Asked by: Liz Kendall (Labour - Leicester West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people of each gender work in her Department.
Answered by Nick Gibb
As at 31 December 2015, there were 1468 men and 2026 women working in the Department for Education.
Asked by: Liz Kendall (Labour - Leicester West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the disparity in reading ability between different socio-economic groups at age four in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The government is committed to improving education to make sure that children from all backgrounds have the skills necessary to succeed in life. The early years curriculum sets out the key areas that early years providers must follow. This includes a focus on literacy, communication and language. We have introduced Early Years Teachers who are expected to meet the same entry and qualification requirements as teachers of older children. We have also introduced a robust set of standards for Early Years Educator (EYE) qualifications (A Level standard) and, from September 2014, EYEs operating in the workforce at level 3 are required to hold GSCE English and maths at grade C or above.
The information requested is not available. The department does not collect data on the socio economic background of parents of 4-year-olds.
However, reception teachers must complete the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) in the final term of the year in which the child reaches age five. Teachers must assess whether children are at the expected level, above it, or below it in relation to each of 17 early learning goals. They must also complete a short assessment of each child’s skills and abilities against three characteristics of effective learning. The EYFSP results are published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-results-2013-to-2014
Asked by: Liz Kendall (Labour - Leicester West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of early years educators qualified to Level 6 were working with children aged (a) two, (b) three and (c) four in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Department for Education does not hold the data you have requested. However, the Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey 2013 includes data on the proportion of staff qualified to level 3 and level 6 in childcare settings. The survey can be found online here at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2013
The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework requires the manager of group nursery settings to be qualified to at least level 3.
Asked by: Liz Kendall (Labour - Leicester West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of early years educators qualified to level 3 were working with children aged (a) two, (b) three and (c) four in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The Department for Education does not hold the data you have requested. However, the Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey 2013 includes data on the proportion of staff qualified to level 3 and level 6 in childcare settings. The survey can be found online here at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/childcare-and-early-years-providers-survey-2013
The Early Years Foundation Stage Framework requires the manager of group nursery settings to be qualified to at least level 3.