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Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 02 Dec 2022
School (Reform of Pupil Selection) Bill [HL]

"My Lords, I declare my interest as a patron of Comprehensive Future.

Although this Bill concerns a relatively small section of England’s schools, it is concerned with a significant principle about how our education system and service is organised. I believe profoundly that it is an important principle that the …..."
Baroness Blower - View Speech

View all Baroness Blower (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: School (Reform of Pupil Selection) Bill [HL]
Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 02 Dec 2022
School (Reform of Pupil Selection) Bill [HL]

"My Lords, writing notes to reply to a debate on the hoof when you are also listening to speeches is tricky, and something that clearly I must develop more fully. I thank all noble Lords who have engaged in this debate. Like my noble friend Lord Watson, I genuinely believe …..."
Baroness Blower - View Speech

View all Baroness Blower (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: School (Reform of Pupil Selection) Bill [HL]
Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 02 Dec 2022
School (Reform of Pupil Selection) Bill [HL]

"Since I was not in the Government, I cannot tell the noble Lord what their thinking was. Sometimes the priorities of parties in government are not the right ones. I believe this would be an important priority for any incoming Labour Government to take on. My—..."
Baroness Blower - View Speech

View all Baroness Blower (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: School (Reform of Pupil Selection) Bill [HL]
Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 02 Dec 2022
School (Reform of Pupil Selection) Bill [HL]

"I will conclude by thanking my noble friend Lord Hendy and saying to the noble Lord, Lord Cormack, that I do not think the word “abolish” was mentioned once in the debate. The noble Lord talked about opening up the system; in fact, that is what the Bill is about. …..."
Baroness Blower - View Speech

View all Baroness Blower (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: School (Reform of Pupil Selection) Bill [HL]
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 07 Nov 2022
Education Technology: Oak National Academy

"My Lords, however good the materials from the Oak Academy may be, I was very pleased to hear what the Minister said about other materials. I would like her to reassure the House that there is no intention, and never will be, that Oak Academy materials will become mandatory in …..."
Baroness Blower - View Speech

View all Baroness Blower (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Education Technology: Oak National Academy
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 02 Nov 2022
Schools: Resources

"My Lords, levelling up will not succeed unless schools are fully funded. That includes teachers’ and other staff’s salaries, as well as energy bills and all other costs, which the Minister has mentioned. I repeat my noble friend’s question: will the Minister make strenuous representations on the absolute need to …..."
Baroness Blower - View Speech

View all Baroness Blower (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Schools: Resources
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 01 Nov 2022
Education: Philosophy

"Is the Minister aware that many primary schools in England follow a course and teach philosophy for children and that they achieved some very interesting results? Would she be interested in meeting some of these practitioners to discuss how this functions in a primary setting?..."
Baroness Blower - View Speech

View all Baroness Blower (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Education: Philosophy
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 08 Sep 2022
GCSE and A-level Results: Attainment Gap

"My Lords, I commend my noble friend for securing this debate about regional inequality. It also raises the question of the value of GCSEs and A-levels. On the regional point, perhaps the most significant issue that I will raise is that of child poverty, which is up in the north-east …..."
Baroness Blower - View Speech

View all Baroness Blower (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: GCSE and A-level Results: Attainment Gap
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 21 Jun 2022
British Baccalaureate

"My Lords, although the Times education commission’s report is an extremely good piece of work with very good recommendations, other bodies were looking at the shape of our education system, particularly assessment, at the same time. So, although I wholeheartedly endorse the notion of having a day to look at …..."
Baroness Blower - View Speech

View all Baroness Blower (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: British Baccalaureate
Written Question
Children: Social Services
Tuesday 21st June 2022

Asked by: Baroness Blower (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve outcomes for young people receiving social care; and how their plans fit within the levelling up agenda.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)

Local authorities have access to £54.1 billion core spending power this financial year to deliver their services, including for children and young people. This is £3.7 billion more than in 2021/22 and includes a £2.35 billion social care grant.

The department is also investing an additional £200 million in funding for the Supporting Families programme by 2024/25, taking planned investment across the next three years to £695 million.

In June 2021 the department extended the duties of Virtual School Heads to include all children with a social worker, backed by £16.6 million of new funding, which will continue in the 2022/23 financial year. This delivers a key recommendation of the Children in Need Review and now means there is a local champion for Children in Need in every local authority across England. Since May 2020 we have also made £26.6 million available to help boost the educational outcomes of children with a social worker and keep them safe from harm, including up to £20.3 million to place social workers in schools in 21 local authorities to support teachers to spot signs of abuse and neglect more quickly.