Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that the statutory guidance for 2020 on (a) Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and (b) Health Education will include guidance on online abuse and threats on (i) Twitter and (ii) other social media.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department wants schools to equip their pupils with the knowledge needed to make the best use of the internet and technology in a safe, considered and respectful way.
Through the guidance for the new subjects of relationships education, relationships and sex education and health education, teachers will address online safety and appropriate behaviour in an age appropriate way.
This topic is threaded throughout the guidance which sets out, for example, that pupils should be taught about the rules and principles for keeping safe online, including how to recognise risks, harmful content and behaviours, and how and to whom to report issues. Pupils should also be made aware of the relevant legal provisions when key topics are being taught, including online behaviours.
The guidance also refers to some key publications about internet safety which can be used by teachers and others in teaching about this topic. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
This teaching will complement the existing computing curriculum, which covers the principles of online safety at all key stages, with progression in the content to reflect the different and escalating risks that pupils face. This includes how to use technology safely, responsibly, respectfully and securely, and where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.
There are other curriculum subjects which include content relevant to teaching pupils how to use the internet appropriately and safely. For example, citizenship education covers media literacy, distinguishing fact from opinion and the role and responsibility of the media in informing and shaping public opinion.
The Department has also published non-statutory guidance, ‘Teaching Online Safety’ in schools. This outlines how schools can ensure their pupils understand how to stay safe and behave online, as part of these existing curriculum requirements and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-online-safety-in-schools.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what advice is included in the statutory guidance for 2020 on (a) Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and (b) Health Education to minimise social media harassment of young adults using Twitter.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department wants schools to equip their pupils with the knowledge needed to make the best use of the internet and technology in a safe, considered and respectful way.
Through the guidance for the new subjects of relationships education, relationships and sex education and health education, teachers will address online safety and appropriate behaviour in an age appropriate way.
This topic is threaded throughout the guidance which sets out, for example, that pupils should be taught about the rules and principles for keeping safe online, including how to recognise risks, harmful content and behaviours, and how and to whom to report issues. Pupils should also be made aware of the relevant legal provisions when key topics are being taught, including online behaviours.
The guidance also refers to some key publications about internet safety which can be used by teachers and others in teaching about this topic. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
This teaching will complement the existing computing curriculum, which covers the principles of online safety at all key stages, with progression in the content to reflect the different and escalating risks that pupils face. This includes how to use technology safely, responsibly, respectfully and securely, and where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.
There are other curriculum subjects which include content relevant to teaching pupils how to use the internet appropriately and safely. For example, citizenship education covers media literacy, distinguishing fact from opinion and the role and responsibility of the media in informing and shaping public opinion.
The Department has also published non-statutory guidance, ‘Teaching Online Safety’ in schools. This outlines how schools can ensure their pupils understand how to stay safe and behave online, as part of these existing curriculum requirements and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-online-safety-in-schools.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to increase literacy rates of primary school students from lower income households in Dudley.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is committed to continuing to raise literacy standards – ensuring all children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can read fluently and with understanding.
The Department introduced the light touch phonics screening check for Year 1 pupils in 2012. The check is designed to assess pupils’ ability to decode and read words using phonics. Phonics performance is improving, with 82% of pupils meeting the expected standard this year, compared to 58% when the check was introduced. Mastering phonics, which provides a solid foundation for reading means these pupils will be able to go on to apply these skills in more advanced ways.
In 2018, the Department launched a £26.3 million English Hubs Programme. The Department has appointed 34 primary schools across England as English Hubs. The English Hub programme is supporting nearly 3000 schools across England to improve their teaching of reading through systematic synthetic phonics, early language development, and reading for pleasure. The English Hubs are focused on improving educational outcomes for the most disadvantaged pupils in Reception and Year 1. St John Bosco English Hub engaged with nine schools in Dudley in the last academic year. It aims to support 85 schools in its local area, which covers Dudley as well as other constituencies.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many women have started courses in STEM subjects at colleges in Dudley in each of the last five years.
Answered by Michelle Donelan
The attached table provides the number of aims delivered on STEM-related courses for females in Dudley in education and training provision, for each academic year since 2013/14 and covers all further education (FE) providers. In addition, there is a second table providing the number of female starts on STEM-related apprenticeships. Both tables include students of all ages for Dudley as well as for England.
The tables provide the number of learning aims (i.e. courses, programmes, qualifications and units) students have taken in STEM-related FE sector subject areas.
This data includes a student more than once where they take or progress to more than one aim/qualification in STEM.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to increase the take-up of apprenticeships through university technical colleges.
Answered by Michelle Donelan
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 September 2019 to Question 286154.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to help increase literacy rates of Key Stage 1 students from lower income households in (a) Dudley and (b) England.
Answered by Nick Gibb
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many women have started courses in STEM subjects at colleges in Dudley in the most recent period for which information is available.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to increase the take-up of apprenticeships through university technical colleges.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - Leader of HM Official Opposition
The University Technical College (UTC) programme has an important role to play in equipping young people with the skills businesses need and getting them into employment and apprenticeships.
The most recent sustained destinations data shows that during 2016-17, 21% of pupils who studied in key stage 5 at a UTC in the previous year, progressed into apprenticeships. This is double any other institution type, and well above the national average of 6%. Three quarters of the UTC apprenticeship cohort progress into apprenticeships at Level 3 or above, compared to half of the national cohort. At key stage 4, 9% of pupils studying at UTCs progressed into apprenticeships, compared to 5% nationally.
We want to see this encouraging performance continue, with UTCs working with the help of their employer sponsors to ensure that pupils are equipped with the skills that they need in their companies. Strong involvement from employers can demonstrate to pupils how attending the UTC can lead to a successful career, and will ensure that UTCs continue to prove successful in getting pupils into apprenticeships.