Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 January and 31 March 2018.
Answered by Anne Milton
The department did not have a Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 January and 31 March 2018. During this period we conducted a review of analysis and considered whether the department required a Chief Scientific Adviser in addition to a Chief Analyst as part of that review. The Chief Scientific Adviser was appointed on 3 April 2018.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many meetings (a) he and (b) his predecessor held with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between October 2017 and December 2017.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
The Department for Education has not had a Chief Scientific Adviser in post since 30 September 2017. The Department is currently carrying out a review of analysis and we are considering whether the Department requires a Chief Scientific Adviser in addition to a Chief Analyst as part of this review. The Permanent Secretary gave written evidence to the Science and Technology Committee on 23 January, which will be published in due course and accessible here: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/inquiries/parliament-2017/research-integrity-17-19/publications/.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2017 to Question 111788, if her Department has received reports from (a) bodies other than the National College for Teaching and Leadership and (b) other people of cases involving inappropriate exclusions and related misconduct by headteachers.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Cases of serious misconduct by teachers or headteachers which meet the test set out in the Secretary of States’s advice, are dealt with by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL). Any individual referring such a case to the Secretary of State will be directed to refer the case directly to the NCTL.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2017 to Question 111784, if she will make it her policy to collect data on pupils who are prevented from attending a school outside of the formal exclusion process.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
We do not believe that collecting information on pupils being prevented from attending school outside the formal exclusions process is practical.
The government has recently announced an externally led review of exclusions practice and implications for pupil groups disproportionately represented in the national statistics. The review will consider how schools use exclusion and how this impacts on all pupils, but particular why some groups of children are more likely to be excluded from school. The department will publish full details of the review, including how views can be submitted, in due course.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many unrecorded or illegal school exclusions were reported to her Department in the last academic year.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Department does not routinely collect data on unrecorded or illegal exclusions.
There is a statutory process to follow when pupils are formally excluded from their school. Where an exclusion decision is challenged and an independent review panel (IRP) is appointed, the Department collects and publishes data on whether panels decide to uphold the exclusion decision, recommend that the governing body reconsider their decision, or quash the decision and direct that the governing body/academy trust considers the exclusion again:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england-2015-to-2016 (table 12). One of the reasons that an IRP could direct the governing body/academy trust to reconsider is if they believe the exclusion to be illegal, but we do not collect data on the reason for an IRPs decision.
We do not collect data on pupils who are prevented from attending a school outside of the formal exclusion process.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance has been issued by her Department to ensure that school governors give appropriate consideration to autism and SEND when considering exclusion appeals.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The department publishes statutory guidance for head teachers and governors on exclusion: ‘Exclusion from maintained schools, Academies and pupil referral units in England’. The guidance covers the process from start to finish, and includes specific requirements in relation to pupils with special educational needs (SEN). In particular, head teachers should make additional efforts to consider what extra support may be required to avoid exclusion of pupils with special educational needs and disability, and as far as possible, should avoid permanently excluding pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan or Statement.
In reaching a decision on whether or not a pupil should be reinstated, the governing board should consider whether the decision to exclude the pupil was lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair, including considering whether a head teacher has complied with the guidance in relation to pupils with SEN.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many cases of serious misconduct by headteachers have been reported to her Department by the National College for Teaching and Leadership in each of the last three years; and how many of those cases included inappropriate exclusions.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
In the last three years there have been 57 cases of serious misconduct concluded at a hearing involving a head teacher. The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) does not record inappropriate exclusions as a category of misconduct. We would normally expect this type of misconduct to be dealt with at a local level by employers.
The NCTL considers referrals concerning serious misconduct by teachers. These are recorded at the initial stage according to the type of misconduct being alleged. Inappropriate exclusion is not a type of serious misconduct that is recorded. We do not record the role held by a teacher until an investigation concludes that there is evidence of serious professional misconduct.
Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many meetings (a) she and (b) Ministers of her Department have had with the Chief Scientific Adviser in her Department in the last three months.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
Minister Gibb has met with the Department’s Chief Scientific Advisor twice in the last three months.