Mentions:
1: Penny Mordaunt (Con - Portsmouth North) I say that because I am proud of our record, from our soaring literacy rates to our halving of crime. - Speech Link
Asked by: Peter Bottomley (Conservative - Worthing West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding her Department has allocated to support teachers of (a) maths and numeracy, (b) English and literacy, (c) science, (d) music, (e) history and (f) religious education through (i) subject knowledge enhancement courses for trainees, (ii) Oak National Academy Resources (A) planned and (B) existing (iii) subject hubs, (iv) support for level 3 provision, (v) bursaries and (vi) other support for continuing professional development in each of the last five years.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Raising standards is at the heart of this government’s agenda and, since 2010, the number of schools rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ has risen to 90% from 68%. The Progress in International Reading Study (PIRLS) 2021 showed that English primary school children are the best in the western world and were ranked 4th out of 43 comparable countries. While the pandemic affected the study, the Programme for International School Assessment 2022 also showed that 15 year old pupils in England performed above the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and development (OECD) average and are now 11th in maths and 13th in reading and science. This was up from 27th in maths, 25th in reading and 16th in science in 2009.
The department has invested significantly to provide a world class education system, ensuring an excellent teacher for every child, high standards of curriculum attendance and behaviour, targeted support for every child that needs it and a stronger and fairer schools system. The overall core schools budget, including the recently announced additional pensions funding, will total £60.7 billion in 2024/25, which is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil. This means school funding will have risen by £11 billion by 2024/25 compared to 2021/22.
The funding breakdown requested since 2019/20 is included below. Figures for the 2023/24 financial year are subject to ongoing data collection and reconciliation and therefore we have not included this year in the table. The department reviews Initial Teacher Training (ITT) bursaries each year to determine the offer for trainees starting ITT the following academic year. In doing this, the department takes into account a number of factors including historic recruitment, forecast economic conditions and teacher supply need in each subject. The department focuses its funded Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses in its highest priority subjects with the greatest sufficiency challenges.
In addition to the funding outlined in the table below, the department also offers national professional qualifications (NPQs), including specialist NPQs in leading literacy and leading primary mathematics. Details on scholarship funding available for autumn 2024 is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/funding-for-national-professional-qualifications-npqs.
The quality of teaching is the single most important, in-school factor for improving pupil outcomes and it is particularly important for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. The department is creating a world-class teacher development system, which builds from ITT, through to early career support, specialisation and onto school leadership.
Financial year | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | |
Subject Knowledge Enhancement Courses1 | £28m | £24m | £14m | £10m | |
Oak National Academy resources2 | N/A | £4m | £4m | £7m | |
Subject hubs3 | English Hubs | £11m | £11m | £19m | £24m |
Maths Hubs | £27m | £25m | £16m | £28m | |
Science Hubs | £9m | £9m | £8m | £9m | |
Music Hubs | £76m | £76m | £76m | £76m | |
ITT Bursaries and Scholarships 4 | Maths and Numeracy | £35m | £50m | £53m | £41m |
English and literacy | £33m | £31m | £10m | £0m | |
Science5 | £72m | £77m | £52m | £33m | |
Music | £2m | £3m | £1m | £0m | |
History | £11m | £14m | £4m | £0m | |
Religious Education | £3m | £4m | £2m | £0m | |
1. Due to the way the department allocated funding, it does not have historic data on SKE spending by subject. This total includes all SKE funding, regardless of subject
2. Oak was incubated by The Reach Foundation and predominantly funded through a department grant until 31 August 2022. The 2023/24 financial year is Oak’s arm’s length body allocated budget as 2023/24 actuals are not yet available. The funding for Oak National Academy covers the creation of curriculum resources across all national curriculum subjects for Key Stages 1 to 4
3. Where subject hubs are part of a contract with a supplier, we have included all contract costs, including those not directly for subject hubs but for other Career Progress Development (CPD) or central programme management. The department changed the way Maths Hubs were funded in the 2021/22 academic year, resulting in a visual drop by financial year but not across the academic years. The department also has subject hubs in computing and languages which are not shown in these figures but are included in total subject hub figures set out in WPQ 20499
4. ITT bursaries are paid and assured by academic year rather than financial year. The figures provided for each financial year have been calculated by prorating the total spend for the relevant academic years that the financial year spans. Academic years 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 are subject to ongoing data collection and reconciliation and the figures provided may therefore be subject to change
5. Trainees on general science ITT courses are not eligible for bursaries. However, bursaries are available for biology, chemistry, and physics specialism courses. The figures provided for science are the total spend across the three individual sciences.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of (a) students that studied texts by female authors and (b) female authors included in exam board syllabi for GCSE English Literature.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The National Curriculum for English aims to ensure that all pupils appreciate the UK’s rich and varied literary heritage. It encourages pupils to read a range of books, poems and plays to encourage the development of a life-long love of literature.
It is statutory that maintained schools follow the English programmes of study. These do not set out specific reading lists. However, at secondary level, they set out categories from which schools should choose texts. Exam boards will set out a range of choices within these categories, from which schools can select texts. Those taking a GCSE in English Literature must study at least one play by Shakespeare; at least one nineteenth-century novel; a selection of poetry since 1789, including representative Romantic poetry; and fiction or drama from the British Isles from 1914 onwards. The GCSE specification encourages students to read widely within these categories, to broaden their knowledge of literature, and enhance critical and comparative understanding. Teachers have flexibility in the choice of books and plays to teach within the context of the National Curriculum.
Schools make their own decisions on choosing texts, within the set requirements. The department provides guidance for teachers on how to make their choices of texts, with literacy organisations and reading charities offering suggestions, book lists, guidance, research and support.
Written Evidence May. 22 2024
Inquiry: Food, Diet and ObesityFound: but educational campaigns should accompany these labels to reach and effectively inform lower literacy
Written Evidence May. 22 2024
Inquiry: Food, Diet and ObesityFound: Ethnic minority communities often have limited access to financial literacy and savings, lower access
Written Evidence May. 22 2024
Inquiry: Food, Diet and ObesityFound: size should be incorporated into any diversity training provided in schools, along with media literacy
Written Evidence May. 22 2024
Inquiry: Access to High Street Banking in WalesFound: vulnerable consumers, small and micro businesses, and those with lower levels of financial inclusion and/or literacy
Written Evidence May. 22 2024
Inquiry: Access to High Street Banking in WalesFound: Moreover, my work highlights the significance of technological literacy in modern banking practices
Written Evidence May. 22 2024
Inquiry: Access to High Street Banking in WalesFound: Varying levels of IT literacy skills have been identified as issues, noting that this is the case
Oral Evidence May. 22 2024
Inquiry: FCA and PRA’s secondary competitiveness and growth objectiveFound: Your 2024 six-point plan pointed out the low levels of financial literacy we have in this country.