Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that schools have clear guidance on exams in summer 2021 before students have to submit applications to UCAS.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government is working hard to minimise the impact of COVID-19 and the disruption it has caused to young people’s education, including those who will be taking exams and applying to university next year.
The Department is working closely with Ofqual, the exam boards, regulators in the devolved administrations, and groups representing schools, colleges and higher education to consider the best approach to ensure that students taking exams next summer receive the qualifications they deserve and that next year’s exam series proceeds fairly and efficiently and commands public confidence.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has set out that a further announcement on 2021 exams will be made in October.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to support (a) Outward Bound, (b) the Field Studies Council and (c) other school residential providers during the covid-19 outbreak while those providers are unable to function in their usual capacity.
Answered by Nick Gibb
As of 4 July providers offering out-of-school activities to children have been able to open for both indoor and outdoor provision with safety measures in place. Providers are also able to resume non-overnight domestic educational visits and the Department has updated our protective measures guidance for these providers to support them to do so as safely as possible, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.
We continue to advise against domestic overnight or overseas educational visits and residential provision for the time being. This is consistent with the latest government guidance on meeting people from outside your household, which advises that you should not stay overnight away from your home with members of more than 2 households. We continue to keep this position under review, and will continue to be guided by the best scientific and medical advice, to ensure that the right decisions are taken at the right time. This guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-people-from-outside-your-household-from-4-july.
The Government has also made financial support available to employers and the self-employed, including sole traders and limited company directors. Residential providers that have been adversely affected by COVID-19 can find out what financial support is available for their business here: https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder.
They may be eligible for the Job Support Scheme, tax relief, loans or cash grants depending on their circumstances. Information on the Job Support Scheme can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/job-support-scheme.
Asked by: Anthony Mangnall (Conservative - Totnes)
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 permitting UK-based school residential trips to take place where the venues hosting those trips are able to provide evidence that they are covid-19 secure.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The guidance for full school opening enables schools to resume educational day visits but continues to advise against overnight educational residential visits. The Department’s educational visits advice is in line with guidance from Public Health England, the Cabinet Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and will be reviewed again in November 2020.
The full guidance can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.