None of this work to roll this term. None of this work to roll this term. None of this work to roll this out is going to be wasted. Regular testing will take place of staff and students in school and in due course help us to reopen schools as soon as possible. Testing will be the centre of our plans to return children back to school, back to the classroom, back to college as soon as possible. I never wanted to be in a position where we had to close schools again. I believe that schools should always have their gates open, welcoming children and always being at the heart of their community. The moment that the virus permits, all of our children will be back in school with their teachers and their friends. But until then we have put in place measures we need to make sure that they continue to progress, and for
this reason i commend this statement to the house. Thank you, happy new year. May i begin by paying tribute to the deputy general secretary of the nasuwt gareth young, who tragically died shortly before christmas . I am sure the house will join me in sending condolences to his loved ones and friends and collea g u es his loved ones and friends and colleagues in the union. I thank the secretary of state for advance sight of his statement about it is disappointing that he did not make a new years resolution to avoid u turns or chronic incompetence. Once again where the secretary of state goes, chaos and confusion follow. It is children, families and education staff across the country who pay the price for his incompetence. So i can suggest a new years resolution for the secretary of state. He at least resolved to
start answering my questions. Every pupil who is not in school must be able to access education, we must do everything we can to safeguard learning throughout this lockdown. I pay tribute to everyone who has made possible to keep pupils learning online, the incredible teachers, leaders, support staff, those likely bbc who are doing a huge amount to make learning accessible. I welcome the secretary of states commitment on digital devices and im glad he has listened to labour and Charities Across the country who called for a zero rating of educational offsides. It is estimated that up to 1. 78 children do not have access to a device, county guarantee that under his plan to be child who needs a device will have one as soon as possible . And that everyone of those children will be able to learn
remotely . May i repeat the question that the leader of the opposition after the Prime Minister earlier . Well be welcome data deal done with mobile providers take effect immediately . I welcome his comments on Free School Meals a day hope he can guarantee that every child eligible for this support is he me that within days they will . He gave a cast iron aid commitment that exams would go ahead. At that moment, we should have known they we re moment, we should have known they were doomed to be cancelled. I wa nted were doomed to be cancelled. I wanted exams to go ahead fairly but i was always clear that they must be a plan b if that was not possible. For months that there was no sign of any such plan, although the risk that exams couldnt happen has a lwa ys that exams couldnt happen has always been predictable. The secretary of state says he will be providing support to teachers to awarded grades. Can he tell me when
they will receive the support, what format will take and that it will be available in all schools . Can he tell me exactly what will be done to ensure that all grades are fair, consistent and support pupils to move on in their education or employment . I heard what he said about technical and vocational exams. Frankly, he is failing to show leadership on the exams taking place in january. He show leadership on the exams taking place injanuary. He is leaving it simply to schools and colleges to decide what they should do in difficult circumstances. Will he now do the right thing and cancelled this weeks btecs exams, as parents, colleges and the association of colleges and the association of colleges are calling for . Staff in every pa rt colleges are calling for . Staff in every part of our Education System have faced a hugely challenging job and done extraordinary things to keep children safe and educated
throughout the pandemic. Too often the secretary of state has refused to listen to their concerns or engage meaningfully with the expertise of professionals on the front line. K you can start to make it up, is the gc vi working on a strategy to vaccinate education staff, keep them safe and get chilton back in the classroom . Jcvi. Does he believe they should be prioritised for vaccination to keep them safe and allow schools and colleges to reopen . Early years settings remain open to all children but the secretary of state has failed to explain how this will be safe for staff and families, so can he tell us what scientific advice he has received that made him think they will be saved, and county honestly say that he is following the science . And whether providers are open or close, can he finally reconsider the unjustifiable decision to move early years funding in line with current occupancy which
will boost tens of thousands of providers to the brink of collapse . Finally, i turn to the return of schools in the months ahead. The decision to close them is not one taken easily or lightly. While it is the right thing to do to control the virus, and save lives, it has huge consequences for childrens learning and development, that is why labour have always said that schools should be the last thing to close and the first to reopen. But yesterday the Prime Minister could not guarantee that children would be back in school before the summer. Can the secretary of state tell us when he expects chilton to be safely back in the classroom . Expects chilton to be safely back in the classroom . At expects chilton to be safely back in the classroom . At every stage of this pandemic, young people have been an afterthought for the government, and now were back where we nine months ago with schools closed and exams cancelled. There is
time to act but the secretary of state must act now to ensure all pupils can learn remotely, that families are supported and the most vulnerable are safeguarded. families are supported and the most vulnerable are safeguarded. I would very much like to join with the honourable lady in paying tribute to gareth, i had a great privilege of working with gareth as his time as deputy general secretary of any ace uwt as willis his colleagues they are, very much our thoughts and prayers are with his family and also his friends and colleagues. She raises a number of very important points, the roll out of digital devices, her commitment to our commitment to deliver devices across the country, three quarters of a million of those devices out by the end of next week. Supporting
schools, delivering or they are full allocation of devices that they need, and looking at how we can go further. It has been a great privilege to work with those brilliant teachers inspiring leaders who help to find and support them in setting up the National Academy, a brilliant Online School that is actually being viewed notjust right across this country about right across this country about right across the world, for the quality of teaching, and we want to see that used more and more as a vital teaching resource. The honourable lady is right to raise concerns about Free School Meals, how important this is for everyone of our constituents, that is why we are putting the funding and support in place because there are many parts of the country where it will be for those schools and they want to deliver those Free School Meals themselves, in other parts of the
country they will not be able to do that and will want to do it as part ofa that and will want to do it as part of a National Voucher scheme, that is why we will be standing that up over the next few days and making sure that schools are not out of pocket, but most importantly of all, that children and families are supported at this incredibly difficult time. She asks about whether there will be support for teachers in terms of the training and guidance and help across the country as we move to teacher assessed grades, and i can absolutely confirm that that will very much be the case. We have a lwa ys very much be the case. We have always been aware that they could be always been aware that they could be a situation where we would not be in a situation where we would not be in a position to be able to proceed with examinations. But we have a lwa ys with examinations. But we have always had a clear view that the best way of assessing children is through examination, so i will not
apologise for being enthusiastic to ensure that we have been able to be ina ensure that we have been able to be in a position to roll out exams. But we do recognise where we are as a result of this pandemic, we have to ta ke result of this pandemic, we have to take a different course and that is why we are taking the route that we are. The honourable lady raises about technical and vocational qualifications, and as she will know, it is very important that we give colleges, schools and providers, all providers including independent providers, training providers, the flexibility, because there is a lot of young people who will actually need to complete some of their professional competency qualifications in order to take up work and job opportunities, whether thatis work and job opportunities, whether that is those who are doing electricianss courses or gas courses, where they do as we have to
do particle assessment in order for them to be able to get the qualifications to take the work and thejobs and qualifications to take the work and the jobs and the opportunities that we wa nt the jobs and the opportunities that we want to ensure that the door is kept open for them. That is why we have taken the decision to give providers the discussion, because they will be the ones who best and most accurately understand the needs of their providers, their students and those who need those convocations, possibly to be able to progress into a job that they would not be able to do if they did not have that option. The issue of vaccination, the government has already set out the important need to vaccinate those who are most likely to be hospitalised, most likely to be hospitalised, most likely to, if they catch this disease, to be the ones who will be not just hospitalised disease, to be the ones who will be notjust hospitalised but most at risk of death stop like her, like
eve ryo ne risk of death stop like her, like everyone in the education community, i very much want to see all those who tirelessly, every single day, through the weekend every week, keeping schools open for those children of critical workers and Vulnerable Children, for making sure that when people are getting vaccinated, when schools are fully reopened again, but coupled with this is a really important step forward in terms of the Mass Testing Programme that we have already started rolling out in schools. The Mass Testing Programme in schools will be one of the largest testing programmes that this country has ever seen. It is ready to go, it is ready to be implemented, and it will be an important plank in ensuring that we can get schools opened at the earliest possible opportunity. It will not surprise the honourable
lady we do listen to the best scientific and Public Health advice in terms of a decision to keep early yea rs in terms of a decision to keep early years open. We all have a clear understanding of how important early yea rs understanding of how important early years education is for every child, and asi years education is for every child, and as i have always said, i will do everything i can to keep every education establishment open if that is possible and if it is the right thing to do. When we were given to Health Advice that we could be a need position to keep early years open, it is so important notjust for the children themselves but for families, ifelt for the children themselves but for families, i felt that was the right decision to do. I do not want to see any School Closed for a moment longer than it has to be. That is why injune we all worked so hard at fought so hard to ensure that schools opened right across the country for primary years, that is
why doing during we did so much to ensure that year ten and 12 were able to return at the earliest possible opportunity. That is why in september we saw the opening of schools right across the country and all children being able to return back to school, and i can absolutely assure the honourable lady, i will not let schools be open for a moment longer. I will not let schools be closed for a moment longer that they need to be, i will do everything i can to ensure every school is open so that children are able to benefit from their billiard teaching that goes on in so many of our primary schools, secondary schools and colleges, because i know that is the best place for children. That is what i want for my children, i know thatis what i want for my children, i know that is what members want for their children, but most importantly that is what we want for our nations children and that is why i will give
everything in order to ensure schools are the first things to be openedin schools are the first things to be opened in every instance, because thatis opened in every instance, because that is what is best for everyone of our children. Chairman of the select committee. I strongly welcome the governments laptop scheme, but we know there still will be possibly hundreds of thousands of people on the wrong side of the digital divide. Can he confirm that those stu d e nts divide. Can he confirm that those students who just divide. Can he confirm that those students whojust do divide. Can he confirm that those students who just do not have Internet Connection or computers at home will be able to go to school alongside children of critical workers . Can you also confirm that any Centre Assessed grade system not only maintain standards but provide a level Playing Field for disadvantaged children, have a fear appeals process, and will he make sure that their independent assessors, perhaps retired teachers or ofsted inspectors, to provide a
check and balance for each grade awarded . I check and balance for each grade awarded . I welcome check and balance for each grade awarded . I welcome what he says about wanting to open schools again i dont know he believes that strongly. Will he do Anything Possible to ensure teachers and support staff i given a priority for vaccinations alongside nhs workers so we can get our schools open again sooner rather than later . The reason that we are rolling out and expanding our divisive package, because we realise how important thatis because we realise how important that is for all children, especially those children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. I can confirm, as in the previous situation where we saw schools had to be closed during the month of march, april and may, and children who did not have access to digital devices were able to access education in that school and that is the same standard and same guidance
that we are issuing today as well. In terms of disadvantaged children and their Centre Assessed grades and Teacher Assessment, we will be doing everything that we can do to ensure that children are not left behind, either down to their background or the community in which they have grown up, where they are learning, i doubt well be very happy at look forward to working with my right honourable friend and his committee to very much take their advice to any additional actions that we need to undertake to ensure fairness. We will certainly take on board his idea and his thinking about bringing in those volunteers add those people who want to support education in making sure that the Teacher Assessment is fair and robust, and maintain standards, but most importantly fairness for those
children who are taking those qualifications. Snp spokesman. We shouldnt have because be surprised at this latest u turn on schools, any student teacher and those planning is a key skill but one that the secretary of state has yet to master. His decisions have been made ina master. His decisions have been made in a reactionary and a last minute manner. Schools in england have predictably gone from being open with threats of legal action if they closed to being snapped shut had an insta nt closed to being snapped shut had an instant giving parents absolutely no time to put in place arrangements. Snapped shut in an instant. We need to be careful of the narrative of children falling behind, they are only those two on an external scale. We cannot use the same metrics this year as we have used for, and as much as we all want schools to be
open, young people are learning other skills also. That said, it is good to hear that the bbc is producing educational resources. Can he confirm whether there will be resorted available for the scottish curriculum and higher ad advanced higher level . Teachers are fed up with politicians paying tribute to them one minute and the next minute sending them into unsafe environments. There is closed to children in school is small, we have evidence for that, but as the Prime Minister said earlier, pupils can act as vectors, lets be clear, if a member of staff in school catches covid 19, there is increased strain on remaining staff so it should not just be high risk staff who are vaccinated. Before we talk about opening schools, we need a clear position on vaccinations for teachers and school staff. The first
minister has committed to looking at this. The secretary of state has said he will do everything he can to ensure schools open, so will he ensure schools open, so will he ensure that teachers are prioritised for vaccination so that schools can open confidence . Finally, on students, there are many students who are now learning at home, i do not returning to university following christmas. But they are still having to pay for university accommodation. What support well the secretary of state locate giving to these young people who are having to pay out in this manner . It is probably listening interesting listening to her comments about stu d e nts listening to her comments about students and indicative to some of the challenges that the scottish Education System has seen with them following down rankings, because it is really important that we support
children to be able to learn. It is really important that we do everything we can do to ensure that children are in a position where they are learning about maths, english, the sciences and the arts. It seems to be indicative of what she was saying that the snp does not seem to be that interested in actually making sure that children benefit from a knowledge rich curriculum. I would benefit from a knowledge rich curriculum. Iwould be benefit from a knowledge rich curriculum. I would be happy to get in contact with the director general of the British Broadcasting Corporation on the points that she raises, and arable right back to her with those details on that. It is a lwa ys with those details on that. It is always a privilege to work with collea g u es always a privilege to work with colleagues across all nations of the united kingdom, and it is really important that we share what works
in and what works best, and of course i would always be happy to work with her, we have extensively funded the National Academy which has incredibly rich curriculum resource, i dont notice from the latest figures, it is used by a lot of stu d e nts latest figures, it is used by a lot of students in scotland as well as in england, and i would be happy to share some of the work were doing to help support students in scotland as well as students in england. To help support students in scotland as well as students in englandlj as well as students in england. welcome the secretary of state for his statement. The economic recovery will be skills based, and the government have quite rightly place much emphasis on the importance of btecs. However, there is currently worry, confusion and uncertainty in colleges and schools. Many have cancelled this months exams, others not, they should not have been placed in a position of having to make their own choice as to whether
to go ahead with exams. The government should have shown clear leadership so that all students across the country were in the same situation. Will the secretary of state now work with of guam, the exams boards and the association of colleges to put in place as quickly as possible new arrangements that will provide students and teachers with certainty, clarity and confidence . He will have heard of my statement, that is what i have said we we re statement, that is what i have said we were doing. Also, just for clarity, there are many students and colleges that know for their students future prospects that they need to complete those assessments during this month if they are going to access work and employment opportunities. No, iam not going to access work and employment opportunities. No, i am not going to go down the route that he suggests of taking the opportunity to potentially be able to access work
and those opportunities away from them because i do not believe that would be right for those children. Teachers and school staff put themselves at enormous risk during this pandemic in order to keep schools open. Now that the Prime Minister has accepted that schools are the epicentre of high commodity covid 19 transmission, it is essential the governor gives teachers the priority access to covid 19 vaccinations that they deserve, so well be secretary of state looking at adding them to category seven, making them a top priority for vaccinations after all those who are sick to five years of age and over, clinically vulnerable at nhs social care staff . At every stage we have to the safety of students, pupils, teachers, the whole workforce including the whole community at the heart of everything
we have done, and all the evidence has gone to show that the work, the precautions, the measures that have been put in place have meant that schools have been able to operate safely and well. We will constantly work with the whole sector to ensure every measure is undertaken to assure that continues. That is why we are ready to roll out a Mass Testing Programme, delivering millions of tests right across the board. This will be happening in schools, as they welcome the children of cortical workers as well as Vulnerable Children into them. When schools for the return, when they are able to welcome all children back, testing regime is going to be at the centre of that return. I understand why there is a cancellation of gcses and a level
boot, and i are pleased to hear him talking about substitutes, saying it will be robust, what can he do to confirm for young people in my constituency that people will be rewarded for how they perform, but they are not disadvantaged by the school they have gone to, adult of the teachers who are performing assessments have ownership of what they are doing in the Current Situation . He raises an important point and situation . He raises an important pointand a situation . He raises an important point and a great advantage we do have the opportunity and time to roll out extensive training, guidance and support for those teachers and terms of making that assessment, ensuring it is accurate and fairand assessment, ensuring it is accurate and fair and reflective of the abilities of that child. Thats what we are going to be doing, that is what we will be undertaking with schools over the coming months, and
we endeavour to ensure that teachers and all those working at the Education System are supported in his constituency as they are right across the country. It was irresponsible of the government to announce the cancellation of gcse and a level exams and to say nothing about btec exams without any details ofan about btec exams without any details of an alternative plan being agreed. Stu d e nts of an alternative plan being agreed. Students and their families in of an alternative plan being agreed. Students and theirfamilies in my constituency have suffered greatly and deeply anxious about this continued uncertainty. Many students have contacted me to say they are suffering negative impact on their Mental Health as a result. I would ask the secretary of state, what plans does he have to provide additional Mental Health support for our children and young people . Additional Mental Health support for our children and young people7m course, one of the great advantages we have had with schools being back all the way through the latter half
of last year is teachers and those working in schools have been in the best possible place to assess and work with children, have the best understanding of some of their needs and problems that they have, including Mental Health challenges, and we will be working with the Education Sector to best support them in terms of actually supporting. We have already taken a number of actions in supporting schools and education settings with children who have been suffering Mental Health problems as a result of covid 19, and as a result of being out of school, and we will continue to do that and step up those measures over coming months. Cani those measures over coming months. Can i thank the secretary of state, not just for the statement can i thank the secretary of state, notjust for the statement he has made but also for the huge effort he must be putting in the end trying to balance conflicting priorities . As a
father to an a level student who is hoping to take her exams this year, ican hoping to take her exams this year, i can relate to the exile t so many young people and parents must feel across the country due to the uncertainty of the situation. Can he assure me that he will make every effort to remove this uncertainty by bringing clarity at the earliest opportunity so students can better focus on their studies and Teaching Staff the best approach to support them . As my own daughter, who was due to be taking her own gcse exams later this year, i can absently assure my right honourable friend that we very much hope this Statement Today has given a clear sense of certainty and direction where we are going. We will also be following this up with further detailed consultation that will be
launched next week, it will be a two consultation period that they will be leading, and it is very important that we do get feedback from the sector in order to be able to ensure there is the details of this policy are properly understood and work best, not just for schools are properly understood and work best, notjust for schools and colleges but most importantly for those who are receiving the grades. Two week consultation. Given that the Company Computer centre awarded the £96 million contracts with no laptop kits to Vulnerable Children in the first lockdown, why is it secretary of state sticking with Tory Party Donors from this company this time . I would like