Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Ruane Excerpts

Monday 10th February 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Laws]

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend’s views, and I know that he has taken a keen interest in this issue. It is a responsibility for all individual schools and head teachers to keep their schools open in adverse weather conditions. The Department has issued clear guidance. We are conscious that the unnecessary closure of schools causes disruption to children’s education, and to parents and to the economy.

[Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd) (Lab)]

I would like to thank the Minister—[Interruption.] No. 3, Mr Speaker. I was getting carried away.

[Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd) (Lab)]

3. What assessment he has made of the potential of mindfulness to improve education outcomes.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Elizabeth Truss)]

The new national curriculum sets out high expectations of what teachers should teach, but gives them much more flexibility over how to do it. Teachers have the freedom to try new approaches and do things differently in a way that benefits students. A longer school day would also enable schools to build confidence and resilience, as well as the core academic skills vital to success.

[Mr Speaker]

We can now enjoy the full benefit of the hon. Gentleman’s mindfulness.

[Chris Ruane]

I would like—once again—to thank the Minister for meeting me and the hon. Member for Chatham and Aylesford (Tracey Crouch) last Monday to discuss mindfulness in education, and I would also like to pay tribute to the Prime Minister for the measurement of well-being, but what more can the Minister and her Department do to use mindfulness in education to raise educational attainment and improve student well-being?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for our excellent meeting last week, which I thought was very helpful. I have taken the research he put forward, and one of the Department’s education policy advisers is considering it in detail and examining the evidence. I note that 120 schools already participate in mindfulness programmes, and also that several Members of this House are using it to improve their performance.