We take the issue of witness anonymity extremely seriously.

The independent panel overseeing the teacher misconduct case of some of the individuals involved in the events related to Trojan Horse recently ordered the full disclosure of transcripts of interviews given to Peter Clarke. As a result of the independent panel’s direction, lawyers acting on behalf of NCTL wrote to witnesses to inform them of that decision, and stated that in the event that they had any comments or concerns in relation to the disclosure of their transcripts they should contact them. Since the direction, where we have written to witnesses and we have either not yet heard back from them or they have raised concerns, no disclosures have been made. We have informed the independent panel that a number of witnesses have raised concerns, and the panel has indicated that it wishes to consider the issue at a further hearing.

These issues are part of a set of complex legal proceedings and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.

The Government removed the system of levels used to report children’s attainment in September 2014. As set out in the report of The Commission on Assessment Without Levels, published in September 2015, levels had come to have a negative impact on teaching and did not provide a suitable means of assessing the attainment of pupils accurately.

Levels were only ever intended to be used for end of Key Stage statutory assessment but, over time, they came to dominate all assessment. The decision to remove levels has granted schools the freedom to choose an approach to assessment and reporting that works for their pupils and their curriculum. The report published by the Commission provided helpful guidance and best practice to schools on developing new approaches to assessment and reporting.

Even though levels have been removed, statutory assessments at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 remain, as does the requirement on schools to report annually to parents on their child’s achievements and progress.

Good mental health is a priority for the Department. We have high aspirations for all children and want them to be able to fulfil their potential, both academically and in terms of their mental wellbeing.

Schools have an important role to play in supporting the mental health of children, and young people and providing good personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) is one way schools can do this. PSHE education is a non-statutory subject that can encompass many areas of study. It equips pupils with the knowledge and skills to make safe and informed decisions and to prepare them for adult life. Through the introduction to the national curriculum, we have made clear that all schools should make provision for PSHE.

The Government’s current approach is for schools to develop their own local PSHE programme to reflect the needs of their pupils, drawing on the resources and evidence provided by expert organisations. Schools also should decide what training their staff need, reflecting their individual circumstances, and we trust head teachers to ensure that the right training is available for all school staff.

Teachers, and other school staff, can access free on-line e-learning modules on a wide range of mental health issues, through the MindEd website, https://www.minded.org.uk. In addition, we funded the PSHE Association to produce guidance on teaching about mental health in PSHE. This was published in March 2015.

To get a clear picture of what schools are doing on mental health and inform further action, we are conducting a large survey asking schools what activities and support they have put in place. The results will be published spring 2017.

Schools have a legal duty to secure independent careers guidance for all pupils in years 8-13. Statutory guidance which underpins the duty states that schools should have a strategy for careers guidance which is developed in accordance with the needs and circumstances of their pupils. Schools should consider a number of principles for good practice, including the role that careers professionals can play in supporting pupils as one element of a varied careers programme.

The statutory guidance encourages schools to search for qualified careers practitioners in their area on the UK Register of Career Development Professionals. Individuals providing careers development services can apply to join the register if they are professionally qualified in a career development subject to a minimum of Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) Level 6, adhere to the Career Development Institute Code of Ethics and undertake and record a minimum of 25 hours continuing professional development each year. As at August 2016 there were over 1,200 people on the register.

At the Spending Review we announced we would protect the core schools budget in real terms during this Parliament. Schools are expected to manage within their individual budgets, including taking account of national insurance and pension contributions. From 2017 we have committed to introduce a national funding formula so that we can allocate funding more fairly, based on schools’ individual needs and the characteristics of their pupils. That will mean schools are better placed to manage cost pressures and to make informed decisions about their spending over a longer term.

Schools are aware of their duties regarding impartiality and treatment of political issues. Sections 406 and 407 of the Education Act 1996 require maintained schools to prevent political indoctrination and secure the balanced treatment of political issues. The new national curriculum includes an improved programme of study for citizenship education at key stages 3 and 4, which is organised around core knowledge and democracy, government and how laws are made and upheld. Pupils are also taught about local, regional, and international governance, and about the United Kingdom’s relations with the rest of Europe, the Commonwealth, the United Nations, and the wider world.

The Government does not prescribe initial teacher training (ITT) content. However, all ITT courses must ensure that trainee teachers can meet the Teachers’ Standards. This sets clear expectations and defines the minimum level of practice expected of teachers in England. The standards require all teachers and trainees to have secure knowledge of relevant subject and curriculum areas and demonstrate a critical understanding of developments in them. Ofsted inspects the quality of ITT against the Teachers’ Standards and no trainee can be recommended for qualified teacher status (QTS) until they have met the Standards in full at the appropriate level. Schools and headteachers are best placed to determine which development activities will be most beneficial for their schools and we expect them to lead on the development of their teachers.

For the academic year 2015 to 2016 we recruited 13,034 initial trainee teachers to primary programmes (compared to 12,872 in 2014 to 2015) and 15,114 to secondary programmes (compared to 12,971 in 2014 to 2015). These figures are for postgraduate only and include Teach First and forecasted trainees. This represents 116% and 82% against the Teacher Supply Model (TSM) target respectively. The target is higher this year compared to academic year 2014 to 2015.

We allocated a total of 13,962 postgraduate places in primary and 22,800 postgraduate secondary programmes, against TSM targets of 11,245 and 18,541 respectively.

We allocate more ITT places than we require trainee teachers, and the extent to which we over-allocate differs by route. When assessing recruitment overall we measure the number of trainee teachers recruited against the number required, rather than against the proportion of allocated places that are filled.

The table below shows the total postgraduate trainees by secondary subject and primary phase. The total includes 1,584 Teach First and 379 forecast trainees. The table also includes trainees and allocations by route.

For the academic year 2015 to 2016 we recruited 13,034 initial trainee teachers to primary programmes (compared to 12,872 in 2014 to 2015) and 15,114 to secondary programmes (compared to 12,971 in 2014 to 2015). These figures are for postgraduate only and include Teach First and forecasted trainees. This represents 116% and 82% against the Teacher Supply Model (TSM) target respectively. The target is higher this year compared to academic year 2014 to 2015.

We allocated a total of 13,962 postgraduate places in primary and 22,800 postgraduate secondary programmes, against TSM targets of 11,245 and 18,541 respectively.

We allocate more ITT places than we require trainee teachers, and the extent to which we over-allocate differs by route. When assessing recruitment overall we measure the number of trainee teachers recruited against the number required, rather than against the proportion of allocated places that are filled.

The table below shows the total postgraduate trainees by secondary subject and primary phase. The total includes 1,584 Teach First and 379 forecast trainees. The table also includes trainees and allocations by route.

Music education hubs are responsible for making sure that every child aged 5 to 18 in their local area has the opportunity to learn a musical instrument through whole-class ensemble teaching and that clear progression routes in music are available and affordable to all young people. Music education hubs must also provide an instrument loan service to support pupils from families with low incomes.

According to data published by Arts Council England (ACE), 583,783 pupils learnt to play an instrument at school through whole-class ensemble teaching in the academic year 2013/14, an increase of 52,361 from 2012/13.

The government is committed to the ongoing expansion of school-led initial teacher training (ITT). The move towards school-led ITT has created new opportunities for universities to grow their business: engaging directly with schools to become their chosen partner; and working with school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) to offer academic awards. In addition, the university sector as a whole has the opportunity to recruit trainees up to the same overall level as they have for the 2015/16 academic year. It is, therefore, not expected that this change of approach will have a substantial impact on the higher education sector.

The government is committed to the ongoing expansion of school-led initial teacher training (ITT). The move towards school-led ITT has created new opportunities for universities to grow their business: engaging directly with schools to become their chosen partner; and working with school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) to offer academic awards. In addition, the university sector as a whole has the opportunity to recruit trainees up to the same overall level as they have for the 2015/16 academic year. It is, therefore, not expected that this change of approach will have a substantial impact on the higher education sector.

The government is committed to the ongoing expansion of school-led initial teacher training (ITT). The move towards school-led ITT has created new opportunities for universities to grow their business: engaging directly with schools to become their chosen partner; and working with school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) to offer academic awards. In addition, the university sector as a whole has the opportunity to recruit trainees up to the same overall level as they have for the 2015/16 academic year. It is, therefore, not expected that this change of approach will have a substantial impact on the higher education sector.

The National College of Teaching and Leadership does not collect information on placements. These are negotiated between providers and schools as part of their partnership arrangements.

The government is committed to the ongoing expansion of school-led initial teacher training (ITT). The move towards school-led ITT has created new opportunities for universities to grow their business: engaging directly with schools to become their chosen partner; and working with school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) to offer academic awards. In addition, the university sector as a whole has the opportunity to recruit trainees up to the same overall level as they have for the 2015/16 academic year. It is, therefore, not expected that this change of approach will have a substantial impact on the higher education sector.

A school-led training course gives trainees the chance to train on the job in at least two schools.School-led initial teacher training is made up of School Direct (tuition fee), School Direct (salaried) and School-centered ITT provider (SCITT) routes. One of the key principles of the School Direct training route is that it gives schools the decision-making power they need to work with their preferred partners in the design and delivery of ITT, and to select and recruit the best possible candidates. A number of different models have been developed by schools working with appropriate ITT providers based on local needs.

Many schools are choosing to work with universities in the delivery of School Direct training. The same ITT criteria, which specify the minimum amount of time that trainees must spend in schools, apply to all ITT routes, whether school or university-led.

The increasing availability of school-led routes alongside university-led courses allow applicants to choose the right course depending on personal circumstances, qualifications, and the subject and age group they want to teach.

We are making amendments to teachers’ pay and conditions warning notices in the Education and Adoption Bill to be consistent with the changes we are making to performance standards and safety warning notices. We will allow local authorities to set an appropriate timescale for a school to take effective remedial action, rather than, as now, being bound by the existing requirement of 15 working days. We will also remove the school’s right to make representations to the local authority against a notice. This will ensure that the school begins to take steps immediately to remedy the matters in the notice. We will also require a local authority to inform the Secretary of State that they have given a notice to a school. This will ensure that where a regional schools commissioner intends to intervene in an underperforming school they are aware of any action the local authority is taking in that school.

The government is committed to ensuring that all teachers are trained to tackle serious behaviour issues as well as low-level classroom disruption. We have not undertaken a formal assessment of any correlation between classroom behaviour and classroom seating arrangements; however Sir Andrew Carter’s recent review of initial teacher training (ITT) content identified that some training courses are insufficiently robust in terms of training teachers to manage poor pupil behaviour. That is why we have invited Tom Bennett, a renowned behaviour expert, to lead an expert group to develop core content on behaviour management for ITT. His group will consider how best to promote their recommendations to ITT providers.

All qualified teachers are required to meet the Teachers’ Standards, which include specific requirements for developing and demonstrating effective behaviour management skills. This includes setting clear rules and routines for behaviour in classrooms, and taking responsibility for promoting good and courteous behaviour both in classrooms and around the school.

The government is committed to ensuring that all teachers are trained to tackle serious behaviour issues as well as low-level classroom disruption. We have not undertaken a formal assessment of any correlation between classroom behaviour and classroom seating arrangements; however Sir Andrew Carter’s recent review of initial teacher training (ITT) content identified that some training courses are insufficiently robust in terms of training teachers to manage poor pupil behaviour. That is why we have invited Tom Bennett, a renowned behaviour expert, to lead an expert group to develop core content on behaviour management for ITT. His group will consider how best to promote their recommendations to ITT providers.

All qualified teachers are required to meet the Teachers’ Standards, which include specific requirements for developing and demonstrating effective behaviour management skills. This includes setting clear rules and routines for behaviour in classrooms, and taking responsibility for promoting good and courteous behaviour both in classrooms and around the school.

The ‘Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006’ statutory guidance was issued in February 2015. All initial teacher training (ITT) providers should have regard to this guidance when placing students in relevant childcare settings.

The Department for Education is currently reviewing the statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’. This will include an update regarding the information that providers can share with schools in relation to non-salaried trainees.

We do not want to prescribe to schools how careers guidance is delivered or by whom. Teachers may have a role in coordinating or providing careers advice within a school but there is no requirement for teachers to hold specific qualifications for careers advice. The very best schools will be giving teachers exposure to employers, industry and enterprise as part of their continuing professional development.

The statutory duty on schools focuses on independent careers guidance. Schools can retain in-house arrangements for providing careers guidance but must combine this with support from external sources to meet their legal requirements. This might include support from careers advisers, employers, mentors or coaches.

We will soon be publishing updated statutory guidance on careers guidance and inspiration that sets out this approach.