Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of trends in the number of teachers for the deaf.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Minister (Equalities)
On 29 March 2022, the department published the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision Green Paper, which set out our plans to improve the experience and outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with Sensory Impairment.
The department carefully considered all the feedback received through the thousands of responses to the consultation and in the many events that took place during the 16-week consultation period. A full response was published on 2 March 2023, in the SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the gap in educational attainment between (a) deaf and (b) other children.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Shadow Minister (Equalities)
In the Schools White Paper, published March 2022, the department set clear ambitions for 90% of all children to leave primary school having achieved the expected standard in Key Stage 2 reading, writing and mathematics, and that in secondary schools, the national GCSE average grade in both English language and in mathematics will increase from 4.5 in 2019 to 5 by 2030.
The department is confident that the policies set out in the White Paper will have a significant impact on improving literacy and numeracy at both KS2 and GCSE. The White Paper marked the start of a journey towards these targets.
The department knows that children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are disproportionately represented in those cohorts not meeting expected standards. If we are going to achieve our 90% and grade 5 targets by 2030 it is vital that we ensure pupils of all characteristics and backgrounds are making progress.
On 29 March 2022, we published the SEND and Alternative Provision Green Paper, which set out our plans to improve the experience and outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with Sensory Impairment, within a fairer and financially sustainable system. We are now carefully considering the feedback we received through the thousands of responses to the consultation and in the many events that took place during the 16-week consultation period. We will publish a full response in an Improvement Plan imminently.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2022 to Question 37614 on Schools: Buildings, which schools had at least one construction element in condition grade (a) C and (b) D in Brighton Kemptown constituency when that data was collated; and which of those schools (i) have received and (ii) expect to receive in the next two years funding from the School Rebuilding Programme.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Condition Data Collection (CDC) is one of the largest and most comprehensive data collection programmes in the UK’s public sector. It collected data on the building condition of government funded schools in England. It provides a robust evidence base to enable the Department to target capital funding for maintaining and rebuilding school buildings.
The key, high level findings of the CDC programme were published in May 2021 in the ‘Condition of School Buildings Survey: Key Findings’ report. This is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/989912/Condition_of_School_Buildings_Survey_CDC1_-_key_findings_report.pdf.
Individual CDC reports have been shared with every school and their responsible body to use alongside their existing condition surveys to plan maintenance schedules and investment plans. The Department plans to publish detailed school level CDC data. The Department is still preparing the data and will publish it as soon as possible.
Well maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the Department. Our funding is directed both to maintaining the condition of the school estate and rebuilding schools. The Department has allocated over £13 billion for improving the condition of schools since 2015, including £1.8 billion committed this financial year.
The ten year School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) is condition led. 400 of the 500 available places on the programme have been provisionally allocated. A list of these schools and the methodology used to select them is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.
Of the 400 so far selected, none are in Birkenhead or Brighton Kemptown constituencies.
The 239 schools announced in December 2022 will enter delivery at a rate of approximately 50 per year, over a five year period from 2023. The Department is currently undertaking due diligence on these schools prior to scheduling them, with schools prioritised according to the condition of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. The scope and funding for each project will be confirmed following detailed feasibility studies and condition surveys of buildings.
Where a school identifies significant safety issues with a building, that cannot be managed within local resources, the Department considers additional support on a case-by-case basis. This includes applications for Urgent Capital Support (UCS) from eligible institutions. Schools eligible for Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) can apply for UCS where there are urgent health and safety issues that threaten school closure and cannot wait until the next CIF bidding round.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make a comparative assessment of the equity of labour laws for children (a) working in the film industry and (b) who are influencers making money from online posts.
Answered by Jonathan Gullis
A child performance licence is required for any live broadcast, including internet streaming, or a performance recorded with a view to broadcast or public exhibition. It does not matter whether or not the child is being paid for that performance or whether it is a professional or amateur. It is also required for any performance for which a charge is made, either for admission or otherwise. This does not extend to user generated content e.g. where a child or their family record themselves and share it on a website or social media.
If a child influencer was live streaming, then they should have a performance licence. Equally, if a child film star or their parents recorded them on set and shared it on their social media (even promotionally) then they would not. Both industries are subject to the same legislation in the same way. It is likely that child influencers are more likely to fall into the category of self/ family generated recorded content. This may not always be the case, particularly where the content is being sponsored by a third party, so each situation would need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the ratio is of desks to staff in his Department.
Answered by Michelle Donelan
I refer the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown to the answer I gave on 17 May 2022 to Question 434.
The department’s staff are spending plenty of time in the office working together, building professional connections and promoting innovation, but we are also giving flexibility where that helps people work more effectively.
That’s why on 27 April 2022, the department asked its staff to start by looking at spending 80% of their working time in the office – including visits to schools, colleges or other sites – alongside the flexibility for managers to adjust that to between 60% and 80%, if that works better for them and the work the department does. These arrangements can include even more flexibility to support caring responsibilities or health concerns. This approach also recognises that there are a wide range of reasons, beyond flexible working, why not all our staff need desks at any given time, this includes annual leave and reasonable adjustments that allow people to work remotely where necessary
This is an approach that fits with the amount of desk space that the department has, gives the department full and vibrant offices, but also retains flexibility to work in different ways when needed. This is positive for our business and staff, and positive for the children and learners we serve every day.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding his Department provides to train teachers and schools to help ensure they can deliver consistent, high quality sexual health education within relationship and sex education lessons.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department wants to support all young people to lead happy, healthy and safe lives and to foster respect for other people and for difference. That is why we made the Relationships Education (RE) (for primary school pupils), Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) (for secondary school pupils) and Health Education (for all pupils in state-funded schools) compulsory subjects from September 2020.
In primary schools, age-appropriate RE includes supporting children to learn about what healthy relationships are and their importance, as well as how to develop mutually respectful relationships in all contexts, including online. This is intended to provide a foundation for RSE at secondary school.
In secondary schools, RE broadens to become age-appropriate RSE and will include factual knowledge around sex, sexual health, and sexuality, set firmly within the context of relationships. The relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance advises schools to be alive to issues such as sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and gender stereotypes, and to take positive action to tackle these issues. It should cover contraception, sexually transmitted infections, developing intimate relationships and resisting pressure to have sex. We expect young people to learn what a positive, healthy relationship can look like, about consent and how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. The guidance is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
The statutory guidance is intended to help teachers deliver these subjects consistently to a high quality and with confidence. Pupils should learn about how all aspects of health can be affected by choices they make in sex and relationships, positively or negatively, such as physical, emotional, mental, sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing.
The ‘Intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health’ topic specifies that by the end of secondary school pupils should know how the different sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, are transmitted, how risk can be reduced through safer sex and the importance of and facts about testing. Pupils are also taught about HIV/AIDS at key stages 3 and 4 of the science curriculum.
To support teachers to deliver these topics safely and with confidence we have produced RSHE teacher training modules, available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health. At the beginning of each module the school is encouraged to name the appropriate lead for the topic in school, any relevant policies, specialist support available locally and additional information.
The department also funded the delivery of a train the trainer and peer support programme to schools from April 2020 to July 2021. The programme reached 4,800 schools.
Schools are free to determine how they use the core funding allocated to them, including investing in RSHE training for teachers. To support schools specifically with the implementation of the RSHE curriculum, we invested over £3 million in an additional package of support for RSHE over three years (financial years 2019/20 to 2021/22) after consultation with teachers over their support needs.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure consistent and high-quality teaching on HIV in schools across England.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department wants to support all young people to lead happy, healthy and safe lives and to foster respect for other people and for difference. That is why we made the Relationships Education (RE) (for primary school pupils), Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) (for secondary school pupils) and Health Education (for all pupils in state-funded schools) compulsory subjects from September 2020.
In primary schools, age-appropriate RE includes supporting children to learn about what healthy relationships are and their importance, as well as how to develop mutually respectful relationships in all contexts, including online. This is intended to provide a foundation for RSE at secondary school.
In secondary schools, RE broadens to become age-appropriate RSE and will include factual knowledge around sex, sexual health, and sexuality, set firmly within the context of relationships. The relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance advises schools to be alive to issues such as sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and gender stereotypes, and to take positive action to tackle these issues. It should cover contraception, sexually transmitted infections, developing intimate relationships and resisting pressure to have sex. We expect young people to learn what a positive, healthy relationship can look like, about consent and how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. The guidance is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
The statutory guidance is intended to help teachers deliver these subjects consistently to a high quality and with confidence. Pupils should learn about how all aspects of health can be affected by choices they make in sex and relationships, positively or negatively, such as physical, emotional, mental, sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing.
The ‘Intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health’ topic specifies that by the end of secondary school pupils should know how the different sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, are transmitted, how risk can be reduced through safer sex and the importance of and facts about testing. Pupils are also taught about HIV/AIDS at key stages 3 and 4 of the science curriculum.
To support teachers to deliver these topics safely and with confidence we have produced RSHE teacher training modules, available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health. At the beginning of each module the school is encouraged to name the appropriate lead for the topic in school, any relevant policies, specialist support available locally and additional information.
The department also funded the delivery of a train the trainer and peer support programme to schools from April 2020 to July 2021. The programme reached 4,800 schools.
Schools are free to determine how they use the core funding allocated to them, including investing in RSHE training for teachers. To support schools specifically with the implementation of the RSHE curriculum, we invested over £3 million in an additional package of support for RSHE over three years (financial years 2019/20 to 2021/22) after consultation with teachers over their support needs.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure consistent and high-quality teaching on sexual health in schools across England.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department wants to support all young people to lead happy, healthy and safe lives and to foster respect for other people and for difference. That is why we made the Relationships Education (RE) (for primary school pupils), Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) (for secondary school pupils) and Health Education (for all pupils in state-funded schools) compulsory subjects from September 2020.
In primary schools, age-appropriate RE includes supporting children to learn about what healthy relationships are and their importance, as well as how to develop mutually respectful relationships in all contexts, including online. This is intended to provide a foundation for RSE at secondary school.
In secondary schools, RE broadens to become age-appropriate RSE and will include factual knowledge around sex, sexual health, and sexuality, set firmly within the context of relationships. The relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance advises schools to be alive to issues such as sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and gender stereotypes, and to take positive action to tackle these issues. It should cover contraception, sexually transmitted infections, developing intimate relationships and resisting pressure to have sex. We expect young people to learn what a positive, healthy relationship can look like, about consent and how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. The guidance is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
The statutory guidance is intended to help teachers deliver these subjects consistently to a high quality and with confidence. Pupils should learn about how all aspects of health can be affected by choices they make in sex and relationships, positively or negatively, such as physical, emotional, mental, sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing.
The ‘Intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health’ topic specifies that by the end of secondary school pupils should know how the different sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, are transmitted, how risk can be reduced through safer sex and the importance of and facts about testing. Pupils are also taught about HIV/AIDS at key stages 3 and 4 of the science curriculum.
To support teachers to deliver these topics safely and with confidence we have produced RSHE teacher training modules, available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health. At the beginning of each module the school is encouraged to name the appropriate lead for the topic in school, any relevant policies, specialist support available locally and additional information.
The department also funded the delivery of a train the trainer and peer support programme to schools from April 2020 to July 2021. The programme reached 4,800 schools.
Schools are free to determine how they use the core funding allocated to them, including investing in RSHE training for teachers. To support schools specifically with the implementation of the RSHE curriculum, we invested over £3 million in an additional package of support for RSHE over three years (financial years 2019/20 to 2021/22) after consultation with teachers over their support needs.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help educate school children on access to sexual health services.
Answered by Robin Walker
The department made relationships education (for primary school pupils), relationships and sex education (for secondary school pupils) and health education (for all pupils in state-funded schools) compulsory subjects from September 2020.
The relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance is intended to help teachers deliver these subjects consistently to a high quality and with confidence, and is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education. Pupils should learn about how all aspects of health can be affected by choices they make in sex and relationships, positively or negatively, for example physical, emotional, mental, sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing. The statutory content is explicit about reproductive health, including fertility and sexually transmitted infections. It is clear that pupils should know how and where to access confidential sexual and reproductive health advice and treatment.
We have also produced RSHE teacher training modules to support teachers to deliver these topics safely, available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health. The topic of ‘intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health’ includes content on sexually transmitted infections and sexual health advice which emphasises that everyone, regardless of age, has the right to free, confidential sexual health advice and services.