Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to enable teachers in primary schools to participate in subject-specific continuing professional development to maintain their understanding of basic mathematical and specific concepts.
Answered by David Laws
It is the responsibility of individual primary schools to ensure that teachers get appropriate continuing professional development in all relevant subjects, including mathematics. The Department for Education is committed to improving the mathematical ability of primary teachers and we have put in place a number of measures to support schools; in particular with implementing the new mathematics curriculum.
The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) is responsible for coordinating and quality assuring teacher professional development across all phases and works actively to support the underpinning mathematical knowledge of primary teachers. The NCETM will receive just under £2 million in funding between March 2015 and March 2016.
The department has established a network of 34 new Maths Hubs across England, backed by £11 million of funding. This initiative will enable every primary school in England to access locally tailored, quality support as well as leading on national projects to implement the Asian-style mastery approach to mathematics, which has achieved world-leading levels of success. Central to this is the China-England Mathematics Teacher Exchange Programme, which has so far seen 59 primary mathematics teachers from Shanghai spend three weeks working in primary schools alongside their English colleagues, planning lessons, and leading master classes and training sessions with other schools to allow local teachers to benefit directly from their expertise. The hubs are also leading a project to trial the use of Singapore-style textbooks at the core of a mastery teaching approach in selected primary schools.
For the first time in 2014-15, post-initial teacher training subject knowledge enhancement is available to primary teachers for mathematics. This is part of a school-led test and learn project with 45 Teaching School Alliances designing and delivering this training across the country to meet local need.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to enable teachers of STEM subjects in secondary schools to participate in continuing professional development to maintain their awareness of the career opportunities relevant to their subjects.
Answered by David Laws
It is for school leaders to determine with their teachers what forms of professional development would be most effective in particular circumstances and to fund this from their delegated budgets. However, the government is continuing to improve the capacity of schools to take the lead in training and developing teachers, including teachers of STEM subjects in secondary schools. This includes supporting schools to lead on the creation of high-quality training opportunities for teachers through the national network of teaching schools. The department is providing funding of £7.2 million from April 2014 to support the National Science Learning Network which delivers high-quality science professional development locally through partnerships.
On 11 March 2015 the Prime Minister announced new measures to recruit more maths and physics teachers. This includes making £24 million available to train and upskill 15,000 existing non-specialist mathematics and physics teachers over the next 5 years. This will enable every secondary school in England to up-skill at least 1 of their staff in these subjects each year. The successful Maths and Physics Chairs programme is being expanded to recruit 100 experts with PhDs to teach and support the subject knowledge development of 2,000 physics and maths teachers in the school partnerships where they work. They are especially targeted in disadvantaged areas.
It has also been announced that the government is supporting the establishment of a new, independent professional body – the College of Teaching. This new organisation, which is being set up by teachers for teachers, will play an important part in promoting high professional standards and effective development for its members.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 2.227 of the Autumn Statement 2014, how the funds to improve careers advice and support for young people will be spent.
Answered by Nick Boles
The majority of the £20 million fund to improve careers advice and support for young people announced in the Autumn Statement will be used to provide initial funding to the new company announced by my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, on 10 December.
This includes a £5 million Investment Fund (as indicated in the Official Report of 10 December 2014, column 893). This will be administered by the new careers and enterprise company, into which schools, employers and voluntary organisations will bid for start-up funding for new, innovative projects and pilots to support careers advice and inspiration, as well as funding to support the scaling up of successful local approaches, or to evaluate and share learning from existing successful projects.
The further detail of how the remaining £15 million will be spent and what proportion will support the work of the company will be worked through. This company, independent of Government, will support engagement between employers and schools, ensuring young people get the support they need. The Chair and Board of the company will be responsible for determining the best use of their budget.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department is providing to the Your Life campaign promoting take-up of maths and science subjects.
Answered by Baroness Morgan of Cotes
The Your Life campaign is independently led, with sponsorship from business, and backed by strong support across Government. It is a three-year campaign to ensure the UK has the maths and science skills it needs to succeed in a competitive global economy.
A 2014 CBI/Pearson report found that STEM skills are in widespread demand and nearly two in five firms that need employees with STEM skills and knowledge currently have difficulties recruiting staff.
It is essential that students leave school as fully-rounded individuals, with experience of a broad and balanced curriculum to prepare them for life in modern Britain. Maths and science are valuable skills to have, no matter what they choose to pursue.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to encourage more universities to provide chemistry subject knowledge enhancement courses which are 24 weeks or longer.
Answered by David Laws
Initial teacher training (ITT) providers and School Direct (SD) schools are responsible for identifying whether an ITT applicant needs to undertake a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course and the length of any course required. This decision is based on the ITT provider or SD school’s assessment of the applicant’s subject knowledge and the requirements of the ITT course they have applied to.
ITT providers and SD schools can commission SKE courses from any source or they can deliver SKE courses themselves. All universities are able to offer SKE courses. The National College for Teaching and Leadership promotes these courses through its online SKE course directory and “Get into Teaching” website. The course directory includes 53 SKE courses in chemistry provided by 20 universities, including the University of Worcester. Officials are working with the Royal Society of Chemistry to promote chemistry SKE in the coming academic year.
Asked by: Peter Luff (Conservative - Mid Worcestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help schools provide subject-specific continuing professional development for science teachers.
Answered by David Laws
The Department for Education currently supports curriculum-focussed Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for science teachers and technicians through a contract with Myscience.co Limited to manage five Regional Science Learning Centres (RSLCs). The five RSLCs additionally co-ordinate and quality assure up to ten local Science Learning Partnerships (SLPs) each, which bring together teaching schools and other outstanding schools, higher education institutions, independent schools, further education and sixth form colleges and employers and industry experts to deliver CPD locally.
In addition, the Department provides funding to Myscience.co Limited to support the payment of Impact Awards for science teachers and technicians who attend and undertake CPD run by the Regional Science Learning Centres and Science Learning Partnerships.
The Department also funds the Triple Science Support Programme (TSSP), delivered by MyScience.co Limited, to provide an extensive programme of practical support and guidance to schools on how to provide triple science at GCSE level. The TSSP focuses its support on schools that do not currently offer triple science or that have few pupils taking triple science.
The Department supports the improvement of science teaching through a joint arrangement with the Wellcome Trust and industry partners to fund CPD through scholarship awards called Enthuse Awards. Over five years from August 2013 to July 2018, the Department will provide £10 million to schools to support teachers’ attendance at high quality science CPD training delivered by the National Science Learning Centre.
The Stimulating Physics Network has also been set up to provide support at regional level to increase progression to A level physics. This is funded by the Department and administered by the Institute of Physics. The network provides two strands of support: universal support for all schools, which offers programmes of workshops, networking opportunities and other professional development events though a team of Physics Network Co-ordinators; and developing intensive partnerships with selected schools provided through a team of Teaching and Learning Coaches who facilitate tailored programmes of CPD.