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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what account he plans to take of (a) design and (b) technical knowledge in the review of the GCSE/GCE examination course in design and technology.

Elizabeth Truss

The GCSE and GCE Awarding Organisations are leading on developing subject content for reformed design and technology qualifications. In carrying out this work, they are drawing closely on advice from subject organisations with design and technical expertise. The draft criteria that are developed will be formally consulted on and the evidence gathered will be used to review and finalise the content for the new design and technology qualifications.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what continued professional development assistance is provided to design and technology teachers.

Elizabeth Truss

The Government is committed to raising the quality of teaching in all subjects, including Design and Technology (D&T). Headteachers and teachers are best placed to make decisions about what professional development they require in order to meet the needs of their pupils and school. A network of Teaching Schools has been established to improve the capacity of schools to take the lead in the training and development of teachers and create more opportunities for peer-to-peer learning. The Teachers’ Standards set a clear benchmark for the level of practice expected of all teachers, and provide a valuable tool to help headteachers and teachers identify and address development needs through regular appraisal.

The D&T expert subject group, set up to provide support to teachers implementing the new D&T curriculum, comprises of leading professionals in D&T who work to clarify the key areas on which teachers most need further support, identifying the topics that can present the greatest challenge when discussing with pupils. The group liaises with relevant specialists and providers to develop and produce new resources where necessary. DATA, in partnership with others, have developed a range of resources including an annotated programme of study, providing advice and explanatory notes on implementation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the review of design and technology GCSE/GCE examination specifications will bring those examinations in line with the revised national curriculum for design and technology.

Elizabeth Truss

The GCSE and GCE Awarding Organisations are leading on developing new design and technology GCSEs and A levels. They are ensuring that the content builds on and is in line with the revised design and technology national curriculum.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) objectives, (b) governance, (c) intended duration and (d) funding of the Your Life campaign are; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss

The main objective of the Your Life campaign is to increase the number of young people choosing A levels in maths or physics.

The campaign will be led by an independent organisation chaired by Edwina Dunn, and it will run for three years.

It will seek support and resources from leading employers and organisations. The Government has provided limited funds to establish a website and other set-up work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the status and importance of design and technology at Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and post-16; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss

Design and Technology (D&T) is an important subject that can inspire young people to pursue careers in engineering and manufacturing. Ofsted’s 2011 report ‘Meeting technological challenges’ found:

“Most pupils in the primary and secondary schools visited enjoyed designing and making products and gained much satisfaction in acquiring technical skills and in seeing their ideas take shape.”

During the review of the national curriculum, the Government consulted industry representatives, such as Dyson and Royal Academy of Engineering, teachers, subject associations and D&T specialists to ensure the new D&T curriculum is relevant to the modern world. We have strengthened the technological aspects of the subject by including new and emerging technologies, placed greater emphasis on links with STEM subjects to provide a context for their practical application and we are also reforming D&T GCSE and A levels to include more rigorous content and build on the changes made to the curriculum. The new qualifications will be more ambitious, with greater stretch for the most able and prepare young people better for the demands of employment and further study.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect of progress 8 performance measures since their introduction in secondary schools.

Mr David Laws

Progress 8 will be the headline secondary school performance measure from 2016. This will be based on qualifications which schools will begin teaching in the autumn term of 2014. The new performance measures aim to encourage schools to offer a broad and balanced curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils.

More schools than ever are entering pupils for the English Baccalaureate, which encourages the study of science, a language and a humanities subject alongside maths and English.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have (a) merged design and technology with art and design and (b) removed design and technology from their curriculum since 2010.

Elizabeth Truss

The Department does not collect nor hold the data requested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 1 July 2013, Official Report, column 395W, on Afghanistan, whether recruits at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy in Afghanistan will receive specific training on UN Security Council resolution 1325.

Mr Mark Francois

Officer Cadets at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA) in Afghanistan receive specific training on UN Security Council resolution 1325. This supports one of the ANAOA’s core training objectives to: “Comply with Afghan National Army gender integration/equality and diversity policy”. The course covers international law, human rights and women’s rights, Islamic attitudes (including towards women) and the rights of the family, focusing on the role and equality of women in contemporary Afghan society.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Luff on 2014-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the 90 UK personnel plan to provide mentoring and related support to the Afghan national army officer academy he expects (a) to be female and (b) to be able to provide gender-sensitive training.

Mr Mark Francois

The UK currently provides six female mentors to the Afghan National Army Officer Academy’s (ANAOA) female training platoon. One additional female mentor is involved in the wider training programme at the Academy.

Many of the mentor posts at the ANAOA are reserved for male Service personnel, owing to the cultural sensibilities of our Afghan partners. We will continue to seek opportunities to deploy females into other mentoring posts to demonstrate to the Afghan National Army (ANA) that Servicewomen are exemplars and can be employed across a wide range of roles.

In relation to gender-sensitive training, one of the ANAOA’s core training objectives is: “Comply with ANA gender integration/equality and diversity policy”. The course covers international law, human rights and women’s rights, Islamic attitudes (including towards women) and the rights of the family, focusing on the role and equality of women in contemporary Afghan society.