Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make a comparative assessment of the level of wages for a (a) school teacher and (b) college teacher.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The government’s role in relation to pay and conditions across schools and colleges differs.
The statutory requirements for teachers' pay and conditions within maintained schools in England are set out in the school teachers’ pay and conditions document. This is updated each year, based on recommendations from the independent School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB).
This year, the department announced a 4% pay award to school teachers and leaders, accepting in full the STRB’s pay recommendation. Combined with last year’s 5.5% award, this above-inflation pay award means school teachers will see an increase in their pay of almost 10% over two years.
In 2023/24, the median full-time equivalent (FTE) average salary for teaching staff on permanent or fixed term contracts in secondary schools was £48,773.
The further education (FE) sector does not have a pay review body and government does not set or recommend pay and this remains the sole responsibility of providers themselves.
Alongside the 2025/26 school teacher pay award, we have announced an investment of £160 million in the 2025/26 financial year, to support colleges and other 16-19 providers with key priorities, including recruitment and retention.
Additional funding of over £30 million will also be provided for 16-19 provision in schools. This funding comes from within the overall funding envelope of £615 million for 2025/26 announced alongside the 2025/26 school teachers’ pay award.
In 2023/24, the median FTE average salary for teaching staff on permanent or fixed term contracts in general FE colleges was £36,300 and £47,100 in sixth form colleges.
The school and FE pay figures are sourced from different datasets and recorded differently which may make it difficult to make direct comparisons.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that reductions in the adult skills fund allocations does not disproportionately impact (a) people in receipt of benefits and (b) young people not in education, employment or training.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We are facing a challenging fiscal context. Fixing the foundations of the economy will take time, and tough decisions are needed across the public sector to get our finances under control to ensure we deliver on our priorities through our Plan for Change. It is against this backdrop that the decision was made to make a small reduction to the Adult Skills Fund (ASF).
We have launched a Youth Guarantee of support for all 18 to 21-year-olds to access training, an apprenticeship, or help to find work and prevent them from becoming excluded from education or work at a young age. £45 million has been allocated to eight Mayoral Strategic Authority Trailblazers to develop the Youth Guarantee. We will work with local areas on future expansion.
Currently 62% of the ASF is devolved to nine Mayoral Strategic Authorities and the Greater London Authority. These authorities are responsible for the provision of ASF to their learners and the department is responsible for the remaining ASF.
In non-devolved areas, learners claiming benefits or who earn less than £25,000, are eligible for full funding. This supports social mobility by enabling individuals to move into employment or progress further in their career.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the final report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review will be published; how she plans to implement recommendations from that review; and how she plans to protect the mental health of children and young people in future reforms.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The interim report sets out the Review’s interim findings and confirms the key areas for future work, but there is more to do before publication of the final report. The Review is now carrying out a further investigation into specific policy and subject issues, working closely with the sector and building on the body of evidence gathered so far.
The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn, at which point the government will respond.
The Review takes place in the context of an education system facing considerable challenges and staff shortages. The Review recognises the inevitable trade-offs that will be faced in delivering high standards and a broad and balanced curriculum within this context.
The department will give schools, colleges and teachers sufficient time to plan and prepare for changes, particularly where they are significant.
We will also consider how to best support schools to access the resources, training and networking they need. For example, we will consider the role of Oak National Academy, subject associations or the new Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence teams.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many representations her Department has received from Manchester City Council on the (a) funding and (b) quality of SEND provision in Greater Manchester in the last five years.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach in collaboration with local area partnerships, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs.
Manchester City Council (MCC) is one of ten local authorities making up Greater Manchester. Following their SEND inspection, which found no Written Statement of Action was necessary in November 2021, the department has continued to liaise with MCC through regular meetings updating on any key issues or risks in the area. MCC are a lead partner of the SEND Change Programme and provide insights to the department including sharing learning on SEND provision in Manchester.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support SEND transport providers in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) nationally.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Manchester Rusholme to the answer of 7 February 2025 to Question 27291.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the graduate route in promoting the UK as an international study destination.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The UK has a world-class higher education sector, with four universities in the world university rankings top 10 and 15 in the top 100, alongside a wide array of leading institutions which can offer a fulfilling and enjoyable experience to international students from around the world.
There are many factors that influence international students when they choose to study abroad. These include the range and quality of available courses, the visa rules that apply in countries they are considering, and the appeal of living and studying in those countries.
The graduate route enables international students who have successfully completed an eligible qualification to stay in the UK for two years, or three years for doctoral students. Former students who are on the graduate route may switch to another route, for example the skilled worker route, if the relevant requirements are met.
This government has made clear its approach to international students. We welcome international students who enrich our university campuses, forge lifelong friendships with our domestic students and become global ambassadors for the UK.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to make (a) blood, (b) plasma, (c) platelet, (d) organ, (e) stem cell and (f) tissue donation a mandatory part of the curriculum for primary and secondary school children.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The teaching of blood, tissue and organs is covered in the biology national curriculum at key stage 3, so is taught to pupils aged 11 to 14. While organ donation is not specifically mentioned, schools may choose to cover it here.
At primary level, schools can talk about blood and organ donation more generally, in an age-appropriate way, as part of the relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) curriculum, which includes content on physical health and mental wellbeing. Blood and organ donation can be covered in more detail in secondary RSHE, within the context of healthy lifestyles and the choices that individuals make in adulthood.
The Oak National Academy, an arm's length public body responsible for creating free curriculum resources, has produced a lesson that can be taught to pupils between the ages of 7 and 11 (key stage 2). This includes a section on organs, the transplant waiting list and the relevant legislation.
The department is currently reviewing the statutory RSHE curriculum, which includes considering whether any additional content is needed. Separately, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review will consider how RSHE fits into the wider curriculum.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to announce whether her Department will provide funding for (a) BTEC and (b) Alternative Technical Qualification courses in the (i) 2025-26 and (ii) 2026-27 academic year.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
In July 2024, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced a short pause to the defunding of qualifications to enable a review of post-16 qualification reforms at Level 3 and below. This was followed by a Written Ministerial Statement by my noble Friend, the Minister for Skills on 25 July. This statement can be accessed here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-07-25/hlws20.
Additional details about the principles of the review were published in an FE Week article on 30 September 2024, which can be accessed here: https://feweek.co.uk/how-well-go-about-reforming-the-level-3-landscape.
The department is working to review the defunding due to take place in 2025 and will publish the outcomes of this review before the end of the year.
The department has not announced any defunding for 2026.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing teachers in sixth form colleges with the same pay increases as those agreed with school teachers.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government does not set or recommend pay in further education (FE), including in sixth form colleges. The pay and conditions of FE staff remains the responsibility of individual colleges and providers who are free to implement pay arrangements in line with their local needs.
The department recognises the vital role that teachers in sixth form colleges, as well as other FE colleges, play in developing the skills needed to drive the government’s missions to improve opportunity and economic growth. That is why the department is investing around £600 million across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years. This includes extending retention payments of up to £6,000 after tax to eligible early career FE teachers in key subject areas, including in sixth form colleges. The department also continues to support recruitment and retention with teacher training bursaries worth up to £30,000 tax-free in certain key subject areas, and with support for industry professionals to enter the teaching workforce through the Taking Teaching Further programme.
My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced a Budget on 30 October to be followed by a multi-year spending review in the spring of next year. Decisions about future post-16 funding and capital programmes will be subject to the outcomes of these fiscal events.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
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 Manchester, Gorton 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 (a) have already received funding from the School Rebuilding Programme and (b) 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 Department is still preparing the data and will publish it 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 |
Wakefield | Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College, announced December 2022 |
Stockton North | St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, announced July 2021 St Paul's Catholic Primary School, announced July 2021 |
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.