Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the oral contribution in response to the question from the hon. Member for Ipswich of 6 December 2023, Official Report, column 373, when she plans to publish guidance on gender-questioning children.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
On 19 December 2023, the government published draft guidance for schools and colleges in England on gender questioning children. The consultation will remain open until 12 March 2024.
The draft guidance and the consultation document can be found here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/equalities-political-impartiality-anti-bullying-team/gender-questioning-children-proposed-guidance/.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to provide funding for the new classroom block at Highcliffe School; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
In December 2022, the Department announced the provisional selection of 239 more schools for the School Rebuilding Programme, including Highcliffe School.
These schools have now been prioritised to enter delivery at a rate of approximately 50 schools per year, according to the condition need of their buildings.
Highcliffe School has been initially scheduled for Group 2. Schools in this group are expected to enter delivery from April 2025. Where possible, the Department will bring projects forward if it is able to do so.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish his Department's review of Brighton and Hove Council's Anti-Racist Education Strategy; and if he will make an assessment of whether Brighton and Hove Council is fully compliant with his Department's guidelines on political impartiality in schools.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department has worked with the sector to publish guidance that supports schools to teach about complex political issues, in line with their legal duties on political impartiality. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools.
On being made aware of the issues raised in respect of Brighton and Hove City Council’s strategy, department officials contacted the local authority to understand the detail of the matter and to ensure that the local authority was aware of their duties on political impartiality. It is for local authorities to ensure that they meet their legal requirements in respect of political impartiality in schools and to respond to complaints. The department would not normally intervene in a complaint about a local authority unless the local complaints process had been followed to conclusion. The department has not carried out a review of the strategy and is not planning to do so at this stage.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will amend his Department's guidance in relation to childminders and covid-19 so that childminders can operate in circumstances where someone in their household has tested positive for, or has symptoms of, covid-19; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Will Quince
Keeping children and staff safe is the government’s priority. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the department has listened carefully to the latest scientific and medical advice when developing guidance.
On 24 February 2022, the government removed the legal requirement for people with COVID-19 to self-isolate. However, if anyone has any of the main symptoms or a positive test result, the public health advice remains unchanged and is to stay at home and avoid contact with other people. The ‘COVID-19: people with COVID-19 and their contacts’ guidance also advises that people with symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test result should not have social visitors to the home. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts.
In light of the changes to the legal requirement to self-isolate, the department has reviewed and updated the guidance for childminders with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and it can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/additional-actions-for-childminders-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/additional-actions-for-childminders-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.
The guidance continues to be that childminders should not childmind in their home when someone living there has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19. This is because there is a higher risk of transmission to those attending the provision for childcare as they are in close proximity to the case and for extended periods of time.
In the guidance, the department has also outlined the options for childminders to continue childminding if there is someone who has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19 in their home.
The department will continue to work with the UKHSA to keep its guidance under review and make sure that the right control measures are in place for childminders.