Department for Education

In 2024 there were 2,458 private schools in England, of which 804 were special schools.

During 2024, 58 private schools closed, of which 18 were special schools.

Between 1 January and 15 October 2025, 60 private schools have closed, of which 6 were special schools.

The table below shows the special schools that closed in England in 2024. Of these, 9 schools closed on or before 4 July 2024, and 9 schools closed on or after 5 July 2024:

The following special schools closed in England in 2025:

Children whose place in a private school has been deemed necessary by a local authority will not be affected by tax changes. If an education, health and care plan names a private school, the local authority must fund that place. Where this is the case, local authorities will be able to reclaim the VAT on the fees from HMRC via the Section 33 VAT refund scheme.

Data on the number of civil servants employed by the Department for Education (including its executive agencies), as at 31 March, are available in the published Civil Service Statistics in Table 20 of the respective statistical releases for 2011, 2016, 2021, and 2024. These statistics are published by the Cabinet Office and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics.

Data by year requested is available below (numbers are rounded to the nearest 10):

• 2024: 8,600
• 2021: 7,930
• 2016: 3,550
• 2011: 2,780

The role of the department has changed over this period. The increase in headcount reflects organisational growth, such as the transfer of the higher and further education briefs to the department in 2016, the creation of the Education and Skills Funding Agency in 2017, and the expansion of delivery responsibilities in areas including academies, skills and further education.

In response to stakeholder feedback, an amendment was made to paragraph 135 in the statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’. This came into force on 1 September 2025, and provided further examples of content risks.

The department recognises the significant risks these issues pose to children’s safety and wellbeing, as they can distort understanding, undermine trust and expose pupils to harmful narratives online.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review highlighted the importance of all pupils developing the skills they need to identify and challenge misinformation. In making changes to the curriculum, we will support this by strengthening media literacy content in citizenship and English and making citizenship compulsory in primary school so that all children are introduced to this vital content at an early stage.

Local authorities have powers to provide a range of services, including financial support, to help children and families. They are best placed to decide what support is needed and any payments should follow their assessment models. The government does not set a minimum or maximum allowance for kinship carers, but statutory guidance makes clear that children and young people should receive the support they need to safeguard and promote their welfare.

We recognise the financial pressures on local authorities and are committed to improving support for kinship families. To that end, we will soon launch a Kinship Allowance Pilot in selected local authorities in England to help eligible kinship carers with the costs of raising a child.

The department is determined that opportunity is available to all who have the aspiration and talent to succeed in higher education (HE), regardless of where they live.

To inform the development of the Post-16 education and skills white paper, the department engaged with a range of stakeholders, including HE providers, representative bodies, and Mayoral Strategic Authorities across England.

The department will introduce targeted maintenance grants to support students from low-income households studying courses at Levels 4 to 6, including technical qualifications and degrees, aligned with the government’s missions and the Industrial Strategy.

Professor Kathryn Mitchell of the University of Derby has agreed to chair the Access and Participation Task and Finish Group. This will consist of sector experts and charities, with representation from across different regions of the country. It will focus on developing options to address regional disparities in access to HE and tackling the most systemic barriers to access for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Following the Bill’s attainment of Royal Assent, the department intends to make regulations and publish statutory guidance outlining how local authorities must publicise the registers and the duties of parents in relation to the registers.

We will consult on the guidance ahead of implementation, so home educating parents can share their views on how they would like to receive information on the registration measures.

On 5 November, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review published its final report which includes recommendations for a refreshed curriculum and assessment system in England.

As part of the response to the Review’s report the government has made a commitment to strengthen pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship, with digital resources to support teaching. From budgeting to understanding credit, through our revised curriculum all children will learn about the fundamentals of money, ensuring every pupil develops the skills needed to succeed in the modern world.

The department will engage with sector experts and young people in working out how best to reflect this in the updated curriculum. There will be public consultation on the updated curriculum programmes of study, to seek views on the content before they are finalised.

On 5 November, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review published its final report which includes recommendations for a refreshed curriculum and assessment system in England.

As part of the response to the Review’s report the government has made a commitment to strengthen pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship, with digital resources to support teaching. From budgeting to understanding credit, through our revised curriculum all children will learn about the fundamentals of money, ensuring every pupil develops the skills needed to succeed in the modern world.

The department will engage with sector experts and young people in working out how best to reflect this in the updated curriculum. There will be public consultation on the updated curriculum programmes of study, to seek views on the content before they are finalised.

The department does not hold information on the number of home-educated children at constituency level.

The latest statistics on elective home education (EHE) in England are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education/2024-25-autumn-term.

For the 2024/25 autumn term,16% of EHE children were recorded as receiving special educational needs support, whilst 6% of EHE children had an education, health and care plan. This compares with 14% and 5% of the overall school population.

Officials routinely engage with a range of different organisations.

The department does not usually publish minutes between officials and stakeholders.

The department attaches great importance to the handling of correspondence from parliamentarians and fellow citizens. Correspondence often raises complex and serious concerns, as it has in this instance, and as a department we aim to provide high quality, tailored responses to the points raised.

I can confirm that a response to the open letter from parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Surrey, dated 17 July 2025, was sent on 18 November 2025.

We recognise how important it is that children undergoing cancer treatment get the right support. This includes having continued access to high-quality education during periods when they are unable to attend school.

Local authorities have a duty under section 19 of the Children's Act 1996 to provide suitable and (normally) full-time education for children of compulsory school age who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not receive suitable education.

Where full-time education is not possible due to a child’s health needs, local authorities must arrange part-time education on whatever basis they consider to be in the child's best interests.

Full and part-time education should still aim to be equivalent to the education the child would receive in their mainstream school. Any part-time education should be reviewed regularly, with the aim of eventually increasing the number of hours up to full-time as soon as the child’s health allows.

Approximately £8.6 billion 16 to 19 programme funding has been allocated during the 2025/26 academic year to colleges, schools and other providers of education and training. This funding enables young people to take part in study programmes or T levels. These are designed to enable students to progress to employment, an apprenticeship or further study including higher education.

Responsibility for adult skills has moved from the Department for Education to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Through the adult skills fund (ASF), we have allocated £1.4 billion in academic year 2025/26, ensuring that adults can access the education and training they need to get into employment or progress in work.

Currently, 68% of the ASF is devolved to 12 Strategic Authorities and the Greater London Authority, who are responsible for the provision of ASF-funded adult education for their residents and the allocation of the ASF to learning providers.

In non-devolved areas, adults who earn less than £25,750, are eligible for full funding through the ASF, ensuring courses are accessible for those who are either unemployed or on the lowest incomes.

The development of a British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE is an important step toward fostering greater recognition of BSL as a language, and we are committed to developing a qualification that benefits both students and the wider deaf community.

The final subject content was published on GOV.UK in December 2023 and Ofqual’s final qualification rules were published on 13 November this year. Exam boards are now able to develop detailed specifications which will form the basis of course content to be taught in schools and colleges.

Decisions on whether to develop qualification specifications are for exam boards, and any specifications developed by exam boards will need to be accredited by Ofqual before they are available to schools.

The government introduced new support packages for students starting postgraduate master’s degree courses from the 2016/17 academic year onwards and postgraduate doctoral degree courses from 2018/19 onwards. These loans are not based on income and are intended as a contribution to the cost of study. They can be used by students according to their personal circumstances to cover the costs of fees and living costs, including childcare. The new support packages have provided a significant uplift in support for postgraduate students while ensuring the student support system remains financially sustainable.

Students studying on postgraduate courses can apply for loans towards their course fees and living costs up to £12,858 in 2025/26 for new students undertaking postgraduate master’s degree courses and up to £30,301 in 2025/26 for new students undertaking postgraduate doctoral degree courses.

Postgraduate students are eligible for a different package of support to undergraduate students to help with course fees and living costs, including childcare. These students are therefore not eligible to receive the childcare grant.

As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, Strategic Authorities have a key role in ensuring there are clear pathways of progression from education into further and higher education and local employment opportunities. The government values the insight and local accountability of Strategic Authorities and is proceeding with the devolution of adult education functions to tailor training opportunities and drive growth.

Strategic Authorities help shape the training offer in their region through joint ownership of Local Skills Improvement Plans and can work with their constituent councils to plan provision locally.

Education for 16 to 19-year-olds is distinct and forms part of the compulsory education and training system. It offers young people high quality options that enable their transition into apprenticeships, employment, or further learning, such as higher education or higher technical programs. These options support the development of a skilled workforce and break down the barriers to opportunity.

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. Schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with medical conditions and have policies and processes in place to ensure these can be well managed. Any member of school staff providing support to a pupil with medical needs should have received suitable training. School nursing services provide health and wellbeing support for children and young people from age 4 up to 19. They provide specialist advice to schools on the management of medical conditions, including allergies.

Schools must have regard to the ‘Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school’ statutory guidance, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.

The department has committed to reviewing this guidance and intends to issue a consultation on an updated version of this statutory guidance.

The department knows that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits.

That is why we are launching the National Year of Reading 2026, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust. It aims to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change.

The government has also committed £27.7 million this financial year to support and drive high and rising standards in reading. This includes supporting the teaching of phonics, early language and reading for pleasure via the English Hubs programme.

Following the recommendations of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, published on 5 November 2025, we will revise the English curriculum to ensure that we give every child rock solid foundations in oracy, reading and writing, and an improved key stage 3 that re-engages pupils and prevents their learning from stagnating.

Under Ofqual’s regulatory conditions, all students taking GCSE, AS and A level qualifications must be assessed in English, except where another language is permitted, such as in modern foreign language qualifications. Students may be assessed in British Sign Language (BSL) where an awarding organisation offers this as a reasonable adjustment. Guidance is provided by the Joint Council for Qualifications, and adjustments can include the use of BSL interpreters for spoken instructions, readers, scribes and assistive technology.

Access arrangements are also available for all national curriculum tests, and guidance is provided by the Standards and Testing Agency. This allows for adjustments such as sign language interpreters for instructions and compensatory marks for pupils with profound hearing impairments.

The government is also developing a landmark GCSE in BSL, which will be accessible for both first-time learners and existing BSL users.

I would welcome the opportunity to meet the hon. Member and her constituents to discuss this issue.

Under Ofqual’s regulatory conditions, all students taking GCSE, AS and A level qualifications must be assessed in English, except where another language is permitted, such as in modern foreign language qualifications. Students may be assessed in British Sign Language (BSL) where an awarding organisation offers this as a reasonable adjustment. Guidance is provided by the Joint Council for Qualifications, and adjustments can include the use of BSL interpreters for spoken instructions, readers, scribes and assistive technology.

Access arrangements are also available for all national curriculum tests, and guidance is provided by the Standards and Testing Agency. This allows for adjustments such as sign language interpreters for instructions and compensatory marks for pupils with profound hearing impairments.

The government is also developing a landmark GCSE in BSL, which will be accessible for both first-time learners and existing BSL users.

I would welcome the opportunity to meet the hon. Member and her constituents to discuss this issue.

The department has published allocations for £740 million high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision (AP). Of this funding, Lincolnshire has been allocated just over £10.2 million.

This funding is intended to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs. It can also be used to adapt mainstream schools to be more accessible and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places, including for pupils with SEND, sits with local authorities. It is ultimately up to local authorities to determine how to best prioritise their high needs capital funding to address local priorities. They can make use of this increased capital investment to improve the suitability and sufficiency of high needs provision in their areas and to ensure the sustainability of the system for the longer term.

Provision in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to introduce a single unique identifier (SUI) for children is based on extensive user research, including engagement with schools and education settings. Our 2023 report, ‘Improving multi-agency information sharing’, highlighted that while schools use identifiers such as the unique pupil number (UPN), these are not recognised across other agencies that process and share information relating to safeguarding and welfare, creating fragmentation and risk.

To address this, the department began pilot activity in April 2025 to test the feasibility of using the NHS number as a consistent identifier within health and children’s social care. Future piloting will test this across wider safeguarding partners, including education. The intention is not to replace identifiers that are currently used in education, but to design how the SUI can work alongside existing identifiers to improve information sharing and strengthen safeguarding.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review looked closely at how to break down the barriers that hold back children and young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, those with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), and those who are otherwise vulnerable.

The department has accepted the recommendation to develop new evidence-led resources to support curriculum adaptation for all children and young people, including those with SEND in the government response published alongside the review. We will work in collaboration with experts and school leaders to create new Curriculum in Practice resources: a flexible suite of adaptive teaching strategies, case studies and real-world examples tailored to different phases of education.

Progress towards, and attainment of, level 2 mathematics and English is essential for helping 16 to 19 students to by allowing them to seize opportunities in life, learning and work.

Under Part 1 of Education and Skills Act 2008, young people aged 16 and 17 who have not attained level 3 qualifications of sufficient size are under a duty to continue in education or training until their 18th birthday. However, schools and colleges can tailor a study programme to the needs of an individual student, and we know that many students undertake part time work alongside their studies.

Study programmes are designed to be full-time with a minimum of 580 planned hours per academic year, however, part time programmes may be agreed where, for example, a student combines part time education with full time employment.

The department is committed to children’s social care reform to ensure opportunity for all children. Our policy statement ‘Keeping children safe, helping families thrive’, outlines our vision and core legislative proposals. We have subsequently introduced several measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, a key step towards delivering the government’s Opportunity Mission.

Specifically, we have confirmed the national rollout of Family Help, multi-agency child protection and Family Group Decision Making reforms. These reforms are being delivered through the Families First Partnership (FFP) programme, a national government programme to support Safeguarding Partners, including local authorities, to implement the reforms. In 2025/26 the reforms are backed by £541 million of funding, more than doubling direct investment in preventative services.

Through the FFP programme, the government is giving families and children access to better local support services to break the cycle of late intervention and help more children and families to stay safely together.

Funding is not provided specifically to enable students to obtain International Baccalaureate qualifications. The amounts of total programme funding allocated to institutions for 16 to 19 year olds to undertake T Levels and study programmes, which include the International Baccalaureate over the last 5 years can be found in the table below:

Department for Education funded providers offering the International Baccalaureate will continue to receive 16-19 education funding in the 2026/2027 academic year but the allocations have not yet been made and so the total programme funding figure is not yet available.

Students aged 16 to 19 on study programmes or T Levels who have not achieved a grade 4 in GCSE English or mathematics must continue studying these subjects. If a student has a grade 3 in GCSE mathematics, they are expected to work toward a GCSE, as these students are closest to securing grade 4 or above. Those with grade 2 or below can study either a GCSE or a Level 2 Functional Skills qualification.

The recently published Post-16 education and skills white paper sets out our plan to support more eligible students to improve their grade and, wherever possible, achieve a GCSE grade 4+ English and mathematics by the time they leave 16 to 19 education. This includes developing new 16 to19 level 1 stepping stone qualifications as a preparation for GCSE to better support lower prior attaining students to progress. The department plans to consult on these qualifications in early 2026.

Entry requirements for further education courses are not set by the department. They are decided by individual providers based on the course and their own policies. All accredited initial teacher training (ITT) providers must ensure that, in the case of graduate programmes of ITT, all entrants hold a first degree from a United Kingdom higher education institution or equivalent qualification.

As part of our Plan for Change, the department is committed to improving the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. We want schools to better identify and support children early, before issues escalate. We are working closely with children, parents, and experts to shape these plans and ensure every young person gets the support and opportunities they deserve.

In September 2025, the department introduced the early career teacher entitlement (ECTE). The ECTE revised and improved the delivery of what we formerly referred to as the early career framework programme, maintaining the grounding in evidence, to ensure the highest standards of professional development for new teachers. There is now significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND. The adaptive teaching content includes, for example, developing an understanding of different pupil needs, and learning how to provide opportunities for success for all pupils.

The department funds a national network of Maths Hubs, aiming to help teachers in state-funded schools teach maths effectively to all children. Maths Hubs encourage practice such as quick and systematic identification of gaps in learning, and requisite support to prevent pupils falling behind.

The department publishes official statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for young people aged 16 to 24 here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2024.

Since 2021, the number of 16 to 24 year-olds estimated to be NEET in the North West has been increasing with the latest estimate at end 2024 being 121,400. The lowest number in the series was in 2021, estimated to be 74,200. The data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/cc3fd0f9-292c-47fa-d20e-08de2129b4fd.

In recent years, the Office for National Statistics has faced challenges around the falling number of responses to the LFS, which has led to increased sampling variability. This is particularly notable at regional level and caution is advised when interpreting short-term changes. All estimates should be viewed alongside associated confidence intervals.

These estimates are not available at lower-level geographies due to limitations with sample sizes. Therefore, NEET estimates in Fylde constituency are not available.

The complaints scheme in the Higher Education (HE) (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 needs to be fit for purpose, and that means making changes via primary legislation. In the meantime, the HE sector has new duties in place, as well as requirements to promote freedom of speech, and to put in place Codes of Practice.

This government is seeking a suitable legislative vehicle to amend the provisions in relation to the complaints scheme in due course. These amendments will give the Office for Students (OfS) a power, rather than a duty, to consider complaints from staff and speakers.

There are routes of redress in place for staff, students and external speakers where they believe that an HE provider has breached its duties. For students, this is via the Office of the Independent Adjudicator, whose service is free at the point of use. For staff, it is open to them to bring a judicial review or to make a claim in an employment tribunal. In addition, the OfS already regulates providers in relation to free speech and academic freedom through their existing conditions of registration.

The Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom continues to work with the sector, to offer advice and to share best practice, so providers themselves are more effectively protecting free speech and academic freedom.

No assessment has been made of this report by the Committee for Academic Freedom. The free speech complaints scheme must be effective and workable once it is implemented, and that is why government is working to amend the scheme via primary legislation, to address concerns regarding this scheme, and to provide clear and efficient routes of redress.

The complaints scheme in the Higher Education (HE) (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 needs to be fit for purpose, and that means making changes via primary legislation. In the meantime, the HE sector has new duties in place, as well as requirements to promote freedom of speech, and to put in place Codes of Practice.

This government is seeking a suitable legislative vehicle to amend the provisions in relation to the complaints scheme in due course. These amendments will give the Office for Students (OfS) a power, rather than a duty, to consider complaints from staff and speakers.

There are routes of redress in place for staff, students and external speakers where they believe that an HE provider has breached its duties. For students, this is via the Office of the Independent Adjudicator, whose service is free at the point of use. For staff, it is open to them to bring a judicial review or to make a claim in an employment tribunal. In addition, the OfS already regulates providers in relation to free speech and academic freedom through their existing conditions of registration.

The Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom continues to work with the sector, to offer advice and to share best practice, so providers themselves are more effectively protecting free speech and academic freedom.

No assessment has been made of this report by the Committee for Academic Freedom. The free speech complaints scheme must be effective and workable once it is implemented, and that is why government is working to amend the scheme via primary legislation, to address concerns regarding this scheme, and to provide clear and efficient routes of redress.

The complaints scheme in the Higher Education (HE) (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 needs to be fit for purpose, and that means making changes via primary legislation. In the meantime, the HE sector has new duties in place, as well as requirements to promote freedom of speech, and to put in place Codes of Practice.

This government is seeking a suitable legislative vehicle to amend the provisions in relation to the complaints scheme in due course. These amendments will give the Office for Students (OfS) a power, rather than a duty, to consider complaints from staff and speakers.

There are routes of redress in place for staff, students and external speakers where they believe that an HE provider has breached its duties. For students, this is via the Office of the Independent Adjudicator, whose service is free at the point of use. For staff, it is open to them to bring a judicial review or to make a claim in an employment tribunal. In addition, the OfS already regulates providers in relation to free speech and academic freedom through their existing conditions of registration.

The Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom continues to work with the sector, to offer advice and to share best practice, so providers themselves are more effectively protecting free speech and academic freedom.

No assessment has been made of this report by the Committee for Academic Freedom. The free speech complaints scheme must be effective and workable once it is implemented, and that is why government is working to amend the scheme via primary legislation, to address concerns regarding this scheme, and to provide clear and efficient routes of redress.

The complaints scheme in the Higher Education (HE) (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 needs to be fit for purpose, and that means making changes via primary legislation. In the meantime, the HE sector has new duties in place, as well as requirements to promote freedom of speech, and to put in place Codes of Practice.

This government is seeking a suitable legislative vehicle to amend the provisions in relation to the complaints scheme in due course. These amendments will give the Office for Students (OfS) a power, rather than a duty, to consider complaints from staff and speakers.

There are routes of redress in place for staff, students and external speakers where they believe that an HE provider has breached its duties. For students, this is via the Office of the Independent Adjudicator, whose service is free at the point of use. For staff, it is open to them to bring a judicial review or to make a claim in an employment tribunal. In addition, the OfS already regulates providers in relation to free speech and academic freedom through their existing conditions of registration.

The Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom continues to work with the sector, to offer advice and to share best practice, so providers themselves are more effectively protecting free speech and academic freedom.

No assessment has been made of this report by the Committee for Academic Freedom. The free speech complaints scheme must be effective and workable once it is implemented, and that is why government is working to amend the scheme via primary legislation, to address concerns regarding this scheme, and to provide clear and efficient routes of redress.

The department currently assesses that the overseas funding provisions may duplicate existing information gathering powers and create burden, without the benefit of setting clearer expectations for higher education (HE) providers around appropriate risk mitigation for international partnerships. Providers are already required by the Office for Students to resist any external state threats to academic freedom, and the regulator already has the power to access funding records and take robust action, where it is relevant.

We are seeking to enhance approaches to tackling foreign interference in the sector by engaging with the regulator on setting clearer expectations with providers on due diligence of arrangements, promoting a code of practice for international risk management and cultivating greater expertise on foreign interference in HE.

These are important issues, and it is crucial we support HE providers to maximise international opportunities whilst appropriately mitigating risk. We will keep the overseas funding provisions under review and will act in the event that evidence indicates further transparency reporting is necessary.

The government is clear that foreign interference is unacceptable, and providers are already required to ensure that decisions are taken without direction, coercion or covert influence. Universities are already required by the Office for Students (OfS) to resist any external state threats to academic freedom, and the regulator already has the power to access funding records and take robust action, where it is relevant.

Earlier this year the government strengthened responsibilities for universities on free speech and academic freedom. OfS guidance supporting these requirements published in June made it explicitly clear that universities must resist external state threats to academic freedom, and that suppression of research because of the disapproval of a foreign government is unacceptable in practically any circumstances.

The department is supporting higher education providers to improve international due diligence and raise sector awareness of both foreign interference risks and relevant best practice. This work is underway, alongside evaluation of the implementation of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, a new scheme which fully came into effect on the 1 October 2025.

We will keep the overseas funding provisions under review and will act in the event that evidence indicates further transparency reporting is necessary.

The department is clear that foreign interference is unacceptable, and higher education providers are already required to ensure that decisions are taken without direction, coercion or covert influence. Wherever it is identified, the government and the Office for Students (OfS) can and will act, using a range of existing and upcoming requirements.

The government conducted an internal review informed by engagement with the regulator, the sector and academics impacted by foreign interference. It concluded that whilst there were a range of existing requirements on universities that protected against foreign interference, more should be done to support providers to proportionately mitigate risk. We set out our considerations in the “Future of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act” policy paper published in June 2025, and are taking steps to share good practice, raise awareness and develop new responses where necessary.

This work, along with the implementation and evaluation of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, bolsters the existing layers of protection offered by the OfS and the National Security Act. We take this very seriously and will continue to keep our response under review, including considering these recent allegations, to ensure it remains effective and proportionate.

From the 1 August 2025, provisions strengthening universities duties in relation to securing freedom of speech and promoting academic freedom came into force, along with a requirement for the Office for Students (OfS) to provide advice and guidance on those matters.

​The new OfS guidance, published in June 2025, makes it explicitly clear that universities must resist external state threats to academic freedom, and that suppression of research because of the disapproval of a foreign government is unacceptable under any circumstances.

​If the OfS identifies a breach of a specific or general ongoing condition of registration as part of its enquiries, then it will consider the use of formal sanctions, which may include monetary penalties, suspension from the register or deregistration.

​The department believes more should be done to support higher education providers to maximise international opportunities whilst mitigating risk, which is why we set out in June 2025 that we will work with the regulator to set clearer expectations around international risk management, raise awareness of risks and develop advice on good practice.

From 1 August 2025, provisions strengthening universities duties in relation to securing freedom of speech and promoting academic freedom came into force, along with a requirement for the Office for Students (OfS) to provide advice and guidance on those matters.

The new OfS guidance, published in June 2025, makes it explicitly clear that universities must resist external state threats to academic freedom and that suppression of research because of the disapproval of a foreign government is unacceptable under any circumstances.

If the OfS identifies a breach of a specific or general ongoing condition of registration as part of its enquiries, then it will consider the use of formal sanctions, which may include monetary penalties, suspension from the register or deregistration.

The department believes more should be done to support higher education providers to maximise international opportunities whilst mitigating risk, which is why we set out in June 2025 that we will work with the regulator to set clearer expectations around international risk management, raise awareness of risks and develop advice on good practice.

The department funds a network of careers hubs across England to drive up standards of careers provision for young people. Lancashire Careers Hub works with 162 secondary schools and colleges to connect careers provision to regional skills needs, aligned with the Lancashire Skills and Employment Strategic Framework.

Through the Boosting Skills Pathway Fund, the careers hub works with local small and medium enterprises to break down barriers and connect young people to diverse pathways including T Levels.

In the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the department committed to prevent young people becoming not in education, employment or training through more effective use of data by local partners and by ensuring that those without a post-16 study plan are automatically allocated a place at a local college or further education provider.

We see the early years as more than just childcare and central to our mission to give every child the best start in life. The department is focused on reforming the childcare system to ensure it is fit for purpose, so children get the best start in life and that high quality early education is available to all who need it.

To ensure that the early years funding system is hardwired to support those children and parts of the country that have higher levels of additional need, the department will review early years funding, including the early years national funding formulae, consulting on a set of changes by summer 2026.

We will review how funding is distributed nationally and locally to ensure the funding system remains fair and effective at reflecting the costs of delivery and supporting those children and parts of the country that have higher levels of additional need. The department will set out full details in the consultation next year.

The department wants to ensure that children leaving care have stable homes, access to health services, support to build lifelong loving relationships, and are engaged in education, employment and training.

We recognise the importance of financial skills, such as those provided through the Stepladder Plus programme, in achieving this aim. The department currently supports the use of this programme through its contract, for the provision of Junior ISA savings accounts to children in care, with the Share Foundation. We do not currently have any plans to assess the merits of match-funding.

The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people and adults, aiming to engage new audiences in reading and make lasting change to the nation’s reading habits.

Grounded in existing evidence and new research by an external research agency, the campaign is designed to deliver meaningful impact during 2026 and beyond. The impact of the National Year of Reading will be measured through an independent external evaluation. The evaluation will examine how the campaign influences reading behaviours, connects with audiences and shapes attitudes towards reading, particularly among the campaign’s priority audiences including teenage boys, the early years, and families from disadvantaged communities. It will also assess the wider impact on the literacy sector and the foundations for long-term change. The findings will be published in 2027.

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) continues to be available to help disabled students with the additional costs that they may face in higher education as a result of their disability. DSA can fund a range of support, including specialist equipment, non-medical help (human support such as specialist one-to-one study skills support or British Sign Language interpreters), and additional disability-related travel and accommodation costs.

​​Data on the number of specialist teachers in state-funded secondary mainstream schools is published in the School workforce in England statistical publication. Figures for each subject for each year can be found below. This data has been available since 5 June 2025.

​Information on subjects taught is not collected from primary schools.

Headcount of qualified specialist teachers holding a qualification in a related subject by subjects taught and Key Stage, in England for 2024/25:

Source: School Workforce Census November 2024.

Information on the headcount and budgets for Ofsted, Ofqual and the Office for Students’ is publicly available within each organisation’s published Annual Report and Accounts, available at:

• Ofsted: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ofsted-corporate-annual-reports-and-accounts.
• Ofqual: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofqual-annual-report-2023-to-2024.
• Office for Students: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications/.

This is otherwise a matter for the relevant bodies, and I have asked them to write to the right hon. Member with a summary of their position since 2005 or the date they were established. A copy of the replies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.