Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of engaging with The Summer Camps Trust to promote the use of summer camps.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The department recognises the significant benefits learning outside the classroom can have on children’s educational development, as well as their mental health and wellbeing, and is taking steps to unlock outdoor learning and educational visits in line with the COVID-19 road map.
The government also recognises the vital role they can play in character development opportunities they afford for social mixing, which promotes children and young people’s wellbeing. That is why we ensured that all before and after-school clubs, holiday clubs, and other out-of-school settings were able continue to stay open for those children that need or rely on these settings most, for the duration of the national lockdown, and why we have extended eligibility of attendance when children returned to school on 8 March.
At present, providers are able to offer face-to-face provision for all children, where that provision supports certain essential purposes; with vulnerable children and young people able to continue accessing provision under any circumstance. We have updated our protective measures guidance for the sector, which outlines eligibility and aims to support providers to allow them to open for as many children as safely as possible. This guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.
The government’s intention is that out-of-school settings and wraparound childcare providers will be able to open to all children, without restrictions on access, in time for the summer term, and no earlier than 12 April. However, the government continues to advise against all educational visits. The department is working on advice for schools on the planning and booking of residential visits when it is safe to do so and in line with the government’s roadmap to recovery, as set out in: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021/covid-19-response-spring-2021. The advice will be published shortly.
While the department has not thus far engaged with The Summer Camps Trust specifically, since June 2020, we have been in close communication with various stakeholders, to understand the specific challenges that they face. These discussions have been incredibly beneficial for the department, and the collaboration on this policy area has led to a supportive relationship, which is still ongoing.
Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential contribution that residential summer camps can play in promoting (a) character development and (b) social mixing as part of young people’s education.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The department recognises the significant benefits learning outside the classroom can have on children’s educational development, as well as their mental health and wellbeing, and is taking steps to unlock outdoor learning and educational visits in line with the COVID-19 road map.
The government also recognises the vital role they can play in character development opportunities they afford for social mixing, which promotes children and young people’s wellbeing. That is why we ensured that all before and after-school clubs, holiday clubs, and other out-of-school settings were able continue to stay open for those children that need or rely on these settings most, for the duration of the national lockdown, and why we have extended eligibility of attendance when children returned to school on 8 March.
At present, providers are able to offer face-to-face provision for all children, where that provision supports certain essential purposes; with vulnerable children and young people able to continue accessing provision under any circumstance. We have updated our protective measures guidance for the sector, which outlines eligibility and aims to support providers to allow them to open for as many children as safely as possible. This guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.
The government’s intention is that out-of-school settings and wraparound childcare providers will be able to open to all children, without restrictions on access, in time for the summer term, and no earlier than 12 April. However, the government continues to advise against all educational visits. The department is working on advice for schools on the planning and booking of residential visits when it is safe to do so and in line with the government’s roadmap to recovery, as set out in: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021/covid-19-response-spring-2021. The advice will be published shortly.
While the department has not thus far engaged with The Summer Camps Trust specifically, since June 2020, we have been in close communication with various stakeholders, to understand the specific challenges that they face. These discussions have been incredibly beneficial for the department, and the collaboration on this policy area has led to a supportive relationship, which is still ongoing.
Asked by: Baroness Benjamin (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) educational, (2) well-being, and (3) cultural, impact of allowing museums, galleries and heritage buildings to re-open.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
There is clear evidence of an association between arts and culture participation and self-reported subjective wellbeing, even when social, economic and lifestyle factors are taken into account. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Arts, Health and Wellbeing found evidence that cultural engagement reduces stress and helps people to live longer and happier lives. During the first national lockdown, a DCMS study showed well-being increased with access to outdoor space, often accessed at heritage sites.
Learning is at the heart of museums, galleries and heritage sites. Many identify as delivering education as their primary function. In the public consultation for the Mendoza Review, 85% of over 1,200 respondents felt that museums and galleries are primarily places for education.
Museums, galleries and heritage sites contribute to positive social outcomes at a local level, making places more attractive to businesses and residents.
Our roadmap is driven by the latest evidence on the risk of transmission. We are therefore reopening outdoor settings before indoor settings, and reopening relatively low risk indoor settings where household mixing is less likely to take place at an earlier step, including retail, personal care and exercise facilities.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the role the National School Breakfast programme could play in helping children recover lost learning as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Nick Gibb
This Government wants pupils to be healthy and well nourished. We encourage pupils to adopt a healthy balanced diet and healthy life choices through school funding, legislation and guidance.
The Department is investing up to £38 million in the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP). This funding is enabling up to 2,450 schools to set up or improve breakfast clubs in disadvantaged areas of the country. The programme is designed to support schools in making their breakfast clubs sustainable for the longer term.
The Department knows that breakfast clubs can bring a wide range of benefits for children. An evaluation by the Education Endowment Foundation found that supporting schools to run a free of charge, universal breakfast club before school delivered an average of 2 months’ additional progress for pupils in Key Stage 1. Schools with breakfast clubs also saw an improvement in pupil behaviour and attendance.
The Department’s protective measures guidance for providers of before or after school clubs, and other out-of-school settings during the COVID-19 outbreak has been updated to make clear that providers who run community activities, holiday clubs, breakfast or after-school clubs, tuition, and other out-of-school provision for children, are able to continue to open for both outdoor and indoor provision, provided they follow the protective measures set out by the Government in this guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.
Parents and carers are only able to access settings for certain essential purposes. Providers should only offer indoor and outdoor face-to-face provision to:
The Government is committed to helping children and young people make up education lost as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Department has invested £1.7 billion to give early years, schools and colleges support to help pupils get back on track, including additional funding for tutoring, early language support, and summer schools.
The Department has also appointed Sir Kevan Collins as Education Recovery Commissioner who will advise ministers on the approach for education recovery, with a particular focus on helping students catch up on education lost as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department plans to provide to outdoor learning providers as part of the covid-19 catch-up provision.
Answered by Nick Gibb
We recognise that extended school and college restrictions have had a substantial impact on children and young people’s education and are committed to helping pupils make up lost education as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. In January 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, committed to working with parents, teachers, and education providers to develop a long-term plan to help schools support pupils make up their education over the course of this Parliament.
In February 2021, the Department also appointed Sir Kevan Collins, as Education Recovery Commissioner, to advise on the approach for education recovery and the development of a long-term plan to help pupils make up their education over the course of this Parliament. The Education Recovery Commissioner has been clear that sport and broader enrichment activities are a key part of recovery, and will engage with parents, pupils, and teachers in the development of this broader approach which will examine a range of options to help schools to use evidence-based interventions to support their pupils to make up lost education.
£200 million will be made available to secondary schools to run summer schools with an initial focus on incoming Year 7 pupils. The summer schools will offer a mix of academic and enrichment activity. Guidance will be provided to schools, including a reminder that they can work with their usual wraparound or holiday provider to ensure they can collaboratively create a broad and interesting programme for the pupils involved.
The Department recognises the significant benefits that education outside the classroom can have on children’s development as well as their mental health and wellbeing and is taking steps to unlock outdoor education and educational visits in line with the COVID-19 road map.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Culture Recovery Fund to the outdoor learning sector.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund is an unprecedented support package for culture and heritage. Where outdoor educational centres have extensive public outreach; run professional arts programmes; or own, work with or manage heritage, they may be eligible for support and could apply to the Culture Recovery Fund.
However, please note that the application portals for the second round of the Culture Recovery Fund have now closed.
Asked by: Laura Farris (Conservative - Newbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) allowing self-isolating individuals to visit family members in care homes who are suffering from isolation and (b) facilitating care home residents to visit covid-secure family homes.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise how important it is to allow care home residents to meet their loved ones safely, and appreciate the particular challenges visiting restrictions pose for people with dementia, learning disabilities and autistic adults, amongst others and their loved ones.
In the face of a new variant of the virus we have acted to protect those most at risk in care homes and ensure visits can go ahead safely in some form. As set out in national lockdown guidance, visits to care homes can continue to take place with arrangements such as outdoor visiting, substantial screens, visiting pods, or behind windows. Close-contact indoor visits are not currently allowed. Visits in exceptional circumstances including end of life should always be supported and enabled.
We have also published guidance on visits out of care homes such as to the family home during this period of this national lockdown. People, including care home residents, must stay at home and must not gather indoors unless one of the specified exemptions apply. This means that a resident will not in general be able to meet another household indoors, for example, visiting their family in the family’s home.
We are keeping all our guidance under regular review, and will seek to provide further opportunities for families to visit and spend time together as it becomes safer to do so.
Asked by: Geraint Davies (Independent - Swansea West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the recommendations made by the School Streets Initiative in relation to (a) healthier learning environments for school children and (b) increased space to ensure social distancing at schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Outdoor air quality and road traffic restrictions are the responsibility of local authorities. Where there are concerns about air quality the local authority must prepare an air quality action plan.
We are not aware of any recommendations to the Department on the impact of the School Streets Initiative on healthier educational environments. The Department published guidance (Building Bulletin 101) on achieving good indoor air quality in new and refurbished schools in 2019.
As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, made clear when he spoke at the daily press briefing on 19 June, the Department is working towards bringing all children and young people back to school in September. We have published further information and guidance to help schools prepare for September. The guidance is available here:
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential health benefits of using outdoor spaces to teach; and what plans they have to (1) support, and (2) encourage, schools to make increased use of outdoor spaces as learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We recognise that outdoor education can be beneficial for the health and wellbeing of children and young people, and that outdoor space offers additional benefits to allow for distance between people during the coronavirus outbreak. Our guidance to help schools and other education settings prepare for wider opening to more pupils from 1 June, explicitly encourages the use of outdoor space and outdoor education where possible. In particular, we are asking schools to consider which lessons or activities could take place outdoors as part of a range of approaches they can take to help reduce transmission. We are also asking schools to use their outside space for exercise and breaks.
Asked by: Paul Farrelly (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of ensuring that the national curriculum includes outdoor learning on the natural environment.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Outdoor education can play an important role for many subjects in the school curriculum. It can include cultural trips, environmental and countryside education, science and geography fieldwork, and visits to museums and heritage sites. For some subjects such as biology and geography, fieldwork is a part of the national curriculum and a requirement of GCSE subject content.
In recognition of these benefits, the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, published in January 2018, included £10 million funding from the Department to help more children from disadvantaged backgrounds to have contact with nature.
The Government does not prescribe how schools should teach or what outdoor activities they should offer. They have the freedom to plan and deliver curricula that meet the educational needs and interests of their pupils, provided they meet any statutory requirements.