Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the scientific advice he has received on the proposed opening of schools to all pupils from 8 March 2021.
Answered by Nick Gibb
At every stage since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, decisions have been informed by the scientific and medical evidence, both on the risks of COVID-19 infection, transmission, and illness, and on the known risks to children and young people not attending school and college balancing public health and education considerations.
On 22 February 2021 the Department published 'Evidence summary: COVID-19 children, young people and education settings', which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/963639/DfE_Evidence_summary_COVID-19_-_children__young_people_and_education_settings.pdf.
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) also publish papers and minutes regularly following each SAGE meeting. The list of papers published are available by here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/scientific-evidence-supporting-the-government-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring the wearing of protective masks in schools by (a) pupils and (b) staff.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department continues to work closely with other government departments throughout its response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including Public Health England (PHE) and the Department of Health and Social Care, as well as stakeholders across the sector, to ensure that our policy is based on the latest scientific and medical advice, to continue to develop comprehensive guidance based on the PHE-endorsed ‘system of controls’ and to understand the impact and effectiveness of these measures on staff, pupils and parents.
As new evidence or data emerges, the Government updates its advice accordingly to ensure that all schools and colleges have the correct safety measures in place.
On 22 February 2021, the Department published 'Evidence summary: COVID-19 - children, young people and education settings' which includes a section on face coverings. It can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/963639/DfE_Evidence_summary_COVID-19_-_children__young_people_and_education_settings.pdf.
We know that the predominant new variant of COVID-19 is more transmissible but the way to control this virus is the same, even with the current new variants. We are recommending additional precautionary measures during this period of high COVID-19 prevalence in the community.
The Department has published updated guidance for schools and colleges which includes a section on face coverings and takes effect from 8 March 2021. It can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/964351/Schools_coronavirus_operational_guidance.pdf.
As our updated guidance outlines, where pupils in Year 7 and above are educated, we recommend that face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils when moving around the premises outside of classrooms, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing cannot easily be maintained.
In addition, we now also recommend that face coverings should be worn in classrooms unless social distancing can be maintained.
In primary schools, face coverings should be worn by staff and adult visitors in situations where social distancing between adults is not possible, for example, when moving around in corridors and communal areas. Children in primary school do not need to wear a face covering.
Some individuals are exempt from wearing face coverings. This applies to those who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability, or if you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expression to communicate. The same exemptions should be applied in schools, and we would expect teachers and other staff to be sensitive to those needs.
These measures will be in place until Easter. We will keep this under review and update guidance at that point.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to ensure that all schools have adequate ventilation in place to enable the return of all pupils to schools from 8 March 2021.
Answered by Nick Gibb
At each stage of the Department's response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Department has listened to the latest medical and scientific advice. The Department has worked closely with other Government departments, including Public Health England (PHE) and the Department of Health and Social Care, as well as stakeholders across the sector, to ensure that policy is based on the latest scientific and medical advice, and to continue to develop comprehensive guidance based on the PHE endorsed ‘system of controls’ and to understand the effectiveness of these measures on staff, pupils and parents.
It is important to ensure that schools are well ventilated and that a comfortable teaching environment is maintained.
Current evidence recommends that the way to control COVID-19 is the same, even with the current new variants. The PHE endorsed ‘system of controls’ which have been in use throughout the COVID-19 outbreak set out in the Department’s published guidance, which includes ventilation, continue to be the right measures to take. These measures create an inherently safer environment for children, young people and staff, where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced. PHE keeps all these controls under review, based on the latest evidence. Schools therefore need to continue to implement these controls to the fullest extent. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak.
Guidance signposts to further advice from the Health and Safety Executive on air conditioning and ventilation during the COVID-19 outbreak. The guidance can be found here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/equipment-and-machinery/air-conditioning-and-ventilation.htm.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) the phased return of all pupils to schools and (b) the operation of rota systems from 8 March 2021.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Government has been committed to getting all pupils back into schools full time, as soon as the public health picture allows. In doing so, the Department is guided by the scientific and medical experts. Data and evidence are considered regularly including by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, the Joint Biosecurity Centre, Public Health England, and the Chief Medical Officers.
On 22 February 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, confirmed that, based on the Government’s assessment of the current data against its four tests for relaxing restrictions, it will be possible for children to return to schools from 8 March 2021. The latest data suggest that infection rates have fallen across all ages, including in children and young people.
Attendance will be mandatory for primary and secondary school pupils from that date. All secondary pupils will be offered testing from 8 March 2021 and those who consent to testing should return to face to face education following their first negative test result. Testing is voluntary but strongly encouraged. Pupils not undergoing testing should attend school in line with the phased return arrangements in their school. Head teachers in secondary schools can phase the return of their pupils during the first week as they carry out onsite asymptomatic testing.
Missing face to face education does have severe impacts for children and young people, with clear evidence that further time out of education is detrimental for cognitive and academic development, health and wellbeing. The Chief Medical Officer for England has stated that: "The chances of many children being damaged by not going to school are incredibly clear and therefore the balance of risk is very strongly in favour of children going to school - because many more are likely to be harmed by not going than harmed by going, even during this pandemic." That is why the Government avoided restricting attendance for as long as possible and committed to fully opening schools as the national priority.
Schools should not plan for rotas as there is no need to reduce occupancy in schools. Instead, everyone should follow the system of controls set out in our published guidance, which have been strengthened and are the correct techniques for minimising the risk of transmission within schools: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/963541/Schools_coronavirus_operational_guidance.pdf.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2021 to Question 131337 on Students: Coronavirus, what the terms of reference are for the group monitoring and advising on lost and differential learning due to the covid-19 outbreak; when the members were appointed to that group; if he will publish the membership of that group; how many times that group plans to meet; and when that group plans to report.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department recognises that school closures have had a significant impact on the education of young people across the country, and that disruption will have been felt differently by individual students, depending on their circumstances. We will work in collaboration with the wider education sector to develop a long-term plan to make sure children and young people have the chance to make up their education over the course of this Parliament. Sir Kevan Collins, in his role as Education Recovery Commissioner, will work with Government and the Department’s stakeholders on assessing and addressing the impact of differential learning loss for students.
To support students to catch up with their education, the Government has announced a catch-up package worth £1 billion to support children and young people. This includes a ‘Catch up Premium’ worth £650 million and a £350 million National Tutoring Programme for disadvantaged pupils. The Department has also announced that we will provide a further programme of catch up. This will involve a further £300 million for early years, schools and colleges for tutoring and we will work in collaboration with the education sector to develop specific initiatives for summer schools and a COVID Premium to support catch up.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what service benefits the Institute of Teaching plans to provide which the Initial teacher training provider network does not.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Learning from the best teacher development organisations in the world, the Institute of Teaching will become England’s flagship provider, showcasing exemplary delivery of the new Early Career Framework (ECF) and our ambitious reforms to initial teacher training (ITT) and National Professional Qualifications (NPQs).
Unlike many existing ITT providers, the Institute will be explicitly tasked with exemplifying how to deliver ITT, the ECF and the suite of NPQs by building, sequencing and delivering a coherent teacher development pathway from trainee through to executive headship. It will use expert understanding of evidence to inform and implement effective delivery approaches, create a world-leading faculty of subject specialists and expert teacher educators, and develop models of school partnership and placement that maximise the impact of school-based training experiences.
The Institute will also play a key role in developing the evidence base on delivery of teacher development. As part of its role in supporting other organisations to understand best practice in teacher development delivery, the Institute will contribute to the development of the teacher development evidence base by conducting primary research. It will also build upon, synthesise and translate existing evidence, and expertly communicate the practical implications to the sector.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether an equalities impact assessment was undertaken before his Department made changes to initial teacher training bursaries for the 2021-22 academic year.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Department completed an equalities impact assessment before deciding the initial teacher training bursaries and other financial incentives for academic year 2021/22.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is his policy for the Institute of Teaching to obtain degree or qualification awarding powers so that it can offer its own academic awards.
Answered by Nick Gibb
As an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) provider, the institute will be subject to the same requirements that apply to all other ITT providers. The institute will need to secure accreditation to deliver ITT, or partner with an accredited provider, prior to delivery.
The Department expects that the institute will register as a higher education provider with the Office for Students in order to acquire degree awarding powers. This will give the institute the ability to independently award its own Postgraduate Certificates in Education.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether it is his policy for the Institute of Teaching to apply for registration with the Office for Students to recruit Initial Teacher Training students to that institution.
Answered by Nick Gibb
As an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) provider, the institute will be subject to the same requirements that apply to all other ITT providers. The institute will need to secure accreditation to deliver ITT, or partner with an accredited provider, prior to delivery.
The Department expects that the institute will register as a higher education provider with the Office for Students in order to acquire degree awarding powers. This will give the institute the ability to independently award its own Postgraduate Certificates in Education.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding his Department plans allocate to the Institute of Teaching from the £22 million allocated for teacher quality at the 2020 Spending Review.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Institute of Teaching is part of a live commercial exercise meaning we cannot provide precise detail on funding at this stage. The Department can confirm that the £22 million included in the Department settlement in the Spending Review will be used to fund a range of priorities to support more teachers to access high quality training and professional development.