That this House recognises that there are over 350,000 teaching assistants employed in England and appreciates the immense value they bring to classrooms and schools across the UK; notes that they perform an incredibly varied and complex mix of roles in schools, ranging from supporting teachers with administrative tasks to covering classes for teachers, providing targeted intervention programmes and delivering English classes for speakers of other languages; understands the difference they make to the most challenging pupils and those with severe learning difficulties and that mainstreaming in schools would have to stop without their efforts; further notes that, in a recent survey by UNISON, 95 per cent of school leaders believed that teaching assistants added value to schools, in particular in the team around the child, as effective mentors and advocates, and in enhancing the learning environment for all pupils; and joins in supporting UNISON members in their celebration day for teaching assistants on 29 November 2013 to recognise the difference they make to the education and support of children in UK schools.

That this House recognises that there are over 350,000 teaching assistants employed in England and appreciates the immense value they bring to classrooms and schools across the UK; notes that they perform an incredibly varied and complex mix of roles in schools, ranging from supporting teachers with administrative tasks to...

That this House notes the vital role a quarter of a million school support staff play in classrooms across the country; supports the important job that teaching assistants do in helping pupils realise their potential, especially for those pupils with specific educational needs, and in ensuring that no child is left behind; acknowledges the valuable assistance school support staff provide to teachers; and calls on the Government to provide the appropriate level of resources to fully support teaching assistants in schools throughout the country.

That this House notes the vital role a quarter of a million school support staff play in classrooms across the country; supports the important job that teaching assistants do in helping pupils realise their potential, especially for those pupils with specific educational needs, and in ensuring that no child is...

That this House welcomes the increase in diversity in the new National Curriculum; recognises the importance of promoting knowledge of equality issues with young people; acknowledges the significant contribution that figures from ethnic minority and subjugated parts of society have made to British history and culture; further welcomes the specific inclusion of figures such as Rosa Parks and Emily Davison in the new curriculum; and urges the Government to continue to improve diversity topics in education.

That this House welcomes the increase in diversity in the new National Curriculum; recognises the importance of promoting knowledge of equality issues with young people; acknowledges the significant contribution that figures from ethnic minority and subjugated parts of society have made to British history and culture; further welcomes the specific...

That this House welcomes the introduction of the pupil premium to help support disadvantaged pupils and close the attainment gap; notes that pupil premium funding is allocated to schools on the basis of students who have been eligible for free school meals in the past six years; further notes that, according to the Children's Society, approximately 700,000 children living in poverty as defined by the Government do not meet the eligibility criteria for free school meals because their parents are working yet receiving low wages; believes that as a consequence of the current eligibility criteria schools in rural areas with the lowest wages in the country are not receiving funding on the scale that they should; therefore urges the Government to make the pupil premium available to all children living within its own definition of child poverty or to all those whose parents will receive universal credit when it is introduced later this year; and further notes that this could be achieved at no greater cost than what has already been budgeted, if the value of the pupil premium remained at this year's level.

That this House welcomes the introduction of the pupil premium to help support disadvantaged pupils and close the attainment gap; notes that pupil premium funding is allocated to schools on the basis of students who have been eligible for free school meals in the past six years; further notes that,...

That this House notes that Religious Education (RE) is a rigorous academic subject that allows young people to increase their knowledge and understanding of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs; further notes the importance of mutual understanding and the community cohesion it engenders, particularly at this time of heightened tension; recognises the contribution the subject RE plays in fostering mutual understanding and respect between people with different religious and non-religious beliefs; supports the efforts of schools and local authorities who give RE the attention and status it merits in the curriculum; and urges that measures to ensure that all children explore and discuss religious and non-religious beliefs at school be pursued by the Government.

That this House notes that Religious Education (RE) is a rigorous academic subject that allows young people to increase their knowledge and understanding of a range of religious and non-religious beliefs; further notes the importance of mutual understanding and the community cohesion it engenders, particularly at this time of heightened...

That this House congratulates Malorie Blackman on being appointed the eighth Children's Laureate; notes that she is the author of the multiple-award-winning Noughts and Crosses series of books; further notes that she has received fifteen awards in total for her novels and script writing; further notes her contribution to literature; further notes that her parents migrated to the UK from Barbados; and applauds her achievement in becoming Britain's first black Children's Laureate.

That this House congratulates Malorie Blackman on being appointed the eighth Children's Laureate; notes that she is the author of the multiple-award-winning Noughts and Crosses series of books; further notes that she has received fifteen awards in total for her novels and script writing; further notes her contribution to literature;...

That this House notes with concern the robust and consistent evidence from around the world on birth date effects, which in England shows that summer-born children can suffer long-term disadvantages as a result of England's inflexible school starting age; believes that the Government should ensure that parents of summer-born children are able to exercise their right to defer their child's school start up until the statutory school start time, if that is their choice, without losing a place offered at the school of their choice for the September after their child's fourth birthday because of funding issues; and calls on the Government to ensure that parents also have the choice of placing their child in a school reception class, rather than Year 1, at statutory school age, that is the September following their fifth birthday.

That this House notes with concern the robust and consistent evidence from around the world on birth date effects, which in England shows that summer-born children can suffer long-term disadvantages as a result of England's inflexible school starting age; believes that the Government should ensure that parents of summer-born children...

That this House is concerned by new research by the Amateur Swimming Association contained within their report entitled, Learning the Lesson - The Future of School Swimming, which reveals that 51 per cent of children aged between seven and 11 years old are unable to swim the length of a typical swimming pool and that 1.1 million primary schoolchildren lack the skills to be safe in and around water; recognises the importance of swimming as a lifesaving skill and as a foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle; believes that swimming and water safety skills are not instinctive and that schools are an essential place for these skills to be taught; further believes that the £150 million of ring-fenced spending for primary school sport represents an opportunity to improve attainment levels in swimming; and calls on the Department for Education to reiterate the expectation that all children be able to swim at least 25 metres unaided by the time they leave primary school, and to support schools appropriately in supporting this aim.

That this House is concerned by new research by the Amateur Swimming Association contained within their report entitled, Learning the Lesson - The Future of School Swimming, which reveals that 51 per cent of children aged between seven and 11 years old are unable to swim the length of a...

That this House condemns the proposed removal of climate change from the national curriculum guidelines for key stages one to three; agrees with former Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Sir David King that the exclusion of such issues represents an abdication of our duty to future generations, as well as major political interference with the geography syllabus; notes the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change's statements that climate science, risks, impacts and the way ahead have never been clearer, that for a 50 per cent chance of limiting warming to 2ºC, emissions need to peak and begin to fall in developed countries in the next few years, and that failing to take action based on the evidence is a huge gamble with the future of our children, grandchildren, and every other living species; believes it is therefore unacceptable for under 14s and pupils who do not study GCSE geography to be denied a science-based understanding of climate change impacts on human beings in the UK and elsewhere; calls on Ministers to consider the views of the UK Youth Climate Coalition that teaching about climate change is too important to be left to individual teachers' choice; endorses the People and Planet petition to the Secretary of State for Education calling for the interdependence of humans and our environment and sustainable development to remain embedded in the curriculum; and urges Ministers to keep climate change in the national curriculum for key stages one to three.

That this House condemns the proposed removal of climate change from the national curriculum guidelines for key stages one to three; agrees with former Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Sir David King that the exclusion of such issues represents an abdication of our duty to future generations, as well as major...