Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Adoption strategy, published in July 2021, what recent progress his Department has made on working with the regional adoption agencies Leaders Group to (a) trial and develop good practice and (b) set national standards in (i) supporting birth families and (ii) contact arrangements.
Answered by Brendan Clarke-Smith
The government is determined to respond to the challenges set by the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and will consider the recommendations carefully. As set out in our adoption strategy paper, improving contact for children, birth families, and adoptive parents is a key priority.
The adoption strategy commits us to working with regional adoption agencies to develop and trial what good practice around contact looks like, with a view to setting national standards in this area. This includes investigating what support is needed for children, birth parents, and adoptive parents. Regional adoption agencies are currently trialling a programme called ‘Letterswap’, which is a new digital platform to improve the current ‘Letterbox’ system.
In addition, the Adoption and Special Guardianship Leadership Board has established a ‘Maintaining relationships for children’ sub-group. It has a remit to improve children’s understanding of their identity to improve their ability to reach their potential as adults. This group’s work will complement that of regional adoption agency leaders to help develop good practice around contact which can be shared with adoption agencies across the country.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the independent review of children’s social care: Final report, published in May 2022, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of implementing that report's recommendations regarding (a) contact in general and (b) letterbox contact.
Answered by Brendan Clarke-Smith
The government is determined to respond to the challenges set by the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and will consider the recommendations carefully. As set out in our adoption strategy paper, improving contact for children, birth families, and adoptive parents is a key priority.
The adoption strategy commits us to working with regional adoption agencies to develop and trial what good practice around contact looks like, with a view to setting national standards in this area. This includes investigating what support is needed for children, birth parents, and adoptive parents. Regional adoption agencies are currently trialling a programme called ‘Letterswap’, which is a new digital platform to improve the current ‘Letterbox’ system.
In addition, the Adoption and Special Guardianship Leadership Board has established a ‘Maintaining relationships for children’ sub-group. It has a remit to improve children’s understanding of their identity to improve their ability to reach their potential as adults. This group’s work will complement that of regional adoption agency leaders to help develop good practice around contact which can be shared with adoption agencies across the country.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to The independent review of children’s social care, published in May 2022, and the Government's commitment in response that it will set up a National Implementation Board of sector experts, published on 23 May 2022, whether his Department has plans to (a) engage with birth parents through and (b) include representation of birth parents in that Board.
Answered by Brendan Clarke-Smith
The National Implementation Board will support and challenge the department’s delivery of the children’s social care reform programme. It will be attended by those with expertise in leading transformational change, but also individuals with direct experience of the care system, which can include birth parents. The department will be working with charities over the summer on an application process for appointing these members to the Board. We are committed to ensuring those with lived experience are at the heart of our agenda.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to to help ensure that the recruitment target for religious education teachers in secondary schools is met. .
Answered by Robin Walker
Legislation does not specify that teachers must have a post-A level qualification in a particular subject or discipline. It is the Teachers’ Standards that specify the subject knowledge required for the award of qualified teacher status. All trainee teachers must meet these by the time they complete their training.
25.2% of religious education (RE) hours taught were by a teacher with no relevant post-A level qualification in that subject in the 2019/20 academic year. This compares with 12.2% across English Baccalaureate subjects.
Information on subjects taught and teacher post-A level qualifications is published in the annual ‘school workforce in England’ statistical publication at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2019.
To reduce the burden on schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were not required to provide information on teacher qualifications in the November 2020 school workforce census. Therefore, the information provided relates to the 2019 school workforce census. Figures for the 2021/22 academic year will be published in June 2022.
The bursaries that the department offers for initial teacher training (ITT) are intended to incentivise applications to ITT courses. The department reviews the bursaries on offer each year to take account of factors, including historic recruitment, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need in each subject. This provides flexibility to respond to the need to attract new teachers, and means the department is spending money where it is needed most.
In the 2020/21 academic year, the department exceeded the postgraduate ITT target in RE (129% of target). In the 2021/22 academic year, the equivalent target for RE was extremely close to being met (99% of target). As a result, the department has focused the bursaries on subjects where it is hardest to attract sufficient applicants. The department will review the need for financial incentives across all subjects again, using the latest available data, before announcing the bursaries for the 2023/24 academic year.
RE trainee teachers can apply for student finance. This includes a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and additional means-tested funding for trainees in particular circumstances, including those with children, adult dependants, or a disability. Trainees on employment-based courses are ineligible for student finance as they earn a salary whilst they train instead.
The department continues to support RE trainee teacher recruitment through subject knowledge enhancement courses. These are available for applicants who have the potential to become outstanding teachers, but who need to increase their subject knowledge before the Teachers’ Standards can be met.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Schools White Paper, what estimate he has made of the proportion of hours of religious education hours taught by teachers with no post A level qualification in that subject in comparison to other subjects in the curriculum.
Answered by Robin Walker
Legislation does not specify that teachers must have a post-A level qualification in a particular subject or discipline. It is the Teachers’ Standards that specify the subject knowledge required for the award of qualified teacher status. All trainee teachers must meet these by the time they complete their training.
25.2% of religious education (RE) hours taught were by a teacher with no relevant post-A level qualification in that subject in the 2019/20 academic year. This compares with 12.2% across English Baccalaureate subjects.
Information on subjects taught and teacher post-A level qualifications is published in the annual ‘school workforce in England’ statistical publication at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2019.
To reduce the burden on schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were not required to provide information on teacher qualifications in the November 2020 school workforce census. Therefore, the information provided relates to the 2019 school workforce census. Figures for the 2021/22 academic year will be published in June 2022.
The bursaries that the department offers for initial teacher training (ITT) are intended to incentivise applications to ITT courses. The department reviews the bursaries on offer each year to take account of factors, including historic recruitment, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need in each subject. This provides flexibility to respond to the need to attract new teachers, and means the department is spending money where it is needed most.
In the 2020/21 academic year, the department exceeded the postgraduate ITT target in RE (129% of target). In the 2021/22 academic year, the equivalent target for RE was extremely close to being met (99% of target). As a result, the department has focused the bursaries on subjects where it is hardest to attract sufficient applicants. The department will review the need for financial incentives across all subjects again, using the latest available data, before announcing the bursaries for the 2023/24 academic year.
RE trainee teachers can apply for student finance. This includes a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and additional means-tested funding for trainees in particular circumstances, including those with children, adult dependants, or a disability. Trainees on employment-based courses are ineligible for student finance as they earn a salary whilst they train instead.
The department continues to support RE trainee teacher recruitment through subject knowledge enhancement courses. These are available for applicants who have the potential to become outstanding teachers, but who need to increase their subject knowledge before the Teachers’ Standards can be met.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Schools White Paper, what plans he has to help ensure there is (a) adequate funding for and (b) uptake of ITT bursaries for religious education; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
Legislation does not specify that teachers must have a post-A level qualification in a particular subject or discipline. It is the Teachers’ Standards that specify the subject knowledge required for the award of qualified teacher status. All trainee teachers must meet these by the time they complete their training.
25.2% of religious education (RE) hours taught were by a teacher with no relevant post-A level qualification in that subject in the 2019/20 academic year. This compares with 12.2% across English Baccalaureate subjects.
Information on subjects taught and teacher post-A level qualifications is published in the annual ‘school workforce in England’ statistical publication at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2019.
To reduce the burden on schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were not required to provide information on teacher qualifications in the November 2020 school workforce census. Therefore, the information provided relates to the 2019 school workforce census. Figures for the 2021/22 academic year will be published in June 2022.
The bursaries that the department offers for initial teacher training (ITT) are intended to incentivise applications to ITT courses. The department reviews the bursaries on offer each year to take account of factors, including historic recruitment, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need in each subject. This provides flexibility to respond to the need to attract new teachers, and means the department is spending money where it is needed most.
In the 2020/21 academic year, the department exceeded the postgraduate ITT target in RE (129% of target). In the 2021/22 academic year, the equivalent target for RE was extremely close to being met (99% of target). As a result, the department has focused the bursaries on subjects where it is hardest to attract sufficient applicants. The department will review the need for financial incentives across all subjects again, using the latest available data, before announcing the bursaries for the 2023/24 academic year.
RE trainee teachers can apply for student finance. This includes a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and additional means-tested funding for trainees in particular circumstances, including those with children, adult dependants, or a disability. Trainees on employment-based courses are ineligible for student finance as they earn a salary whilst they train instead.
The department continues to support RE trainee teacher recruitment through subject knowledge enhancement courses. These are available for applicants who have the potential to become outstanding teachers, but who need to increase their subject knowledge before the Teachers’ Standards can be met.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the command paper entitled Higher Education Policy Statement & Reform Consultation, CP 617, published on 24 February 2022, what plans the Government has to ensure that those who take maternity leave are not penalised with higher-than-average increases in lifetime student loan repayments.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
We want a sustainable student finance system that is fair to students and taxpayers – and which continues to enable anyone with the ability and the ambition to benefit from higher education to do so. The student finance system will continue to protect borrowers, including women on maternity leave, or any person on any form of parental leave, if they see a reduction in their income.
Student loan repayments are made based on a borrower’s monthly or weekly income, not the interest rate or amount borrowed, and no repayments are made for earnings below the relevant repayment threshold. Repayments are calculated as a fixed percentage of earnings above the relevant repayment threshold - if a borrower’s income drops, so do their repayments. Any outstanding debt, including interest accrued, is written off at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower. No commercial loans offer this level of borrower protection.
If, at the end of the year, the borrower’s total income is below the relevant annual threshold, they may reclaim any repayments from the Student Loans Company made during that year.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding he plans to release to schools for improving ventilation to reduce covid-19 infection rates in the next 12 months.
Answered by Robin Walker
We have provided CO2 monitors to state-funded education providers, including early years, schools and further education providers, backed by £25 million in government funding. As of 11 February 2022, we have delivered 361,999 CO2 monitors to over 99% of eligible education providers, exceeding our public commitment. Final deliveries to a small number of providers will be completed by mid-March.
Feedback suggests that schools are finding the monitors helpful to manage ventilation and, in the majority of education providers, existing ventilation measures are sufficient. Where any issues are identified, in most cases, we expect this to be resolved by opening windows and doors, or, in some cases, minor estate repairs may be needed. Day to day maintenance and minor repairs, including those to improve ventilation, should typically be funded from school revenue budgets. Schools also receive an annual devolved formula capital allocation to spend on small capital projects or capital purchases. For more substantial capital works, schools and those responsible for school buildings have access to funding to improve the condition of buildings through different routes depending on their size and type.
For the very few cases where maintaining good ventilation is not possible, we are supplying up to a total of 9,000 air cleaning units in response to this feedback to education providers. As of 24 January 2022, 1,265 providers were eligible to receive air cleaning units. These were allocated to providers based on need, using the eligibility criteria we have set out in our guidance. The majority of eligible education providers have now received their deliveries of air cleaning units.
The case for additional support for education providers will be kept under review as part of our overall response to the COVID-19 outbreak and we will continue to work with the sector to understand ventilation needs across the education estate.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department is still issuing CO2 monitors to schools to help tackle the spread of covid-19.
Answered by Robin Walker
We have provided CO2 monitors to state-funded education providers, including early years, schools and further education providers, backed by £25 million in government funding. As of 11 February 2022, we have delivered 361,999 CO2 monitors to over 99% of eligible education providers, exceeding our public commitment. Final deliveries to a small number of providers will be completed by mid-March.
Feedback suggests that schools are finding the monitors helpful to manage ventilation and, in the majority of education providers, existing ventilation measures are sufficient. Where any issues are identified, in most cases, we expect this to be resolved by opening windows and doors, or, in some cases, minor estate repairs may be needed. Day to day maintenance and minor repairs, including those to improve ventilation, should typically be funded from school revenue budgets. Schools also receive an annual devolved formula capital allocation to spend on small capital projects or capital purchases. For more substantial capital works, schools and those responsible for school buildings have access to funding to improve the condition of buildings through different routes depending on their size and type.
For the very few cases where maintaining good ventilation is not possible, we are supplying up to a total of 9,000 air cleaning units in response to this feedback to education providers. As of 24 January 2022, 1,265 providers were eligible to receive air cleaning units. These were allocated to providers based on need, using the eligibility criteria we have set out in our guidance. The majority of eligible education providers have now received their deliveries of air cleaning units.
The case for additional support for education providers will be kept under review as part of our overall response to the COVID-19 outbreak and we will continue to work with the sector to understand ventilation needs across the education estate.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many CO2 monitors his Department has issued to schools in the last 12 months.
Answered by Robin Walker
We have provided CO2 monitors to state-funded education providers, including early years, schools and further education providers, backed by £25 million in government funding. As of 11 February 2022, we have delivered 361,999 CO2 monitors to over 99% of eligible education providers, exceeding our public commitment. Final deliveries to a small number of providers will be completed by mid-March.
Feedback suggests that schools are finding the monitors helpful to manage ventilation and, in the majority of education providers, existing ventilation measures are sufficient. Where any issues are identified, in most cases, we expect this to be resolved by opening windows and doors, or, in some cases, minor estate repairs may be needed. Day to day maintenance and minor repairs, including those to improve ventilation, should typically be funded from school revenue budgets. Schools also receive an annual devolved formula capital allocation to spend on small capital projects or capital purchases. For more substantial capital works, schools and those responsible for school buildings have access to funding to improve the condition of buildings through different routes depending on their size and type.
For the very few cases where maintaining good ventilation is not possible, we are supplying up to a total of 9,000 air cleaning units in response to this feedback to education providers. As of 24 January 2022, 1,265 providers were eligible to receive air cleaning units. These were allocated to providers based on need, using the eligibility criteria we have set out in our guidance. The majority of eligible education providers have now received their deliveries of air cleaning units.
The case for additional support for education providers will be kept under review as part of our overall response to the COVID-19 outbreak and we will continue to work with the sector to understand ventilation needs across the education estate.