New school places are delivered through a variety of programmes across England and supporting local authorities to create sufficient school places is one of the Government’s top priorities. The Government has already committed £7 billion for school places, which along with our investment in 500 new free schools we expect to deliver 600,000 new places by 2021.

The cost of building new places varies significantly depending on local factors including: the size of the project; forecasts of construction inflation; and regional variations in the cost of construction. All of these are subject to change over time.

Local authorities report the cost per place of providing new school places through the annual School Capacity data collection. The Department is currently reviewing cost data for secondary schools for 2014/15 and expects to publish this information in due course.

There is a teaching school in all but four local authorities in England. Brighton and Hove, Isle of Wight, Isle of Scilly and City of London do not yet have a designated teaching school. Support is offered to schools in these four local authorities by teaching schools from neighbouring areas.

Brighton and Hove and Isle of Wight have been identified as target areas in the November 2016 recruitment round for teaching schools.

The requirement for a proper fire risk assessment to determine the need for sprinklers in new schools has not changed. We are currently consulting on updating the Fire Safety Design for Schools – Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) guidance as it is nearly 10 years old.

It remains the case that all new schools are assessed on a case-by-case basis for fire safety and, where it is concluded that sprinklers must be fitted to protect property or keep children safe, they will be. The proper standard of fire safety, to protect life and property, is essential in our schools. All schools must comply with building and fire safety regulations.

We are currently consulting on updating the Fire Safety Design for Schools – Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) guidance as it is nearly 10 years old. However, there is no change to the policy regarding the installation of sprinklers in new school buildings, and the requirement for a proper fire risk assessment to determine the need for sprinklers in new schools is consistent with the BB100 guidance from 2007.

All new schools are assessed on a case-by-case basis for fire safety and, where it is concluded that sprinklers must be fitted to protect property or keep children safe, they will be. All schools must comply with building and fire safety regulations.

As there has been no change in policy, no legal advice was required in the development of the draft updated BB100 guidance.

The Department has received responses in relation to the consultation to revise the Fire Safety Design for Schools - Building Bulletin 100 (BB100) from a number of stakeholders. These include 15 fire services, the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU).

Departmental officials are in the process of arranging follow-up meetings with a range of stakeholders, including the CFOA, the FBU, the National Union of Teachers, and sprinkler profession networks, to ensure that we explore the evidence base fully.

When well deployed and supported, teaching assistants can make a valuable contribution to the education of our children. They are entitled to a suitable work-life balance and it is regrettable if they are experiencing excessive stress in their work.

Responsibility for managing teaching assistants and other support staff rests at local level. Head teachers best understand the needs of their schools and the support staff who work within them.

The Education Endowment Foundation’s (EEF) guidance report; “Making Best Use Of Teaching Assistants”, offers the latest evidence and makes a number of recommendations to help schools make best use of their teaching assistants. The EEF report is available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/uploads/pdf/TA_Guidance_Report_Interactive.pdf.

We have announced our intention to amend the School Admissions Code to support summer born children by allowing them to delay entry to the reception year until they are five and for those children to remain with that cohort as they progress through school.

We are currently considering whether any additional changes to the admissions system are necessary. Full details of proposed changes and of the consultation, including timings, will be announced in due course.

We have announced our intention to amend the School Admissions Code to support summer born children by allowing them to delay entry to the reception year until they are five and for those children to remain with that cohort as they progress through school.

We are currently considering whether any additional changes to the admissions system are necessary. Full details of proposed changes and of the consultation, including timings, will be announced in due course.

A funding agreement is contract between the Secretary of State and an academy trust. The model funding agreement states that the agreement can be terminated under the following grounds: termination by either party; by warning notice; by the Secretary of State after inspection; by the Secretary of State; and a change of control.

The Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) are civil servants, and as such, carry out their duties in the name of the Secretary of State. The RSCs have powers to make a decision, on behalf of the Secretary of State, to replace a sponsor or trust, where they have not been able to secure necessary improvements. In some circumstances, the funding agreement may be terminated as part of the process.

As with other areas of their responsibility, RSCs escalate decisions to the National Schools Commissioner or the relevant minister where they are sensitive, raise issues of interpretation of government policy, or relate to urgent safeguarding or extremism concerns.

The decision to terminate a funding agreement that results in the closure of an academy is made by the Secretary of State.

Listed below are the numbers of academy closures and re-brokerages by region since the RSCs’ appointment in September 2014:

The Government has no plans to make applications for EU structural funds to support investment in additional school places.

We have committed £23 billion to create 600,000 new school places, open 500 new free schools and address essential maintenance needs between 2016 and 2021. This includes sufficient funding to create the places required between now and the 2021/22 academic year.

The department does not hold information on the number of schools which have been built using EU funds, nor does it hold information on the number of schools which have received funds from EU sources for improvements or maintenance.

The department does not hold information on the number of schools which have been built using EU funds, nor does it hold information on the number of schools which have received funds from EU sources for improvements or maintenance.

This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw. I have asked him to write to you and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.

In 2014/15, 312 schools were below the 5+ A*-C including English and mathematics and expected progress floor standard. Schools were deemed to be below the floor standard if:

• Fewer than 40% of pupils achieved five or more GCSEs at grade A*-C or equivalent, including both English and mathematics; and
• The school had a below median score for the percentage of pupils making expected progress between key stage 2 and key stage 4 in English; and
• The school had a below median score for the percentage of pupils making expected progress between key stage 2 and key stage 4 in mathematics.

From 2016 Progress 8 will replace the existing 5 A*-C headline measure. Progress 8 will show pupils’ progress to a suite of 8 qualifications compared to other pupils with the same starting point at the end of key stage 2. The new measure will reward better teaching of all pupils and make the system of measuring performance fairer for schools.

The Department does not hold a record of the adequacy of sports facilities at the High Arcal academy in Dudley.

Applications to the Condition Improvement Fund closed on 16 December 2015 and we can confirm that The High Arcal School’s application for a new sports hall has been received. Applications are now being assessed against our published criteria to ensure that those with the greatest need receive funding. In the interests of fairness to all applicants in what is a competitive process, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools will be unable to meet school representatives during assessment.

We expect to notify all schools of their bid outcomes by the end of March and my noble Friend will ensure that The High Arcal School is contacted.