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Written Question
Teachers: Training
Monday 23rd October 2023

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of teachers accredited by initial teacher training (ITT) providers in the academic years (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21, (c) 2021-22 and (d) 2022-23 will be accredited to deliver ITT courses in academic year 2024-25.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The number of places and trainees changes each year. The table below shows the number of initial teacher training (ITT) providers and total new entrants to ITT over the past four years.

Year

Number of ITT providers

Total number of ITT new entrants

2019/20

237

33,799

2020/21

236

40,377

2021/22

234

36,159

2022/23

226

28,991

179 providers have been accredited to deliver reformed ITT from September 2024, following an accreditation process designed to drive up the quality and consistency of ITT leading to Qualified Teacher Status. This number includes 155 existing ITT providers. Together, these providers will cover all regions of the country. Where appropriate, the Department is encouraging accredited providers to consider partnering with those who were unsuccessful in gaining accreditation to bring together high-quality provision with local expertise, connections and experience.

The Department will continue to monitor the availability of provision across England to ensure that the ITT market is ready and able to deliver teacher training programmes in every part of the country from September 2024.


Written Question
Sir Frederick Gibberd College
Monday 23rd October 2023

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education on the closure of Sir Frederick Gibberd College's main school building and sports hall block.

Answered by Robert Halfon

I continue to work closely with the trust and local authority to ensure all pupils at Sir Frederick Gibberd College receive an excellent education in a safe and secure environment.

All pupils have returned to face-to-face education, and we are working at pace to deliver long term solutions as soon as possible. I have had regular discussions with the Minister for the School System and Student Finance about the school, and with staff and department officials.


Written Question
GCSE
Wednesday 20th September 2023

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what percentage of pupils taking GCSEs received the grades 9 to 1 in each subject in each region of England in each academic year since the introduction of that grading system.

Answered by Nick Gibb

This information can be found in the attached file, alongside accompanying footnotes including information on the comparability of data during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This data covers attainment in state funded schools in the 2018/19 to 2021/22 academic years. The data is based on the number of entries for each subject, as opposed to the specific number of pupils although due to discounting rules, these tend to be very similar.


Written Question
Schools: Buildings
Wednesday 20th September 2023

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which Minister in her Department is responsible for school building safety.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Minister in the Department for Education who is responsible for school building safety is Baroness Barran.


Written Question
Schools: Buildings
Monday 18th September 2023

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timetable is for fixing all school buildings affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This Government has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK. Nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always been the case that where we are made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, the Department takes immediate action. It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary aided school bodies – who work with their schools on a day to day basis, to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert us if there is a concern with a building.

The Department is providing responsible bodies with a range of support to identify RAAC within their estates and ensure that the associated risks are mitigated.

The Department has issued repeated guidance since 2018 to all responsible bodies highlighting the potential risks associated with RAAC and supporting them to identify this within their buildings, as well as to take appropriate steps in meeting their obligations to keep buildings safe. Our most recent guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance.

There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England, and the vast majority are unaffected. A significant proportion of the estate was built outside the period where RAAC was used, with around one third of the estate being built since 2001, therefore, the Department has focused efforts on buildings built in the post-war decades.

The Department issued a questionnaire in March 2022, asking responsible bodies to inform the Department of any suspected RAAC identified in their estates. Responsible bodies have submitted questionnaires for over 98% of schools with blocks built in the target era, of which there are 14,900. The Department is pressing all remaining schools to get checks completed, to determine which schools require surveys.

The Department has also published updated guidance to support settings where the presence of RAAC is confirmed. All schools where RAAC is confirmed are provided with a dedicated caseworker to support them and help implement a mitigation plan and minimise the disruption to children’s learning. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-guidance-for-responsible-bodies-and-education-settings-with-confirmed-raac.

Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. The Government published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September and committed to providing further updates. The published list is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-raac-management-information.

On the question of timescales, our focus is on supporting schools and colleges to put in place suitable mitigations to minimise disruption to learning. The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. The Department will also fund longer term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations or temporarily renting a local hall or office, the Department will provide that support for all reasonable requests. Longer-term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects will also be funded where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term.

All previously confirmed School Rebuilding Programme projects announced in 2021 and 2022 will continue to go ahead. A full list of confirmed projects can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.


Written Question
Schools: Buildings
Monday 18th September 2023

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support schools that have been affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This Government has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK. Nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always been the case that where we are made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, the Department takes immediate action. It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary aided school bodies – who work with their schools on a day to day basis, to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert us if there is a concern with a building.

The Department is providing responsible bodies with a range of support to identify RAAC within their estates and ensure that the associated risks are mitigated.

The Department has issued repeated guidance since 2018 to all responsible bodies highlighting the potential risks associated with RAAC and supporting them to identify this within their buildings, as well as to take appropriate steps in meeting their obligations to keep buildings safe. Our most recent guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance.

There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England, and the vast majority are unaffected. A significant proportion of the estate was built outside the period where RAAC was used, with around one third of the estate being built since 2001, therefore, the Department has focused efforts on buildings built in the post-war decades.

The Department issued a questionnaire in March 2022, asking responsible bodies to inform the Department of any suspected RAAC identified in their estates. Responsible bodies have submitted questionnaires for over 98% of schools with blocks built in the target era, of which there are 14,900. The Department is pressing all remaining schools to get checks completed, to determine which schools require surveys.

The Department has also published updated guidance to support settings where the presence of RAAC is confirmed. All schools where RAAC is confirmed are provided with a dedicated caseworker to support them and help implement a mitigation plan and minimise the disruption to children’s learning. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-guidance-for-responsible-bodies-and-education-settings-with-confirmed-raac.

Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. The Government published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September and committed to providing further updates. The published list is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-raac-management-information.

On the question of timescales, our focus is on supporting schools and colleges to put in place suitable mitigations to minimise disruption to learning. The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. The Department will also fund longer term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations or temporarily renting a local hall or office, the Department will provide that support for all reasonable requests. Longer-term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects will also be funded where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term.

All previously confirmed School Rebuilding Programme projects announced in 2021 and 2022 will continue to go ahead. A full list of confirmed projects can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.


Written Question
Schools: Construction
Monday 18th September 2023

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in what year each school affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was built.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This Government has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK. Nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always been the case that where we are made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, the Department takes immediate action. It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary aided school bodies – who work with their schools on a day to day basis, to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert us if there is a concern with a building.

The Department is providing responsible bodies with a range of support to identify RAAC within their estates and ensure that the associated risks are mitigated.

The Department has issued repeated guidance since 2018 to all responsible bodies highlighting the potential risks associated with RAAC and supporting them to identify this within their buildings, as well as to take appropriate steps in meeting their obligations to keep buildings safe. Our most recent guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance.

There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England, and the vast majority are unaffected. A significant proportion of the estate was built outside the period where RAAC was used, with around one third of the estate being built since 2001, therefore, the Department has focused efforts on buildings built in the post-war decades.

The Department issued a questionnaire in March 2022, asking responsible bodies to inform the Department of any suspected RAAC identified in their estates. Responsible bodies have submitted questionnaires for over 98% of schools with blocks built in the target era, of which there are 14,900. The Department is pressing all remaining schools to get checks completed, to determine which schools require surveys.

The Department has also published updated guidance to support settings where the presence of RAAC is confirmed. All schools where RAAC is confirmed are provided with a dedicated caseworker to support them and help implement a mitigation plan and minimise the disruption to children’s learning. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-guidance-for-responsible-bodies-and-education-settings-with-confirmed-raac.

Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. The Government published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September and committed to providing further updates. The published list is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-raac-management-information.

On the question of timescales, our focus is on supporting schools and colleges to put in place suitable mitigations to minimise disruption to learning. The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. The Department will also fund longer term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations or temporarily renting a local hall or office, the Department will provide that support for all reasonable requests. Longer-term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects will also be funded where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term.

All previously confirmed School Rebuilding Programme projects announced in 2021 and 2022 will continue to go ahead. A full list of confirmed projects can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.


Written Question
Schools: Buildings
Monday 18th September 2023

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to provide additional funding to schools affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) for the transport of pupils to temporary buildings.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always been the case that where we are made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, the Department takes immediate action. This Government has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK.

The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations or temporarily renting a local hall or office, the Department will provide that support for all reasonable requests. Longer-term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects will also be funded where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term.

It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary aided school bodies – who work with their schools on a day to day basis, to manage the maintenance of their schools. These responsible bodies may deploy temporary buildings for a wide range of reasons, not all of which will relate to building or refurbishment works. In addition, most building and refurbishment works within education settings do not involve RAAC and will not require the involvement of the Department. The Department does not therefore hold information on the number of schools using temporary classrooms.

Where schools need to vacate buildings due to RAAC, they use a range of different types of accommodation including accommodation on and off site. On site accommodation can include semi rigid structures and temporary classrooms. Where temporary units and structures are required as a result of buildings having been vacated due to the confirmed presence of RAAC, the Department has increased the supply of these, working with three contractors to accelerate the installation of temporary units in particular. The Department has not, therefore, produced central estimates of the number of temporary classrooms required, however, we can confirm that we have secured significant capacity to meet current needs, and can increase this if necessary. Our focus is on working closely with individual settings to make sure they have workable plans for their individual circumstances and context. Based on the experience where RAAC assessed as critical was found, the Department expects the vast majority will be able to continue to provide face to face teaching without any disruption.


Written Question
Schools: Buildings
Monday 18th September 2023

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made how many schools in addition to those already identified are affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

This Government has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK. Nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always been the case that where we are made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, the Department takes immediate action. It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary aided school bodies – who work with their schools on a day to day basis, to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert us if there is a concern with a building.

The Department is providing responsible bodies with a range of support to identify RAAC within their estates and ensure that the associated risks are mitigated.

The Department has issued repeated guidance since 2018 to all responsible bodies highlighting the potential risks associated with RAAC and supporting them to identify this within their buildings, as well as to take appropriate steps in meeting their obligations to keep buildings safe. Our most recent guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance.

There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England, and the vast majority are unaffected. A significant proportion of the estate was built outside the period where RAAC was used, with around one third of the estate being built since 2001, therefore, the Department has focused efforts on buildings built in the post-war decades.

The Department issued a questionnaire in March 2022, asking responsible bodies to inform the Department of any suspected RAAC identified in their estates. Responsible bodies have submitted questionnaires for over 98% of schools with blocks built in the target era, of which there are 14,900. The Department is pressing all remaining schools to get checks completed, to determine which schools require surveys.

The Department has also published updated guidance to support settings where the presence of RAAC is confirmed. All schools where RAAC is confirmed are provided with a dedicated caseworker to support them and help implement a mitigation plan and minimise the disruption to children’s learning. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-guidance-for-responsible-bodies-and-education-settings-with-confirmed-raac.

Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. The Government published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September and committed to providing further updates. The published list is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-raac-management-information.

On the question of timescales, our focus is on supporting schools and colleges to put in place suitable mitigations to minimise disruption to learning. The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. The Department will also fund longer term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations or temporarily renting a local hall or office, the Department will provide that support for all reasonable requests. Longer-term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects will also be funded where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term.

All previously confirmed School Rebuilding Programme projects announced in 2021 and 2022 will continue to go ahead. A full list of confirmed projects can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.


Written Question
Schools: Buildings
Monday 18th September 2023

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to publish a list of schools affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Answered by Nick Gibb

Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out.

The Government published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September, and committed to providing further updates.