Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what reports he has received on Limehurst Primary School's partnership with China and its recent award from the British Council; and whether Opportunity Area Funding for that partnership will be (a) maintained or (b) increased.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
I congratulate Limehurst Primary School on its receipt of the British Council International School Award and on its successful partnership with the Youfu Primary School, in Nanjing. The government attaches great importance to international education links and partnerships for the language and cultural benefits they bring.
The school’s partnership with Youfu Primary School pre-dates the Opportunity Area programme, but it clearly shares our determination to broaden the horizons of children in areas such as Royton. We hope that more schools in Opportunity Areas will take advantage of the International School Award and other school linking programmes that bring an international outlook and enrich children’s knowledge.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether a community cohesion impact assessment was made before approving the opening of new independent schools in Oldham.
Answered by Anne Milton
The only basis for the registration of a new independent school is whether, upon registration, it is likely to meet the independent school standards. If the Secretary of State is satisfied that it will do so, then the school must be registered. However, the standards do include a requirement that the school ensures that pupils understand how they can contribute positively to the lives of those living and working in the locality in which the school is situated, and to society more widely. There are also other relevant standards such as those relevant to tolerance for people of other faiths and beliefs.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the value of capital investment in academies, free schools and university technical colleges has been in each year from 2010.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The majority of the Department’s capital budget is allocated to local councils and other responsible bodies through basic need and school condition allocations, with decisions on investment taken locally. The Department’s total capital budget for education – which includes investment in all types of school – in each year since 2010-11 is set out below.
Table 1: Department for Education capital spend, 2010-11 to 2016-17, £ billions
2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 |
7.1 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 5.7 |
Sources:
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department allocated for English for speakers of other languages lessons for each Greater Manchester authority in each year from 2010.
Answered by Anne Milton
Funding allocations are not split by the type of provision they are intended to provide.
Instead, each training provider is allocated an Adult Education Budget which they are entitiled to use for skills they wish to invest in and develop.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much has been written-off by her Department as a result of over-payments to academies and free schools which have since closed.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
For 2016-17 and 2017-18 approval has been granted to write off £818,476 in over payments for closed academies and free schools.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what future capital funding the Government plans to provide for Oldham College.
Answered by Anne Milton
The Department for Communities and Local Government are responsible for Growth Deals with the Local Enterprise Partnerships. This includes the provision of Local Growth Funding to support capital investment for Further Education colleges in England.
The Government has awarded £663.4m to Greater Manchester through three rounds of Growth Deals. This is to invest in local priorities, including improving its Further Education estate from 2015 to 2021.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to publish the internal audit reports carried out by the Education and Skills Funding Agency on the Collective Spirit Free School, Oldham.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) does not intend to publish the report. As part of routine business, the ESFA carried out a fact finding review in August 2016 at Collective Spirit Free School. In accordance with published policy, these routine reports are not released.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of per pupil spending in Oldham in each year from 2010 to date.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Information about all school funding allocations is published annually by the Department. Details of Dedicated Schools Grant allocations are available:
2016 to 2017 | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2016-to-2017 |
2015 to 2016 | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2015-to-2016 |
2014 to 2015 | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-2014-to-2015 |
2013 to 2014 | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-2013-to-2014 |
2012 to 2013 | |
2011 to 2012 | |
2010 to 2011 |
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Early Years Workforce Strategy, published in march 2017, what progress her Department has made on plans to conduct a feasibility study on the development of a programme to grow the graduate workforce in Opportunity areas.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
We are considering a range of approaches to increasing the number of graduates employed in the early years sector, but work is still underway. We will engage the sector in exploring ways to target support where it is most needed. We continue to support graduates into the sector through our funding of the Early Years Initial Teacher Training programme, including bursaries and employer incentives.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West and Royton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department monitors particular schools for gender segregation.
Answered by Anne Milton
As part of Ofsted school inspections, inspectors consider how well leaders and governors promote all forms of equality and how well the school prepares pupils positively for life in modern Britain.
In April 2016, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills wrote to my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, making clear that where inspectors identify any form of segregation in a mixed school, without a good educational reason, this would likely lead to an inadequate judgement for the school’s leadership and management. This is consistent with the Department’s longstanding position that mixed schools should only separate children by gender in limited circumstances where this can be justified and where they can demonstrate that no pupil is disadvantaged by virtue of their gender.
The recent case of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills –v- The Interim Executive Board of Al-Hijrah School has clarified the law in a way which supports that position.
It will be for any other schools affected by the judgment to decide what action they might need to take in the light of the judgment. The Department will work with any affected schools to help them comply with the law.