Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rachel Gilmour this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 21–25 of 25 · Department for Education
If her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of making the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund a permanent initiative.
I refer the hon. Member for Tiverton and Minehead to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26025.
What steps her Department is taking to support schools to purchase essential textbooks.
Overall core revenue funding for schools totals almost £61.6 billion this financial year, 2024/25. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced an additional £2.3 billion for mainstream schools and young people with high needs for the 2025/26 financial year, compared to 2024/25. This means that overall core school funding will total almost £63.9 billion in 2025/26. These increases, against the backdrop of a challenging fiscal picture, demonstrate the government’s commitment to schools and ensuring every child can achieve and thrive through its commitment to the Opportunity Mission. Schools have autonomy over how they use their core funding, including for their non-staff costs such as textbooks. The department will continue to monitor the balance of funding and costs for schools.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the decision to withdraw funding for the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Stone Masonry Heritage and Skills on (a) the preservation of heritage skills and (b) the employment prospects of people trained in this field.
The government has a central mission to drive forward opportunity and growth, which relies on people having the skills needed to thrive in life and work. The construction sector is vital in driving economic prosperity and providing career opportunities for people at all ages and stages of their careers. For this reason, the department works closely with the construction sector to ensure our skills offer meets the needs of the sector.Stonemasonry is a key skill, which is why an apprenticeship covering several stonemasonry occupations is available. This apprenticeship is, however, at level 2 and not at level 3. The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education is currently working with industry to split this apprenticeship standard into a level 2 Stonemason apprenticeship and a level 3 Craft Stonemason apprenticeship, to better meet the needs of the sector. Classroom qualifications can be developed against occupational standards.On 12 December 2024, the government announced the outcomes of the review of qualifications reform at level 3 in England. As part of this review, three level 3 qualifications in Stonemasonry will continue to have public funding removed from 31 July 2025. Awarding organisations have had the opportunity to appeal where necessary, so that specialist qualifications could be retained if it was demonstrated that they were needed. Full details of the review outcomes can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-level-3-qualifications-reform-provisional-outcomes.The department has continued to remove funding from existing level 3 qualifications, not only because the standards are at level 2, but also due to the qualifications having less than 100 enrolments for three successive years, highlighting that a classroom-based qualification at level 3 is not being sufficiently used.At level 2, there are still four qualifications in Stonemasonry available to young people and adults. These qualifications are used currently within apprenticeships and are closely aligned with the industry standards by design.The department wants to ensure that qualifications are developed at the right level to enable people to enter skilled employment, and where qualifications attract public funding, we want to ensure that they are needed. Where they are not needed, including having very low levels of enrolments, we will continue to remove public funding so that students and employers have a simpler range of qualifications to choose from.
If she will make an assessment of the impact of the restriction of school and extra curricular options through repayment deadlines within the UK Benefits System on parents and students.
The department has no plans to undertake this specific assessment, but we have evaluated the impact of poverty on educational outcomes. Evidence shows that disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs are more likely to fall behind and need extra ...
If she will hold discussions with the hon. Member for Tiverton and Minehead on the (a) condition of Tiverton High School and (b) school community.
Ensuring schools have the resources and buildings they need is a key part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education is unable to meet at pres...