpart
in the Ministry of Justice and I are due to meet the Family
Rights Group to discuss the report in more detail.
-
Now that the Government have admitted that cuts to the
national health service were a political choice, not an
economic necessity, will they admit the same when it comes
to local government, especially children’s social care?
Will the Minister read the report from the directors of
children’s services, take the action that is needed to end
the crisis in children’s social care, and make the priority
looking after our most vulnerable children, not tax cuts
for the very wealthy?
-
There is some great work taking place in children’s social
care across the country. Money, of course, is a
consideration, but good leadership, and strong and
confident teams are making a huge difference. Across
government, as has been mentioned, we are spending £1.4
billion on the troubled families programme.
-
Mr (Kettering)
(Con)
What steps are the Government taking to encourage
innovation in children’s social care?
-
I am grateful for that question. We have two programmes:
first, the What Works programme in children’s social care
and, secondly, a £200 million innovation programme to look
at what really works and then scale it up.
-
(Telford) (Con)
Does the Minister agree with the basic premise of the care
crisis review that, if more money were spent on early
intervention and family support, fewer children would go
into care, and does he agree that that would be a good
thing?
-
I thank my hon. Friend, who has been a great advocate of
early intervention. She is absolutely right. On top of the
£1.4 billion programme for troubled families, the
Government are looking at reducing parental conflict. We
know that many children in need have suffered from domestic
abuse. The landmark Bill that we are bringing forward bears
witness to our hard work across government to deliver this.
However, she is absolutely right to say that early
intervention is important and the Government take that very
seriously.
Childcare Settings: Financial Viability
-
(Liverpool, Walton)
(Lab)
5. What assessment he has made of the effect of the
Government’s policy on funded childcare on the financial
viability of childcare settings. [906004]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
(Nadhim Zahawi)
The rates that we provide to childcare providers were based
on the review of childcare costs, which was described as
“thorough and wide-ranging” by the National Audit Office.
We have recently commissioned new research to further
understand providers’ care costs.
-
Last week, the National Day Nurseries Association found
that nurseries faced an annual deficit of £2,000 per child
on the 30 hours of childcare policy. That means that
nurseries are struggling financially; a skills shortage as
workers quit the sector; and fewer nurseries for parents to
send their children to, or more nurseries with
under-qualified staff. When will the Minister conduct an
honest review of the chaos that he has caused across the
sector?
-
Thirty hours is a success story. The summer numbers are
340,000 children aged three and four benefiting from 30
hours a week free childcare. For those parents taking
advantage of that, that is a £5,000 saving a year. We are
conducting a review to look at the economics of the model,
as we have done in the past, when we raised the hourly rate
from £4.65 to £5. It is a huge success story, and clearly
the hon. Gentleman is running scared.
-
(Beckenham)
(Con)
May I ask the Minister to explain how the Government intend
to increase free childcare for foster carers, which is a
great idea?
-
My hon. Friend is right. We have listened carefully,
including to many views in this Chamber, and we have
delivered. As of September, foster carers who qualify for
the 30 hours a week free childcare for three and
four-year-olds can take advantage of it.
-
(Wolverhampton North
East) (Lab)
The Minister will know that nursery schools, as distinct
from nurseries, provide first-class education in deprived
areas in the early years. However, their funding is still
in doubt beyond 2020. When will the Minister make an
announcement about these nursery schools and put nursery
schools in Wolverhampton, which provide good and
outstanding education, on a sure financial footing?
-
There are 402 maintained nursery schools. The hon. Lady has
championed their cause and I have seen at first hand the
great work they do. She is right that the funding goes up
to 2020. Clearly, we have to see what happens, but they are
a very important part of the mix of provision.
-
(Nottingham North)
(Lab/Co-op)
Childcare is a critical enabler to allow parents to access
further education. Nottingham College, in a move reflective
of the exceptionally difficult landscape facing further
education, has chosen to shut its nursery in my
constituency. That is wrong, and I am campaigning with
local residents and councillors to keep it open. Does the
Minister agree that access to childcare is an important
driver of accessing further education?
-
I do agree that access to childcare is very important. I
will look at the specific details the hon. Gentleman
mentions, but suffice it to say that we are investing £50
million more to help schools to open a nursery setting.
-
(Batley and Spen)
(Lab/Co-op)
May I push the Minister further on the report from the
National Day Nurseries Association, which was mentioned by
my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Walton (Dan
Carden)? Not only is there, as mentioned, an annual funding
deficit of £2,000 per 30-hours child, but a third of
nurseries are having to limit the funded places they offer
and a third of nurseries are being paid late for the work
they do. To support our childcare providers, will the
Minister tell us how many local authorities will see a
real-terms funding increase in the next academic year?
-
The hon. Lady rightly speaks about the important research
by the NDNA. Our own research demonstrates that 80% of
providers are willing and able to offer places, and one
third have actually increased their places.
Cold Water Shock: Mandatory Teaching
-
Mr (Slough)
(Lab)
6. Whether he plans to include mandatory teaching on cold
water shock as part of compulsory swimming and water
lessons. [906005]
-
Mrs (Washington and
Sunderland West) (Lab)
14. Whether he plans to include mandatory teaching on cold
water shock as part of compulsory swimming and water
lessons. [906015]
-
The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)
In the new national curriculum, which we introduced in
2014, maintained primary schools are required to teach
swimming and water safety. Pupils are required to be taught
how to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over
a distance of at least 25 metres, covering a range of
strokes. It also requires pupils to be taught to perform
self-rescue in different water-based situations.
-
Mr Dhesi
No doubt the Minister agrees with the Prime Minister, who
told the House last week, when I raised with her the case
of Michael Scaife, who tragically drowned in Slough, that
she recognises there is more to do on water safety
education. The curriculum swimming and water safety
recommendations were made nearly a year ago. On this, the
last day of the Royal Life Saving Society’s annual Drowning
Prevention Week, will the Minister agree to prioritise the
implementation of those recommendations?
-
We were all very sorry to hear about the tragic death of
Michael Scaife, who drowned while trying to save a friend.
The Government take swimming and water safety very
seriously, which is why we improved the national curriculum
and why we support the National Water Safety Forum’s
national drowning prevention strategy. The group the hon.
Gentleman refers to published its report in July 2016. We
then established an implementation group and the Government
are currently reviewing the recommendations that came out
of that report.
-
Mrs Hodgson
The children’s Minister—the Under-Secretary of State for
Education, the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Nadhim
Zahawi)—was the founder and the first chair of the
all-party group on water safety and drowning prevention.
Like me, he had constituents who tragically lost their
lives, which was why the group was set up. Ross Irwin in my
constituency drowned in Christmas 2016 and two schoolgirls
drowned a couple of years previously in the same river, the
River Wear. So I know this is an issue very close to the
Minister’s heart and a number of colleagues from across the
House have had constituents dying in such circumstances.
Given that almost a third of all pupils leaving primary
school are unable to swim and do not have basic water
safety skills, will the Minister make it his personal
ambition to ensure that every child leaves school knowing
the dangers of open water and cold water shock, as well as
knowing how to swim?
-
I pay tribute to the hon. Lady for the work that she has
been doing over several years to ensure that children are
better informed about the dangers of water and how to be
safe in and around it. I thank her for her campaigns and
that of the father of Ross Irwin, to whom I also pay
tribute. Thanks to the Royal Life Saving Society and
Sunderland City Council, there are now improved water
safety measures in place at the Fatfield riverside on the
River Wear. We take these issues very seriously, which is
why we improved the curriculum and why this Government
asked an independent group of experts from across the
swimming sector to submit an independent report, setting
out how we can improve swimming and the swimming curriculum
in our schools.
T-levels
-
(Cheadle) (Con)
22. What progress his Department has made on the
introduction of T-levels. [906024]
-
The Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds)
We have made good progress. We have announced the providers
who will deliver the first three T-levels from 2020. We
published the outline content for them, developed by panels
of employers, and have begun the process to select an
awarding organisation to develop them.
-
Mr Fysh
Why, with its huge success in piloting industry work
placements and its leadership of best practice in the area,
has Yeovil College been left out of the T-level pilots, and
how can the Secretary of State help to make up for its and
my disappointment?
-
We have thus far selected a relatively small number of
colleges to teach the first three T-levels from 2020. This
is an ongoing programme and more T-levels and colleges will
come on stream in the years to come. We expect to launch
the process to select providers for 2021 early in 2019.
-
I welcome the introduction of T-levels, which could be a
game changer for the British economy. What other sectors
are the Government talking to about introducing T-levels in
future years?
-
Eventually, as per the Sainsbury report, we will be looking
right across industry and the requirements for technical
and vocational education and training. We are looking at
the combination of T-levels and apprenticeships to deliver
learning across those routes. These are just the first
three for 2020 and there will be a further 12 to come very
soon.
-
Small businesses account for 60% of all private sector
employment in the UK. What support will the Government put
in place to encourage and enable small businesses to offer
T-level work placements?
-
Industrial placements are at the heart of the T-levels
programme. We are investing £5 million in the National
Apprenticeship Service to make sure that it can be a
one-stop shop. We have published “How to” guidance for
employers, and we continue to work closely with bodies such
as the Federation of Small Businesses and small employers
themselves to establish the support that they need to offer
these placements.
-
(Bury North) (Lab)
I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’
Financial Interests. What is the Government’s plan for
mandatory work placements as part of their new T-level when
the number of learners exceeds the placements available
from local employers? Answers that include “remote
learning” or “online” will not be accepted.
-
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for laying out his
acceptance criteria for my response. The simple point is
that we are working hard from now, not starting in 2020, to
build up the availability of industrial placements, because
they are such an important part of the programme.
-
(Bishop Auckland)
(Lab)
I hope that the Secretary of State will do a bit better
than he is doing on apprenticeships, which have collapsed
in my constituency in the last two years, going from 350
starts to 50. Will he consider being more flexible about
the time release rules for employers?
-
We think the quality requirements for apprenticeships are
absolutely central, and that includes the 20% off-the-job
training requirement, as well as the minimum 12-month
length. We should also bear it in mind that over the last
few years there has been further strengthening of the
overall employment market, so today the proportion of young
people who are unemployed and not in full-time education is
down to 5%, as opposed to 8-point-something per cent. at
the change of Government. The apprenticeship programme
remains absolutely vital to building up the skills level of
the nation.
-
(Blackpool South)
(Lab)
The Secretary of State might be content with T-level
progress, but I am afraid that many in the sector are not.
There is no clarity on work placements, on bridging options
post-16, on the transition years that some need or on where
T-levels sit in the post-18 review. The Department’s own
research warns that having a single awarding body for
T-levels risks system failure, and Ofqual says the same,
while his own top civil servant advised a year’s delay,
which he rejected. Is he content just agreeing with
himself, or would he be happy with a process for T-levels
with the wheels coming off—a magical mystery tour for young
people that risks becoming a ghost train?
-
Dear oh dear! Gordon! I do not quite know where to go with
that question, because I do not recognise its premise. I
spend a great deal of time talking to employers, providers
and others throughout the sector about this programme, and
if the hon. Gentleman consults the Sainsbury report, he
will see the overall blueprint. It is absolutely clear
where T-levels fit in with the overall skills landscape,
including levels 4 and 5, which also need improving.
T-levels are fundamental to building up the country’s
skills base, and I would expect to see him supporting them.
Education Settings
-
(South Suffolk)
(Con)
8. What steps his Department is taking to ensure that
children educated in all settings are safe and receive a
good education. [906007]
-
The Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds)
We continue to support schools in meeting their wide range
of safeguarding duties, and as part of the integrated
communities strategy, I have announced measures intended to
safeguard children across the spectrum of educational
settings, including out-of-school settings and home
education.
-
The Bridge School, a specialist school in Ipswich, in my
constituency, offers education to pupils of all ages with
profound and severe learning difficulties. Following
growing concerns about specific safeguarding issues, an
Ofsted report was undertaken and found the school to be
inadequate on every count, which is almost unprecedented.
There is now a real sense of instability at the school.
Given the vulnerable nature of the children, will the
Secretary of State meet me to discuss what can be done?
-
Of course I understand that, and of course I would be happy
to meet my hon. Friend. Where a maintained school is judged
inadequate, my Department has a legal duty to issue an
academy order, and the regional schools commissioner is
considering all further options available to support the
school through this transition.
-
(High Peak) (Lab)
Schools in High Peak tell me that the vast majority of
their applications for education, health and care plans are
refused, meaning that children with very serious special
needs, including autism, are left struggling and teachers
are left trying to cope with them in large classes. What is
the Secretary of State doing to assess the number of
children with special needs who receive no support and to
ensure that local authorities receive sufficient provision
to support them all?
-
The education, health and care plans are an important step
forward from the previous system, bringing together, as
they do, the education, health and care considerations. If
the hon. Lady has specific cases, we will of course look at
them.
-
(Bromley and
Chislehurst) (Con)
The Department’s highly unusual application to the court
for a closure order for the Darul Uloom School in
Chislehurst has not only received wide publicity but raised
concern among residents and, no doubt, parents. Will the
Secretary of State update us on the position and meet me to
discuss the way forward for this school, which has a
long-standing poor record in academic matters?
-
Again, I understand those concerns, and of course I will be
happy to meet my hon. Friend. We did apply to the
magistrates court for an emergency order to close the
school in his constituency. At a hearing last Friday, the
school agreed some significant assurances,
including—crucially—that the two individuals associated
with the case would have no further involvement. The school
will remain closed until a new trustee is appointed, who
will be approved by the Department for Education.
-
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
One group that is under-represented in tertiary education
are care-experienced young people. Care leavers in Scotland
will now be supported with a grant of £8,100 through
college or university. Will the Secretary of State join me
in congratulating the steps the Scottish Government are
taking? It was good to hear about the support packages he
mentioned earlier for young people leaving care, but will
he now consider a more realistic level of funding to allow
these young people to access tertiary education?
-
I will always keep an open mind about what more we can do
to help care leavers—that is at the heart of the care
leavers covenant—and of course I will continue to look at
what the Scottish Government do, as well as others.
-
(Cleethorpes)
(Con)
At the weekend I was contacted by a constituent who chairs
one of the maintained nursery schools in north-east
Lincolnshire. She expressed views similar to those
expressed by the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East
(Emma Reynolds) about funding. Will my right hon. Friend
confirm his continuing support for maintained nurseries,
and will he ensure that funds are in place to provide the
certainty that they require?
-
The Under-Secretary of State for Education, my hon. Friend
the Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Nadhim Zahawi), talked
about the maintained nursery sector earlier. I can confirm
that we greatly value the role played by maintained
nurseries, and will continue to work with them to ensure
that they play that role as effectively as possible in our
diverse early-years sector.
-
(Hove) (Lab)
Children are not safe when they are being taught in schools
where water pours through the ceiling when it rains, as
happens in one school in my constituency. What is the
Secretary of State doing to end the drought in capital
funding for schools, particularly those like the one I have
just mentioned?
-
I should of course be happy to look into the case that the
hon. Gentleman has raised. We have allocated a total of £23
billion of capital for school buildings, but it is
difficult for me to comment on that specific case from the
Dispatch Box without knowing the details.
-
(Wythenshawe and Sale East)
(Lab)
Information released accidentally from Ofsted shows that
only 4% of schools in the most deprived areas achieve
“outstanding” ratings, compared to 58% in the least
deprived. Inspections are measuring deprivation rather than
the quality of teaching and learning. Does the Secretary of
State not agree that that is morally repugnant?
-
At the heart of our priorities since May 2010 has been
raising standards for all children while also narrowing the
gap, and I welcome the narrowing gap that we have seen in
both primary and secondary schools. Is there more to do?
Yes, there is, and that is at the heart of our opportunity
areas programme, which—as the hon. Gentleman will
know—identifies the pockets of under-achievement that may
exist even in otherwise more affluent regions, and seeks to
establish what area-specific conditions are required.
Northern Powerhouse Schools Strategy
-
(Bradford East)
(Lab)
9. What steps he has taken to implement the recommendations
set out in “Northern Powerhouse Schools Strategy: An
independent review” by Sir Nick Weller, published in
November 2016. [906008]
-
The Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds)
As recommended by Sir Nick Weller, we have implemented a
range of measures in the north to improve teaching and
leadership capacity, recruit and retain teachers, and close
the disadvantage gap. In 2017, nearly 400,000 more children
were in good or outstanding schools in the north than in
2010.
-
When the strategy was announced, £80 million of funding was
attached to it, but just months later that was rowed back
to £70 million. Now, according to the vice-chair of the
Northern Powerhouse Partnership, nothing at all has been
spent. Can the Minister tell me how much has been spent so
far, and how much of that has been spent on recruiting
teachers in Bradford in particular?
-
We continue to spend on a range of programmes in the north,
and some of the results are reflected in the figures I have
just given. Bradford is of course one of the opportunity
areas to which I referred, and £1.5 million has been
provided to fund school improvements there. We are seeking
to support the work of Bradford for Teaching, and Academy
Ambassadors is working to further strengthen multi-academy
trusts across the north. Altogether, more than £767 million
of additional pupil premium funding was allocated to
schools in the north, which over-indexed on pupil premium
funding in comparison with the rest of the country.
-
(North West
Leicestershire) (Con)
The Government did indeed commit themselves to spending £70
million on improving educational attainment in the north.
Can my right hon. Friend confirm that they have in fact
spent considerably more than that?
-
I am happy to confirm that we remain committed to all areas
of the country. In English education there is nothing as
simple as a north-south divide. There are areas of
educational under-achievement in the north, the south and
the middle. We ned to seek them out wherever they are, and
provide the support and accountability that are needed to
ensure that those children too can thrive.
School Budgets
-
(Bethnal Green and Bow)
(Lab)
10. What estimate he has made of the number of schools that
will have a cash terms reduction in their budget in 2018-19
compared with 2017-18. [906009]
-
The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)
Through the national funding formula, we are giving every
local authority more money for every pupil in every school
in 2018-19 and 2019-20. However, we have always made it
clear that local authorities remain responsible for
determining schools’ final budget allocations in these
transition years, in consultation with their schools.
-
I thank the Minister for his answer, but I am horrified by
what it contains, because the reality is that in my
constituency, in the Borough of Tower Hamlets, there will
be £28 million of cuts by 2020 in an area with the highest
child poverty in the country. Where is the fairness in
that, and will the Minister and the Secretary of State show
some guts and stand up to the Prime Minister, perhaps like
the Defence Secretary, and call an end to the billions of
pounds of cuts in national funding of education?
-
Under the national funding formula we prioritise children
from disadvantaged backgrounds; that is a key element of
the way we allocate funding in a fairer way. In the hon.
Lady’s constituency, the average per pupil funding for
primary schools under the national funding formula when it
is fully implemented will be £6,140, compared with the
national average of £4,193 per primary school pupil. For
secondary, the hon. Lady’s schools will be funded at £7,965
per pupil compared with the national average of £5,380.
-
(Shipley) (Con)
The Minister knows that I have written to him and met him
to discuss some of the budgets of schools in my
constituency, which seem to be going down, at variance to
the impression the Government would give; and those schools
where the budget is going up seem to have their costs
increasing at a faster rate than the increase in funding
they are getting. Will the Minister look again at the
schools budget in the Shipley constituency? Will he perhaps
write to me with his understanding of what each school is
getting this year and in the next financial year compared
with the last financial year, and will he commit to making
sure they get adequate funding? And if he is looking for a
pot of money, perhaps the overseas aid budget would be a
good place to start.
-
Of course I will write to my hon. Friend as he asks, but I
have to say that we are spending record amounts of money on
schools, some £42.4 billion this year. There has never been
a sum as high spent on schools in our history, and it will
rise again next year to £43.5 billion, and we announced an
increase in school funding last July to the tune of £1.3
billion. That was the result of successful negotiations
with the Treasury.
-
(Birkenhead) (Lab)
21. All Birkenhead schools, like schools throughout the
country, suffer real cuts in their budgets. Will the
Minister meet me to seek ways by which we automatically
enrol all poor children for free school dinners, and, as
importantly, the Government’s initiative, the school
premium? [906023]
-
The right hon. Gentleman makes some interesting points and
I will take advice on his suggestions, but I must say that
we have guaranteed the pupil premium to the end of this
Parliament: it is over £1,300 for every pupil eligible for
free school meals attending a primary school, and nearly
£1,000 for every disadvantaged child attending a secondary
school.
-
(Mid Worcestershire)
(Con)
Does the Minister agree that there is nothing morally
superior about maintaining a blatantly unfair existing
system, and is it not fair and reasonable therefore to
target increases in school funding on schools, such as
those in Worcestershire, that have been relatively
underfunded for decades?
-
This Government have grasped the nettle and are introducing
a fairer, more transparent funding system, which the
previous Labour Government shied away from.
-
(Ashton-under-Lyne)
(Lab)
The Chancellor gave a guarantee that not a single school
would lose a single penny—no ifs, no buts, no small print,
but an ironclad, copper-bottomed guarantee. Now he is
trying to wriggle out of it like a second-hand car
salesman. If Private Pike is prepared to go to war to get
funding for defence, why is the Education Secretary waving
the white flag rather than meeting his guarantee on
schools?
-
The national fairer funding system is giving every local
authority in the country more money for every pupil in
every school in 2018-19 and 2019-20, and the Institute for
Fiscal Studies says that school funding will be maintained
in real terms per pupil in those two years. But we have
always been clear that for these two years we will allow
some discretion to local authorities as to how they
allocate that funding to each of their local schools, and
that is why the points the hon. Lady made arise: because we
have given discretion to local authorities.
Academy Trusts
-
(Ellesmere Port and
Neston) (Lab)
11. What steps he is taking to respond to poorly performing
academy trusts. [906011]
-
The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)
As the Secretary of State outlined in his speech to the
National Association of Head Teachers, we will support and
hold to account trusts with poor educational, financial or
governance performance. We will continue to act swiftly and
robustly to turn around academies that Ofsted has judged
inadequate, bringing about leadership change if that is
necessary.
-
I thank the Department and the Secretary of State for
agreeing to meet me and colleagues last week to discuss our
concerns about the performance of the University of Chester
Academies Trust. Now that they have heard our concerns, can
the Minister assure us that they will deal with these
matters as swiftly as possible?
-
Yes, we will. The University Church of England Academy was
judged to be inadequate by Ofsted in April last year. There
was then a question of whether the multi-academy trust
could provide the support that that school needed.
Following a recent Ofsted monitoring visit to the academy,
the Department took the view that insufficient progress was
being made and that the leadership of the trust was not
taking sufficient action. That is why my right hon. Friend
the Secretary of State wrote to the hon. Gentleman
confirming that the academy was going to be brokered to a
higher-performing multi-academy trust, and we will do that
as swiftly as possible.
Neurodiverse People
-
Mr (Glasgow North East)
(Lab/Co-op)
12. What steps his Department is taking to improve the
learning experience for neurodiverse people. [906012]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
(Nadhim Zahawi)
I witnessed at first hand the work of the Autism Education
Trust at the Rise School in Feltham, in helping to train
schoolteachers, receptionists, caretakers and others across
the teams in schools. About 175,000 people have been
trained to recognise and help children with autism.
-
Mr Sweeney
Rossie Stone set up Dekko Comics in my constituency two
years ago after suffering from dyslexia throughout school.
He found that by creating a gamified version of school
lessons, he was able to improve his academic performance
rapidly. Will the Minister consider how using gamified
methods of teaching can rapidly improve learning outcomes
for people who are neurodiverse?
-
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question. We
are looking at innovation across the board in the
Department, and one of the areas that we are looking at is
gamified work. I have seen some excellent work being done
with children in Luton.
STEM Subjects
-
(Gordon) (Con)
13. What steps his Department has taken to increase the
take-up of STEM subjects. [906014]
-
The Minister for Universities, Science, Research and
Innovation (Mr Sam Gyimah)
The Government are committed to tackling our need for
science, technology, engineering and maths skills in order
to create a dynamic, innovation-driven economy. That is why
we are investing an additional £406 million in skills,
including maths and digital. This includes the advanced
maths premium, and an £84 million programme to improve the
teaching of computing, which should help to increase the
take-up of these subjects.
-
The Oil & Gas Technology Centre in Aberdeen is a major
promoter of STEM subjects. Does the Minister agree that it
is essential to prioritise the take-up of STEM subjects if
we are to have the engineers and technicians that we need
for the future?
-
Mr Gyimah
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This is why we are
encouraging more students into STEM education across the
entire school system. We have seen a 17% overall increase
in entries to STEM A-levels since 2010. In physics, it is
overall at its highest level since 1996. However, there is
clearly a lot more to do, which is why we are focused on
doing a lot through careers and through the university
system.
-
(Glasgow North West)
(SNP)
One of the major factors affecting the uptake of STEM
subjects is the expertise of the teachers. However,
Department for Education data show that one third of
physics teachers in England do not have a relevant degree
in the subject. Rather than simply accepting that as an
unfortunate reality, what steps is the Minister taking to
upskill STEM teachers? Will he commit to following
Scotland’s example in making a relevant degree a
requirement for entering the profession?
-
Mr Gyimah
That is a very good question. We have subject-level
enhancement courses for teachers. Also, there is a £26,000
tax-free allowance to attract teachers into the sector to
teach STEM subjects. We are also helping to improve their
skills as they go through the system.
Free School and Academy Programmes
-
Mr (North East Hampshire) (Con)
15. What assessment he has made of the effect of the free
school and academy programmes on GCSE results. [906016]
-
The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)
Based on last year’s GCSE results, converter academies and
free schools had higher Attainment 8 and Progress 8 scores
than the average for state-funded schools overall. In fact,
eight of the top 10 schools for progress made by pupils
were either academies or free schools. That is evidence
that free schools and academies are delivering high
standards for their pupils, and that particularly includes
disadvantaged pupils.
-
Mr Jayawardena
The Department for Education has identified target local
authority areas for raising standards. Further to my right
hon. Friend’s answer, does he agree that free schools that
are accessible to anyone, wherever they might live in that
area or beyond, will increase parental choice and improve
standards?
-
My hon. Friend is right. Since 2010, the creation of the
free schools programme has been a huge success. Those
schools, which often serve disproportionately disadvantaged
communities, have unleashed innovation and driven up
academic standards. To give just one example, 92% of
disadvantaged pupils at Reach Academy Feltham achieved
grade 4 or above in English and maths last year.
Higher Education: EU Students
-
(Cambridge)
(Lab)
16. What his policy is on the eligibility of EU students
starting courses in English higher education institutions
in 2019-20 and 2020-21 for home fee status and student
loans and grants. [906017]
-
The Minister for Universities, Science, Research and
Innovation (Mr Sam Gyimah)
EU students, staff and researchers make an important
contribution to our universities. We want that contribution
to continue and we are confident, given the quality of our
higher education sector, that it will do so. Information on
eligibility for the academic year 2019-20 will be made
available for students and institutions as soon as
possible.
-
We need much more urgency. The admissions process is open
and people are waiting to apply to medical and dentistry
schools and universities such as Cambridge, but they face a
real drop-off unless certainty is given soon about the
status of EU students next year. Why do the Government not
support British universities, which are among our great
export earners? Is this just another day, another Brexit
blunder?
-
Mr Gyimah
We hugely support our universities. Applications for
courses starting in the 2020-21 academic year will not open
until September 2019. We will ensure that students and
institutions have the information they need very soon.
Post-16 Education: Social Mobility
-
Mr (Ealing, Southall)
(Lab)
18. What steps he is taking to improve social mobility in
post-16 education. [906020]
-
The Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills (Anne
Milton)
We published a plan last year for improving social mobility
through education, which set out the actions we are taking
to increase social mobility. A crucial part of that is a
career strategy, which I launched last year. Legislation
came into force this year, including a requirement to allow
further education technical and apprenticeship providers to
have the opportunity to talk to young people. At the heart
of the career strategy are those Gatsby benchmarks, which
will make sure that young people get good careers advice.
-
Mr Sharma
In a country with world-leading education, why is there
such a significant attainment gap for those with English as
a second language?
-
This is absolutely crucial. Obviously, someone who cannot
speak English will be at a disadvantage. We have done a
great deal more to improve the roll-out of ESOL. On the
work we are doing in primary schools, the proportion of
six-year-olds meeting expected standards in the phonics
screening check has risen dramatically.
Children’s Centres
-
(Ipswich) (Lab)
20. What recent assessment he has made of the (a)
effectiveness of children’s centres and (b) ability of
families to access those centres. [906022]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
(Nadhim Zahawi)
It is right that local councils decide how they spend on
children’s centres. Our priority is to improve outcomes for
disadvantaged children overall. It is not just about bricks
and mortar, but about using and improving evidence about
what works.
-
Given that there are now at least 1,240 fewer designated
Sure Start children’s centres than there were in 2010, will
the Department commit to retaining the remaining two thirds
of the original centres and invest in improving the range
of services they offer?
-
This Government are spending £6 billion on childcare. It is
not just about bricks and mortar. There are 2,300
children’s centres and they are very much part of the
overall picture, but we will do what works. We have
committed £18.5 million for councils to peer review each
other, to see what is actually working. I hope that, like
the Government, the hon. Gentleman is interested in
outcomes rather than just bricks and mortar.
Topical Questions
-
The Secretary of State for Education (Damian Hinds)
In the past month, we have announced £730 million of
capital funding to create new school places. That will
bring to 1 million the additional school places to be
created over the decade, making it the biggest for
investment in school capacity for at least two generations.
Friday was Thank a Teacher Day, and we have more of them to
thank than ever before, as well as more to thank them for.
-
This year’s Times Higher Education rankings show UK
universities falling down the league tables. Does the
Secretary of State agree that that makes it even more vital
that the UK relaxes any restrictions on EU academic and
research staff post-Brexit, to ensure that our universities
do not become isolated and cut off from development?
-
Our higher education sector performs extremely well in the
international comparisons. It is a popular destination for
international students, including EU students, and, indeed,
it remains a popular destination for EU academics.
-
Neil O’Brien (Harborough) (Con)
T2. A report by academics at the London School of Economics
found that schools that introduced a ban on mobile phones
saw a 2% increase in the number of pupils achieving five
good GCSEs. The Minister and I both agree with school
freedom, but will he consider introducing stronger guidance
and more help for schools that choose to implement stronger
controls on mobile phones? [906026]
-
I agree with my hon. Friend that we want children off their
phones and focused on their lessons. As he says, we know
from research that that improves results. I am also very
clear that it is for the people in charge of schools—the
headteachers—to make the detail of their disciplinary
rules.
-
(Ashton-under-Lyne)
(Lab)
Just weeks ago, Ministers stood at the Dispatch Box,
rejected our call to save the NHS bursary and promised that
5,000 apprentice nursing associates would be recruited this
year to tackle the nursing shortage. Half were due to be
recruited by April. Can the Minister confirm that Ministers
have now missed that target by 60% and tell us how many
people will start apprenticeships this year?
-
The Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills (Anne
Milton)
We need to make sure that nursing apprenticeships and
apprenticeships for nursing assistants work well. There are
complex problems in the NHS, not least in providing 40%
off-the-job training and the fact that those apprentices
are supernumerary. I am working very closely with Ministers
in the Department of Health and Social Care to make sure
that we make this work.
I was, in effect, a nursing apprentice. I know how well
such apprenticeships can work, and I am determined to make
sure they do.
-
(Horsham) (Con)
T3. When will the Minister have the opportunity to review
the zoning of the area cost adjustment element of the
national funding formula? [906027]
-
The Minister for School Standards (Nick Gibb)
We calculate the area cost adjustment using data on teacher
pay and data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and
Local Government on general labour market costs. For
teacher pay we use the regional teacher pay bands as zones,
but we will keep it under review to ensure that funding
always matches need as closely as possible.
-
(Ilford North)
(Lab)
T6. The news from the Children’s Commissioner that there
are over 30,000 children aged between 10 and 15 involved in
gangs will surely be deeply concerning to everyone. What is
the Department doing to tackle this problem, not least
because the Children’s Commissioner identifies that many of
these vulnerable young people are groomed form pupil
referral units? [906031]
-
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education
(Nadhim Zahawi)
I sit on the Home Secretary’s serious violence taskforce,
and we are publishing revised statutory guidance, “Working
together to safeguard children,” which makes clear the
roles and responsibilities of the agencies involved in
protecting children from gangs. The guidance also offers
links to further advice on these forms of abuse. Obviously,
we also have our strategy for alternative provision—the
hon. Gentleman referred to pupil referral units.
-
(Cheadle) (Con)
T4. Approximately 48,000 children are being home educated
in England. In light of the Government’s consultation on
home education, which ends next Monday, can the Minister
clarify what steps his Department is taking to reassure
home educators that their views will be fed into the
Government’s consultation response? [906028]
-
I can give my hon. Friend that reassurance. We are having
this consultation, and there has been a rise in children
being home educated, which of course includes some children
with particular special educational needs who have had a
particularly bad time in the school system and whose
parents devote their lives to their education—I pay tribute
to those parents. The rise includes other categories, but
it is important that we listen carefully, and we will, to
those parents in the consultation.
-
Mr (Coventry South)
(Lab)
T7. Does the Minister realise that more than 300 pupils
were denied their first-choice school as a result of the
Government cuts to local government education budgets in
Coventry? What is he going to do about it? [906032]
-
If the hon. Gentleman looks at the national figures, he
will find that, at primary, something like 97% of families
received an offer of a place in one of their top-three
schools, with 91% offered their first choice. At secondary,
94% of families received an offer of a place at their
first-choice school. We have created 825,000 school places
since 2010, following on from a Labour Government who
actually cut 100,000 school places from the system.
-
(Witney) (Con)
T5. Hard-working teachers in small rural schools in places
like west Oxfordshire are ingenious in wringing every last
penny of value out of their budgets, but what are Ministers
doing to ensure those schools have the funding they need to
thrive? [906030]
-
Our national funding formula is a much fairer way of
allocating funding, and it also supports small rural
schools, particularly in areas such as West Oxfordshire, by
providing a lump sum of £110,000 for every school and by
targeting funding to small and remote schools through the
sparsity factor. That provides up to an additional £65,000
for small rural secondary schools and £25,000 for
primaries.
-
(Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
(SNP)
T8. The Centre for Global Higher Education has identified
that EU academics fill gaps in subjects such as science,
technology, engineering and maths where there are
insufficient numbers of UK-qualified academics. With Brexit
fast approaching, how are the Government going to maintain
staffing levels, let alone magically increase the number of
UK-qualified academics? [906033]
-
The Minister for Universities, Science, Research and
Innovation (Mr Sam Gyimah)
As part of the EU negotiations, we are mindful of the fact
that we want academics here to work with academics from
abroad. The Prime Minister said in her most recent science
speech that roughly 50% of researchers in the UK are from
the EU—we intend that to remain the same post-Brexit.
-
Mrs (Saffron Walden)
(Con)
T9. There is still a strong demand across businesses in my
constituency for technical skills. What progress has been
made on the introduction of the new institutes of
technology? [906034]
-
Sixteen proposals for institutes of technology will go
through to stage 2, which we will launch in July. IOTs are
a collaboration between higher education and further
education, with a focus on levels 4 and 5; traditionally,
this has been rather neglected in this country but it is so
crucial for building the skills base. They will also extend
to levels 6 and 7. There will be a £170 million capital
fund to help IOTs get off the ground.
-
Dr (Stockton South)
(Lab)
I have recently learned that “consequence booths”, where
children spend up to seven hours in a small booth without
contact with peers, are being used by academies in my
constituency. Will the Minister meet me to discuss how we
can protect children in Stockton South from this threat to
their mental health?
-
I would be very happy to meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss
that issue.
-
(Walsall North)
(Con)
Will the Minister join me in encouraging young people in
Walsall to attend the open evening at Walsall College,
rated as outstanding by Ofsted, on Wednesday afternoon from
4 till 7, in advance of it delivering T-levels from
September?
-
My hon. Friend has given a great advert for T-levels.
Contrary to what the shadow Minister said, T-levels have
been viewed as a huge success, as shown by the broad
support at the conference of the Association of Employment
and Learning Providers this morning. They are a fantastic
opportunity for our young people.
-
(Liverpool, Wavertree)
(Lab/Co-op)
Yesterday, a survey of teachers by the charity stem4
revealed that students are facing a mental health epidemic
and are not receiving the support they need. What
assessment has the Secretary of State made of the number of
counsellors, educational psychologists, peer mentors and
pastoral care staff that have been lost from our schools in
recent years? What assurances will he give that the
proposals in the “Transforming Children and Young People’s
Mental Health Provision” Green Paper will bring about a
genuine addition to the mental health workforce in our
schools and not just replace what has already been lost?
-
This Government take mental health very seriously. Some 84%
of secondary schools have a counsellor to help children
deal with mental health issues and stress, and we have
unveiled our Green Paper, whereby we intend to improve
mental health support for young people in our schools,
including by having a designated senior mental health lead
in every school in the country.
-
(Bexhill and Battle)
(Con)
The teachers I meet in my constituency want to use more of
their judgment and to reduce their assessment workload.
Will the new goals for four to five-year-olds achieve on
both fronts?
-
We are introducing a baseline assessment so that we can
measure the progress that all pupils make in their time at
primary school, and that will be based very much on
assessment and observation.
-
(Barnsley East)
(Lab)
Northern College has recently started teaching a pioneering
10-week course to help survivors of modern slavery. Will
the Secretary of State join me in paying tribute to the
work of Northern College? Will he also meet me to discuss
its difficulty in using public funds to fund these vital
courses because of current immigration regulations?
-
Of course I will meet the hon. Lady, and I pay tribute to
what she is doing to make sure that the survivors and
victims of modern slavery are given all the opportunities
possible.
-
(North Swindon)
(Con)
Following the announcement on the obesity strategy, what
consideration is being given to opening up school sports
facilities for free after school and during the holidays to
parents and sports clubs that provide constructive
opportunities for young people?
-
My hon. Friend makes an important point. Schools
increasingly use their facilities for the community and to
raise further income. We take school sport extremely
seriously and the obesity strategy encourages more young
people to be active every day of the week.
-
(Bath) (LD)
In last month’s Westminster Hall debate on school funding,
the Minister said that per-pupil funding at Twerton Infant
School in Bath would rise, but the headteacher maintains
that it will not. If the Minister is so confident about his
figures, will he please publish them next month?
-
The figures have already been published. We are providing
increases in school funding for every school and every
pupil—we are providing funding to local authorities on that
basis. It is up to local authorities, in discussion with
their schools, to decide how to allocate that funding to
individual schools. I suggest that the hon. Lady takes up
the matter with her local authority.
-
(Chelmsford) (Con)
This morning, I attended the schools’ engineering and
technology competition in Chelmsford, where Essex students
had designed a wheelchair that climbs stairs. Does the
Minister agree that such projects are key to inspiring the
engineers of the future? Will he congratulate the
Chelmsford Science and Engineering Society and all who were
involved?
-
Yes to all the above.
-
(Newcastle upon Tyne
Central) (Lab)
This month, Newcastle’s £9 million Discovery free school
closed following a devastating Ofsted report. The
Department for Education has said that it—or rather, the
taxpayer—will bear the financial cost. Does the Minister
recognise that the cost to the students, the people and the
economy will be borne by the city of Newcastle, which
should have been responsible for the school in the first
place?
-
Yes; we take these issues very seriously. We take swift
action when free schools such as that one fail. It was
sponsored by the Newcastle colleges, with Newcastle
University’s involvement, but it was not delivering the
required results so we took swift action and closed it. All
the pupils will be placed in other, better schools.
-
(Corby) (Con)
What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that daily mile
initiatives are included as part of the childhood obesity
strategy?
-
On top of what we are doing, including the £26 million for
breakfast clubs and the doubling of the physical education
and sports premium, we would like schools to embrace the
active mile as a simple, fun and inclusive way to build
physical activity.
-
(Leyton and Wanstead)
(Lab)
Earlier, the Minister claimed repeatedly that funding for the
nursery sector is entirely adequate. On that basis, will more
nurseries be open at the end of this Parliament than at the
beginning?
-
The important thing is to make sure that we have sufficiency
in the system—that is, enough places—and I am confident that
we will. This summer, 340,000 three and four-year-olds will
benefit from 30 hours’ free childcare a week; that is to be
celebrated.
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