Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
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 introducing a requirement on UK schools to teach Black history as part of the national curriculum.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The freedom and flexibility in the National Curriculum programmes of study for history means that teachers can include black history as a natural part of the themes and eras in the curriculum, both in terms of British and world history, and their interconnection.
Teaching a well sequenced history curriculum means that black history can be taught at all key stages of the curriculum. As part of a broad and balanced curriculum, pupils should be taught the history of different societies, and how different groups have contributed to the development of Britain. This can include the voices and experiences of black people in Britain.
The Department published a blog on Black History Month in October 2022. This emphasised that there is scope in the curriculum to teach black history all year. References to high quality curriculum resources were included and the blog highlighted how important it is to celebrate the contribution black communities and individuals have made over the centuries in shaping a dynamic and diverse Britain. The blog is available at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2022/10/03/black-history-month-how-black-history-is-taught-in-our-schools-2/.
The Department is developing a model history curriculum to support teaching of a diverse and well sequenced history curriculum. Working with an expert panel that includes history educators, historians and head teachers, the model curriculum will provide an exemplar of a knowledge rich, coherent approach to teaching history. This guidance is due to be published in 2024.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
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 Stretford and Urmston constituency had at least one construction element in condition grade (a) C and (b) D, when that data was collated; and which of those schools have (i) received 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 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 |
Stretford and Urmston | St John Vianney School, announced February 2021 St Ann's RC Primary School, announced July 2021 Barton Clough Primary School, announced December 2022 Stretford Grammar School, announced December 2022 |
York Central | Tang Hall Primary Academy, announced July 2021 All Saints RC School, announced December 2022 There is one additional school in York local authority, Hempland 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.
Asked by: Andrew Western (Labour - Stretford and Urmston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of offering guaranteed interviews to black, Asian and minority ethnic applicants with relevant qualifications who apply for teaching positions.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department wants teaching to be profession where teachers from all backgrounds are supported throughout their career.
Schools are responsible for their own recruitment and staffing decisions. The Department expects them to adhere to their statutory requirements under the Equality Act 2010, and to their responsibilities under the Public Sector Equality Duty. The Department has published guidance for schools on how to comply with their duties under the Equality Act 2010. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools.
Schools and trusts are free to introduce measures into their recruitment processes if those measures comply with the Equality Act 2010.
The Department has also issued guidance for recruiting head teachers, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recruiting-a-headteacher. The guidance reminds governors and trustees that diverse workforces benefit everyone, and the importance of avoiding discrimination in recruitment.