Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 September 2023 to Question 197775 on Universities: Student Wastage, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies of the withdrawal rate from higher education providers in England remaining above 15,000 since 2018/19.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government wants to make sure that all students, regardless of background or circumstances, see a positive return on their significant investment in higher education (HE). This means they must achieve good quality qualifications, which equip them with the skills they need to achieve their potential.
Students are more likely to continue and complete their courses if they are of high quality. On 17July, we announced a package of reforms aimed at improving the quality of HE provision across the sector. The Prime Minister said then, and in his speech to the Conservative Party Conference, that the government will stop universities offering low value “rip-off degrees”. The OfS has already introduced a more rigorous and effective quality regime, including new minimum thresholds for student outcomes and has begun a new programme of investigations, the first reports of which were published on 12 September. Further information is available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-and-events/press-and-media/ofs-publishes-first-reports-of-quality-assessment-visits/.
The department intends to ask the OfS to limit student recruitment where a provider is found to have breached student outcomes requirements, and would like to see consideration of future earnings made part of the regulatory regime.
The government is also focused on supporting students in practical ways. We have made £276 million of student premium and mental health funding available for the 2023/24 academic year to support successful outcomes for students, including for disadvantaged students. We have frozen the maximum level of tuition fees and we are trying to minimise the debt burdens for graduates wherever we can.
Those students struggling with their mental health can access Student Space, a mental health and wellbeing hub funded with £3.6m by OfS and the HE Funding Council Wales. This resource provides a dedicated online platform for students providing vital mental health and wellbeing resources. Over 450,000 students have accessed the platforms resources since its launch in August 2020.
We have asked the OfS to distribute £15 million of funding to providers in 2023/24 to support student mental health, including providing additional support for transitions from school/college to university, with a particular focus on providing counselling services for students. This funding will also allow providers to continue to develop better partnerships with local NHS services to ensure that students are able to access support in a timely manner, and not slip between the gaps in university and NHS provision. Partnership working between HE providers and the NHS will improve the care of students experiencing poor mental health by ensuring a more joined up approach to the delivery of mental health support.
I expect these combined efforts to have positive impacts on degree continuation and completion rates, as well as rates of progression into professional employment and further study.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of students dropped out of the first year of their university course between 2020 and 2023.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Figures on non-continuation following year one of entry are published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) for full-time first-degree entrants starting higher education courses between 2015/16 and 2019/20. The statistics published by HESA are summarised in Table 1 in the accompanying excel attachment .
More recent information on continuation rates, which are the inverse of non-continuation or drop-out rates, for first year full-time degree entrants entering higher education are published by the Office for Students (OfS). The statistics published by OfS are summarised in Table 2 in the accompanying excel attachment.
Early in-year student withdrawal notifications are published by Student Loans Company (SLC) for the academic years 2018/19 through to 2022/23, and offer a more up-to-date indication of students not continuing their studies. The most recent publication has an effective date of 31 May of each academic year. The statistics published by SLC are summarised in Table 3 in the accompanying excel attachment.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of students dropped out of the first year of their university course between 2015 and 2019.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Figures on non-continuation following year one of entry are published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) for full-time first-degree entrants starting higher education courses between 2015/16 and 2019/20. The statistics published by HESA are summarised in Table 1 in the accompanying excel attachment .
More recent information on continuation rates, which are the inverse of non-continuation or drop-out rates, for first year full-time degree entrants entering higher education are published by the Office for Students (OfS). The statistics published by OfS are summarised in Table 2 in the accompanying excel attachment.
Early in-year student withdrawal notifications are published by Student Loans Company (SLC) for the academic years 2018/19 through to 2022/23, and offer a more up-to-date indication of students not continuing their studies. The most recent publication has an effective date of 31 May of each academic year. The statistics published by SLC are summarised in Table 3 in the accompanying excel attachment.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the National Audit Office report entitled Condition of school buildings published on 28 June 2023, whether her Department plans to provide funding to schools to restore buildings beyond their estimated initial design life.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The safety of pupils and staff is vital. This is why the Department has been significantly investing in transforming schools across the country. Where there are serious safety issues with a building, the Department takes immediate and swift action to ensure the safety of pupils and school staff.
It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, local authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies – who work with their schools to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools. They should alert the Department if there is a concern with a building.
The Department provides these responsible bodies with significant funding targeted toward where it is most needed to help them carry out these responsibilities, alongside a package of other guidance and support that the National Audit Office (NAO) found was comprehensive and well regarded by the sector.
The Department allocates significant funding to those responsible for the school estate to improve their buildings. This is over £15 billion since 2015, including 1.8 billion committed for the 2023/24 financial year.
The School Rebuilding Programme is transforming buildings at 500 schools over the course of the next decade, prioritising schools in poor condition. The Department has announced 400 schools to date, including 239 in December 2022.
As set out by the NAO, buildings can normally be used beyond their estimated initial design life through regular maintenance and upgrades.
CDC1 and CDC2 are high level Condition Data Collection (CDC) programmes, the largest such surveys of UK public sector buildings. They allow the Department to understand the condition of the school estate over time and inform capital funding and programmes.
Individual reports are shared with every school and their responsible bodies, to help inform their investment plans alongside their own more detailed condition surveys and safety checks.
The Department is working with responsible bodies, schools, and colleges to support them through the process of investigation, assessment, and management of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).
The Department has been communicating with schools about the potential risks of RAAC since 2018, when the Department first published a warning note with the Local Government Association.
Since then, the Department has published guidance in identifying and managing RAAC. In March 2022, the Department asked all schools to share their knowledge of RAAC, its presence in their buildings, and how they are managing it. The Department is following up rigorously to ensure as complete a response as possible.
The Department continues to urge all responsible bodies to get in touch with it immediately if they have any concerns about their school building. The Department relies on this information to enable it to take swift action.
The questionnaire is still open for responses from responsible bodies and schools, and the Department also encourages settings to update their responses if their situation changes.
The Department’s professional surveyors have already carried out over 200 assessments where RAAC is suspected to verify its presence and assess its condition. The Department is on track to complete 600 assessments by autumn, ahead of the initial forecast of December 2023.
In cases where RAAC is confirmed, the Department provides rapid support to schools on the advice of structural engineers. This could include funding capital works to remove any immediate risk and, where absolutely necessary, the provision of temporary buildings.
Longer term remediation of RAAC is supported by capital funding provided to the sector, the Department’s rebuilding programme and urgent capital support.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to complete its assessments of the condition of school buildings constructed with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The safety of pupils and staff is vital. This is why the Department has been significantly investing in transforming schools across the country. Where there are serious safety issues with a building, the Department takes immediate and swift action to ensure the safety of pupils and school staff.
It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, local authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies – who work with their schools to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools. They should alert the Department if there is a concern with a building.
The Department provides these responsible bodies with significant funding targeted toward where it is most needed to help them carry out these responsibilities, alongside a package of other guidance and support that the National Audit Office (NAO) found was comprehensive and well regarded by the sector.
The Department allocates significant funding to those responsible for the school estate to improve their buildings. This is over £15 billion since 2015, including 1.8 billion committed for the 2023/24 financial year.
The School Rebuilding Programme is transforming buildings at 500 schools over the course of the next decade, prioritising schools in poor condition. The Department has announced 400 schools to date, including 239 in December 2022.
As set out by the NAO, buildings can normally be used beyond their estimated initial design life through regular maintenance and upgrades.
CDC1 and CDC2 are high level Condition Data Collection (CDC) programmes, the largest such surveys of UK public sector buildings. They allow the Department to understand the condition of the school estate over time and inform capital funding and programmes.
Individual reports are shared with every school and their responsible bodies, to help inform their investment plans alongside their own more detailed condition surveys and safety checks.
The Department is working with responsible bodies, schools, and colleges to support them through the process of investigation, assessment, and management of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).
The Department has been communicating with schools about the potential risks of RAAC since 2018, when the Department first published a warning note with the Local Government Association.
Since then, the Department has published guidance in identifying and managing RAAC. In March 2022, the Department asked all schools to share their knowledge of RAAC, its presence in their buildings, and how they are managing it. The Department is following up rigorously to ensure as complete a response as possible.
The Department continues to urge all responsible bodies to get in touch with it immediately if they have any concerns about their school building. The Department relies on this information to enable it to take swift action.
The questionnaire is still open for responses from responsible bodies and schools, and the Department also encourages settings to update their responses if their situation changes.
The Department’s professional surveyors have already carried out over 200 assessments where RAAC is suspected to verify its presence and assess its condition. The Department is on track to complete 600 assessments by autumn, ahead of the initial forecast of December 2023.
In cases where RAAC is confirmed, the Department provides rapid support to schools on the advice of structural engineers. This could include funding capital works to remove any immediate risk and, where absolutely necessary, the provision of temporary buildings.
Longer term remediation of RAAC is supported by capital funding provided to the sector, the Department’s rebuilding programme and urgent capital support.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to assess the safety of school buildings.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The safety of pupils and staff is vital. This is why the Department has been significantly investing in transforming schools across the country. Where there are serious safety issues with a building, the Department takes immediate and swift action to ensure the safety of pupils and school staff.
It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, local authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies – who work with their schools to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools. They should alert the Department if there is a concern with a building.
The Department provides these responsible bodies with significant funding targeted toward where it is most needed to help them carry out these responsibilities, alongside a package of other guidance and support that the National Audit Office (NAO) found was comprehensive and well regarded by the sector.
The Department allocates significant funding to those responsible for the school estate to improve their buildings. This is over £15 billion since 2015, including 1.8 billion committed for the 2023/24 financial year.
The School Rebuilding Programme is transforming buildings at 500 schools over the course of the next decade, prioritising schools in poor condition. The Department has announced 400 schools to date, including 239 in December 2022.
As set out by the NAO, buildings can normally be used beyond their estimated initial design life through regular maintenance and upgrades.
CDC1 and CDC2 are high level Condition Data Collection (CDC) programmes, the largest such surveys of UK public sector buildings. They allow the Department to understand the condition of the school estate over time and inform capital funding and programmes.
Individual reports are shared with every school and their responsible bodies, to help inform their investment plans alongside their own more detailed condition surveys and safety checks.
The Department is working with responsible bodies, schools, and colleges to support them through the process of investigation, assessment, and management of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC).
The Department has been communicating with schools about the potential risks of RAAC since 2018, when the Department first published a warning note with the Local Government Association.
Since then, the Department has published guidance in identifying and managing RAAC. In March 2022, the Department asked all schools to share their knowledge of RAAC, its presence in their buildings, and how they are managing it. The Department is following up rigorously to ensure as complete a response as possible.
The Department continues to urge all responsible bodies to get in touch with it immediately if they have any concerns about their school building. The Department relies on this information to enable it to take swift action.
The questionnaire is still open for responses from responsible bodies and schools, and the Department also encourages settings to update their responses if their situation changes.
The Department’s professional surveyors have already carried out over 200 assessments where RAAC is suspected to verify its presence and assess its condition. The Department is on track to complete 600 assessments by autumn, ahead of the initial forecast of December 2023.
In cases where RAAC is confirmed, the Department provides rapid support to schools on the advice of structural engineers. This could include funding capital works to remove any immediate risk and, where absolutely necessary, the provision of temporary buildings.
Longer term remediation of RAAC is supported by capital funding provided to the sector, the Department’s rebuilding programme and urgent capital support.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of careers (a) advice and (b) support offered by secondary schools.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government is investing over £87 million in 2023/24 in high-quality careers provision for all ages. This includes a grant of up to £29.7 million for The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) to support secondary schools and colleges to improve their careers programmes in line with the government’s careers framework, the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance.
The vast majority of secondary schools and colleges are now voluntarily working with the CEC through accessing training for Careers Leaders, joining a Careers Hub, partnering with an Enterprise Adviser (business volunteer) and using Compass/Compass+ digital tools.
Over 90% (4,568) of schools and colleges in England are now part of a Careers Hub, benefiting 2.3 million students. 70% (3,520) are partnered with an Enterprise Adviser to support the development of career strategies and employer engagement plans.
The department is ensuring parity of esteem for technical and academic options. We strengthened the provider access legislation which came into force in January 2023 and specifies that schools must provide at least six opportunities for providers of technical education and apprenticeships to speak to all pupils, during school years 8 to 13.
The department is also putting £3.2 million into the Apprenticeship, Support and Knowledge programme which supports students in years 10 to 13 in schools and colleges, along with their parents/carers and teachers to understand and apply for apprenticeships, T Levels and traineeships.
The department’s approach is working with evidence pointing to improved outcomes for young people. Evidence from three cohorts of year 11 leavers (2016/17 – 2018/19) suggests that each of the eight Gatsby Benchmarks achieved reduces the likelihood of any young person being not in education, employment or training, or in an unknown destination by 1.1%. The relationship is twice as strong in the quarter of schools with the most economically disadvantaged intake, as measured by free school meal entitlement.
Career readiness grows as young people move through secondary school. In 2021/22, a CEC survey of 34,986 young people shows their career readiness improves as they progress through school, rising from 45% in year 7 to 67% in year 11 and 74% in year 13.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average length of a call was to the National Careers Service answered by a careers adviser in (a) April 2023 and (b) May 2023.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The National Careers Service provides free, up to date impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills and the labour market in England. The service is delivered by 765 careers advisers working in the community and supporting telephone and webchat channels. The service is available to young people and adults through the website and telephone helpline. Adults can also access face-to-face guidance through the local community-based service.
There are 121 full time equivalent professionally qualified careers advisers who are dedicated to work on the National Careers Service locally delivered telephone channel. These advisers primarily provide the service via telephone, but may also work in the community and support live webchat. The average length of telephone calls is shown below, split between Information and Advice calls (IA) and Information, Advice and Guidance calls (IAG):
Sources:
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many full-time equivalent careers advisers are employed to answer phone calls to the National Careers Service.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The National Careers Service provides free, up to date impartial information, advice and guidance on careers, skills and the labour market in England. The service is delivered by 765 careers advisers working in the community and supporting telephone and webchat channels. The service is available to young people and adults through the website and telephone helpline. Adults can also access face-to-face guidance through the local community-based service.
There are 121 full time equivalent professionally qualified careers advisers who are dedicated to work on the National Careers Service locally delivered telephone channel. These advisers primarily provide the service via telephone, but may also work in the community and support live webchat. The average length of telephone calls is shown below, split between Information and Advice calls (IA) and Information, Advice and Guidance calls (IAG):
Sources:
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Wirral South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Skills Builder Partnership report entitled Essential Skills Tracker 2023, published March 2023, which found that moving from the lower quartile essential skill score to the upper quartile essential skill score is associated with a wage premium of between 9.4 per cent and 12 per cent, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to use the same skills taxonomies in schools as in job centres.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The department has an ambitious skills agenda, backed by £3.8 billion of investment. The department is using this to build a skills system that is employer focused, high quality, and fit for the future.
Our skills reforms provide a ladder of opportunity that enables young people and adults to attain good jobs and progress in their careers. This begins with the opportunities and social justice needed to access excellent education and skills training. This will help more people to achieve secure, sustained, and well-paid employment and provide opportunities for individuals to progress in their careers.
The department funds a range of programmes and services which help learners develop the skills that employers want, including: