Asked by: Lord Mann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many 16 to 19 year olds are being educated in elite sports academies provided in conjunction with existing sports clubs in each (a) sport and (b) local authority area; how many such academies have received Ofsted inspections; and how many such inspections are planned for 2016.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department for Education does not hold information on elite sports academies.
Asked by: Lord Mann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate she has made of any shortfall in the number of qualified mathematics teachers in each English region.
Answered by Nick Gibb
During the academic year 2014/15 there were 33,400 mathematics teachers in state-funded schools in England. The vacancy rate was low, with only 1.4% of all mathematics teaching posts in secondary schools vacant. Mathematics continues to be a popular subject for teacher training, with nearly 2,500 training in 2015/16. During this period we achieved 93% of our postgraduate initial teacher training (ITT) target in mathematics.
Each year we estimate the number of mathematics teachers we need to train using the Teacher Supply Model. This estimate is based on assumptions about pupil numbers, teaching practice, curriculum changes, and teacher deployment. The department does not hold estimates of shortfalls for teachers in any particular subjects or regions. It is up to schools to decide what teachers they need, in what specialisms and with what qualifications.
Nevertheless, we realise that within the context of a strong economy, recruitment for all STEM subjects is challenging. We have continued to offer scholarships and bursaries worth up to £25,000 tax free for those candidates entering mathematics initial teacher training in academic year 2016/17. Through the School Direct (salaried) route we provide schools with additional grant funding to boost trainees’ salaries in mathematics.
Furthermore, in March the Prime Minister announced a package worth up to £67 million to transform mathematics and physics teaching in England by recruiting 2,500 additional mathematics and physics teachers and providing subject knowledge training to 15,000 non-specialist serving teachers.
Asked by: Lord Mann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school academies do not follow the national curriculum.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department for Education does not hold information on the number of academies that do not follow the national curriculum.
Academies are not required to follow the national curriculum, but must teach a broad and balanced curriculum that includes English, mathematics, science and religious education.
Asked by: Lord Mann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she will support the proposals of her French counterpart for including specific reference to anti-Semitism in citizenship education at the meeting of EU Ministers of Education in Paris on 17 March 2015.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Lord Nash is attending the meeting of EU Ministers of Education in Paris on 17 March 2015. Along with Education Ministers from other Member States he plans to agree a declaration promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education.
Asked by: Lord Mann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his Department's policy is on responding to parliamentary questions where the subject file or letter is within the scope of the Official Secrets Act 1989.
Answered by Edward Timpson
The Department for Education responds to parliamentary questions in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance, available at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/drafting-answers-to-parliamentary-questions-guidance
The guidance makes clear that Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament and the public and only withhold information where its disclosure would not be in the public interest. Such public interest would be determined with the relevant legislation in mind.
Asked by: Lord Mann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether any files on child abuse have been passed to his Department by (a) other parts of the Government or (b) hon. Members; and in what year such files were so passed.
Answered by Edward Timpson
In 2013 the Department for Education received information from the Department of Health which referred to 21 children's homes and schools in England. This information had been uncovered as part of a document review process undertaken by the Metropolitan Police Service in the context of Operation Yewtree.The Secretary of State for Education gave details of this information in a Written Ministerial Statement on 27 March 2014:
www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140327/wmstext/140327m0001.htm#14032769000005
More generally, hon. and Rt hon. Members and concerned members of the public regularly write to the Department with concerns about child abuse or neglect, sometimes enclosing supporting documents. Such letters are dealt with as appropriate on a case by case basis.