Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support post-18 mathematics education.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The government is committed to supporting people to climb the ladder of opportunity towards better jobs, better wellbeing, and better options for the future.
To enable this, the department recognises the importance of maths skills, both in work and everyday life. Securing good levels of numeracy increases individual productivity, improves earnings and employment opportunities, supports economic growth and breaks cycles of intergenerational economic and social disadvantage. That is why we are continuing to support participation in maths provision through our ‘essential skills entitlements’ which provide the opportunity of free study for adults who do not have essential numeracy skills up to and including level 2.
Learners who have not previously attained a GCSE grade 4 or higher can undertake a range of courses fully funded through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) including GCSEs, Functional Skills and other relevant qualifications from entry level to level 2.
The department also supports training for adults in community settings through the AEB. Prioritised for disadvantaged learners, Community Learning can provide a 'stepping stone' for those adults who are not ready for formal accredited learning, or who would benefit from learning in a more informal way.
In addition, Multiply is the government’s programme for improving adult numeracy, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the government’s flagship fund for supporting people and places across the UK. Up to £270 million is directly available for local areas in England to deliver innovative interventions to improve adult numeracy.
The Free Courses for Jobs offer, which was launched in April 2021, gives eligible adults the chance to access high value Level 3 qualification for free, which can support them to gain higher wages or a better job. This offer allows eligible learners to access a high-value level 3 qualification for free, to gain higher wages and access new job opportunities. The offer includes a number of qualifications in maths for example a Level 3 Certificate in Mathematical Studies.
Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills, with an offer of a job interview with an employer on completion. Skills Bootcamps are available in a variety of skill areas including digital, technical, construction, logistics (HGV driving), and skills that support the green economy.
The department is scaling up Skills Bootcamps delivery to 64,000 starts by the 2024/25 financial year through national procurement and grant funding to 25 Mayoral Combined Authorities and local areas.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department has provided to the (a) National Centre for Computing Education (b) Isaac Physics programme, (c) Stimulating Physics Network, (d) Advanced Mathematics Support Programme, (e) SUMS (Steps to University for Mathematical Students) Enrichment Day, (f) T-Level Ambassador Network and (g) Inclusion in Schools project in each year for which data is available.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Funding details for the National Centre for Computing Education, the Isaac Physics programme, the Stimulating Physics Network, the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme (AMSP) and the Inclusion in Schools project are in the table below.
With regard to SUMS (Steps to University for Mathematical Students) Enrichment Day, this is funded as part of the AMSP programme, therefore the Department does not record a separate breakdown of funding for that.
On the T Level Ambassador Network, in the 2022/23 financial year, the Department spent £66,000 establishing and supporting the T Level Ambassador Network to promote and advocate T Levels with employers.
National Centre for Computing Education | |||||
| 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 |
a) National Centre for Computing Education | £7.6m | £17.7m | £15.6m | £17.1m | £13.4m |
Maths Programme | |||||
| 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 |
d) AMSP | £6.3m | £8.5m | £7.1m | £7.6m | £8.4m |
Science Programmes | |||||
| 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | ||
c) Stimulating Physics Network (SPN)* | £2.15m | £2.46m | £2.11m | ||
b) Isaac Physics | £0.695m | £0.62m | £0.86m | ||
g) Inclusion in Schools project |
|
| £0.59m | ||
*SPN includes Inclusion in Schools | |||||
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of schools at risk of closure due to disrepair or unsafe building materials in (a) Newcastle central constituency, (b) the North East and (c) the UK.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Education is a devolved matter. This response covers the approach in England only.
Nothing is more important than the safety of pupils and teachers. This is why the Department has been putting significant funding into maintaining 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. There are no open areas within schools or college buildings where the Department knows of an imminent risk to life.
It is the responsibility of those who run schools and who work with their schools day to day to manage the safety and maintenance of their buildings. This includes academy trusts, Local Authorities and voluntary aided school bodies. The Department provides support on a case by case basis if it is alerted to a serious safety issue which responsible bodies cannot manage independently.
The Department is currently working with responsible bodies, schools, and colleges to identify the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in their buildings. Once this work is complete, the Department will have a fuller idea of the presence of RAAC in the estate. Where RAAC is suspected, the Department’s professional surveyors carry out assessments to verify its presence. Over 200 surveys have been undertaken and by autumn 2023 we will have surveyed over 600 schools. If RAAC is confirmed, the Department provides rapid support to schools based on the advice of structural engineers. This could include funding capital works to remove any immediate risk and, where 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.
The Department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping school buildings safe and in good working order, including £1.8 billion committed for 2023/24. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme will transform buildings at 500 schools, prioritising poor condition and potential safety issues.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reductions to university mathematics departments budgets on the UK’s ambition to become a global science and technology superpower by 2030.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Higher education (HE) providers are independent, autonomous institutions, responsible for their own decisions on staffing issues, including how they structure themselves to deliver research and teaching priorities. Where it is necessary to reshape their activities, it is important that universities carefully consider the impact of job losses on staff and students, and the overall sustainability of teaching and research in this country.
The department will continue to work closely with the Office for Students (OfS) and various parties, including a variety of HE providers across the sector, mission groups and other government departments, to understand the ongoing impacts and changing landscape of financial sustainability in the HE sector.
We want to provide a ladder of opportunity for everyone to get the education and skills they need for job security and prosperity and to support levelling up across the country. Access to HE should be based on a student’s attainment and their ability to succeed, rather than background.
The government has issued guidance to the OfS, asking it to refocus the entire access and participation regime to create a system that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by ensuring students are able to make the right choices and to access and succeed on high quality courses that are valued by employers and lead to good graduate employment.
John Blake, as the Director for Fair Access and Participation, is driving forward this important change. Using his experience and expertise from the schools’ sector, he is supporting and challenging HE providers to identify what will ultimately help students progress on their course and obtain good outcomes from their degree, such as programmes of intervention in schools, summer schools, and targeted bursaries to assist with living costs.
The government is committed to cementing the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower, levelling up across the country.
To achieve this, the UK needs talented people with the right knowledge, skills, and experience. The department is investing in programmes that do this at all levels of education.
The Prime Minister has set a new mission for all young people to study maths to age 18, equipping them with the skills they need for the modern economy. Our driving principle is to ensure that all young people are equipped with the right maths knowledge and skills to thrive, whatever their chosen pathway.
On 17 April 2023, the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Education set out how we will take the next steps towards delivering this mission. This includes:
The department is investing an additional £750 million over the three year period from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to support high quality teaching and facilities including in science and engineering, subjects that support the NHS, and degree apprenticeships. This includes the largest increase in government funding for the HE sector to support students and teaching in over a decade.
Several government strategies are in place to support our science and technology superpower ambition, in specific areas including the 2023 Science and Technology Framework , which sets out our approach to making the UK a science and technology superpower by 2030. The 2021 National AI Strategy, and the 2022 UK Digital Strategy set out how we will strengthen our reserves of talent and skills in order to drive success.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has had discussions with representative of Birkbeck University on its proposed reductions to its Mathematics and Statistics Department.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Higher education (HE) providers are independent, autonomous institutions, responsible for their own decisions on staffing issues, including how they structure themselves to deliver research and teaching priorities. Where it is necessary to reshape their activities, it is important that universities carefully consider the impact of job losses on staff and students, and the overall sustainability of teaching and research in this country.
The department will continue to work closely with the Office for Students (OfS) and various parties, including a variety of HE providers across the sector, mission groups and other government departments, to understand the ongoing impacts and changing landscape of financial sustainability in the HE sector.
We want to provide a ladder of opportunity for everyone to get the education and skills they need for job security and prosperity and to support levelling up across the country. Access to HE should be based on a student’s attainment and their ability to succeed, rather than background.
The government has issued guidance to the OfS, asking it to refocus the entire access and participation regime to create a system that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by ensuring students are able to make the right choices and to access and succeed on high quality courses that are valued by employers and lead to good graduate employment.
John Blake, as the Director for Fair Access and Participation, is driving forward this important change. Using his experience and expertise from the schools’ sector, he is supporting and challenging HE providers to identify what will ultimately help students progress on their course and obtain good outcomes from their degree, such as programmes of intervention in schools, summer schools, and targeted bursaries to assist with living costs.
The government is committed to cementing the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower, levelling up across the country.
To achieve this, the UK needs talented people with the right knowledge, skills, and experience. The department is investing in programmes that do this at all levels of education.
The Prime Minister has set a new mission for all young people to study maths to age 18, equipping them with the skills they need for the modern economy. Our driving principle is to ensure that all young people are equipped with the right maths knowledge and skills to thrive, whatever their chosen pathway.
On 17 April 2023, the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Education set out how we will take the next steps towards delivering this mission. This includes:
The department is investing an additional £750 million over the three year period from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to support high quality teaching and facilities including in science and engineering, subjects that support the NHS, and degree apprenticeships. This includes the largest increase in government funding for the HE sector to support students and teaching in over a decade.
Several government strategies are in place to support our science and technology superpower ambition, in specific areas including the 2023 Science and Technology Framework , which sets out our approach to making the UK a science and technology superpower by 2030. The 2021 National AI Strategy, and the 2022 UK Digital Strategy set out how we will strengthen our reserves of talent and skills in order to drive success.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of incentives to universities of ensuring that mathematics courses are widely available.
Answered by Robert Halfon
Higher education (HE) providers are independent, autonomous institutions, responsible for their own decisions on staffing issues, including how they structure themselves to deliver research and teaching priorities. Where it is necessary to reshape their activities, it is important that universities carefully consider the impact of job losses on staff and students, and the overall sustainability of teaching and research in this country.
The department will continue to work closely with the Office for Students (OfS) and various parties, including a variety of HE providers across the sector, mission groups and other government departments, to understand the ongoing impacts and changing landscape of financial sustainability in the HE sector.
We want to provide a ladder of opportunity for everyone to get the education and skills they need for job security and prosperity and to support levelling up across the country. Access to HE should be based on a student’s attainment and their ability to succeed, rather than background.
The government has issued guidance to the OfS, asking it to refocus the entire access and participation regime to create a system that supports young people from disadvantaged backgrounds by ensuring students are able to make the right choices and to access and succeed on high quality courses that are valued by employers and lead to good graduate employment.
John Blake, as the Director for Fair Access and Participation, is driving forward this important change. Using his experience and expertise from the schools’ sector, he is supporting and challenging HE providers to identify what will ultimately help students progress on their course and obtain good outcomes from their degree, such as programmes of intervention in schools, summer schools, and targeted bursaries to assist with living costs.
The government is committed to cementing the UK’s status as a science and technology superpower, levelling up across the country.
To achieve this, the UK needs talented people with the right knowledge, skills, and experience. The department is investing in programmes that do this at all levels of education.
The Prime Minister has set a new mission for all young people to study maths to age 18, equipping them with the skills they need for the modern economy. Our driving principle is to ensure that all young people are equipped with the right maths knowledge and skills to thrive, whatever their chosen pathway.
On 17 April 2023, the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Education set out how we will take the next steps towards delivering this mission. This includes:
The department is investing an additional £750 million over the three year period from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to support high quality teaching and facilities including in science and engineering, subjects that support the NHS, and degree apprenticeships. This includes the largest increase in government funding for the HE sector to support students and teaching in over a decade.
Several government strategies are in place to support our science and technology superpower ambition, in specific areas including the 2023 Science and Technology Framework , which sets out our approach to making the UK a science and technology superpower by 2030. The 2021 National AI Strategy, and the 2022 UK Digital Strategy set out how we will strengthen our reserves of talent and skills in order to drive success.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of NVQ Level 6 Environmental practitioner degrees in the North East of England; and what discussions she has had with industry stakeholders on the availability of that course.
Answered by Robert Halfon
There is not a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in this subject at Level 6. There is, however, a Level 6 Environmental Practitioner apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships are jobs with a substantial level of training available for career starters and those looking to upskill and retrain in over 670 high-quality occupations between Level 2-7.
In the 2021/22 academic year, there were 50 starts on the Level 6 Environmental Practitioner (Degree) apprenticeship across England, with starts growing higher each year. There were no starts in the North-East in the 2021/22 academic year. Level 6 and 7 apprenticeship standards range from one to five years in duration, and typically take three to four years to complete. There are no recorded completions on this standard currently.
The government wants to further accelerate the growth of degree apprenticeships across all regions and is therefore providing an additional £40 million in Strategic Priorities Grant funding over the next two years, on top of the £8 million investment in the 2022/23 financial year to support this.
The department continues to regularly meet with higher education institutions in the North-East to discuss ways we can increase the uptake of degree apprenticeships. In addition, the department has made excellent progress on the national rollout of Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs), with employer representative bodies designated to lead the development of LSIPs in all 38 areas of England. This brings providers and employers together in one place to design provision that meets their needs.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many NVQ Level 6 Environmental practitioner places were available for students in the North East of England during the last academic year; and how many students completed this course.
Answered by Robert Halfon
There is not a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in this subject at Level 6. There is, however, a Level 6 Environmental Practitioner apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships are jobs with a substantial level of training available for career starters and those looking to upskill and retrain in over 670 high-quality occupations between Level 2-7.
In the 2021/22 academic year, there were 50 starts on the Level 6 Environmental Practitioner (Degree) apprenticeship across England, with starts growing higher each year. There were no starts in the North-East in the 2021/22 academic year. Level 6 and 7 apprenticeship standards range from one to five years in duration, and typically take three to four years to complete. There are no recorded completions on this standard currently.
The government wants to further accelerate the growth of degree apprenticeships across all regions and is therefore providing an additional £40 million in Strategic Priorities Grant funding over the next two years, on top of the £8 million investment in the 2022/23 financial year to support this.
The department continues to regularly meet with higher education institutions in the North-East to discuss ways we can increase the uptake of degree apprenticeships. In addition, the department has made excellent progress on the national rollout of Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs), with employer representative bodies designated to lead the development of LSIPs in all 38 areas of England. This brings providers and employers together in one place to design provision that meets their needs.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the (a) cost and (b) eligibility of childcare on the diversity of PHD candidates studying STEM subjects.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Minister (Equalities)
The department does not hold information relating to the potential impact of cost and childcare eligibility relating to the diversity of PhD students studying science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
The department knows that for families with younger children, childcare costs are often a significant part of their household expenditure, which is why we are committed to improving the cost, choice and availability of childcare.
At the Spring Statement 2023, the department announced the single largest investment in childcare in England ever. This begins from September, with £204 million of additional funding to uplift the rates for existing entitlements.
By the 2027/28 financial year, the government expects to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education. These are transformative plans helping families with young children with their childcare costs.
In addition to the 30 hours, the department remains committed to continuing the universal 15 hours of free early education, which this year helped over 1 million children get a positive start to their education. Students who are parents are eligible for the universal 15 hours of free early education which is available to all 3 and 4-year-olds, regardless of family circumstances.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with (a) local authorities and (b) businesses in the North East on the decision to stop funding for Level 3 tourism qualifications by 2025.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The department has embarked on an ambitious technical education reform programme. We consulted several times on the reforms to seek the views on our proposed changes. In March 2019, the government launched the first stage consultation to gather views and evidence about the principles that should apply to post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below in England. The results of this consultation are available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/928952/Review_of_post-16_qualifications_at_level_3_and_below_-_First_stage_government_response.pdf.
In July 2021, the department published its response to the second stage consultation of the review of post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below, which ran between the 23 October 2020 to 31 January 2021.The department made clear its intentions to streamline the qualifications landscape, simplify choices for students, and only fund qualifications that are high quality and lead to good progression outcomes. The response is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-post-16-qualifications-at-level-3-second-stage.
The changes to post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below are designed to ensure that our qualifications system provides a ladder of opportunity for young people from all backgrounds. The department wants as many people as possible to undertake world class A levels and T Levels, which evidence shows provide the best foundation from which to progress, either into higher education, or skilled employment.
Data shows that, in the following year, of the approximately 3,100 16-18 students who completed a level 3 qualification in Travel and Tourism in 2018/19:
This shows mixed progression outcomes for these qualifications. Specifying that newly developed travel and tourism-related qualifications must be based on employer-designed, approved occupational standards at level 3 will ensure that students gain the knowledge, skills, and behaviours employers in the travel and tourism industries need, leading to better and more consistent progression outcomes for young people.
The department will continue to fund travel and tourism qualifications at level 3 beyond 2025. Existing travel and tourism qualifications will remain funded until 31 July 2026, after which qualifications approved for funding in travel and tourism will need to be mapped against one of the relevant occupational standards at level 3 for technical qualifications. Further information can be found here: https://occupational-maps.instituteforapprenticeships.org/.
For future qualifications, the department is encouraging awarding organisations to work with schools, colleges and employers to develop new travel and tourism-focused technical qualifications at level 3 that support young people to enter employment or further technical study where that is what they want to do.