Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve the readability of part one of Keeping children safe in education, published on 1 September, so that it is accessible to all those who are required to read it.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department aims to ensure that all guidance is accessible and usable for all those required to read it.
The department will continue to consider opportunities to improve the accessibility and readability of ‘Keeping children safe in education’ as part of our ongoing review of the guidance.
Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that reforms to Level 3 qualifications do not narrow routes into creative education and employment in the creative sector.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As set out in the Post-16 level 3 and below pathways consultation response, every student entering post-16 education will have a clear choice of high-quality pathways in the reformed system. At level 3, this will be between A Levels, V Levels and T Levels.
For the creative sector, we intend to expand the existing offer by introducing new T Levels in creative and design from 2029, and introducing V Levels in creative, media and design from 2030.
Ahead of this, the department will work with the Department for Culture Media and Sport to engage with employers and providers in the creative sectors to contribute to the design and development of the reformed qualifications. This will ensure they support progression into higher-level study, apprenticeships, or skilled technical roles.
The department has already announced reforms to the delivery of T Levels industry placements to facilitate placements in creative settings. We will continue to work with the sector to ensure the reformed qualifications meet the needs of the sector ahead of their introduction.
Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current uptake of existing T-levels in the creative and performing arts; and what expectations of uptake were.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are two T Levels in the Creative and Design route (Craft and Design and Media, Broadcast and Production), both of which were taught for the first time in 2024.
Outcomes for students completing these T Levels will be made available as part of the T Level results data publication this summer.
In the reformed system, T Levels will be the only large qualification available for students who want a sector-focused post-16 choice. We expect student numbers to grow as legacy qualifications are removed and as a result of our further improvements to T Levels and industry placements, as set out in the Post-16 Implementation Plan. This plan also confirmed that ‘Art and Performing Arts’ is in scope for T Level content development for 2030.
The Post-16 Implementation Plan is available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the completion rates of T-levels in the creative and performing arts since their introduction.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are two T Levels in the Creative and Design route (Craft and Design and Media, Broadcast and Production), both of which were taught for the first time in 2024.
Outcomes for students completing these T Levels will be made available as part of the T Level results data publication this summer.
In the reformed system, T Levels will be the only large qualification available for students who want a sector-focused post-16 choice. We expect student numbers to grow as legacy qualifications are removed and as a result of our further improvements to T Levels and industry placements, as set out in the Post-16 Implementation Plan. This plan also confirmed that ‘Art and Performing Arts’ is in scope for T Level content development for 2030.
The Post-16 Implementation Plan is available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the current work placements offered for T-level students is by employers with fewer than 10 employees.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department does not hold data on the type and size of employers offering T Level industry placements. However, insight from T Level providers indicates that a large number of employers offering placements are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The department recognises that some sectors and employers face specific upfront costs to deliver industry placements, including SMEs. The Employer Support Fund will continue into the 2026/27 financial year, helping SMEs hosting placements for any T Levels to meet essential costs.
The department delivers a dedicated SME engagement campaign to increase awareness of the benefits and opportunities associated with industry placements and facilitates connections between SMEs and providers.
In addition, a network of over 1,400 T Level Ambassadors champion T Levels and industry placements across the business community, including among SMEs.
Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the conclusions of the local child safeguarding practice review of Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy will inform their advice to schools in England on behaviour management; and, if so, how.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour.
The Behaviour in Schools guidance is clear that any policy must be lawful, proportionate, and reasonable and comply with the school’s duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
The report recommends that the federation should consult its communities on its behaviour policy, including how best to reflect the government’s expectations on proportionality, dignity and reasonable adjustments. The department continues to engage with Mossbourne Federation to ensure that it implements any changes needed in response to the review’s findings and those from its own review, led by Anne Whyte KC.
The Behaviour in Schools guidance is kept under regular review and will be updated as necessary.
Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the Oak National Academy market impact assessment in full alongside the independent review findings; and, if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, is currently considering the findings of the independent review and market impact assessment of Oak National Academy. Both the findings of the review and the market impact assessment will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what mechanisms exist to ensure that catering contracts agreed by schools and academies comply with the duty in the Children and Families Act 2014 to support pupils with medical conditions, by including provision for children with conditions such as coeliac disease and severe food allergies to have access to the same opportunities as others, including safe meals.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
For the provision of school food, catering companies and suppliers are subject to allergen and packaging rules and regulations, such as the Food Information Regulations. Compliance with the Regulations falls under the responsibility of the Food Standards Agency.
Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on governing bodies of maintained schools, proprietors of academies and management committees of pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils at their school with medical conditions. These may be food-related, for example a pupil may have a food allergy or coeliac disease. Schools should therefore take appropriate action in supporting such pupils to access food provision, particularly when schools have a legal requirement to offer free school meals (FSM) to those eligible for means-tested FSM or universal infant free school meals.
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Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to schools and academies in England of upgrading computers following the most recent update to the Windows 11 operating system.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer my noble Friend to the answer of 1 April 2025 to Question HL5134.
Asked by: Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to schools in England of replacing computers due to the requirements of new Windows 11 operating system.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department is aware that Microsoft are ending support for Windows 10 in October and are working with Microsoft to manage the impact on schools, including with regard to cost. Devices that meet the specification requirements for Windows 11 will be able to be updated for free. Many schools may have devices which are not able to upgrade to Windows 11 and we are keen to support these schools.
We have validated with Microsoft a more affordable rate for schools for extended security updates on Windows 10 devices, so schools can continue to use these devices safely for the next three years and do not need to purchase new devices. Extended security updates for Windows 10 will be offered to education institutions at the cost of $1 per device in the first year, $2 the following year and $4 the third year. More details about the transition to Windows 11 can be found here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/blog/2024/04/windows-10-end-of-support-updates-for-education/.
Schools have the flexibility to choose how they spend their money in relation to technology to best suit their needs and there is no ring-fenced funding for technology. Some services offered through the department’s school resource management collection may also be helpful to schools in managing their budgets. For example, the ‘Get help buying for schools’ service includes the opportunity to get free help from procurement specialists to help those in schools responsible for buying goods and services to get the best value for money. It provides specific advice on buying specific goods and services for their school through a department approved framework. The service is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-buying-for-schools.