Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to reduce salt content in school meals.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The School Food Standards severely restrict foods high in salt. Foods high in salt are included in Schedule 3 of the School Food Standards, which came into effect this January. The standards are available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1603/pdfs/uksi_20141603_en.pdf
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has issued guidance to nursery and primary schools on the installation of wi-fi in classrooms.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Secretary of State for Education has not discussed this matter with her French counterpart and no discussion is currently planned.
The Department for Educaiton has not issued guidance to nursery and primary schools on the installation of wi-fi in classrooms. The department provides advice to schools on health and safety, and it is for individual schools to decide whether or not to implement wi-fi technology in order to meet their needs. Public Health England leads on this issue and has advised that it sees no reason why schools should not use wi-fi equipment. Schools must take reasonable steps to ensure that staff and pupils are not exposed to health and safety risks by conducting a risk assessment and, if necessary, putting measures in place to minimise any known risk.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has discussed or plans to discuss with her French counterpart the banning of wi-fi signals in nursery and primary schools in France; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Secretary of State for Education has not discussed this matter with her French counterpart and no discussion is currently planned.
The Department for Educaiton has not issued guidance to nursery and primary schools on the installation of wi-fi in classrooms. The department provides advice to schools on health and safety, and it is for individual schools to decide whether or not to implement wi-fi technology in order to meet their needs. Public Health England leads on this issue and has advised that it sees no reason why schools should not use wi-fi equipment. Schools must take reasonable steps to ensure that staff and pupils are not exposed to health and safety risks by conducting a risk assessment and, if necessary, putting measures in place to minimise any known risk.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will include animal welfare in the school curriculum.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The new primary science curriculum, introduced from September 2014, focuses on the essential scientific knowledge that young people need to be educated citizens and provides opportunities for pupils to be taught about animal welfare.
It teaches primary pupils about the requirements for animals to survive, including appropriate habitat, food, water and air. Subjects such as Citizenship and Personal, Social, Health and Economic education also provide opportunities for pupils to learn about animal welfare and teachers are free to decide what further activities they offer on this topic.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that all teachers receive training in how to recognise and deal with bullying in schools; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Gibb
All bullying is insidious and there can be no place for it in our schools. In recognition of this, the Government is funding a number of initiatives to help schools tackle bullying. The Department for Education is currently providing £4million to anti-bullying organisations to help tackle bullying in schools and, in conjunction with the Government Equalities Office, we recently announced a new £2million fund to support projects which specifically tackle homophobic bullying. We have also produced case studies and advice to help schools understand how best to identify and prevent bullying, and support children who are being bullied.
Teachers play a critical role in tackling bullying, and ensuring the safety of their pupils. The Teachers’ Standards, which must be met by all those awarded qualified teacher status (QTS), and which inform teachers’ annual appraisals, require teachers to “establish a safe and stimulating environment for students, rooted in mutual respect”. Teachers must also “manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment”. Providers of initial teacher training, headteachers and teachers themselves are best placed to determine the types of training and development that will help teachers to meet the standards, responding to their particular local circumstances.