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  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what proportion of employees in his Department of each (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time.

    Gregory Barker

    The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has a Flexible Working policy which allows its staff to apply to work through a range of flexible working options. These include part time working, job sharing, compressed hours, as well as working from home on an occasional or more regular basis or as part of a formal arrangements where staff are officially based at home. DECC does not hold central records of those staff who have made a statutory application for flexible working.

    Information relating to staff who work part time is recorded centrally and the proportion of those by (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender is set out in the tables below.

    Civil Service pay grade

    Full Time

    Part Time

    AO

    89%

    11%

    EO

    93%

    7%

    HEO

    96%

    4%

    FASTSTREAM

    100%

    0%

    SEO

    95%

    5%

    G7

    91%

    9%

    G6

    86%

    14%

    SCS

    91%

    9%

    Grand Total

    92%

    8%

    Gender

    Full Time

    Part Time

    Female

    86%

    14%

    Male

    98%

    2%

    Grand Total

    92%

    8%
  • Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Steve McCabe – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2014, Official Report, columns 250-1W, on special educational needs, when he expects to make an announcement on the effect of reforms on funding for special educational needs.

    Mr David Laws

    On 13 March, I announced proposals to allocate £350 million to our least fairly funded local areas in 2015-16. This is the biggest step towards fairer schools funding in a decade, and it puts us in a much better position to implement a national funding formula when the time is right.

    To allocate this £350 million as fairly as possible, we selected the characteristics we think contribute most to the attainment of pupils and viability of schools, and set indicative minimum funding levels for each of these. These characteristics include deprivation and low prior attainment, both of which show some correlation with low-cost, high incidence special educational needs (SEN). We looked at the average value attached by local authorities to these characteristics and used these as a basis for our proposed minimum funding levels. Applying these minimum funding levels could mean that some of the least fairly funded local authorities with high numbers of these pupils see a benefit.

    This additional £350 million applies to the schools block of the dedicated schools grant that local authorities receive. However, this is one of three notional blocks of funding, and local authorities are free to move money between their schools block, high needs block and early years block as they see fit. It is therefore possible that local authorities could choose to move the additional money to their high needs block to support children with high-cost special educational needs.

    Our proposals are still at the consultation stage. For more information, please see the consultation at the following address:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fairer-schools-funding-2015-to-2016

    “

  • Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Richard Burden – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he will announce (a) additional funding for and (b) a help and advice service to schools on universal free school meals.

    Mr David Laws

    The Chancellor announced in his Autumn Statement on 5 December that we would be providing over £1 billion of additional revenue funding over the next two financial years, and £150 million of capital funding in 2014-15, to support the introduction of universal infant free school meals.

    On 6 March we published a departmental advice document which sets out further information about the funding available and about the support available to schools. This document is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals

    On 6 March we also launched a support service, which consists of a telephone and online advice service for schools, local authorities and caterers and a direct-support service for schools facing significant challenges. The service is being provided by school food experts, the Children’s Food Trust and the Lead Association for Catering in Education, in conjunction with a number of delivery partners. More information is available at: http://www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/Root/schools/schoolfoodplan

    “

  • Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Andrew Percy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Percy on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of children who are home-schooled in (a) Yorkshire and the Humber and (b) Brigg and Goole constituency.

    Mr David Laws

    The information requested is not held by the Department.

  • Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Nick Gibb on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, columns 83-4W, on the School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012, if he will make an assessment of the level of compliance with those regulations among state-funded schools and academies.

    Mr David Laws

    If a parent, or other party, believes that a school is not complying with the requirements, they are entitled to raise this with the governing body. If their complaint is not resolved and they believe that the school has failed to discharge its duty or acted unreasonably, they can raise their complaint with the Secretary of State.

    Ofsted routinely checks school websites ahead of inspection.

  • Neil Carmichael – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Neil Carmichael – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Neil Carmichael on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what conclusions he has drawn from the 3D Printer Project Report for enriching teaching across STEM and Design subjects in schools.

    Elizabeth Truss

    The schools involved in the 2012-13 pilot 3D Printer Project explored innovative ways of teaching STEM subjects, stimulating pupil interest and enriching the curriculum. Participating schools explored the potential benefits and challenges of using this technology in the curriculum and some shared their experiences with other schools wishing to introduce 3D printers. As set out in the report, feedback confirmed that 3D printers have significant potential as a teaching resource and can have a positive impact on pupil engagement and learning.

    In October the Secretary of State for Education commissioned a further 3D Printer Project, working with the Design and Technology Association and 42 teaching school alliances, to further develop our understanding of the educational opportunities offered by 3D printers. Like the pilot project, it is exploring new ways of teaching STEM subjects using a 3D printer, but with an emphasis on using it in ways that enhance learning over other approaches. The schools involved will develop and deliver continuous professional development (CPD) on using a 3D printer to teach STEM subjects to teachers across their teaching school alliances. We plan to make the best of the STEM teaching and CPD resources developed by the participants available to schools across England.

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the functional literacy rates were in each (a) local authority area and (b) region in each of the last 10 years.

    Mr David Laws

    Tables showing the percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or above in reading and writing at the end of key stage 2[1] at local authority level for the past four years are published in the ‘National curriculum assessments at key stage two’ statistical first release (SFR). A copy of the data has been placed in the House Library.

    Information on the percentage of pupils achieving A* to C and A* to G grades in English GCSE[2] nationally for the last 10 years are published in the ‘GCSE and equivalent results’ SFR. A copy is placed in the House Library.

    Key stage 2 reading and writing figures for earlier years and English GCSE figures at local authority level could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

    [1] These figures are published in the “National curriculum assessments at key stage 2” statistical first releases for each year.

    [2] These figures are published in the “GCSE and equivalent results” statistical first releases for each year.

  • Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Nick Gibb on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of education standards in primary schools in Surrey. [R]

    Mr David Laws

    In Surrey local authority, 89%, 85% and 86% of primary pupils achieved level 4 or above in the reading test, writing teacher assessment and mathematics test respectively. The performance of Surrey is higher than all schools nationally where 86%, 83% and 85% achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing and mathematics respectively.

    This information is published in table 11 to 16 of the “National curriculum assessments at key stage 2: 2012 to 2013”[1] statistical first release. This is available in the “Local authority and regional tables: SFR51/2013” document. This document also contains information on pupil progress.

    [1]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-assessments-at-key-stage-2-2012-to-2013

    “

  • Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Mr Nick Gibb – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mr Nick Gibb on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will list all academy sponsors with 10 or more academies. [R]

    Mr Edward Timpson

    Sponsors with 10 or more academies are:

    · Academies Enterprise Trust (AET)

    · Academy Transformation Trust

    · ARK Schools

    · Cabot Learning Federation

    · CfBT Education Trust

    · Clifton Diocese

    · David Ross Education Trust (DRET)

    · Diocese of Salisbury Academies

    · Diocese of Wakefield

    · E-ACT

    · Elliot Foundation

    · Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust

    · Harris Federation

    · Kemnal Academy Trust, The (TKAT)

    · Northern Education Trust

    · Nottingham Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Service (NRCDES)

    · Oasis Community Learning

    · Ormiston Academies Trust

    · Outwood Grange Academies Trust

    · REAch2 Academy Trust

    · School Partnership Trust Academies (SPTA)

    · The Education Fellowship Trust

    · The Griffin Schools Trust

    · The Primary Academies Trust

    · United Learning

  • Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lucy Powell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Powell on 2014-03-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department last visited a private, voluntary or independent sector childcare setting in an official capacity.

    Elizabeth Truss

    Records show that the most recent visits undertaken to PVI provision by Ministers in the Department for Education are as follows.

    I visited Little Rainbows Day Nursery on 20 March 2014. My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, visited Norwood Kennedy Leigh Family Centre in November 2013.

    It should be noted that we do not keep records of the specific business model of every nursery or childcare setting Ministers visit. Therefore, it is possible that other visits have been undertaken, details of which are not held centrally.