Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 21 Jun 2022
British Baccalaureate
"My Lords, have the Government noted the chorus of praise that greeted this report and, in particular, its recommendation for a British baccalaureate uniting academic and vocational study? Do the Government agree with the president of the Royal Society, who has said that:
“Given the breadth of support for the …..."Lord Lexden - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 08 Jun 2022
Schools Bill [HL]
"My Lords, very briefly, when my noble friend replies, could she explain to us how the matters that have been discussed proceed from the last Conservative Party manifesto and how they emanate from Conservatism, which abhors nationalisation and delights in diversity?..."Lord Lexden - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 23 May 2022
Schools Bill [HL]
"My Lords, I declare my interests as a former general secretary of the Independent Schools Council, which accredits and represents some 1,400 schools, and as the current president of the Independent Schools Association, one of the council’s constituent bodies, which has some 580 of those schools in its membership.
The …..."Lord Lexden - View Speech
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Written Question
Wednesday 27th April 2022
Asked by:
Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Berridge on 15 September 2020 (HL7666), how many school playing fields were sold in the years (1) 2020, and (2) 2021.
Answered by Baroness Barran
- Shadow Minister (Education)
The number of school playing fields disposed of in 2020, either by way of sale or grant of a long lease was 21. The number of playing fields disposed of in 2021, either by way of sale or grant of a long lease was 14.
Further disposals that meet specific criteria can be made under a General Consent Order (GCO). GCOs can be used for transactions that represent no net loss of playing field land to the school estate or where the loss is temporary. Disposals made under a GCO are not published by the department and are not included in the figures above.
In instances of schools wishing to sell playing fields, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, requires applicants to demonstrate a sporting and/or playing benefit as part of any mitigation measures, and that any loss has been minimised both in quantum and quality of the land disposed of. No open school has been allowed to sell all its playing fields.
The Secretary of State for Education is keen to protect school playing fields. Schools are only able to sell or otherwise dispose of playing fields when they can demonstrate to the Secretary of State that they have explored all possible alternatives to the disposal, and that the disposal does not adversely impact upon the school’s curriculum.
The department periodically updates a playing field disposal list, accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-land-decisions-about-disposals.
The next update to this will be in May 2022. The list was last updated in July 2021. The department is currently collating data for this update.
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 29 Mar 2022
Schools: Creative Subjects and the English Baccalaureate
"My Lords, are the Government not deeply concerned that their own official data shows that the number of hours of music taught in years 7 to 13 has fallen sharply in the last 12 years? In view of this and of comments of the noble Earl, Lord Clancarty, and others, …..."Lord Lexden - View Speech
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Written Question
Wednesday 9th March 2022
Asked by:
Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Barran on 24 February (HL Deb col 340), what plans they have to involve independent schools in the National Tutoring Programme.
Answered by Baroness Barran
- Shadow Minister (Education)
The National Tutoring Programme is delivered using high-quality tutoring organisations that have been selected against a robust set of criteria, including ‘safeguarding’, ‘understanding schools working and challenges’, and ‘excellence in delivery’, following applications from hundreds of organisations. Further information on these criteria is available here: https://nationaltutoring.org.uk/tuition-partners/.
As well as working through established tutoring providers, the programme is happy to accept applications from other organisations, for example, associations of independent schools, who meet the necessary criteria.
Following feedback from schools, funding has also been provided directly to state-funded schools so that they can use their own staff for tutoring. Potential tutors are required to be qualified teachers or undertake bespoke training. Schools may engage tutors from their local networks, including from independent schools through new or pre-existing partnership arrangements.
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 24 Feb 2022
Higher Education: T-Levels
"Will my noble friend give the House a little more information about what the Government are doing to try to secure opportunities among employers, in rural areas in particular, to which my noble friend Lord Lingfield referred?..."Lord Lexden - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 24 Feb 2022
National Tutoring Programme
"To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the progress of the National Tutoring Programme...."Lord Lexden - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 24 Feb 2022
National Tutoring Programme
"My Lords, has something not gone wrong with this immensely important programme? Is it not attracting criticism from experts, many of whom regard it as unduly bureaucratic and insufficiently resourced? Why have the Government not done more to involve independent schools? They want to play their part in this programme, …..."Lord Lexden - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 27 Jan 2022
Capita: Turing Scheme Contract
"My noble friend touched on the extent to which disadvantaged pupils are benefiting from the scheme. Are there any further details that she can give the House?..."Lord Lexden - View Speech
View all Lord Lexden (Con - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Capita: Turing Scheme Contract