Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made as to when the Batley Grammar School teacher who has been receiving threats to his life will be able to return to normal (1) teaching duties, and (2) family life.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The department has continued to work closely with Batley Multi Academy Trust, the local authority and the Police to ensure that the trust is fully supported in implementing any necessary safety measures for the individual staff member.
The department does not hold specific information on individual staff members, as this is deemed personal information and is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 4 February 2020 (HL646) and 13 February 2020 (HL1377 and HL1414) and by Baroness Berridge on 12 March 2020 (HL2002), and in pursuit of their anti-terrorism policies, what plans they have, if any, to allow Ofsted to inspect madrassas in the UK which provide teaching for fewer than 18 hours per week.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
As indicated in my answer to Question HL2002 on 12 March 2020, madrassas are generally considered to be out-of-school settings, which are not captured by a single dedicated regulatory framework, and therefore are not subject to inspections by Ofsted or the department.
However, as explained previously, the department is taking forward a package of measures to enhance safeguarding in out-of-school settings, safeguarding children from all forms of harm, including extremism and terrorism.
The main phase of this work concluded in March 2020. We are currently considering how the outputs can be used to help inform best practice on how existing legal powers, held by local authorities, the police, Ofsted and other departments and agencies, can best be used to address safeguarding and welfare concerns. We are also looking into what more we might need to do at a national level.
In addition to this, we have also published a voluntary code of practice for out-of-school setting providers, such as madrassas, to support them in understanding what they need to do to run a safe setting. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/keeping-children-safe-in-out-of-school-settings. Accompanying guidance for parents and carers is also available to help them make more informed choices when considering out-of-school settings for their children, including the red flags to look out for and what steps to take where they might have concerns.
As indicated in my previous answer, if the department became aware of a setting where children were at risk of harm, we would work closely with relevant agencies, such as the local authority, Ofsted or the police to take action.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Berridge on 4 June (HL4788, HL4789 and HL4790), whether parents will have the right to withdraw primary school children from all sex education from September; and if so, how they may do so.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The department is committed to supporting schools to deliver high quality teaching of Relationships Education in primary, Relationships and Sex Education in secondary, and Health Education in all state-funded schools.
In light of the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, and following engagement with the sector, the department is reassuring schools that although the subjects will still be compulsory from 1 September 2020, schools have flexibility over how they discharge their duty within the first year of compulsory teaching. For further information, I refer the noble Lord to the answer given on 10 June 2020 to Question 55660.
The statutory guidance states that although Relationships Education for all primary-age pupils is compulsory, sex education is not compulsory in primary schools (excluding compulsory content covered in the science curriculum). It is for primary schools to determine whether they need to cover any additional content on sex education to meet the needs of their pupils.
If a primary school chooses to teach sex education, they will be required to publish a policy on this and allow parents the right to withdraw their child. If a parent wishes to withdraw their child from sex education, this request must be complied with by the headteacher. The statutory guidance, which was published in June 2019, can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether schools have a duty to respect the wishes of parents who want to raise their children in accordance with their own religious and philosophical convictions.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We are making Relationships Education compulsory for primary school-aged pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-aged pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools, from September 2020.
These subjects are designed to give pupils the knowledge they need to lead happy, safe and healthy lives and to foster respect for other people and for difference. Through these subjects, children will be taught about the importance of respectful relationships and the different types of relationships that exist. This can be done in a way that respects everyone’s views.
The statutory guidance states that all pupils should receive teaching on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) relationships during their school years, and that secondary schools should include LGBT content in their teaching. Primary schools are encouraged and enabled, when teaching about different types of family, to include families with same sex parents.
In all schools, the religious background of all pupils must be taken into account when planning teaching, so that topics included in the statutory guidance are handled appropriately. Schools must ensure they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010. The statutory guidance is attached and can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/805781/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf.
Schools are also required to consult with parents when developing and reviewing their policies for Relationships Education (primary) and RSE (secondary), which will inform schools’ decisions on when and how certain content is covered. Schools should ensure that parents know what will be taught and when, and clearly communicate the fact that parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education delivered as part of statutory RSE.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Berridge on 12 May (HL Deb, cols 566–9), and to their publication, Relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education: FAQs, what options will be available to parents who do not want their primary school-aged children to be taught about LGBT relationships if their child's school decides to teach them.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We are making Relationships Education compulsory for primary school-aged pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-aged pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools, from September 2020.
These subjects are designed to give pupils the knowledge they need to lead happy, safe and healthy lives and to foster respect for other people and for difference. Through these subjects, children will be taught about the importance of respectful relationships and the different types of relationships that exist. This can be done in a way that respects everyone’s views.
The statutory guidance states that all pupils should receive teaching on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) relationships during their school years, and that secondary schools should include LGBT content in their teaching. Primary schools are encouraged and enabled, when teaching about different types of family, to include families with same sex parents.
In all schools, the religious background of all pupils must be taken into account when planning teaching, so that topics included in the statutory guidance are handled appropriately. Schools must ensure they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010. The statutory guidance is attached and can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/805781/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf.
Schools are also required to consult with parents when developing and reviewing their policies for Relationships Education (primary) and RSE (secondary), which will inform schools’ decisions on when and how certain content is covered. Schools should ensure that parents know what will be taught and when, and clearly communicate the fact that parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education delivered as part of statutory RSE.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to give schools discretion over what they teach under relationships education, relationships and sex education; and if so, what safeguards there will be to ensure that such teaching will be age-appropriate and have regard for the religious background of pupils.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We are making Relationships Education compulsory for primary school-aged pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-aged pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools, from September 2020.
These subjects are designed to give pupils the knowledge they need to lead happy, safe and healthy lives and to foster respect for other people and for difference. Through these subjects, children will be taught about the importance of respectful relationships and the different types of relationships that exist. This can be done in a way that respects everyone’s views.
The statutory guidance states that all pupils should receive teaching on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) relationships during their school years, and that secondary schools should include LGBT content in their teaching. Primary schools are encouraged and enabled, when teaching about different types of family, to include families with same sex parents.
In all schools, the religious background of all pupils must be taken into account when planning teaching, so that topics included in the statutory guidance are handled appropriately. Schools must ensure they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010. The statutory guidance is attached and can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/805781/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf.
Schools are also required to consult with parents when developing and reviewing their policies for Relationships Education (primary) and RSE (secondary), which will inform schools’ decisions on when and how certain content is covered. Schools should ensure that parents know what will be taught and when, and clearly communicate the fact that parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education delivered as part of statutory RSE.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 13 February (HL1377), whether they assess whether extremist ideology is being taught in madrasas; and if so, how.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
Madrasas are generally considered to be out-of-school settings and, as indicated in the answer provided by my predecessor, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System, on 13 February 2020, out-of-school settings are not captured by a single dedicated regulatory framework. Therefore, they are not subject to assessment regarding their teachings by the department or Ofsted.
However, as explained previously, the department is taking forward a package of measures to enhance safeguarding in out-of-school settings – safeguarding children from all forms of harm, including extremism. This includes a £3 million pilot scheme as previously outlined by my predecessor in his response on 16 January 2020. The pilot scheme will be used to inform development of best practice on how to identify and intervene in out-of-school settings of concern.
If the department became aware of a setting where extremist activity was taking place resulting in children being at risk of harm, we would work closely with relevant agencies, such as the local authority and police, to take action.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 4 February (HL646), how many madrasas in the UK are teaching for less than 18 hours per week; and how they assess whether extremist ideology is being taught in them.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
A madrasa operating for fewer than 18 hours per week would generally be considered to be an out-of-school setting. The department does not hold data on the number of out-of-school settings in the UK and therefore does not collect data on the number of children who are attending these settings.
As indicated in the answer I gave on 4 February 2020, out-of-school settings are not captured by a regulatory framework, therefore they are not subject to any assessment regarding their teachings. However, as set out in my previous answer, the department is taking forward a package of measures to enhance safeguarding in out-of-school settings – safeguarding children from all forms of harm, including extremism.
If the department became aware of a setting where extremist activity was taking place resulting in children being at risk of harm, we would work closely with the local authority, police and other relevant agencies to take action. For guidance that covers both out-of-school settings and unregistered schools setting out how the department, Ofsted and local authorities can work collaboratively to help ensure that children attending unregistered independent schools and out-of-school settings, are safe and are receiving a suitable education is attached and available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/690495/La_Guidance_March_2018.pdf
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 4 February (HL646), what estimate they have made of the number of pupils that are taught in madrasas in the UK.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
A madrasa operating for fewer than 18 hours per week would generally be considered to be an out-of-school setting. The department does not hold data on the number of out-of-school settings in the UK and therefore does not collect data on the number of children who are attending these settings.
As indicated in the answer I gave on 4 February 2020, out-of-school settings are not captured by a regulatory framework, therefore they are not subject to any assessment regarding their teachings. However, as set out in my previous answer, the department is taking forward a package of measures to enhance safeguarding in out-of-school settings – safeguarding children from all forms of harm, including extremism.
If the department became aware of a setting where extremist activity was taking place resulting in children being at risk of harm, we would work closely with the local authority, police and other relevant agencies to take action. For guidance that covers both out-of-school settings and unregistered schools setting out how the department, Ofsted and local authorities can work collaboratively to help ensure that children attending unregistered independent schools and out-of-school settings, are safe and are receiving a suitable education is attached and available from: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/690495/La_Guidance_March_2018.pdf
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 16 January (HL157), whether they assess what is being taught in madrasas in the UK; if so, how; and what plans they have to introduce inspections for such schools.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
As stated in my answer of 16 January, religious settings such as madrasas would generally be considered an out-of-school setting. As a large and diverse sector these settings are not captured by a single dedicated regulatory framework; and as such, are not subject to assessment or inspection by the department or Ofsted.
There are currently a number of legal powers in place to protect children attending these settings – for example, child protection legislation, health and safety and fire safety law – and there are no plans by the department, at this time, to introduce a new system of regulation or inspection of these settings.
However, the department is taking forward a package of measures aimed at enhancing the safeguarding of children in this sector. This includes a £3 million pilot scheme outlined in my previous response, which will be used to inform the development of best practice on how existing legal powers, held by local authorities and other agencies, can best be used to identify and intervene in out-of-school settings of concern. This work started in summer 2018 and is due to conclude in March 2020.
Alongside this, we have also been developing a voluntary code of practice for out-of-school setting providers to support them to understand what they need to do to run a safe setting. There is accompanying guidance for parents and carers to help them make more informed choices when considering out-of-school settings for their children, as well as understanding the steps they can take where they have concerns. We consulted on these documents last year and will respond and publish the final guidance in due course. The consultation can be found here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/regulatory-framework-unit/out-of-school-settings-voluntary-safeguarding-code/.