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Written Question
Pre-school Education: Finance
Tuesday 21st March 2023

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with HM Treasury on the below inflation rise in early years funding.

Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

Ministers and officials have regular discussions with HM Treasury on matters relating to early years funding.

On 15 March 2023, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the hourly rates for childcare entitlements will be substantially uplifted, on top of the additional investments announced at the 2021 Spending Review.

The department will provide £204 million of additional funding this year, increasing to £288 million by 2024/5, for local authorities to further increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers, with further uplifts to follow each year. This will include an average of 30% increase in the 2 year old rate from September 2023 and means that in 2024, the average hourly rate for 2 year olds will be more than £8 per hour and around £11 per hour for under 2s. The 3 to 4 year old rate will rise by 4% to over £5.50 per hour from September 2023, with further uplifts beyond this.

This funding is in addition to the £4.1 billion that the government will provide by 2027/28 to facilitate the expansion of the new free hours offer. This will ensure all eligible working parents in England will, by September 2025, be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week, for 38 weeks of the year, from when their child is 9 months old to when they start school.


Written Question
Special Educational Needs: Cancer
Monday 13th February 2023

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of providing an Education, Health and Care Plan for children who (a) are undergoing and (b) have recently undergone cancer treatment.

Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

For a child diagnosed with cancer, it is desirable that they continue to attend school if they are well enough, both to maintain their education and for the benefits of being with their friends. This may not always be possible, either on a short- or long-term basis.

Where a child has additional or different needs to those which can be met in mainstream provision, the child is considered to have a special educational need and disability (SEND). Whether or not a child requires an education, health and care (EHC) plan will depend on the nature of their cancer, its treatment and the child’s ability to access education. All EHC plans are tailored to the needs of the individual child and the 2014 SEND Code of Practice 0 to 25 years, sets out how the assessment of the child’s needs should be conducted. Current legislation means that there is adequate provision for a child with cancer to have an EHC plan if they require it to continue their education, even if this is in a setting outside of their usual school.

Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 places a duty on local authorities to make alternative arrangements for children of statutory school age who cannot attend school for any reason. This should be taken into account as part of the child’s EHC plan assessment and reviews so that they can be provided with suitable education in a setting which balances their educational needs and their health condition. For example, home tutoring for a child vulnerable to infection due to cancer treatment.


Written Question
Pre-school Education: Coronavirus
Thursday 24th February 2022

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) financial and (b) other steps he is taking to help support nurseries and early years settings in (i) Gosport constituency, (ii) Hampshire and (iii) England facing disruption related to the covid-19 outbreak.

Answered by Will Quince

As we take the next steps in living with COVID-19, we remain committed to doing everything possible to protect face-to-face education and care, and keep early years providers open for all children.

At the Spending Review on 27 October 2021, the government announced additional funding of £160 million in the financial years 2022-23, £180 million in 2023-24, and £170 million in 2024-25, as compared to the current financial year. This is for local authorities to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers. It also reflects cost pressures as well as anticipated changes in the number of eligible children.

The department continues to publish comprehensive guidance to support nurseries and other early years providers in delivering a safe and secure environment for children and staff as we continue to learn to live with COVID-19. This applies to providers across England. This guidance explains the control measures that providers should take to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This includes ensuring good hygiene, maintaining appropriate cleaning regimes, and keeping spaces well-ventilated.

The department has also issued guidance to clarify that providers can use the existing flexibilities on ratios that are set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework. This will help manage short-term workforce pressures so long as children continue to be cared for safely.

The government continues to monitor the early years sector for issues, including through engagement with local authorities. These support measures apply to all early years and childcare providers across England.


Written Question
Mathematics: Higher Education
Monday 15th November 2021

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to increase the number of young people studying mathematics at higher education.

Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology

Universities are autonomous bodies, independent from government, and they have control over decisions about who to admit to their courses.

Mathematics remains the most popular A level subject and we are committed to increase participation in post-16 mathematics. We introduced reformed A levels which provide a better foundation to study Mathematics courses, including pure Mathematics, at a higher level. We fund the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme which supports schools and colleges to improve the effectiveness of level 3 maths teaching and provides targeted support for students preparing for study at higher education.

We are working with universities and academy trusts to establish a specialist Mathematics school in each region (and a total of 11 nationally). These aim to prepare more of our most mathematically able students to succeed in Mathematics disciplines at top universities.

We strongly believe effective careers guidance and advice is key to supporting young people in their education and career choices.

The government’s Careers Strategy sets out a long-term plan to build a world class careers system to achieve this ambition. The delivery of the Careers Strategy will ensure that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) encounters, such as with employers and apprenticeships, are built into school career programmes.

The government also supports around 25% of the total PhD population in the UK through grants awarded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Since January 2020, UKRI has awarded £104 million of additional funding into Mathematical Sciences, over and above the Engineering and physical Sciences Research Council’s core Mathematical Sciences Theme budget.


Written Question
Sixth Form Colleges
Monday 27th October 2014

Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure sixth form colleges can attract able maths teachers.

Answered by Nick Gibb

We have increased the value of teacher training bursaries and scholarships for maths graduates entering teaching.

The School Direct Training Programme enables sixth form colleges to recruit their own trainees and tailor training to meet their specific requirements.

We fund Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses, which offer graduates and career changers with the right background the chance to develop the expertise needed to teach maths.