Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether nurseries linked to free schools will be allowed to employ unqualified staff.
Answered by Lord Nash
All nursery provision, including that provided by Free Schools, is subject to the requirements set out in the statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
Nursery provision that is part of a Free School must meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety. The staff qualification requirements and adult to child ratios for all providers are set out in paragraphs 3.28 to 3.39 of the EYFS Framework which is attached.
Providing other staff hold the necessary qualifications as set out in the EYFS, Free Schools (as can all early years providers) may employ unqualified staff as part of their staffing mix.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Nash on 3 June (HL Deb, col 413), what format the funding review of the early-years childcare proposal will take; and whether the details will be available prior to the second reading of the Childcare Bill.
Answered by Lord Nash
The Government has committed to increasing the average rate that providers are paid for the entitlement. At oral questions on 15 June 2015, My Hon Friend the member for East Surrey, Sam Gyimah confirmed that a cross-Government review of the cost of providing childcare is underway.
A call for evidence to inform the review was launched on 15 June and will close on 10 August. This is part of a process of gathering the necessary evidence which will inform the outcome of the review and will report in the autumn.
The call for evidence document is attached.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are taking steps to roll out the model of Careers Academies provided at Haverstock School to other schools.
Answered by Lord Nash
The government has no plans to roll out the model of Career Academies provided at Haverstock School to other schools. The Career Academy model focuses on linking students to employers. The government is working to bring education and the world of work closer together to help open young people’s eyes to the opportunities available. This expectation has been set out in statutory guidance underpinning schools’ duty to secure independent careers guidance. Beyond the requirements set out in this document, it is at the discretion of each school as to how they go about configuring their careers programme and engaging with employers. In addition, the new employer-led careers and enterprise company, announced by my Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State, on 10 December 2014, will help to broker extensive links between employers, schools and colleges. The company will have the specific remit of spreading existing good practice.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the proposal from Teach First that every school should have a trained careers leader.
Answered by Lord Nash
Identifying an appropriate careers lead could be a helpful model for schools to adopt if it fits with their structure and approach to careers guidance. We have issued schools with statutory guidance which underpins their duty to secure independent careers guidance. This is clear about the need for schools to develop a strategy for careers advice and guidance that is appropriately resourced. Beyond the requirements set out in this document, it is at the discretion of each school as to how to configure their careers programme.
The new, independent careers and enterprise company will help schools and colleges to work with employers to ensure that young people get the inspiration and guidance they need to leave school or college ready to succeed in working life.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how parents of children attending academy schools can access details of any cash reserves being held by the school.
Answered by Lord Nash
Single academies and multi-academy chains retain any surplus they make within the legal entity of the academy trust. Under charity law academy trustees must act in the best interests of the trust and ensure all funds are properly managed and applied to the trust’s charitable objects.
Academy trusts must use all of their assets, including their cash reserves, in accordance with their charitable objects as set out in their articles of association. This includes the advancement of education and provision of recreation facilities.
Cash reserves are disclosed in academy trusts’ annual accounts which EFA requires trusts to publish on their websites. These accounts are also published by the Department on its school performance tables webpage and are filed at Companies House.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the cash reserves held by academy schools and chains can be used for non-educational purposes.
Answered by Lord Nash
Single academies and multi-academy chains retain any surplus they make within the legal entity of the academy trust. Under charity law academy trustees must act in the best interests of the trust and ensure all funds are properly managed and applied to the trust’s charitable objects.
Academy trusts must use all of their assets, including their cash reserves, in accordance with their charitable objects as set out in their articles of association. This includes the advancement of education and provision of recreation facilities.
Cash reserves are disclosed in academy trusts’ annual accounts which EFA requires trusts to publish on their websites. These accounts are also published by the Department on its school performance tables webpage and are filed at Companies House.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government who owns any profits accrued from academy schools and chains investing their cash reserves.
Answered by Lord Nash
Single academies and multi-academy chains retain any surplus they make within the legal entity of the academy trust. Under charity law academy trustees must act in the best interests of the trust and ensure all funds are properly managed and applied to the trust’s charitable objects.
Academy trusts must use all of their assets, including their cash reserves, in accordance with their charitable objects as set out in their articles of association. This includes the advancement of education and provision of recreation facilities.
Cash reserves are disclosed in academy trusts’ annual accounts which EFA requires trusts to publish on their websites. These accounts are also published by the Department on its school performance tables webpage and are filed at Companies House.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent Amateur Swimming Association study on the ability of primary school pupils to swim.
Answered by Lord Nash
The Government welcomes the work that the Amateur Swimming Association has carried out over the last three years to produce research on school swimming. Their 2014 research indicates that 45% of 7-11-year olds are still unable to swim 25 metres unaided. Whilst this represents an increase of 6% since 2013, we want to see acceleration in this improvement.
Swimming remains compulsory in the national curriculum for physical education (PE) as one of only two activities specifically referenced in the programmes of study. The curriculum sets out that schools should teach pupils to swim 25 metres confidently, and use a range of strokes. In addition to the core funding schools receive to deliver the national curriculum, we are providing over £450 million of ring-fenced funding through the primary PE and sport premium to improve the teaching of sport in primary schools. Schools have the freedom to use this funding for additional swimming provision, and many schools have already chosen to do so.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they are evaluating the impact and take-up of the 16 to 19 education Bursary Fund.
Answered by Lord Nash
The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund was introduced in September 2011. It provides financial support to young people who face significant financial barriers to participation in education or training post-16.
An independent evaluation of the Bursary Fund commenced in April 2012 and runs until early 2015. The two strands of the evaluation examine, firstly, the effectiveness of its administration by schools, colleges and providers, and secondly, its impact on participation and attainment, especially for the poorest and most disadvantaged young people.
There are two published process reports on the administration of the scheme, which include results from institutional and student surveys. An interim impact report has also been published. Final reports from both strands are due to be published early in 2015.
All published reports are available, along with copies of the research briefs, on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-of-the-16-to-19-bursary-fund-year-1-report#history
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much government funding has been made available for the Education Maintenance Allowance and its replacement Bursary Fund each year since 2010.
Answered by Lord Nash
The amount of government funding allocated to the Education Maintenance Allowance and the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund each year since 2010 is set out in the table below.
The Bursary Fund budget is £180m per academic year.
Financial Year | Education Maintenance Allowance | 16 to 19 Bursary Fund |
2010 to 2011 | £564m | |
2011 to 2012 | £317m | £77m* |
2012 to 2013 | £159m** | |
2013 to 2014 | £180m | |
2014 to 2015 | £180m | |
2015 to 2016 | £180m |
* Part-year funding in the transitional year.
** Amounted to £180m over the full academic year. The academic year straddles two financial years.