Contributions
793 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDKnife Crime: First Aid in SchoolsMy Lords, I do not think that is the case. I mention two initiatives that we have introduced in the past couple of years. In terms of education, we are reforming training through…13 Mar 2019HANSARDSchools: Swimming and Life-saving SkillsApologies to the noble Lord; I omitted that in my reply. Extra help for schools was announced on 18 October but there was no new funding specifically for school swimming. However,…06 Mar 2019HANSARDSchools: Swimming and Life-saving SkillsMy Lords, I am pleased to answer this Question for Short Debate, and thank the noble Lord for raising the important issue of swimming and life-saving skills in schools. Swimming…06 Mar 2019HANSARDSocial Mobility: Regional Attainment GapMy Lords, the Government welcome the report, and its focus on the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. The gap has narrowed by around 9.5% since 2011. We…26 Feb 2019HANSARDSocial Mobility: Regional Attainment GapMy Lords, I first acknowledge the tireless work that the noble Baroness does in this incredibly important area of social mobility. To answer her specific question, the funding…26 Feb 2019HANSARDSocial Mobility: Regional Attainment GapMy Lords, all our efforts around social mobility are aimed at helping all those who are not getting a fair crack of the whip. We have 12 opportunity areas operating at the moment…26 Feb 2019HANSARDSocial Mobility: Regional Attainment GapMy Lords, we have recently announced the recruitment and retention strategy, and I agree with the noble Lord that retention is probably the greater priority, because it is a…26 Feb 2019HANSARDSocial Mobility: Regional Attainment GapMy Lords, in addition to the pupil premium we also have an enhanced pupil premium specifically aimed at that most vulnerable group. One of my personal missions has been to…26 Feb 2019HANSARDSocial Mobility: Regional Attainment GapMy Lords, we are investing more in child care support than any other Government—around £6 billion for the year 2019-20. This includes funding for our free early education…26 Feb 2019HANSARDSocial Mobility: Regional Attainment GapI get the sense that the noble Lord does not approve of that great institution—but even his party has had many leaders from it.26 Feb 2019HANSARDSocial Mobility: Regional Attainment GapMy Lords, I am pleased to be able to tell the House about Opportunity North East, a programme launched in that area specifically to address underperformance. We have five…26 Feb 2019HANSARDRelationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health EducationI reassure my noble friend that faith is a protected characteristic and we have been clear that schools have flexibility over how they deliver these subject so that they can…25 Feb 2019HANSARDRelationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health EducationMy Lords, I reassure the noble Lord that FGM is absolutely in the new guidance. It has been added as an extra subject. As my right honourable friend the Secretary of State said in…25 Feb 2019HANSARDRelationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health EducationI reassure the noble Baroness that we will provide further advice to support schools to improve the practice and training that could be delivered using the latest technology,…25 Feb 2019HANSARDRelationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health EducationLet me clarify the definition of an independent school: while academies are defined as independent schools, they fall within these regulations, so I can reassure the noble…25 Feb 2019HANSARDRelationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health EducationTo reassure my noble friend, it is not correct that young children aged five or six will be taught about sexual education. We are quite clear that that is not required until a…25 Feb 2019HANSARDRelationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health EducationTo reiterate, the right to withdraw is in the parent’s gift until the three terms before the child is 16. It is extremely difficult to predict what an exceptional circumstance…25 Feb 2019HANSARDRelationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health EducationMy noble friend is absolutely correct. Internet safety is an integral part of the subject content. The principles of positive relationships apply as much online as they do in…25 Feb 2019HANSARDRelationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health EducationThe Children and Social Work Act provided the Secretary of State with the power to make PSHE, and elements therein, mandatory in schools. This deals with some of the issues that…25 Feb 2019HANSARDRelationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, and Health EducationI have tried to reassure noble Lords that that is not the intention. We always recognise that parents should lead in this part of a child’s education, and are not intending to…25 Feb 2019