The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-02-11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what functions are delegated to each specialist contractor hired by her Department to advise regional school commissioners.
Edward Timpson
Invitation to tender including the contract was published on contracts finder on GOV.UK on 12 August 2015 at:
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/fcbd797d-c613-47f5-8853-79f2ad7d74a9
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-03-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2016 to Question 24002, on further education, how many steering group meetings of area reviews of post-16 education and training in (a) Birmingham and Solihull, (b) Greater Manchester, (c) Sheffield City Region, (d) Tees Valley, (e) Sussex, (f) Solent and (g) West Yorkshire took place without representatives of the (i) regional schools commissioner and (ii) local enterprise partnership being present in each of the last six months.
Nick Boles
There are a range of ways in which Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) and members of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) can contribute to area reviews, for instance through the National Area Review Advisory Group.
It is expected that there will be at least five steering group meetings in each review. To date all Wave 1 Area Reviews have held a number of local steering group meetings and RSCs and LEPs are members. They or their representatives have attended the majority of these meetings.
In Birmingham and Solihull, one meeting in December 2015 took place without an RSC representative present.
In Greater Manchester, one meeting in November 2015 took place without an RSC representative present and one meeting in December 2015 took place without either an RSC or LEP representative present.
In Sheffield City Region, one meeting in December 2015 took place without an RSC representative present.
In Tees Valley, all meetings have taken place with a RSC or LEP representative present.
In Sussex, one meeting in February 2016 took place without an RSC representative present.
In the Solent, one meeting in November 2015 and one meeting in January 2016 took place without an RSC representative present.
In West Yorkshire, one meeting in November 2015, one meeting in December 2015 and one meeting in January 2016 took place without an RSC representative present.
Both a RSC and LEP representative have been present at all other steering group meetings of the Wave 1 area reviews.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that local authorities are required to take action on education and early years settings that intentionally exclude disabled children and do not meet their legal duties to such children under the Equality Act 2010.
Edward Timpson
Promoting equality in education settings is a priority for this Government. In combination with our guidance to schools on managing medical conditions, the Equality Act 2010 provides a broad basis for ensuring that disabled pupils are included and supported to achieve their full potential.
The Equality Act requires all schools (whether maintained or academy) to produce an accessibility plan. These plans ensure that all aspects of school life are accessible to disabled pupils. The Act also requires Local Authorities to produce accessibility strategies with the same aims as the school-level plan, but with different coverage. There is no evidence of schools or early years settings systematically refusing to accept disabled children. However, we do take action where individual cases are brought to our attention.
Our Early Implementer Package for the new extended childcare offer will include testing how we can improve access for children with SEN and disabilities. This will provide critical information before the national rollout.
Any exclusions from school must be lawful, reasonable and fair. Schools have a legal duty not to discriminate against a pupil because of a protected characteristic. The statutory guidance on exclusion emphasises the importance of early intervention to address underlying causes of disruptive behaviour, including an assessment of whether suitable provision is in place to support any SEN or disability a pupil may have. It also states that headteachers should, as far as possible, avoid excluding permanently any pupil with a statement of SEN.
In certain circumstances, governing bodies must review head teachers’ decisions to exclude and have the power to reinstate a pupil. Where a governing body upholds a permanent exclusion, parents can request that the decision is reviewed by an independent review panel. However, the governing body has the final say on whether the pupil can return to the school. Parents can request that a SEN expert provides impartial advice to the panel.
Parents can also make a claim to the First-tier Tribunal (SEN and Disabilities) when it is alleged that an exclusion relates to disability discrimination. The Tribunal has the power to order the pupil’s reinstatement.
When Ofsted inspect a school and look at the behaviour management policies they can also consider whether the school is disproportionately excluding pupils with disabilities and can use this to inform their assessment.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 2.28 of her Department’s white paper Educational Excellence Everywhere, published in March 2016, what factors will be taken into account in assessing which graduates are well-qualified for a teaching career for the purposes of the allocation of initial teacher training places to university providers.
Nick Gibb
As set out in our recent White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, we plan to introduce ‘Centres of Excellence’ in Initial Teacher Training which will receive multi-year allocations. We are currently engaging the sector and working to establish the criteria for determining which providers will be designated as a ‘Centre of Excellence’. At this stage, no firm decisions have been taken.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-05-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 12 May 2016 to Question 36856, on heart diseases, when his Department plans to instruct NICE to develop specific clinical guidelines on the diagnosis, referral and treatment of patients with heart valve disease.
George Freeman
NHS England is responsible for commissioning clinical guidelines on healthcare topics from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
NHS England has advised that it has no plans to ask NICE to develop specific clinical guidelines on the diagnosis, referral and treatment of patients with heart valve disease at this time.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will estimate the proportion of Countryside Stewardship schemes that will be signed-off before the Autumn Statement.
George Eustice
The application deadline for Countryside Stewardship multi-annual agreements is 30 September. Natural England will be looking to make offers to all successful applicants before the Autumn Statement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons his Department does not permit people living in service family accommodation to have a water meter installed.
Mark Lancaster
There is no requirement to install water meters in Service Family Accommodation. Water costs are not billed seperately as they are included in Service personnel’s daily accommodation charges.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) guidance she has provided and (b) information her Department holds on which age groups the Sevenoaks Annexe of Weald of Kent Grammar School, recently approved by her Department plans to serve.
Edward Timpson
Departmental advice for academies wishing to make a change to their existing arrangements is available on GOV.UK.
The new annexe will serve the same age range as the existing site of Weald of Kent Grammar School, which is 11-19. The admission arrangements apply across the whole school. It is the responsibility of the academy trust as the admission authority to ensure that admission arrangements are compliant with The School Admissions Code.
The newly expanded school will better meet the needs of school-age people in the community that it serves, with over 41% of students at the existing site already travelling from the Sevenoaks area.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-11-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department has taken to embed the family test into its policy making.
Caroline Dinenage
Officials in my Department have worked with colleagues at the Department for Work and Pensions to support the application of the Family Test in policy development. All policy teams within the Ministry of Justice have been made aware of the processes to be followed when applying the Test. In line with DWP guidance, potential impacts of policy on family functioning and relationships should be identified and brought to the attention of Ministers where appropriate. The guidance can be located at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368894/family-test-guidance.pdf
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nic Dakin on 2015-12-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of classroom teachers earning £65,000 or more per year are women.
Nick Gibb
The data provided to the Department for Education by schools in the School Workforce Census, November 2014, shows that 72 per cent of classroom teachers earning £65,000 or more were women.