Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
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 meeting the aims of Save the Children's Read on. Get on. campaign.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The government is committed to eliminating illiteracy so that all children are equipped to succeed in education, and in life. We welcome the ‘Read On. Get On.’ campaign and its goal to get all children reading well by 2025.
We have placed phonics at the heart of the early teaching of reading, and this is reflected in the reformed national curriculum. A large body of research evidence shows that systematic phonics is the most effective method for teaching literacy for all children. The proportion of 6-year-olds achieving the expected standards in the phonics screening check has risen from 58% to 74% between 2012 and 2014. That is equivalent to 102,000 more children on track to become confident readers. We recently announced funding for eight school-led phonics partnerships in which schools will work together to improve further the quality of phonics teaching.
In relation to early years, we have introduced ‘early years teachers’ and put in place robust standards for level 3 (A Level standard) Early Years Educator qualifications. We have allocated over £50 million for the early years pupil premium and provided an additional £10 million to voluntary organisations and schools. We know many are using the funding for literacy, communication and language development.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to tackle regional discrepancies in primary age reading levels.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The government is committed to eliminating illiteracy so that all children are equipped to succeed in education and in life. The national curriculum for English introduced last year places a renewed focus on the requirement for pupils to learn to read through systematic phonics, as evidence shows this is the most effective approach to teaching early reading to all children. We believe poor reading outcomes in all parts of the country are best addressed through the implementation of the national curriculum and the other steps we have taken to improve literacy levels for all children.
To boost the quality of phonics teaching, we have provided £23.7 million in match funding to over 14,000 primary schools, enabling them to buy systematic synthetic phonics products and training. A phonics screening check has also been introduced to help teachers identify children who may need extra support to develop their phonic knowledge. The proportion of 6-year-olds achieving the expected standards in the phonics screening check has risen from 58% to 74% between 2012 and 2014. That is equivalent to 102,000 more children reading more effectively than in 2012.
The 2014 Key Stage 2 results show that the percentage of pupils reaching or exceeding the expected standard in reading at the end of primary school increased by three percentage points from 2013, to 89%.
For pupils who do not reach the expected level in reading by the end of primary school, we have introduced the year 7 literacy and numeracy Catch-up Premium. This funding – £500 per pupil – enables secondary schools to deliver additional support for those pupils that most need it.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in (a) West Yorkshire, (b) Leeds and (c) Leeds North West constituency leave primary education with (i) reading, (ii) writing and (iii) mathematics each graded at (A) Level 1, (B) Level 2, (C) Level 3, (D) Level 4, (E) Level 5 and (f) Level 6.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The numbers of pupils attaining levels 1 to 6 in the reading test, writing teacher assessment and mathematics test at key stage 2 for West Yorkshire[1], Leeds local authority (LA), and Leeds North West constituency[2] in 2013/14[3] are shown in the tables below:
Reading test[4] | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6 |
West Yorkshire | - | - | 1,886 | 10,402 | 11,327 | 29 |
Leeds LA | - | - | 539 | 3,198 | 3,492 | 9 |
Leeds North West Constituency | - | - | 34 | 251 | 318 | Supp |
Writing teacher assessment | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6 |
West Yorkshire | 162 | 699 | 3,197 | 13,760 | 6,968 | 266 |
Leeds LA | 45 | 198 | 971 | 4,073 | 2,260 | 75 |
Leeds North West Constituency | 3 | 15 | 63 | 331 | 219 | Supp |
Maths test[5] | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | Level 6 |
West Yorkshire | - | 130 | 2,738 | 11,573 | 7,782 | 1,857 |
Leeds LA | - | 34 | 826 | 3,441 | 2,431 | 598 |
Leeds North West Constituency | - | 0 | 52 | 274 | 221 | 68 |
Source: Primary school performance tables
Note: The data has been suppressed if the number of pupils who entered or passed the qualification was three or fewer, denoted by ‘Supp’.
[1] Includes Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield local authorities
[2] Based on the location of the school
[3] Based on revised data
[4] Only 3,4,5 and 6 can be achieved in the KS2 reading test
[5] Only levels 2,3,4,5 and 6 can be achieved in the KS2 mathematics test
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support primary school pupils from the poorest families; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
We are determined to ensure that every child, regardless of background, is given an education which allows them to fulfil their potential. As part of a Conservative Party manifesto commitment from the 2010 election we invested an extra £6.25 billion in schools through the pupil premium from 2011-12 to 2014-15 to help raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils, including a higher rate of per-pupil funding for primary-aged pupils since April 2014.
The latest key stage 2 results are positive: at age 11 disadvantaged pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics increased by five percentage points to 67% between 2012 and 2014, and the gap with their better-off peers narrowed.
Worth £2.5bn this year, this Government is committed to providing the pupil premium so schools receive additional money for their most disadvantaged pupils. Decisions on school funding beyond the financial year 2015-16 will be made as part of the forthcoming spending review.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many child adopters have been recruited by adoption agencies in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) West Yorkshire, (d) Leeds and (e) Leeds North West constituency in each of the last five years.
Answered by Edward Timpson
Figures relating to adoptions and adopters in England are published in the Adoption Leadership Board (ALB) agency level data, which can be found online is available online at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/adoption-leadership-board-quarterly-data-reports
The ‘Adopters LA’ and ‘Adopters VAA’ tables provide the number of adopters approved through local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies in quarters 1 to 3 2014-15.
Prior to 2014-15, data on the number of adopters approved in England were published in the Ofsted adoption annual dataset at the following links:
www.gov.uk/government/statistics/adoption-agencies-data-in-england-1-april-2013-to-31-march-2014
www.gov.uk/government/statistics/adoption-agencies-in-england-1-april-2012-to-31-march-2013
Figures for local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies can be found in Table B2 (Question B2.6) for 2013-14, and ‘Section B’ (Question B2.5) for 2012-13.
Figures are not available prior to 2012-13.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding she has made available to support child adoption; and how much of that funding was allocated in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) West Yorkshire, (d) Leeds and (e) Leeds North West constituency in each of the last five years.
Answered by Edward Timpson
Local authorities in England fund children’s services, including the adoption process, out of their local government finance settlement from the Department for Communities and Local Government.
The Department for Education gave local authorities in England an additional £200 million over 2013-15 to support adoption, including improving adopter recruitment. Allocations of the Adoption Reform Grant (ARG) for local authorities in West Yorkshire are as follows:
LOCAL AUTHORITY | ARG 2013-2014 | ARG 2014-15 |
Bradford | £1,973,269 | £626,815 |
Calderdale | £641,539 | £191,581 |
Kirklees | £1,422,328 | £412,544 |
Leeds | £2,633,222 | £649,936 |
Wakefield | £914,746 | £273,078 |
Total | £7,585,104 | £2,153,954 |
The department has also made available £17 million over 2013-16 to help Voluntary Adoption Agencies recruit and approve more adopters, including those who can meet the needs of harder to place children, and address sector-wide adopter recruitment issues.
In 2015-16, £4.5 million will be given to local authorities to combine their adoption functions by creating regional adoption agencies which will provide access to a wider pool of adopters.
In 2015-17, £30 million will be given to local authorities to cover the cost of commissioning other agencies to find adoptive parents for hard to place children.
Information is only available on funding in England.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding is received per pupil in (a) Leeds North West constituency and (b) West Yorkshire.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
Information on SBUFs for all LAs and regions for financial year 2015 to 2016 can be found at this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2015-to-2016
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish on her Department's website the guidance she has issued to headteachers on tackling extremism.
Answered by Edward Timpson
The Department for Education published advice for schools and childcare providers on the Prevent duty on 1 July 2015 to coincide with the coming into force of the duty. The duty requires specified authorities, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.
The advice is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-safeguarding-advice-for-schools-and-childcare-providers
The government also published a briefing note for schools on 1 July with regards to how social media is being used by extremist groups to encourage young people to travel to Syria and Iraq. It makes clear that every teacher should be aware of the risks posed by the online activity of extremist and terrorist groups and be vigilant of the signs of radicalisation.
Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-use-of-social-media-for-online-radicalisation
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of (a) head teachers and (b) deputy head teachers are Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic.
Answered by Nick Gibb
This information is publicly available in Table 5 of the School Workforce in England Statistical First Release, November 2014 at the following weblink:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/school-workforce-in-england-november-2014
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of special needs support for pupils with Batten disease.
Answered by Edward Timpson
The Department for Education has received no representations from parents or representatives of pupils with Batten disease.
Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 introduced a new duty to support pupils at school with medical conditions and to have regard to statutory guidance. It applies to governing bodies of maintained schools, proprietors of academies (excluding 16–19 academies) and management committees of pupil referral units. The statutory guidance, published in September 2014, can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3
The guidance covers a range of areas including the preparation and implementation of school policies for supporting pupils with medical conditions, the use of individual healthcare plans, staff training, administration of medicines, consulting with parents and collaborative working with healthcare professionals.
Local authorities have a duty to arrange education for children of compulsory school age who would not receive suitable education for any reason, including illness. In carrying out this duty, the department has issued statutory guidance to which local authorities must refer: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alternative-provision
Guidance on identifying and supporting children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) is given in the SEN and Disability Code of Practice: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
Schools have a statutory duty to use their best endeavours to ensure that children with special educational needs get the help they need. Even where a child does not have a Statement of SEN or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, schools still have legal duties to meet pupils’ special educational needs. Where a pupil is identified as having special educational needs, schools should take action to remove barriers to learning and put effective provision in place. In addition, the Children and Families Act 2014 places a legal duty on schools to have in place arrangements to support children with health conditions.