Open Consultations
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Childminder Recruitment and Retention Consultation
We're seeking views on how to support the recruitment and retention of childminders.
Closes 10 May 2024
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National Standards for Personal, Social and Employability Qualifications
As part of qualifications reforms in Post -16 education in England, we are seeking to improve Personal, Social and Employability qualifications (PSEQs) (including Independent Living qualifications). This consultation presents the new N ational S tandards we have...
Closes 20 May 2024
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Safeguarding Children in Schools and Colleges: A Call for Evidence
Safeguarding is one of the most important responsibilities that schools and colleges have, and we know how seriously teachers, designated safeguarding leads, support staff, and school and college leadership take that responsibility. Safeguarding is never static. As new safeguarding...
Closes 20 June 2024
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Improving non-medical help for disabled students in higher education: Government call for evidence
A call for evidence to help improve non-medical help provision for disabled students in higher education.
Closes 3 July 2024
Closed Consultations
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Further Education Residential Standards
We're seeking views on one change in the further education (FE) residential accomodation: national minimum standards.
Closed 5 April 2024
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A World-Class Education System: The Advanced British Standard consultation
Over the next decade, we are seeking to introduce the Advanced British Standard (ABS), a new Baccalaureate-style qualification framework for 16-19 year-olds. The ABS will: Bring together technical and academic routes into a single framework, taking the best of A levels and...
Closed 20 March 2024
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Guidance for Schools and Colleges: Gender Questioning Children
The consultation is seeking views on the content of the guidance and whether it will help to support schools and colleges, teachers and leaders to make considered and lawful decisions in relation to children who are questioning their gender and the wider school and college community.
Closed 12 March 2024
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Child and Family Social Workers: Agency Rules Statutory Guidance
We are seeking views on the draft statutory guidance for local authorities on the use of agency child and family social workers .
Closed 28 February 2024
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Lefelau Gwasanaeth Gofynnol mewn addysg
Trosolwg Rydym yn ceisio barn ar gyflwyno rheoliadau i weithredu lefelau gwasanaeth gofynnol mewn gwasanaethau addysg ym Mhrydain Fawr yn ystod streic.
Closed 16 February 2024
We Asked, You Said, We Did
Here are some of the issues we have consulted on and their outcomes. See all outcomes
We asked
We asked for views on our proposals to make changes to the fees for children’s social care providers and how we consult on them in the future. We also sought views on the frequency of children’s homes inspections when there are no children accommodated and the disclosure of names and addresses in secure 16-19 academy and secure children’s homes inspection reports.
You said
13% of respondents said a 20% increase in fees payable by children’s social care providers would have no impact. 18% thought the impact of the proposed fee increase would be minor. 38% told us it would have a moderate impact. 31% said it would have a major impact.
Most respondents (69%) thought it was necessary to consult on future fee increases and 19% thought it was not necessary.
The majority of respondents (69%) were in favour of our proposal of removing the requirement for Ofsted to undertake a second inspection on a children’s homes when there are no children accommodated in the home at the time of the first inspection. 12% were not in favour and 19% were not sure.
Half of respondents (50%) did not foresee any issues with the proposal for Ofsted to disclose names and addresses in secure 16-19 academy and secure children’s homes inspection reports. 25% did foresee issues and 25% were not sure.
We did
The results of the consultation have been set out in a report on the gov.uk website. Based on these results the department has decided to implement a 20% increase on current fees payable by children’s social care providers not paying the full cost rate and not consult on future fee increases of 20% or less.
The department will remove the requirement for Ofsted to undertake a second inspection on a Children’s Home when there are no children accommodated in the home at the time of the first inspection and will allow Ofsted to disclose names and addresses in secure 16-19 academy and secure children’s homes inspection reports.
We asked
The Department for Education published a consultation asking for sector views on a range of questions covering two broad themes to drive up quality in further education (FE) initial teacher training (ITT):
- proposed changes to student support funding eligibility for FE ITT courses
- longer term proposals to improve FE teacher training quality.
You said
A total of 78 responses were received from individuals and organisations spanning a variety of stakeholder groups, including FE colleges, universities, awarding bodies, unions, other learning providers, and representative bodies.
All parts of the consultation were positively received by a majority of respondents.
We did
As a result of the responses received – and broader evidence reviewed by government – we have updated the eligibility for student support funding for FE ITT courses, effective from academic year 2024 to 2025: Recognised further education teacher training courses eligible for student support: 2024 to 2025 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). As a result, only those FE ITT trainees at English higher education providers with degree awarding powers, or their validated partners (including FE colleges), will be eligible to receive student support funding for FE ITT courses.
Government is undertaking further work to develop longer term plans for reform of the FE teacher training system. It is highly likely that this will require regulations to be made under section 17 of the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022. This section of the Act has not yet been commenced. A first set of regulations made under this section would be subject to affirmative resolution by Parliament. No timetable for commencement of the relevant section, or the making of regulations, has yet been set.
We asked
This call for evidence sought the views of the education sector on their use of, and attitude to, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in education.
You said
Respondents across primary, secondary and tertiary education are already beginning to see benefits from the use of GenAI and are positive about the opportunities it presents, though many also have concerns about the potential risks. The responses also provided suggestions on the support that the sector would find beneficial.
We did
The Department will use this information to shape its future policy in regards to GenAI in education, including how to best support the sector to optimise the opportunities of GenAI while minimising the risks.