Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to strengthen mutual trust and respect between the Office for Students and those it regulates.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government recognises the importance of the relationship between the independent regulator for higher education, the Office for Students (OfS), and those providers it regulates. We are confident in the OfS’s ability to engage and communicate with providers appropriately, and we are pleased to see the OfS’s sustained willingness to strive to make improvements in these areas wherever possible.
Independent research published in October 2024 found that perceptions of the OfS’s engagement and communications with the sector have improved. Positive feedback included direct engagement with Vice Chancellors and principals through regular mailings and briefings.
The OfS are acting on insights from this research to make further improvements. They have introduced more interactive formats for many of their events and have made changes to tailor their engagement work. This includes over 40 different engagement events since January 2024 and 44 provider visits since the start of the 2024/25 academic year.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of applications each year for the past five years for re-sits and re-marks for (1) BTECs, (2) T Levels, (3) GCSEs, and (4) A Levels.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Dr Jo Saxton, to write to the noble Baroness and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools that had previously been graded outstanding have, not having been inspected for five years or more, been downgraded since full Ofsted inspections resumed in September 2021.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the noble Lady directly and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many dangerous weapons have been confiscated in English schools in each region, in each year for the past five years.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The department does not hold data on weapons confiscated in schools in England, or on sexual assaults and rapes reported in schools in England. However, data is collected and published on suspensions and permanent exclusions of pupils from school and their reasons, including the reasons ‘use or threat of use of an offensive weapon or prohibited item’, and ‘sexual misconduct’. The information is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england/2020-21.
Asked by: Baroness Wilcox of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many sexual assaults and rapes have been recorded in English schools in each region, in each year for the past five years.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The department does not hold data on weapons confiscated in schools in England, or on sexual assaults and rapes reported in schools in England. However, data is collected and published on suspensions and permanent exclusions of pupils from school and their reasons, including the reasons ‘use or threat of use of an offensive weapon or prohibited item’, and ‘sexual misconduct’. The information is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england/2020-21.