Asked by: David Evennett (Conservative - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to improve literacy standards amongst children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Answered by Robin Walker
The ‘Schools White Paper – Opportunity for all: strong schools with great teachers for your child’, which was published on 28 March 2022, sets out our long-term vision for a school system that helps every child to fulfil their potential by ensuring that they receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time. The cornerstones of a broad, academic, knowledge-rich curriculum are literacy and numeracy. The full White Paper can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/opportunity-for-all-strong-schools-with-great-teachers-for-your-child.
As set out in the White Paper, our ambition for literacy and numeracy is that by 2030 90% of primary school children will achieve the expected standard in reading, writing, and mathematics, and the percentage of children meeting the expected standard in the worst performing areas will have increased by a third.
The White Paper adds to this by setting an ambition that in secondary schools the national GCSE average grade in both English language and in mathematics increases from 4.5 in 2019 to 5 by 2030. These aims are not for any one school or teacher to achieve alone, but a measurement of success across the country at a system level. The department’s strategy to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for all children carefully considers how we do this for vulnerable or disadvantaged groups, including children who are on free school meals or those with special educational needs.
The White Paper builds on the department’s record of supporting the improvement of literacy standards over the past decade, including the introduction of the phonics screening check, the English Hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework, and the validation of phonics programmes. The English Hubs are currently delivering intensive support to over 1000 partner schools, reaching approximately 50,000 pupils in reception and year 1. Supported schools containing an above-average proportion of free school meal pupils over-represented in the programme, along with those schools underperforming in phonics. These dedicated Hubs will continue to support schools to drive up literacy standards, including driving improvements in the quality of early reading teaching.
In addition, from autumn 2022, the National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for Leading Literacy will be available. The qualification has been designed to develop teacher expertise in leading the development of pupils’ language, reading, and writing in all key stages. It is aimed at teachers and leaders who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading literacy across a school, year group, key stage, or phase. The content framework which underpins this qualification was published in October 2021 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-professional-qualifications-frameworks-from-september-2021. Further details around eligibility and funding for this qualification will be announced in due course.
Asked by: David Evennett (Conservative - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of grammar schools on social mobility.
Answered by Robin Walker
99% of grammar schools are good or outstanding. 75% percent are outstanding. They provide excellent education and are oversubscribed.
There is already a wide range of published research that explores the question of the effect of grammar schools on social mobility. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
In order to promote greater social mobility, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department for Education and the Grammar School Heads Association sets out the commitment of its members to increase the number of disadvantaged pupils on roll. Many prioritise pupil premium children for admission. Those gaining places in a grammar school will benefit from the high quality education they deliver.
Alongside the MOU, the 22 successful bids from the Selective Schools Expansion Fund all prioritise pupil premium children for admission, with some also committing to lowering the entrance test pass mark for such pupils and undertaking outreach work to increase the number of disadvantaged pupils on roll. They are in the early stages of delivering their five-year plans.
[1] Andrews et al., 2016, EPI, “Grammar schools and social mobility”
[2] Atkinson et al., 2006, "The result of 11+ Selection: An Investigation into Opportunities and Outcomes for Pupils in Selective LEAs"
[3] Gorard and Siddiqui, 2016, "Grammar schools in England: a new approach to analysing their intakes and outcomes"
[4] Burgess et al., 2018, "Assessing the role of grammar schools in promoting social mobility"
[5] Cribb et al., 2013, "Entry into Grammar Schools in England"
Asked by: David Evennett (Conservative - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to promote lifelong learning.
Answered by Michelle Donelan
The government is investing £2.5 billion in the National Skills Fund in England.
Since 1 April 2021, the government is supporting adults who do not hold A level equivalent or higher qualifications to access over 400 funded level 3 courses, with Free Courses for Jobs. This offer is a long-term commitment, backed by £95 million from the National Skills Fund in year one.
Complementing this support for adults, Skills Bootcamps offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks to give people the opportunity to build up sector specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. The department is expanding the Skills Bootcamp programme across the country during 2021/22 financial year, with £43 million from the National Skills Fund. There will be digital Skills Bootcamps available in each English region and a wide coverage of technical Skills Bootcamps. We are also delivering Skills Bootcamps in retrofit construction skills to support the green industrial revolution.
From 2025, the department will introduce a Lifelong Loan Entitlement equivalent to 4 years of post-18 education. People will be supported to study throughout their life, with the opportunity to train, retrain and upskill as needed in response to changing skills needs and employment patterns. It will help transform post-18 study, delivering greater parity between further and higher education.
The department is continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB), investing £1.34 billion in the 2021/22 financial year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to support adults to gain the skills required for work, apprenticeships or further learning.
Asked by: David Evennett (Conservative - Bexleyheath and Crayford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Educational, Health Care Plans have been sought in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021 in (i) Bexley Borough, (ii) Greater London and (iii) England.
Answered by Will Quince
The initial requests for Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans relating to 2019 and 2020 are published at the following link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/1ff67fe5-249c-4a8e-b2a1-a172c1ae0b23.
The department does not yet hold information on the number of initial requests for EHC plans in 2021, but this will be published in May 2022 at the following link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans.