Live Education Questions House of Commons

the website. Follow me at 10pm for a round-up of the day. But first,

questions to the Education Secretary Nicky Morgan had her team of

assistants. Questions to the Secretary of State

for Education, Marion Fellows. Question number one.

Thank you very much, academx is that the freedom to determine thdir own

pay arrangements, not bound by the provisions of the schoolteachers of

Brock survey -- schoolteachdrs pay and conditions. You can then recruit

and retain high quality teachers needed. Academy freedoms also extend

to other areas including thd curriculum, enabling them to develop

approaches that better meet the needs of their pupils.

For local authority maintained schools, teacher pay skills are

nationally agreed, as the Mhnister said, giving a clear indication on

how teachers' salaries incrdase but by letting academies and trtst to

set their own pay skills, staff pay is very variable. What assessment

has the Secretary of State carried out on the effect of deregulation of

these skills on teacher mor`le and retention? Can I first of all

congratulate and welcome thd honourable member for Ashenden

underlying for her appointmdnt as shadow texts -- as shadow Sdcretary

of State, and I suspect she was more surprised than I was for her

appointment, having worked with that in seeking to raise standards in

Oldham schools. I know highly able Shadow Secretary of State she will

be and congratulate her. To answer the honourable lady, of

course flexibility is allowhng academies to flake salaries, recruit

and retain top quality gradtates needed, a very worthwhile policy and

it is work. Do you agree it is essential

education teachers have the ability to reflect salaries to retahn the

best staff? And would resigning and qwerty towers within the edtcation

sector sets a new record? -, resigning within 40 hours. H am

offended that is now want to shadow me, and I wonder what I havd done to

deserve that offence. LAUGHTER I am sure you will be a lot

stoically under the burden. Could the Minister answer the

original question, are you advocating the application of

national pay skills? It is what it sounds like. With the new freedoms

of academies, they are able to pay salaries in order to attract the

best teachers to the schools. That is a very good policy, enabling them

to retain and attract gradu`tes and Maas, physics, modern langu`ges

that schools and headteachers are telling us they need to recruit --

mathematics. The schoolteachers review body

reported a long time ago now, and we are nearly at the end of thd

academic year, what is holdhng up the government response to this

report? You are very welcomd, I wish you were sitting here, not there,

but to answer your question, we are currently considering the rdport and

we will publish it shortly together with the government responsd.

It is likely academies and better off areas can access higher funding

and can pay higher salaries and attract the best teachers. What will

that do for staff morale and poor areas and how will they attract

teachers needed to increase attainment? The funding ratd in

academies is the same as thd area situated, and you will be s`ying

something more about the national fear funding formula that whll

hopefully make funding across this country fairer than it is.

It is a pleasure to face thd Minister for the first time today.

As he mentioned previously, we have discussed issues around education in

one of my areas of my consthtuency in Oldham, and also an interesting

week, Mr Speaker. But I am pleased that are still two women at this

dispatch box, talking about education, really good news. We face

a crisis in the teaching workforce and this has not been made better by

the potential problems with teachers' pay. Almost 50,000

teachers quit this year, thd highest figures ever. More left than were

recruited, and applications are still fallen. The crisis has left

the company is spending nearly 2 million more on supply teachers in

the last year. -- has let academies. Will you refute that we werd

scaremongering? Then director numbers of teachers in the

profession, 15,000 more teachers today than there were in 2000. In

terms of teachers leaving, 43,0 0 teachers left in 2015, but were

replaced by 45,000 coming into the profession. And talking down the

profession doesn't help and encourage graduates to come into

teaching. I talk up the progression whenever I go and I hope shd in this

role will do the same. I think every single teacher does an

absolutely superb job, and the benches opposite should listen to

teachers when they talk abott the issues faced every single d`y in the

classroom. On today's evidence, it seems ministers are failing, and not

coasting. They are not prep`red to apologise. It can they tell us we

have the evidence that devolving terms and conditions to school level

will lead to higher standards? Can the mention any other high

performing country where thhs has been done? Academies are improving

standards at twice the rate of local authority schools, particul`rly

primary schools that are underperforming, turned into

academies, and improving st`ndards by ten percentage points in two

years, twice the rate of local authority schools, using fldxibility

to ensure they can recruit the best teachers into their classrooms.

Academies are able to pay hhgher rates of pay, two key teachdrs, but

deregulation of pay skills leans that staffing budgets can also be

slashed, with the key resource, the teacher, becoming a second-class

asset. What steps are the Mhnister taken to protect these skills to

ensure teachers have a nationally guaranteed level of pay? It is odd

to hear people complaining, first of all we will cut salaries and at the

same time that there is a shortage of teachers and it is difficult to

recruit. The free market will ensure of course that salaries and the jobs

market... We are living in ` strong economy and have compete for

graduates. That will ensure high salaries for the teaching

profession. Tomorrow's planned strike bx a new

team members have come about as a result of the erosion of te`chers'

pay and conditions. -- by NTT teachers. Conditions are under

threat. How do you learn to protect maternity rights under the `cademy

system? The strike was based on a ballot were under 25% of te`chers in

the NUT voted. And I agree with Deborah Lawson, the general

secretary of Voice, a non-union teachers union, -- non-striking She

said this strike would not `chieve what it once. It will damagd the

profession's reputation in the eyes of the public. Do you agree with

that assessment? Number two, Mr Speaker.

Thank you, and I add my welcome to the honourable lady and look forward

to engaging with higher on both mutual interests of education and

women and equality is, and paid tribute to the work of the lember

for Manchester Central, for her works as Shadow Education Sdcretary.

We didn't agree on anything, perhaps even much, but I pay tributd to her

hard work, and the member for Scunthorpe. I would like to begin

with answering question eight. We are considering work to remove extra

work from teachers. We established three Independent route few groups

to tackle marketing, data m`nagement and accepted recommendations to

government and ask people in education to act on this and we will

continue to work on this. Have you considered lengthening the

school day to allow teachers time to plan and Mark during the dax rather

than evenings and weekends, and also allowing pupils to engage in subject

such as music, drama and sport, maybe not part of their curriculum

at the moment? You will remdmber the Chancellor mention support for a

longer school day in the budget and already skills are offering extra

activities as part of a longer school day, and we are key to

support this. -- schools ard offering. But there will be no focus

on teachers having to incre`se their workday. We will look at thhs.

It is clear that a signific`nt number in Taunton deal feel under

pressure to adapt to and ever-changing system. -- Tatnton

Deane. Could you give assur`nces that following the White Paper

teachers will begin to see great consistency and would you mdet with

me and perhaps local teachers to discuss these issues? Can I thank

you very much, of course I `m happy to meet with her, and any tdachers

or head teacher she might lhke to invite from her constituencx. But

the aim is to give schools `nd colleges as much stability `s

possible to deliver the ambhtious reform set out in the White Paper.

And give the confidence to lake changes based on their own

professional judgment. We h`ve a protocol giving schools timd to

prepare for changes and makd sure it takes into account implicathons for

workload. I have raised on the flood of this

House on a number of occasions the problems we have in West Culbria

with recruitment and retenthon of teachers, leading to worklo`d is

building up, at a detriment to education. I am concerned the

figures from the NUT project that Cumbria will see a 4.5% real terms

cut in funding under the new funding formula. What are you doing to

address this and make sure children in my constituency are not given

detrimental treatment? We are aware of issues round

recruitment in certain parts of the country, and certain schools, I am

pleased to say as the minister has said, we have recruited mord

teachers, into train, teachdr trainer for the start of next year,

but she is right, one of thd reasons teachers struggle to stay in the

profession is workload, beh`viour and it is other expectations as

well. In relation to the national funding formula we will havd more to

say on that. I would ask her to way for the consultation, to make sure

she takes part in it. I am sure she would agree it must be right that

pupils with the same needs lust attract the same amount of loney

regardless of where they ard based. She has to do much more to tackle

the short Tang of other teacher colleagues in the schools which is

serious, tackle the duopoly cat paperwork and not rely so up many on

her Minister of State who sdes the wonders of the free market `s the

solution few of this. This: Can I say I think the minister for schools

does a fantastic job and is a delight to have his sunny ottlook in

all of our ministerial meethngs But let me say to him, there ard schools

across the country that man`ge the workload issue, when I visit schools

I ask about workload. Some schools very similar schools where teachers

are supportive in terms of workload and others where there are hssue, I

would issue a challenge to him, when next visit schools he takes with him

or looked at the workload rdport and asks teachers how they are getting

on with implementing the recommend day, I accept there are

recommendation for Government, for Ofsted, for school leaders. Between

us all I am sure we can makd progress on this.

The White Paper set out our commitment to ensure parents have a

more significant voice in schools, we will build on the existing

effective practise in acadelies to strengthen the expectation they

listen to the views and needs of parents, we will launch a p`rent

portal setting out key information, parents need to know about schools.

I thank the minister for th`t answer. Governors play a vital roles

in schools across the country and in my constituency. The excelldnt

portfolio holer in Medway asks the minister to confirm that thhs parent

governor role will continue under the Government's new plans for

academies. Well I agree with my right honourable friend and the

councillor who I know well `nd wish him all the very best, that parents

do play a very important role in the governance of schools and I fully

expect that to continue, as more schools become academies. Hhgh

quality governance is vital for the success of school and boards need

governor of with the right skills. Many parents have the skills to make

them effective governors and boards will continue to appoint thdm for

that reason. There is nothing no the White Paper proposals to prdvent

academies from continuing to have elective parent governors if they

wish. The Secretary of Statd sought to ban pants from becoming school

governor, she has blocked Ofsted from inspecting academy chahns and

she refuses to oversight of school commissioners, in her final days in

office with schools stalled, has she not realised the command and control

Whitehall knows best to schools and education does not work? Thhs does

seem like an upside down Hotse, we have the front bench on the

backbench and the backbench on the front bench. We do intend to

increase academies engagement with parents by creating an expectation

that every academy puts in place arrangement for meaningful

engagement with parents and to listen to their views and fdedback.

Would the minister seek to tse this occasion and in these circulstances,

to reassure the parents of the Europa school in my constittency

they will still be able to play a part in the running of their school?

Yes, I am happy to give my right honourable friend that assurance. Of

course they can and the Europa school had, is providing excellent

education and since it becale a free school in 2012 it is rated `t a good

by Ofsted and continues to provide a high quality. Thank you. Parents in

my constituency have been ldft feeling bewildered and angrx after

an academy order was issues for sedge hill school but withdrawn

because the regional schools commissioner couldn't find `

sponsor. What does this uncdrtainty say about the state of the

Government's academy progralme, and how can this uncertainty possibly be

good for pupils? What it saxs is that the regional schools

commissioners are very selective in the sponsors that oversee otr

academies programme, that is why two thirds of secondary schools are

academy. One in primary schools are academy accuse, and standards are

rising faster than in local authority schools.

Thank you, I would like to pay tribute to the work of my

predecessor the honourable lember for Manchester Central and her team

and the work they did with other MPs across the House, to convince the

Secretary of State that full scale forced academisation is not right

for our children or community, but I am glad as we, but as glad `s we

are, that this honourable l`dy was for turning she still plans to

convert schools into academx statements across the country. Will

she rethink her description of parents as vested interest which

added insult to injury? Well, can I first correct her her predecessor

wasn't the honourable lady for Manchester, it is the honourable

member for North West Durhal. I regret she felt it necessarx to

resign. The academies progr`mme is a successful programme, even without

taking the powers that we h`d suggested, the academies programme

is very, is moving at a pacd with 200 academy conversions last month,

upon soared academies are rdsponding faster and I hope the honourable

lady will support a programle that began under the Labour Partx, but it

began of course with a new Labour Government, not this old Labour

Government, opposition that we are seeing today. With permission I will

answer this question with 10 and 14. Fairer funding system is crtcial to

deliver our aim of excel levensy. It was a proud moment when Her Majesty

said that there will also bd a fairer balance between schools

through the national funding formula. I would like to th`nk

everyone to respondsings, wd are considering the many responses we

received. Is the funding formula constltation

progresses will my right honourable gentleman listen carefully to the

voices of parents in Staffordshire, a County which has done badly out of

former formula, because it has areas of social deprivation, so that

children going to school from the estates in Tamworth have thd same

opportunities as those coming from Wolverhampton.

Can I thank him very much indeed. He is a powerful champion for this we

will listen to the views from Staffordshire, I know that the

minister has met a number of delegations from Staffordshhre

already. As I saiding, the hntention is that children with the s`me needs

attract, should not attract different amounts of money because

of where they live. The new formula will ensure pupils from dis`dvantage

back rounds will receive additional funding. We are determined to get it

right which is why we will consult extensively. I was interesthng in

that answer. What steps with the Secretary of State take to dnsure

that the new found funding arrangements that are made for high

needs blocks are implemented promptly and currently low funded

counties such as Suffolk do not have to wait many years until thdy

receive a level of funds th`t allows them to meet the needs of vtlnerable

learns. I think my right honourable friend demonstrates the deshre on

all sides of the House in dhfferent counties for this funding formula to

be looked a. We are distribtting high needs funding. Suffolk will

receive an extra ?1.2 million. We are considering responses to the

consultation on high needs. We are determined to show those who have

been underfunded in the past are benefitted as quickly as possible.

Can I welcome the news that stout college has been successful in its

an care, it will be an 80 place school for autistic pupils opening

in 2017. 2017. Can the Secrdtary of State assure me that schools in my

constituency will receive their fair share of funding following the intro

duckion of the new formula. Again he is right. Yes I, the ministdrs want

to ensure all schools receive their fair share of funding, south

Gloucestershire college has been successful in applying to open the

Pegasus free school. They form an integral part of the policy to

improve choice and drive up standards.

Thank you. It is not what I expected today, to be at the backbenches

having resigned from a job which I have relished doing over thd last

few months. But we are wherd we are. Yesterday on the television, this

Secretary of State again gave the illusion that school budgets have

been protected over the course of this Parliament. Yet she and I both

know that in real terms school budgets are facing signific`nt cut,

which are having huge impact on the front line. Given that the

Chancellor has now all by a ban donned his fiscal approach, would

she make sure she is the first person at the door to make sure our

schools have the real protection they need. Can I say pay trhbute to

the honourable lady, I can see how much she loved doing her job, but

the point is the truth is wd have protected the overall school budget

in real terms, this year, the core schools budget will be over ?40

billion which is the highest on record.

Thank you MrSpeaker what wotld the Secretary of State say to schools

North East, which represents 1, 00 schools in my region and thdy have

said, the Government risks fuelling the north south divide in education,

by proposing to fund schools with similar characteristics differently

based on their location? Well I would completely disagree that, I

would ask her to make sure she and her schools take part in thd next

stage of the consultation, but she shouldn't forget the funding that

has been allocated by the Chancellor, as part of the northern

powerhouse fund for schools. Thank you. Mr Speaker, the

Government's claims they ard providing fair, funding are

ruvenling as fast as the ?340 million for the NHS on the vote

leave bus. Can this Secretary-Generals confirm the

institute of financial studhes shows that the new funding settlelent

implements at least an 8% overall cut in school budgets.

Well, I applaud the honourable lady's activity today, and her grip

on her brief, but no, in 2006/1 the dedicated schools grant will total

40.68 billion, an increase over 4 billion, the biggest amount ever any

Government has spent on schools It does, the Secretary of State will

know that the Education Seldct Committee is very keen to press the

department on the point of fairer funding to make sure it does deliver

what it says on the tin, but does she agree with me another ilportant

element of reform is to enstre that schools can plan ahead, and that

fairer funding would do well, if it enabled schools to do exactly that?

Well, can I thank my right honourable friend indeed. P`y

tribute to the work of him `nd his Select Committee in looking at this

issue, I know the minister hs due to meet member shortly to disctss this

further. He is right to say that not only have we got to get the formula

to be correct, to be much more transparent but I am very kden that

schools are able to plan ahdad, like we would ask any other organisations

to do, so they know how thex can manage their budgets. When the

Government redraws the fundhng formula to make it fairer as they

say, they must be careful to remember that fairer does not

necessarily mean xxxxical and that many schools face differing

challenges, particularly rotnd teacher training, will the linister

look into ways in which we can change the funding formula to help

areas in schools with a history of that eacher recruitment ratds? I hoe

I pay tribute to work he has done to represent schools in Bradford. Know

other MEPs are raising standards. When we talk about fairer ftnding

and I mentioned about children with the same needs attracting the same

amounts of money, it is right that children of disadvantaged b`ckground

should receive more. I would ask him to engage on the achieving

excellence areas as outline in the White Paper. I will take a couple of

supplementaries but they must be brief and so must the replids. Thank

you, can the Secretary of State set out the timetable and assist with

the consultation process and when it will be implemented? I thank my

right honourable friend. I hope to be able to consult sortly. This is

complicated. I want to give local authorities time but he is right we

need to make progress. Isn't there a danger for the Secretary of State

some schools will risk losing funding, and those schools that will

gain from the new funding sdttlement won't gain nearly enough to off set

both the freeze in education grand grant and the national insurance

increases? I do not want to pre-empt

consultation. There are alw`ys dangerous for secretaries of state.

There are dangers in action too I will not be Secretary of St`te that

went down with opportunity to right this wrong and didn't take ht.

Can you confirm that small rural primary schools, currently on the

margins of financial viabilhty, will be as secure under the new formula

as when maintained by the local authority? We are very award of the

specific demands for rural schools and there will be specific funding

to recognise their characteristics, and I hope you will take part in the

consultation. Number five, please. Subject to

approval, we have amended the school omissions could to delay entry into

reception here for summer for children, and we are looking how to

implement this changes and other changes it would be approprhate to

make to the court. Thank yot for your answer. The delay is c`using

some concern about inconsistent response from local authorities But

can be ensured the code will cover the difference between both foreign

and actual dates and due dates? You have been a campaigner on this

issue, and as a consequence, and as part of our review of the school

admissions code, we are considering whether it would be approprhate to

use the due daye rather than birth date of premature children?

Number six. As a matter of principle, old children reshdent in

the United Kingdom are given free education, this goes back to 18 0,

and the UK remains a memorably EU until Article 50 negotiations are

done which could take two ydars Until then, nothing will ch`nge I

think that EU citizens, including children, already here should have

the right to remain. Thank xou for that answer. Do you recognise the

impact that such uncertaintx is having on young people and their

education? The First Ministdr and National Association of Head

Teachers and others are seeking precisely these assurances. Can you

give a children's children from EU countries can finish their dducation

and not be used as bargaining chips for Brexit? There is a lot to be

discussed following the restlt from June, not one I complain for --

campaign for, but children of non-EU -- children EU nationals should be

educated. Number seven. Thank you, and as some

members of this House have discovered in recent days,

character, whether that be perseverance, respect for others,

bounceback ability, or building strong relationships, is an

important attribute that should not be underestimated. It is whx we are

working with schools to enstre all young people can develop ch`racter

traits to ensure future is dxcess. We want to deliver character

education and award excellent practice that already exists. Thank

you for that. As chair of the all-party British Council group we

are about to launch an enquhry into the causes of extremism and

radicalisation. I am sure you well understand the importance of the

arts in developing breadth `nd depth of character which we will debate

later today, but how is the department working to ensurd skills

also are provided with the rate tools to give balancing and

understanding to young people? Thank you for that, and I know thdre is a

discussion on Westminster H`ll on the education baccalaureate, and be

wanting current children to explore and debate other ideas and test

themselves and others, leavhng school with critical thinking skills

needed to challenge extremism. We have launched the anti-hate website

to provide school leaders, teachers and parents on how to protect

children from extremism and radicalisation.

Child abuse is rife in the TK, I welcome the comments about

character, but will you support my call that all primary school

children should have resilidnce and child protection lessons as

statutory to prevent child `buse? I know this Secretary of Statd is very

well aware of both the honotrable Lady's campaign, as well as the need

to make sure children are as resilient as possible in thd greater

dangers facing them in a world, and these are matters which rem`in under

review as part of artwork and we will return to that in the future.

The original questions about character is all very good, but what

do you think you are doing to ensure sound moral judgment and backbone

and children, picking the rhght side of an argument and accept ddcisions

made by their peers and the wider populace? Perhaps I could phck out

two traits which I think wotld be well worth considering. One is

common sense. The other is kindness. Two things across society wd could

do well to try and instil in every young people growing up in the

society we have created for them. I think we would all agree that

participation in sport at school is character building. The Chancellor

announced in his budget that money is raised from the sugar tax will be

spent on sport in schools. How much money is expected to be raised from

the sugar tax at what tops have taken place on how the funds will be

spent? The Honourable Lady hs right to highlight we have the money from

the sugar levy will be spent, directly into sport and physical

activity, as well as extendhng the school day, a commitment of ?50

million to help up to 25% of secondary schools to extend their

school day, and a double of the primary in sport premium, which is

already making a significant impact to the quality of physical dducation

in many primary schools. Character development includes

giving confidence in their thinking for young people, and that hs by

working with the teams is crucial, why it is damaging that the Key

Stage four mackerel requirelent was scrapped. The skills commission on

careers advice has asked thdm to do more. Our funding vacuum has failed

young people for that world of work. Would you use your new Educ`tion

Bill to restore work experidnce to the curriculum? Many of us have had

the benefit of work experience. I'm sure some of them are enjoyhng it

right now on the opposition frontbenchers. LAUGHTER

But what we know it does do is provide people with better

understanding of the opporttnities that they have in later lifd, that

is why the careers and enterprise company is such an important

development to open those opportunities and create better

links between schools and businesses.

Mr Speaker, good mental and emotional helpers exceed prhority

and crucial to help all children to achieve potential both acaddmically

and general well-being. It hs for schools to decide how best to

provide better emotional he`lth for their pupils, but we are dohng a

survey to find out what acthvities pupils are offered, including

mindfulness. Having visited schools in mx

constituency, I know just how much those programmes are apprechated by

young people. Given the growing mental health crisis there hs a real

urgency to innovate, and mindfulness can be part of that. With you agreed

to meet a cross-party group to discuss the availability of

programmes like this? I am very happy to meet the Honourabld Lady

and a delegation to discuss this matter further. I am all for greater

innovation in schools, deciding how we can better support children, so

that they are strong and st`ble emotionally, which we know hs better

backdrop to them being acaddmically successful, I'm sure we can arrange

a meeting to discuss that ftrther. Mindfulness can be an important

component of a wider progralme, which good and outstanding schools

already implement. What progress are we making on making this st`ture

traits so we can see it in `ll of our schools? That Michael statutory.

I refer to my earlier answer. - statutorily. We want to enstre

highest quality as possible. But we continue to review this and we will

return to it shortly. Would he agree that mindfulness can

actually be helpful, as was social and emotional aspects of le`rning,

in approving attentiveness of pupils in school and therefore academic

achievement as well as personal well-being? There is a small but

increasing level of evidencd that back the claim the Honourable

gentleman weeks, and it is why it is an area we want to look at carefully

and hence the survey we havd under way. So we can enrich that dvidence

and knowledge to see what works to improve all the aspects of ` child's

life as he refers to. Number 10, please. I thank ly

honourable friend for reachhng this issue. Contrary to the debate on

education funding in London, the second stage of consultation will be

killed the impact of formul` on schools. I understand the ilportance

of giving security and budgdt security. -- the second stage of the

con station will look at thd impact. As a long-term governor, and having

visited a note handing that matter and outstanding school, can you talk

about the school cost adjustment to meet the higher costs and

vulnerability of schools in London? -- visited an outstanding school.

You make an important point, which is why in the first stage of

consultation, we would incltde an area cost of judgment -- arda cost a

judgment in urban areas. Thhs could help London schools. We havd

protected the premium, so that every school knows they will recehve this

funding on top of their cord budget. Over 20% of the premium budget is

received by the London schools. Educational standards improve

dramatically in London under the last Labour government. A thmely

reminder of Labour winning elections. When you rightly increase

funding to levels across thd rest of the country, can school budgets in

London not suffer, thereby setting back enormous progress made? You are

absolutely right, education standards and attainment in inner

London have improved dramathcally over the last decade, thanks to the

teachers, parents and pupils in London. As the Secretary of State

made clear, the purpose of the funding formula reforms is to find

need. Where there is need in London, it will be funded on the sale basis

as other parts of the country. Is the Minister aware that schools

in my constituency in west London already have to currently

implemented the biggest cuts in their budgets that they havd ever

had and will be Minister assure those headteachers I met thhs

morning that there will not be further cuts when fair fundhng comes

in? The Secretary of State lade it clear, the court education budget of

40 billion is the highest alount ever invested in education. We are

supporting schools to achieve education excellence everywhere We

want to make sure that excellent slivered across girls, rathdr than

depended on postcode lotterx. Question number 12. The str`tegy for

what we are calling achieving excellence areas will tackld

entrenched underperformance in areas where low school standards `re

reinforced by a lack of cap`city to deliver and sustain improvelent We

want to eradicate the pockets of underperformance in our school

system and will do so by targeting leadership and other school

improvement programmes in areas of greatest need. We look forw`rd to

working with the first areas from this autumn. Thank you for ly reply.

Chief Inspector of Schools has called on the Welsh assemblx

government to introduce academy is in Wales, saying the improvdd

performance. Would you agred that raising standards is vital to

helping the economy and that it is important political boundarhes do

not get in the way of busindss growth in my area of North Dast

Wales? How wise the Chief Inspector is on this and so much else.

LAUGHTER Raising standards is key to helping

the economy, cruel and improve productivity. Officials will be more

than happy to hold as persons with counterparts in the Welsh Government

about how to raise standards. - help the economy grow. Over the last

six years, we are raising standards and expectations in reading,

writing, mathematics, the whole curriculum, in sharp contrast to

what is happening in Wales tnder a Labour administration.

Number 13. This government has acted to halt a serious decline in pupils

sitting in which GCSEs. 40% of pupils in 2011 took a GCSE hn modern

foreign-language is, down from 6% in 2000. The proportion of pupils in

state schools entered for a modern foreign-language GCSE incre`sed by

20% between 2011 and 2015 thanks to the English Baccalaureate. We want

90% to enter GCSE in modern languages amongst others. The

internationalist manufacturhng business base across Rossendale and

Ireland needs people with modern language schools to help thdm

compete and succeed. What steps can schools take to cooperate whth local

businesses like that isn't ly constituency to ensure the lany

language skills pupils leavd much as business requirement?

To increase that engagement with business, and the CBI's recdnt

report found that 77% of bids valued foreign language skills and with

nearly a third saying Mandarin was a useful language. Make sure Punjabi

is available for many years at GCSE. I can make that commitment.

MrSpeaker excellent social work transforms live, that is whx we are

establishing a regulatety body, attracting new talent to thd

profession, rolling out a practise focussed Carrie pathway and

developing a new what works centre to ensure they are equipped with the

best knowledge and skill, this strategy is set out in the

children's social care policy make paper, putting children's fhrst that

my and the Secretary of State have published today and by way of a

written ministerial statement. I would kaurge members to read it 6789

Can the minister explain how the departments new grand Walt dntry

route to social work such as step up to social work have implemented the

profession, including the award-winning provision of

children's services by East Sussex County Council. Staff are bdginning

to have a significant impact. Over 450 students and 103 local

authorities started training this year and in an evaluation showed

high retention, 999 front lhne participants have qualified and

independent evaluation from March 2016 was encouraging.

Children can remain in fostdr care until they are 21, while those in

residential care have to le`ve at 18. Creating a truly unfair system.

Tomorrow, MrSpeaker, I have organised for MPs to pledge their

support, to show that we care about all looked after children epually.

Will the minister sign the pledge is this I commend the honourable lady

for her continued and passionate commitment to this based on her

professional experience and her real desire to make a difference. I can

tell the honourable lady th`t if she reads the paper putting children

first I mentioned a few momdnts ago, she will find a response to a

recommendation from Martin Narey's review, that we will start to pilot

a place for children leaving care, which is in line with the

recommendation, I am sure whll be hugely welcomed as a conseqtence.

We want, we are working closely with colleagues at both the Department of

Health and the department for Culture, Media and Sport on the

forthcoming childhood obesity strategy. PE remains a comptlsory

subject which sets out our expectation that pupils shotld be

physically active for periods of time. Grateful to the minister, what

plans does he have to combat what is a drop off in participation of sport

from primary school to secondary school. I have alluded to the

doubling of the PE and sport premium, at primary school. We have

invested 450 million. We ard determined to ensure that children

continue to sustain participation in PE and sport as they move into

secondary education n the sports strategy we have committed to

working with the sector to better understand the barriers round drop

off by knowing what works wd can be better equipped to understand the

drop off my right honourabld friend raised. -- raises.

We are delivering in our colmitment to provide parents 30 hours of free

childcare for three and four-year-olds at great pacd, we

have taken the childcare out through Parliament with cross Parli`mentary

party support. We an announced in November we are investing 1 billion

of additional funding, that is more than ever before, and we ard not

waiting until 2017 to delivdr round 5,000 children from eight areas who

will get 30 hours a year early from this September. The Public @ccounts

Committee high lighted the danger that the could be would be `ble to

deliver its pledge to give three and four-year-olds 30 hours of childcare

a week. In view of the find what is is he doing to ensure that local

authorities are managing thdir childcare markets effectively or

intervening ifs? The honour`ble member asks an important qudstion. I

am in contact with the local authorities, we have the working

group, in addition to the increased funding we have provided we are

working with them to ensure they have the capital they need, an extra

50 million top create places in their local areas where there is a

need. Topical questions Patrick Grady. Thank you Mr Speaker, the

Minister for Children and f`milies have mentioned the publicathon of

putting children first, which provides much-needed reforms for

children's social care, oftdn a much undersung service. I am surd the

colleagues will condemn the strike action by the national union of

teacher which is unnecessarx and counter productive. It will harm

children's education and dalage the profession's reputation in the eyes

of the public. I would like to send my appreciate to teachers who will

receive their Key Stage 2 rdsults this week.

Following the safe and succdssful return of Tim Peake, what plans does

he have to work be the UK spaij agency, especially among wolen and

girls. I can think he rays `n important issue, of course we want

to see more young people sttdying at stem subjects, he is right to say I

think it was my first boss here in the House in the last Parli`ment,

now Lord Willett who said to me the two ways to engage young people in

space were either -- in scidnce was space or dinosaurs.

Following the rather poor Ofsted report will the Secretary of State

outline what support her department can give in helping schools in

Portsmouth to become centres of excellence? My right honour`ble

friend is a strong promoter of educational excellence in

Portsmouth. Centres of excellence will be designated on the b`sis of

criteria, such as quality of teachers recruited, the outcomes for

trainee teachers and providdrs effectiveness in recruiting. We

expect to confirm the schools and universities have that have been

designated as centres of excellent when the allocation of training

place is made in the autumn. Ten days ago we had the Govdrnment's

latest figures present she, they show only one in four of thdm was

going to young people under 19, only 12,000 trainee ship starts compared

to 109,000 apprenticeship ones are for under 19s. Doesn't this show

after all the time and monex ministers have devoted to

apprenticeships they are sthll failing and flailing round for a

coherent strategy to get yotng people under 19 to the starting

block, either for traineeshhps or for apprenticeships.

The honourable gentleman is wrong. Following the apprenticeships review

in 2012, employers are designing new apprenticeships that are more

responsive to the needs of business. More that 1300 employers ard

involved with 241 standards published and more than 116 new

standards in development M the last Parliament there were 2.4 mhllion

apprenticeship start, the rdforms of technical education were buhlt on

that, this is a successful part One of the concerns under the f`irer

funding formula will be what happens to sixth form student, can ly right

honourable friend confirm that fairer funding will apply to sixth

form students in particular and what is proposed for sixth form colleges

in particular. Particular. Ly right honourable friend will be aware in

the Spending Review, the Ch`ncellor confirmed funding of 4,00 pounds per

pupil for post 16 education, that remains the case, obviously where

you have school six forms rdforming the funding formula will impact on

the school budget. I wouldn't want to pre-empt what the consultation

will say but I am sure we rdquest have a consultation. There `re

examples of academies ignorhng the concerns and the views of p`rents,

and removing requirement to have a parent governor or governors will

make matters worse. The White Paper does propose that parents should be

able to petition to have thdir academy moved from an

underperforming trust to a different mat, can she tell us how th`t is

going to work? Well, I refute the first part of the honourabld

gentleman's question, I don't know of any academies or schools that

ignore parents concern, and when we publish the bill we will make it

clear, I hope he is part of the committee that scrutinises the

education for all bill. But some schools and head tdachers

are nervous about becoming `n academy. Believe they need not be

but what reassurance can thd minister give them on the p`th to

academisation? The process will be assisted by the department, and

while the school notifies the department they want to convert to

academy status, with all thd professional free. Dos that bring,

they will be a named offici`l to help them through the process.

When research shows six south of ten LGBT students have experienced

bullying, following her support for UK school diversity week, what plans

does the Secretary of State ensure schools offer an inchai sieve

education? -- inclusive education. Thank you for the question. He is

right to say that we must ensure there is an inclusive education I

do want to see any young person miss disagree of education but I don t

want to see them missing a day of education because they are worried

about being made fun of or not being able to be who they are. Thd

honourable gentleman knows H have announced over ?3 million for

specific homophobic bullying, that is having an effect, I pay tribute

to the charities who are working across the country to roll that out

and I look forward to continuing to support and expand that work.

My right honourable friend will know before come nothing this pl`ce I was

a teacher, teaching colleagtes have concern as the appoint of the new

chief of Ofsted who does not hold a teaching qualification or h`ve

classroom experience, does this appointment risk eroding thd

standing of the teaching profession, morale, what assures can my right

honourable friend give? Can I thank my right honourable friend for her

very heartfelt question, Am`nda spiel man, I don't think th`t the

appointment of the new Chief Inspector is funny, Amanda spiel man

has a passion for improving children's lives. Her work has

transformed the lives of chhldren in disadvantaged area, I know parents

Ofsted to inspect in a fair way The chief inspector's role is not to

tell teachers how to teach. It is to run off stead, to provide an

inspectorate, to build on evidence, and to tell the Secretary of State

what some times she doesn't want to hear. I know that Amanda stdel man

will do that on behalf of tdacher Is cross the country. The Secrdtary of

State will be aware of the report on behalf of the traveller movdment.

100% of appeal against excltsions from the gypsy traveller and Roma

children are successful. Can the Secretary of State say what action

she is saking to address thhs state of affairs? We have had a group in

the last Parliament to addrdss this very issue, we are considerhng how

we will take that work forw`rd. It very important all children,

regardless of their backgrotnd attend school and we don't have any

lesser experience from children from different ethnic groups, th`t is a

particular group that is underperforming in our systdm and we

need to ensure they attend. The principle of Paignton acadely

received a Lifetime Achievelent Award yet the school is being held

by by elderly building. Can the minister assure he when funding may

be available to improve thel. Can I take the opportunity to congratulate

her on her award and tremendous job she has done, the condition`l

improvement fun was three thmes oversubscribed this eye which is why

the school was unSwiss. , c`n I give the honourable gentleman thd next

fund will be opening in auttmn 016. South Stanley infants and jtnior

school to form a primary school Her department on Friday issued a notice

that the infant school will be part of a green lands junior school, as a

new academy. Completely ignoring any consultation with local pardnts

that, how does that think whth what the minister said about involvement

of parents in the decisions That will have been taken after

consultation and taken by the schools commissioner, with his local

knowledge n the best interests of pupils, in that area. Thank you Mr

Speaker, more schools in Medway are being rated outstanding and good.

Will the minister join me in paying tribute to the excellent work of

councillor Mike O'Brien at Ledway council who alongside counchl

officers, school leaders ah and parents is working hard to raise

standards in Medway. I pay tribute to his work, I am sorry to hear that

he is not well, he is a hard-working an conscientious councillor,

dedicating to serving consthtuent, his experience of nine years on the

council has made him a very effective local representathve. Our

thoughts are with him and hhs family at this time.

Can I tell the Children's Mhnister that the children of Thorsbx primary

school have an abundance of common-sense and kindness. H was

delighted they were awarded the national character award by the

minister, can I say we want to instil in our young people

determination, grit and ten`city as well, don't we.

Absolutely. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can H thank

the Schools Minister for his visit to an academy in my constittency to

see their excellent work, and does he agree the delivery of high

quality and alternative provision of education is vital in raising life

chances of children who find themselves in the most challenging

situations and can he updatd the hose on what work he is doing to

improve this support across the country? I was expecting a puestion

on term time holidays, but H'd be delighted to join my honour`ble

friend and can gradually -- congratulating that academy, a we'll

focus on academic achievement for vulnerable pupils. I would `gree

alternative provision is vital and in our white paper we set ott the

forums to help build better quality, incentivising schools and m`king

them more accountable for alternative provision pupils.

I pronounce from the cheer that the screeds written for ministers for

education questions is longdr than those for other ministerial question

times. This is not a complilent LAUGHTER

Thank you. The Secretary of State told us about

her plans to support younger people who leave clear, and from

residential care, so can shd tell us where the new members of st`ff will

come from to support them and also where they are going to livd? The

gentleman needs to look cardfully at the report as well as our rdsponse

in the social care policy p`per it is not a question of expandhng

current provision, but findhng innovative new ways of supporting

young people out of care, sdrving them much better in the long term.

Ensuring students have access to the latest technology is key to raising

standards in schools. Will xou join me in congratulating haven't college

for their partnership with Google, ensuring every pupil has access to a

tablet computer? I would be delighted in them harnessing the

expertise and ingenuity of Google's staff and products. The intdlligent

selection and use of technology can be a great assets to improvd

educational outcomes. I am hoping that squeak, Mr Speaker, with within

the time limit. Just. Are you surprised that when I

learned your latest responsd to my correspondence about teacher

shortages in slope with loc`l headteachers, they find it cynical

and failing to address the real recruitment and retention problems

faced? Would you meet with le and headteachers to discuss practical

arrangements to deal with tdacher shortages? I am grateful, and of

course I will meet her and her teachers to discuss this, wd take

this issue very seriously. We are competing in a strong econoly for

graduates. We have recruited 15 000 more teachers since 2010, 440 6 00

teachers in the profession. It is still a popular profession but we

are dealing with a challengd of us wrong economy, competing in the same

pool to graduates, but we t`ke the issue seriously, which is why we

have generous bursaries to `ttract graduates to teaching.

I am surprised the number of children being home taught hn

Warwickshire has increased. What steps are there to make certain that

these children get offal and rounded education? I thank you very much. We

have made it clear we want to know more about what is happening for

children who are home educated, the majority of whom will be edtcated

extremely well, but there is more to do on that. We also want local

authorities to know when chhldren are withdrawn for home educ`tion. I

expect more proposals to follow After gloating on social media last

month about a tribunal wing, further information has come to light which

shows this social media account is advising councils to make it harder

for children to be given assessment for help and care plan to hdlp cut

costs, going against the chhldren and families act principles, about

creating a less adversarial system, so can the Minister and surd me this

House and parents of childrdn that he is doing all he can to end this

practice and what will be do about this person? This sort of practice

is totally unacceptable. Thd new tribunal system brought in hs to

make it less adversarial and more inclusive for parents and younger

people, so we can come to a better resolution, so we will conthnue to

watch carefully how matters develop, that she can be reassured that we do

not accept this is a better way to go forward.

I am sorry, demand exceeds supply and we must move on.

Urgent question, Gisela Stu`rt. It is to ask the Secretary of State of

the legal status of EU nationals residing in the United Kingdom in

the event of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union.

Thank you very much, Mr Spe`ker EU nationals make an invaluabld

contribution to our economy, society and daily lives. They should be

assured that, as the Prime Linister and Home Secretary have repdatedly

said, there will be no immediate change in their status in the UK.

The Prime Minister has been clear that decisions on