Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed school food fat and oil restriction for bread on bread products that meet the proposed 3 grams per 100 grams fibre threshold but contain a small amount of oil for functional manufacturing purposes.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
The government is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever and we have recently consulted on proposed updates to the School Food Standards in England to ensure that all food served at school better reflects current nutritional guidance and support children’s health, wellbeing and learning.
As part of our proposals, we have consulted on changes to increase fibre, reduce sugar and further restrict foods higher in fat, sugar and salt, in line with the latest nutritional advice set by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.
The consultation sought views on the practical impact of the proposed standards, including on bread products that meet the proposed fibre threshold but contain small amounts of oil for functional manufacturing purposes. We will now consider these consultation responses.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support schools with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in Enfield North constituency.
Answered by Damian Hinds
There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England and the vast majority are unaffected by RAAC. Around 1% have confirmed RAAC in some areas of their buildings. There are two schools with confirmed RAAC in the constituency of Enfield North: Ark John Keats Academy and St Ignatius College.
The department is supporting its schools and colleges to keep any disruption to education to an absolute minimum. Every school or college with confirmed RAAC is assigned dedicated support from the department’s team of caseworkers. Each case is unique and schools and colleges are being supported to put in place a bespoke plan based on their circumstances. All schools and colleges with confirmed RAAC are providing full time face-to-face education for all pupils.
The government has confirmed to schools and colleges, including those in Enfield North, how it will fund them to remove RAAC permanently, either through grants or through the school rebuilding programme (SRP). The longer-term requirements of each school or college will vary depending on the extent of the issue and nature and design of the buildings. Permanently removing RAAC may involve refurbishment of existing buildings or rebuilding affected buildings.
Schools joining the SRP are prioritised for delivery according to the condition need of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. The department also takes into account the suitability and longevity of the temporary accommodation they are using. The department has committed to responsible bodies that it will confirm when works are expected to start by the end of the summer term.
For schools and colleges receiving grants, the department is working with responsible bodies to support them to agree the scope of works they are procuring. In some cases, this may involve undertaking technical assessments to inform the design of building works and in other cases the removal or RAAC is already underway and will be completed in the coming months.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timetable is for completing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) remedial works in schools in Enfield North constituency.
Answered by Damian Hinds
There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England and the vast majority are unaffected by RAAC. Around 1% have confirmed RAAC in some areas of their buildings. There are two schools with confirmed RAAC in the constituency of Enfield North: Ark John Keats Academy and St Ignatius College.
The department is supporting its schools and colleges to keep any disruption to education to an absolute minimum. Every school or college with confirmed RAAC is assigned dedicated support from the department’s team of caseworkers. Each case is unique and schools and colleges are being supported to put in place a bespoke plan based on their circumstances. All schools and colleges with confirmed RAAC are providing full time face-to-face education for all pupils.
The government has confirmed to schools and colleges, including those in Enfield North, how it will fund them to remove RAAC permanently, either through grants or through the school rebuilding programme (SRP). The longer-term requirements of each school or college will vary depending on the extent of the issue and nature and design of the buildings. Permanently removing RAAC may involve refurbishment of existing buildings or rebuilding affected buildings.
Schools joining the SRP are prioritised for delivery according to the condition need of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. The department also takes into account the suitability and longevity of the temporary accommodation they are using. The department has committed to responsible bodies that it will confirm when works are expected to start by the end of the summer term.
For schools and colleges receiving grants, the department is working with responsible bodies to support them to agree the scope of works they are procuring. In some cases, this may involve undertaking technical assessments to inform the design of building works and in other cases the removal or RAAC is already underway and will be completed in the coming months.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in Enfield North constituency.
Answered by Damian Hinds
There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England and the vast majority are unaffected by RAAC. Around 1% have confirmed RAAC in some areas of their buildings. There are two schools with confirmed RAAC in the constituency of Enfield North: Ark John Keats Academy and St Ignatius College.
The department is supporting its schools and colleges to keep any disruption to education to an absolute minimum. Every school or college with confirmed RAAC is assigned dedicated support from the department’s team of caseworkers. Each case is unique and schools and colleges are being supported to put in place a bespoke plan based on their circumstances. All schools and colleges with confirmed RAAC are providing full time face-to-face education for all pupils.
The government has confirmed to schools and colleges, including those in Enfield North, how it will fund them to remove RAAC permanently, either through grants or through the school rebuilding programme (SRP). The longer-term requirements of each school or college will vary depending on the extent of the issue and nature and design of the buildings. Permanently removing RAAC may involve refurbishment of existing buildings or rebuilding affected buildings.
Schools joining the SRP are prioritised for delivery according to the condition need of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. The department also takes into account the suitability and longevity of the temporary accommodation they are using. The department has committed to responsible bodies that it will confirm when works are expected to start by the end of the summer term.
For schools and colleges receiving grants, the department is working with responsible bodies to support them to agree the scope of works they are procuring. In some cases, this may involve undertaking technical assessments to inform the design of building works and in other cases the removal or RAAC is already underway and will be completed in the coming months.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on regarding knife crime.
Answered by David Johnston
The department does not hold data on how many weapons have been seized in schools.
The statutory ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE) guidance advises schools on creating safe environments. KCSIE is clear that all staff should have an awareness of safeguarding issues that can put children at risk of harm. The ‘Searching, Screening and Confiscation’ Guidance was updated in 2022 to emphasise the importance of the school duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils and staff. Headteachers, and the staff they authorise, have a statutory power to search a pupil or their possessions, where they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the pupil may have a prohibited item, such as knives or weapons, and confiscate such items.
The department works across government, and with other partners, on initiatives to prevent serious violence, including knife crime. Over £50 million has been made available to fund specialist support in mainstream and alternative provision schools in the areas where serious violence most affects children and communities. This includes SAFE (‘Support, Attend, Fulfil, Exceed’) taskforces that have been established in ten areas, reaching over 2,100 children as of September 2023. Taskforces are school-led partnerships investing in evidence-based interventions in and around school, such as mentoring and social skills training, that reach children early on, to re-engage them in their education and reduce their involvement in serious violence. To benefit areas outside of the programme, the department has published a supportive guide on school-based interventions, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-taskforces.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with Ofsted on guidance for schools on knife crime.
Answered by David Johnston
The department does not hold data on how many weapons have been seized in schools.
The statutory ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE) guidance advises schools on creating safe environments. KCSIE is clear that all staff should have an awareness of safeguarding issues that can put children at risk of harm. The ‘Searching, Screening and Confiscation’ Guidance was updated in 2022 to emphasise the importance of the school duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils and staff. Headteachers, and the staff they authorise, have a statutory power to search a pupil or their possessions, where they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the pupil may have a prohibited item, such as knives or weapons, and confiscate such items.
The department works across government, and with other partners, on initiatives to prevent serious violence, including knife crime. Over £50 million has been made available to fund specialist support in mainstream and alternative provision schools in the areas where serious violence most affects children and communities. This includes SAFE (‘Support, Attend, Fulfil, Exceed’) taskforces that have been established in ten areas, reaching over 2,100 children as of September 2023. Taskforces are school-led partnerships investing in evidence-based interventions in and around school, such as mentoring and social skills training, that reach children early on, to re-engage them in their education and reduce their involvement in serious violence. To benefit areas outside of the programme, the department has published a supportive guide on school-based interventions, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-taskforces.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of guidance for schools on knife crime.
Answered by David Johnston
The department does not hold data on how many weapons have been seized in schools.
The statutory ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE) guidance advises schools on creating safe environments. KCSIE is clear that all staff should have an awareness of safeguarding issues that can put children at risk of harm. The ‘Searching, Screening and Confiscation’ Guidance was updated in 2022 to emphasise the importance of the school duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils and staff. Headteachers, and the staff they authorise, have a statutory power to search a pupil or their possessions, where they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the pupil may have a prohibited item, such as knives or weapons, and confiscate such items.
The department works across government, and with other partners, on initiatives to prevent serious violence, including knife crime. Over £50 million has been made available to fund specialist support in mainstream and alternative provision schools in the areas where serious violence most affects children and communities. This includes SAFE (‘Support, Attend, Fulfil, Exceed’) taskforces that have been established in ten areas, reaching over 2,100 children as of September 2023. Taskforces are school-led partnerships investing in evidence-based interventions in and around school, such as mentoring and social skills training, that reach children early on, to re-engage them in their education and reduce their involvement in serious violence. To benefit areas outside of the programme, the department has published a supportive guide on school-based interventions, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-taskforces.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many weapons were seized in schools in England in (a) 2018 and (b) 2023.
Answered by David Johnston
The department does not hold data on how many weapons have been seized in schools.
The statutory ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE) guidance advises schools on creating safe environments. KCSIE is clear that all staff should have an awareness of safeguarding issues that can put children at risk of harm. The ‘Searching, Screening and Confiscation’ Guidance was updated in 2022 to emphasise the importance of the school duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils and staff. Headteachers, and the staff they authorise, have a statutory power to search a pupil or their possessions, where they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the pupil may have a prohibited item, such as knives or weapons, and confiscate such items.
The department works across government, and with other partners, on initiatives to prevent serious violence, including knife crime. Over £50 million has been made available to fund specialist support in mainstream and alternative provision schools in the areas where serious violence most affects children and communities. This includes SAFE (‘Support, Attend, Fulfil, Exceed’) taskforces that have been established in ten areas, reaching over 2,100 children as of September 2023. Taskforces are school-led partnerships investing in evidence-based interventions in and around school, such as mentoring and social skills training, that reach children early on, to re-engage them in their education and reduce their involvement in serious violence. To benefit areas outside of the programme, the department has published a supportive guide on school-based interventions, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-taskforces.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has plans to update guidance for schools on knife crime.
Answered by David Johnston
The department does not hold data on how many weapons have been seized in schools.
The statutory ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE) guidance advises schools on creating safe environments. KCSIE is clear that all staff should have an awareness of safeguarding issues that can put children at risk of harm. The ‘Searching, Screening and Confiscation’ Guidance was updated in 2022 to emphasise the importance of the school duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils and staff. Headteachers, and the staff they authorise, have a statutory power to search a pupil or their possessions, where they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the pupil may have a prohibited item, such as knives or weapons, and confiscate such items.
The department works across government, and with other partners, on initiatives to prevent serious violence, including knife crime. Over £50 million has been made available to fund specialist support in mainstream and alternative provision schools in the areas where serious violence most affects children and communities. This includes SAFE (‘Support, Attend, Fulfil, Exceed’) taskforces that have been established in ten areas, reaching over 2,100 children as of September 2023. Taskforces are school-led partnerships investing in evidence-based interventions in and around school, such as mentoring and social skills training, that reach children early on, to re-engage them in their education and reduce their involvement in serious violence. To benefit areas outside of the programme, the department has published a supportive guide on school-based interventions, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-taskforces.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the incidence of knife crime on school premises.
Answered by David Johnston
The department does not hold data on how many weapons have been seized in schools.
The statutory ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE) guidance advises schools on creating safe environments. KCSIE is clear that all staff should have an awareness of safeguarding issues that can put children at risk of harm. The ‘Searching, Screening and Confiscation’ Guidance was updated in 2022 to emphasise the importance of the school duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils and staff. Headteachers, and the staff they authorise, have a statutory power to search a pupil or their possessions, where they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the pupil may have a prohibited item, such as knives or weapons, and confiscate such items.
The department works across government, and with other partners, on initiatives to prevent serious violence, including knife crime. Over £50 million has been made available to fund specialist support in mainstream and alternative provision schools in the areas where serious violence most affects children and communities. This includes SAFE (‘Support, Attend, Fulfil, Exceed’) taskforces that have been established in ten areas, reaching over 2,100 children as of September 2023. Taskforces are school-led partnerships investing in evidence-based interventions in and around school, such as mentoring and social skills training, that reach children early on, to re-engage them in their education and reduce their involvement in serious violence. To benefit areas outside of the programme, the department has published a supportive guide on school-based interventions, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safe-taskforces.