Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to (a) recruit and (b) retain more SEND specialist teachers for state-funded schools in England.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The number of teachers remains high, with over 465,500 full-time equivalent teachers working in state-funded schools across the country. This is over 24,000 more than in 2010.
The department’s priority is to ensure that we continue to attract, retain, and develop highly skilled teachers. This is why we are taking action to improve teacher supply and quality by transforming the training and support we provide for teachers to attract more people to teaching and enable them to succeed.
All teachers are teachers of special education needs and disabilities (SEND). The department is committed to ensuring that all pupils can reach their potential and receive excellent support from their teachers.
The Teachers’ Standards sets clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils. All trainees who achieve Qualified Teacher Status must demonstrate that they can adapt teaching to respond to the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.
To support all teachers in meeting these standards, the department is implementing a golden thread of high-quality teacher training reforms, which begins with initial teacher training and continues throughout their career progression.
Once teachers qualify and are employed in schools, headteachers use their professional judgement to identify any further training, including specific specialisms, for individual staff that is relevant to them, the school, and its pupils.
To teach a class of pupils with sensory impairments, a teacher is required to hold the mandatory qualification in sensory impairment approved by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. The department has developed a new approval process to determine providers of MQSIs from the start of the 2023/24 academic year. Our aim is to ensure a steady supply of teachers of children with visual, hearing, and multi-sensory impairments, in both specialist and mainstream settings.
The school teachers’ pay and conditions document for 2022 sets out that an additional SEND allowance must be paid to teachers in a SEND post that requires a mandatory SEND qualification and involves teaching pupils with SEND. It is for schools to determine the specific amount, but this must be between £2,384 and £4,703 per annum.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2022 to Question 37614 on Schools: Buildings, which schools in Hornsey and Wood Green constituency had at least one construction element in (a) condition grade C and (b) condition grade D when that data was collated; and which of those schools (i) have already received funding from the School Rebuilding Programme and (ii) are expected to receive funding from the School Rebuilding Programme in the next two years.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Condition Data Collection (CDC) is one of the largest and most comprehensive data collection programmes in the UK’s public sector. It collected data on the building condition of government funded schools in England. It provides a robust evidence base to enable the Department to target capital funding for maintaining and rebuilding school buildings.
The key, high level findings of the CDC programme were published in May 2021 in the ‘Condition of School Buildings Survey: Key Findings’ report. This is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/989912/Condition_of_School_Buildings_Survey_CDC1_-_key_findings_report.pdf.
Individual CDC reports have been shared with every school and their responsible body to use alongside their existing condition surveys to plan maintenance schedules and investment plans. The Department plans to publish detailed school level CDC data. The data is being prepared and will be published as soon as possible.
Well maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the Department. Our funding is directed both to maintaining the condition of the school estate and rebuilding schools. The Department has allocated over £13 billion for improving the condition of schools since 2015, including £1.8 billion committed this financial year.
The ten year School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) is condition led. 400 of the 500 available places on the programme have been provisionally allocated. A list of these schools and the methodology used to select them is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.
The following table shows the constituencies specified that have schools or colleges selected for the SRP:
Parliamentary constituency | Schools selected for SRP |
Oxford East | Oxford Spires Academy, announced December 2022 |
Leeds North East | John Jamieson School, announced December 2022 |
Harrow East | The Sacred Heart Language College, announced December 2022 |
The 239 schools announced in December 2022 will enter delivery at a rate of approximately 50 per year, over a five year period from 2023. The Department is currently undertaking due diligence on these schools prior to scheduling them, with schools prioritised according to the condition of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. The scope and funding for each project will be confirmed following detailed feasibility studies and condition surveys of buildings.
Where a school identifies significant safety issues with a building, that cannot be managed within local resources, the Department considers additional support on a case-by-case basis. This includes applications for Urgent Capital Support (UCS) from eligible institutions. Schools eligible for Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) can apply for UCS where there are urgent health and safety issues that threaten school closure and cannot wait until the next CIF bidding round.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the report by the Traveller Movement entitled Exploring why Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children experience the school to prison pipeline and how it can be interrupted, published in August 2022, whether she will implement that report's recommendations.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The department recognises the issues faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people and how education can make a positive difference. The report contained seven recommendations for the department and the following sets out how we are responding to those recommendations.
The report recommended that the clear disaggregation of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller identities as adopted by the Office for National Statistics for the 2021 Census, should be implemented across the education sector. As the report references Gypsy, Roma and Traveller data was collected in Census 2021 and phase one of the data has now been released: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/ethnicity/bulletins/ethnicgroupenglandandwales/census2021. We are currently reviewing the harmonised standard for ethnicity, with any potential question changes being released in 2024.
The report recommended that the department must ensure a race equality and diversity policy is made a statutory element of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) for all schools. Already the PSED requires public bodies, including maintained schools and academies, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.
Schools have specific legal duties to publish information to demonstrate how they are complying with the PSED, and to prepare and publish equality objectives. Schools are also required to publish information relating to those who share a relevant protected characteristic and who are affected by their policies and practices. It is for schools to develop their own strategies for meeting their duties, however, the department has published guidance for schools on how to ensure they comply with their duties under the Equality Act 2010.
In regard to education, health and care (EHC) plans, the report recommended that all schools must have the ability and resources to provide assessment of them when requested by a parent or guardian, including annual reviews. Also, local authorities should consider providing base-level EHC plans funding to all schools. The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Green Paper, published in March 2022, sets out our vision to create a more inclusive education system with excellent local mainstream provision which will improve the experience and outcomes for children and young people who need more intensive support. Amongst those consulted was the department’s GRT Stakeholder Group and we are committed to publishing a full response to the consultation through an improvement plan early in 2023.
The report also recommended that the department should require all school and academy trusts to establish an On-Site Inclusion Unit. In July 2022 we published updated guidance on Behaviour in Schools and Suspension and Permanent Exclusion statutory guidance. The Behaviour guidance makes clear some schools can choose to have pupil support units (sometimes called ‘in-school units’) which should be used for two main reasons: to provide planned pastoral support for vulnerable pupils and as a last resort measure to support pupils at risk of exclusion.
Additionally, the report recommended that expert headteacher panels should be established to provide final assessments for proposed permanent exclusions and the department should develop standardised reporting guidelines for monitoring the use of In-School exclusionary practices, and also develop guidance for best practice and use of in-school exclusionary practices.
The updated exclusion guidance is clear that, in all cases, schools should consider initial intervention to address underlying causes of disruptive behaviour which may minimise the need for permanent exclusion. Whilst a permanent exclusion may still be an appropriate sanction, schools should take account of any contributing factors.
The statutory process to review school exclusions is clear that governing boards have a role to review the decision of the headteacher to permanently exclude and if the governing board decides to uphold the permanent exclusion, the parents will have the right to an Independent Review Panel.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to tackle racism towards Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities in schools.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
All children and young people must be treated fairly. There is no place for hate or prejudice in our education system.
Schools play an important role in preparing pupils for later life. This involves supporting pupils to understand the society in which they grow up and teaching about respect for other people and for difference. Under the Equality Act 2010, schools must not discriminate against a pupil in a number of respects because of a characteristic protected by the Act, including race. The department has published guidance for schools on how to comply with their duties under the Equality Act 2010, and it is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools.
The department is also providing over £2 million of funding, between August 2021 and March 2023, to five anti-bullying organisations to support schools to tackle bullying. We have deliberately focused this grant programme on preventing and tackling bullying of pupils with protected characteristics. The training and resources provided cover hate-based bullying, including resources specifically relating to the bullying of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions his Department has held with the provider of the Multiplication Tables Check programme to offer an access adaptation for Year 4 students who require additional time through a Education Health and Care or SEND support plan.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) assesses fluent recall of times tables. Pupils answer 25 times tables questions, with six seconds to answer each question. As a check of recall ability, the time available for each pupil to answer is a key element of the MTC.
A range of arrangements are available to support pupils with additional needs. Schools should explore which of these may be most appropriate to support pupils with education, health and care plans and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support plans in completing the MTC programme.
Although the check was designed to be accessible to most pupils, in exceptional circumstances, even with the use of the range of available arrangements, headteachers may decide that some pupils will not be able to participate in the check.
If appropriate, a headteacher should discuss this decision with the pupil’s Special Educational Needs and Disability Coordinator (SENDCO), educational psychologist, medical officer, or other specialist staff. When a pupil is not entered for the check, schools must explain the decision to the pupil’s parents in advance. If appropriate, they should provide parents with documentary evidence to support the decision. To mitigate the effect on pupils unable to participate in the check, schools should also explain how they are helping the pupil with their multiplication tables.
Multiplication and division in a wider context will continue to be assessed through the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 mathematics assessments, enabling further opportunity for pupils to demonstrate their understanding of multiplication tables.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to mark Gypsy, Roma, Traveller history month in schools in June 2023.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Schools are free to decide which events to commemorate and what activities to put in place to support pupils’ understanding of significant events. This includes particular months or days dedicated to specific communities, such as the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller history month in June.
Schools also have the opportunity to promote events though the curriculum, for example through subjects such as history and citizenship. Resources are available from experts within the communities themselves, and from bodies such as the Historical Association. Within citizenship teaching at Key Stage 4, pupils should be taught the diverse national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom, and the need for mutual respect and understanding of all.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of children with a CAMHS referral listed on their education, health and care plan who have been waiting more than 6 months for mental health support through CAMHS.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The department does not hold information on the number of children with a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) referral listed on their education, health and care (EHC) plan, who have been waiting more than six months for mental health support through CAMHS.
The department collects data on the number of EHC plans maintained by local authorities and on the request and assessment process, but this does not include information on whether a CAMHS referral has been listed on the EHC plan.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the funding provided by her Department to schools for children with SEND who (a) have and (b) do not have an education, health and care plan in Hornsey and Wood Green constituency.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The majority of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) do not have an education, health and care (EHC) plan, and are supported by their schools from the allocations of funding they receive for all their pupils.
For those children with the most complex needs, the department announced in July 2022 that we would be increasing high needs funding, within the core schools budget, by £1.65 billion over two years, between the 2021/22 and 2023/24 financial years. This is an increase of 21% and will bring total high needs funding to £9.7 billion by 2023/24. The provisional high needs funding allocation for Haringey in the 2023/24 financial year is £54 million. This represents an increase of 20% per pupil on the amount of high needs funding allocated over two years to 2023/24 compared to 2021/22. Overall, the high needs budget has risen by more than 40% over three years.
Funding provided through the schools National Funding Formula (NFF) should be used by schools to support pupils with low to mid-level SEND, who are educated in mainstream schools, and may not have an EHC plan. Schools in Hornsey and Wood Green are attracting £123.3 million in 2023/24, based on the schools NFF. This represents an increase of 5.2% per pupil for their pupil-led funding across two years to 2023/24 compared to 2021/22. Constituency figures are based on an aggregate of school allocations.
In addition to the figures above, the department will allocate more funding in 2023/24 following the £2 billion funding increases announced in the 2022 Autumn Statement. This additional funding will be used to support both mainstream schools, including those in Hornsey and Wood Green, and local authorities, including Haringey, with the costs of supporting children and young people with SEND. The department will set out our plans for allocation shortly.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the report by the Commission on Young Lives entitled Hidden in Plain Sight published in November 2022, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the recommendations in that report.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Departmental officials regularly met with Anne Longfield during the development of the Commission’s report, and are considering their findings. The department is clear that safety from abuse, neglect and exploitation is a fundamental right for every child. We have made an additional £4.8 billion available up to 2025 for local authorities, who are responsible for protecting vulnerable children, to deliver key services.
The department is investing more than £1 billion to improve early help services, through a network of Family Hubs, programmes supporting thousands of families to stay together safely, and to provide support with their mental health and healthy food and activities during the school holidays. We are also strengthening the links between social care and education and providing targeted support to keep the children most at risk of exploitation engaged in their education.
To support long term change, the department is rapidly working up an ambitious and detailed implementation strategy in response to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, including in relation to children who face harm outside the home.
The department is also providing targeted support through Alternative Provision and Support, Attend, Fulfil, Succeed (SAFE) taskforces, to keep vulnerable young people at risk of exploitation, serious violence and crime engaged in their education and on the right track. The Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme (2019-2023) continues to work with local areas to improve responses to safeguarding young people from exploitation and extra familial risk.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Nuffield Foundation’s study of England’s childcare market, what assessment he has made of whether for-profit private providers meet the needs of disadvantaged children within their services.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The department continues to monitor the sufficiency of childcare. One of the signs of a healthy and competitive market is that a range of providers are able to offer choice and flexibility for parents. 65% of early years childcare places in England are provided by private, voluntary, and independent group-based providers who continue to provide high-quality childcare for families. On disadvantaged two-year-old entitlements, 16,040 out of 22,074 providers that delivered services are in the private, voluntary, and independent sector.
The majority of eligible two, three, and four-year-olds continue to access free childcare, and local authorities are not reporting any substantial sufficiency or place supply issues that they are unable to manage locally. The department has not seen a substantial number of parents saying that they cannot secure a childcare place.
The department continues to engage with sector stakeholders and local authorities to monitor dynamics within local markets, parents' access to government entitlements and the childcare they require, and the sustainability of the sector.