Department for Education

The ‘Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice’, paragraph 6.81, states that schools should ensure that information reports are easily accessible by young people and parents, and are set out in clear, straightforward language. They should include information on the school’s special educational needs (SEN) policy and named contacts within the school for situations where young people or parents have concerns. They should also give details of the school’s contribution to the SEND local offer and make clear where that local offer is published.

The department does not routinely collect data on the readability of information reports, but has reviewed examples of SEN information reports, and considered their accessibility for parents and guardians who have and/or do not have SEND.

A school’s SEN policy provides the broader aims and values of the school’s approach to SEN, although there is no requirement to publish it as a separate document. The department will consider whether any changes are needed to the relevant duties in the context of future improvements to the SEND system.

The ‘Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice’, paragraph 6.81, states that schools should ensure that information reports are easily accessible by young people and parents, and are set out in clear, straightforward language. They should include information on the school’s special educational needs (SEN) policy and named contacts within the school for situations where young people or parents have concerns. They should also give details of the school’s contribution to the SEND local offer and make clear where that local offer is published.

The department does not routinely collect data on the readability of information reports, but has reviewed examples of SEN information reports, and considered their accessibility for parents and guardians who have and/or do not have SEND.

A school’s SEN policy provides the broader aims and values of the school’s approach to SEN, although there is no requirement to publish it as a separate document. The department will consider whether any changes are needed to the relevant duties in the context of future improvements to the SEND system.

The ‘Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice’, paragraph 6.81, states that schools should ensure that information reports are easily accessible by young people and parents, and are set out in clear, straightforward language. They should include information on the school’s special educational needs (SEN) policy and named contacts within the school for situations where young people or parents have concerns. They should also give details of the school’s contribution to the SEND local offer and make clear where that local offer is published.

The department does not routinely collect data on the readability of information reports, but has reviewed examples of SEN information reports, and considered their accessibility for parents and guardians who have and/or do not have SEND.

A school’s SEN policy provides the broader aims and values of the school’s approach to SEN, although there is no requirement to publish it as a separate document. The department will consider whether any changes are needed to the relevant duties in the context of future improvements to the SEND system.

Every child and young person should be able to achieve and thrive in education, regardless of background. As in previous years, girls continue to do better than boys across all headline measures, and although the gap has narrowed compared to 2018/19, there is more to do. The department is committed to addressing this challenge.

High standards across education are the key to unlocking stronger outcomes and a better future for all children and young people, including boys. We aim to deliver these improvements and reduce gaps in outcomes through excellent teaching and leadership, a high quality curriculum and a system which removes the barriers to learning.

Teaching quality is the single most important in-school factor in improving outcomes, which is why the department is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 expert teachers. We have established an independent, expert-led Curriculum and Assessment Review, which is looking closely at the key challenges and barriers to attainment for young people. Alongside this, we are strengthening our tools for faster and more effective school improvement by launching the new regional improvement for standards and excellence teams.

As part of a £2 million investment to drive standards in reading and writing, teachers in secondary schools are being offered new training and resources this year to help them support readers at all levels. Next year, the department will commission further training focusing specifically on struggling readers in secondary school who are at risk of falling behind.

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and the department is grateful for their important contribution to schools across the country.

A supply teacher’s pay and working conditions will depend on who employs them. Supply teachers employed directly by a state maintained school or local authority must be paid in accordance with the statutory arrangements for teachers laid down in the ‘school teachers’ pay and conditions document’. If a supply teacher is employed by a private agency or non-maintained school, the employer can set the rate of pay and conditions of employment.

Schools and local authorities are currently responsible for the recruitment and deployment of their supply teachers. School leaders should ensure supply teachers are equipped with the necessary access and information to carry out their role effectively.

There is an established robust safeguarding framework in place in the form of ‘keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE), which is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Part 1 of this guidance should be read by all staff who work directly with children and sets out the different types of abuse and harm, and supports all staff to know what signs to look out for, including how to respond to any concerns about a child.

The statutory ‘special educational needs and disability code of practice’ states that all teachers and support staff who work with the pupils with special educational needs should be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. This should also be recorded on the school’s information system.

All schools are required to have a behaviour policy that outlines effective strategies to promote good behaviour and specifies the sanctions for misbehaviour. This policy must be communicated to all pupils, school staff (including supply staff) and parents to ensure everyone is aware of the high standards of behaviour expected. The behaviour policy should also reflect the school's culture and be supported by all staff and senior leaders, including the head teacher.

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and the department is grateful for their important contribution to schools across the country.

A supply teacher’s pay and working conditions will depend on who employs them. Supply teachers employed directly by a state maintained school or local authority must be paid in accordance with the statutory arrangements for teachers laid down in the ‘school teachers’ pay and conditions document’. If a supply teacher is employed by a private agency or non-maintained school, the employer can set the rate of pay and conditions of employment.

Schools and local authorities are currently responsible for the recruitment and deployment of their supply teachers. School leaders should ensure supply teachers are equipped with the necessary access and information to carry out their role effectively.

There is an established robust safeguarding framework in place in the form of ‘keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE), which is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Part 1 of this guidance should be read by all staff who work directly with children and sets out the different types of abuse and harm, and supports all staff to know what signs to look out for, including how to respond to any concerns about a child.

The statutory ‘special educational needs and disability code of practice’ states that all teachers and support staff who work with the pupils with special educational needs should be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. This should also be recorded on the school’s information system.

All schools are required to have a behaviour policy that outlines effective strategies to promote good behaviour and specifies the sanctions for misbehaviour. This policy must be communicated to all pupils, school staff (including supply staff) and parents to ensure everyone is aware of the high standards of behaviour expected. The behaviour policy should also reflect the school's culture and be supported by all staff and senior leaders, including the head teacher.

Supply teachers perform a valuable role and the department is grateful for their important contribution to schools across the country.

A supply teacher’s pay and working conditions will depend on who employs them. Supply teachers employed directly by a state maintained school or local authority must be paid in accordance with the statutory arrangements for teachers laid down in the ‘school teachers’ pay and conditions document’. If a supply teacher is employed by a private agency or non-maintained school, the employer can set the rate of pay and conditions of employment.

Schools and local authorities are currently responsible for the recruitment and deployment of their supply teachers. School leaders should ensure supply teachers are equipped with the necessary access and information to carry out their role effectively.

There is an established robust safeguarding framework in place in the form of ‘keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE), which is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Part 1 of this guidance should be read by all staff who work directly with children and sets out the different types of abuse and harm, and supports all staff to know what signs to look out for, including how to respond to any concerns about a child.

The statutory ‘special educational needs and disability code of practice’ states that all teachers and support staff who work with the pupils with special educational needs should be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. This should also be recorded on the school’s information system.

All schools are required to have a behaviour policy that outlines effective strategies to promote good behaviour and specifies the sanctions for misbehaviour. This policy must be communicated to all pupils, school staff (including supply staff) and parents to ensure everyone is aware of the high standards of behaviour expected. The behaviour policy should also reflect the school's culture and be supported by all staff and senior leaders, including the head teacher.

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. The accompanying statutory guidance ‘Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school’ makes clear to schools what is expected of them in taking reasonable steps to fulfil their legal obligations and to meet the individual needs of pupils with medical conditions, including allergies. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.

The department has alerted schools to external resources from trusted allergy organisations. This includes the Schools Allergy Code, developed by The Allergy Team, Independent Schools’ Bursars Association and the Benedict Blythe Foundation, and Allergy School created by the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation.

In 2017, the Department of Health published non-statutory guidance confirming that schools can purchase spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) from a pharmacy without a prescription and for use in an emergency situation. The department does not hold information on the number of schools which stock spare AAIs.

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. The accompanying statutory guidance ‘Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school’ makes clear to schools what is expected of them in taking reasonable steps to fulfil their legal obligations and to meet the individual needs of pupils with medical conditions, including allergies. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.

The department has alerted schools to external resources from trusted allergy organisations. This includes the Schools Allergy Code, developed by The Allergy Team, Independent Schools’ Bursars Association and the Benedict Blythe Foundation, and Allergy School created by the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation.

In 2017, the Department of Health published non-statutory guidance confirming that schools can purchase spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) from a pharmacy without a prescription and for use in an emergency situation. The department does not hold information on the number of schools which stock spare AAIs.

The department’s priority is to grow high-quality, affordable and flexible education and care for children whilst ensuring their safety, giving every child the best start to life and delivering on our Plan for Change. For this reason, we continually monitor and review safeguarding requirements for early years settings to make sure children are kept as safe as possible.

The department is responsible for setting the standards which early years settings such as nurseries must follow. These are set out in the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework. The department has responsibility for policy on inspection and registration, but how it is implemented is for Ofsted to decide whilst also remaining accountable to Parliament.

The decision to install and use camera surveillance equipment in a nursery is a matter for individual providers to determine based on their own risk assessment and policies.

If a nursery uses camera surveillance equipment, they must comply with the regulations in the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation and should follow the guidance published by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Local authorities must consult with settings before naming them in an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The setting can express concerns about being named and the local authority must consider these concerns carefully. However, if named in the plan, the setting is under a statutory duty to admit the child or young person.

Teachers have a key role to play in supporting learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and there are numerous development opportunities available to help ensure that a focus on SEND is embedded across schools.

All mainstream schools must also have a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), who plays an important role in helping the development and implementation of an effective special educational needs policy and provision in the school. The school should ensure that the SENCO has sufficient time and resources to carry out these functions.

Headteachers are responsible for employment in their schools, as they are best placed to understand the needs of their pupils and can make staffing decisions accordingly.

When an EHC plan is issued, the local authority is statutorily required to secure the provision specified in the plan. This usually involves providing top-up funding to the setting from its high needs budget. High needs budgets will total over £12 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, following the additional £1 billion announced at the Autumn Budget 2024.

Local authorities must consult with settings before naming them in an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The setting can express concerns about being named and the local authority must consider these concerns carefully. However, if named in the plan, the setting is under a statutory duty to admit the child or young person.

Teachers have a key role to play in supporting learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and there are numerous development opportunities available to help ensure that a focus on SEND is embedded across schools.

All mainstream schools must also have a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), who plays an important role in helping the development and implementation of an effective special educational needs policy and provision in the school. The school should ensure that the SENCO has sufficient time and resources to carry out these functions.

Headteachers are responsible for employment in their schools, as they are best placed to understand the needs of their pupils and can make staffing decisions accordingly.

When an EHC plan is issued, the local authority is statutorily required to secure the provision specified in the plan. This usually involves providing top-up funding to the setting from its high needs budget. High needs budgets will total over £12 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, following the additional £1 billion announced at the Autumn Budget 2024.

The number of apprenticeship starts in the Great Yarmouth constituency by age group are published in the ‘Apprenticeships’ accredited official statistics publication, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a9552480-ccf9-421e-95ad-08dd85738b16. These were last published in March 2025. They include full year figures covering the 2019/20 to 2023/24 academic years, and year-to-date figures for 2024/25 (August 2024 to January 2025).

HM Government carefully considers the security implications of proposed investments, to reach a balanced decision between UK economic growth and national security.

As an open economy, the UK benefits from foreign trade and investment where it supports growth and jobs in the UK, meets our stringent legal and regulatory requirements and does not compromise our national security. No accurate estimates of future investments can be made for specific sectors.

Funding under the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is in general not available for goods and services that may be needed by the general student population, whether disabled or not. The department has withdrawn funding for non-specialist software as this falls outside the scope of the DSA. We will monitor the savings from the implementation of this policy.

This policy change relates to non-specialist spelling and grammar software only. The decision to remove non-specialist spelling and grammar software from DSA funding was made on the grounds that there are now free to access versions available with the required functionality to meet students’ disability-related support needs, and it is therefore not an effective use of public money to continue to fund this type of software through the DSA.

There are a number of apprenticeship standards available in the education and early years sector including level 3 Teaching assistant, level 5 Early years lead practitioner and level 6 Teacher.

To support employers to access apprenticeships, the government pays £1,000 to employers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18, and for apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been in local authority care. Non-levy paying employers can also benefit from the government paying the full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an EHC plan or have been in local authority care.

The department continues to promote apprenticeships to young people, adults and employers through the ‘Skills for Life’ campaign.

The department will provide approximately £1.4 billion in funding for the adult skills fund (ASF) in the 2025/26 academic year to ensure that adult learners can access the education and training they need to get into employment or progress in work.

As of August 2025, the department will have devolved 68% of the ASF to mayoral strategic authorities, who are responsible for adult skills provision in their areas. These authorities have autonomy in deciding how to use their funding and are responsible for the allocation of the ASF to learning providers. The department is responsible for managing non-devolved ASF.

In non-devolved areas, adults earning less than £25,000 annual gross salary are eligible for full funding through the ASF. This directly supports social mobility by enabling those moving from unemployment to progress in work. The ASF also funds Learner Support and Learning Support which enables learning providers to help learners facing specific financial hardship, learning difficulties and/or disabilities to overcome barriers which prevent them from taking part in learning.

The department’s allocation methodology for the 2025/26 academic year recognises priority courses, as well as providers with a strong track record of delivering above their allocations and providing for more learners. As a result, there will be a significant number of providers who will see their allocations increase in the 2025/26 academic year.

The department considered the impact of all its funding decisions and, as part of managing the ASF in non-devolved areas, the department considers the impacts of any previous changes when making policy decisions.

The department will provide approximately £1.4 billion in funding for the adult skills fund (ASF) in the 2025/26 academic year to ensure that adult learners can access the education and training they need to get into employment or progress in work.

As of August 2025, the department will have devolved 68% of the ASF to mayoral strategic authorities, who are responsible for adult skills provision in their areas. These authorities have autonomy in deciding how to use their funding and are responsible for the allocation of the ASF to learning providers. The department is responsible for managing non-devolved ASF.

In non-devolved areas, adults earning less than £25,000 annual gross salary are eligible for full funding through the ASF. This directly supports social mobility by enabling those moving from unemployment to progress in work. The ASF also funds Learner Support and Learning Support which enables learning providers to help learners facing specific financial hardship, learning difficulties and/or disabilities to overcome barriers which prevent them from taking part in learning.

The department’s allocation methodology for the 2025/26 academic year recognises priority courses, as well as providers with a strong track record of delivering above their allocations and providing for more learners. As a result, there will be a significant number of providers who will see their allocations increase in the 2025/26 academic year.

The department considered the impact of all its funding decisions and, as part of managing the ASF in non-devolved areas, the department considers the impacts of any previous changes when making policy decisions.

The department will provide approximately £1.4 billion in funding for the adult skills fund (ASF) in the 2025/26 academic year to ensure that adult learners can access the education and training they need to get into employment or progress in work.

As of August 2025, the department will have devolved 68% of the ASF to mayoral strategic authorities, who are responsible for adult skills provision in their areas. These authorities have autonomy in deciding how to use their funding and are responsible for the allocation of the ASF to learning providers. The department is responsible for managing non-devolved ASF.

In non-devolved areas, adults earning less than £25,000 annual gross salary are eligible for full funding through the ASF. This directly supports social mobility by enabling those moving from unemployment to progress in work. The ASF also funds Learner Support and Learning Support which enables learning providers to help learners facing specific financial hardship, learning difficulties and/or disabilities to overcome barriers which prevent them from taking part in learning.

The department’s allocation methodology for the 2025/26 academic year recognises priority courses, as well as providers with a strong track record of delivering above their allocations and providing for more learners. As a result, there will be a significant number of providers who will see their allocations increase in the 2025/26 academic year.

The department considered the impact of all its funding decisions and, as part of managing the ASF in non-devolved areas, the department considers the impacts of any previous changes when making policy decisions.

The department will provide approximately £1.4 billion in funding for the adult skills fund (ASF) in the 2025/26 academic year to ensure that adult learners can access the education and training they need to get into employment or progress in work.

As of August 2025, the department will have devolved 68% of the ASF to mayoral strategic authorities, who are responsible for adult skills provision in their areas. These authorities have autonomy in deciding how to use their funding and are responsible for the allocation of the ASF to learning providers. The department is responsible for managing non-devolved ASF.

In non-devolved areas, adults earning less than £25,000 annual gross salary are eligible for full funding through the ASF. This directly supports social mobility by enabling those moving from unemployment to progress in work. The ASF also funds Learner Support and Learning Support which enables learning providers to help learners facing specific financial hardship, learning difficulties and/or disabilities to overcome barriers which prevent them from taking part in learning.

The department’s allocation methodology for the 2025/26 academic year recognises priority courses, as well as providers with a strong track record of delivering above their allocations and providing for more learners. As a result, there will be a significant number of providers who will see their allocations increase in the 2025/26 academic year.

The department considered the impact of all its funding decisions and, as part of managing the ASF in non-devolved areas, the department considers the impacts of any previous changes when making policy decisions.

The department is providing support and challenge to East Sussex to improve delivery of its special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services following the most recent local area SEND inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission in November 2024.

This inspection found that the local area partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. Specifically, one of the four areas for improvement was that the local area partnership should develop and embed its work with education settings on improving inclusion, so that the proportion of children and young people achieving strong outcomes increases.

East Sussex are developing a strategic plan with specific actions to address all four areas for improvement. The department and NHS England will be tracking the progress that the local area makes against this plan, including through regular engagement, and will offer support as the local area’s improvement journey continues.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

The department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, following the Autumn Budget 2024. This brings total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to over £12 billion. Local authorities allocate this funding to schools, including for the costs of special provision in excess of £6,000 per annum for mainstream school pupils with education, health and care plans. The department provides operational guidance for local authorities to support their allocation of high needs funding, and this is reviewed prior to each financial year to which it applies. The full guidance for 2025/26 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-funding-arrangements-2025-to-2026.

Ministers and departmental officials have regular discussions with Ofsted on a wide range of matters, including special educational needs and the proposed reforms to the inspection of schools and colleges.

The majority of GCSE and A level examinations are handwritten in England. The department has been working closely with Ofqual, the independent regulator of qualifications and assessments, to consider the potential benefits and risks of greater use of onscreen assessment in high stakes qualifications and to carry out research to understand the implications for schools and colleges, students and other stakeholders. The ongoing Curriculum and Assessment Review will also continue to consider evidence on this topic. Any final decisions about the future of onscreen examinations over the long term will be informed by evidence and the views of stakeholders.

It is the government’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.

Local authority-maintained schools provide education for no charge, so are outside the scope of VAT. Additionally, some other providers are exempt from VAT. The provision of nursery services by a provider registered with Ofsted, as a supply of welfare rather than of education services, is also exempt. Local authority-run schools and nurseries can recover some of their VAT through the Section 33 scheme, which aims to ensure that VAT does not divert locally-collected taxes away from their intended use. Private nurseries, like private schools, cannot recover their VAT. Any change to this approach would come at a cost to the exchequer and any reduction in tax paid is a reduction in the money available to support important public services, including the NHS and policing. The government therefore has no plans to change the VAT treatment of nurseries. However, all taxes are kept under constant review.

From this year, we plan to provide over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, a more than 30% increase compared to 2024/25. The early years pupil premium rate has increased by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year. We are also providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant and £25 million through the forthcoming National Insurance contributions grant for public sector employers in early years.

It is the government’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.

Local authority-maintained schools provide education for no charge, so are outside the scope of VAT. Additionally, some other providers are exempt from VAT. The provision of nursery services by a provider registered with Ofsted, as a supply of welfare rather than of education services, is also exempt. Local authority-run schools and nurseries can recover some of their VAT through the Section 33 scheme, which aims to ensure that VAT does not divert locally-collected taxes away from their intended use. Private nurseries, like private schools, cannot recover their VAT. Any change to this approach would come at a cost to the exchequer and any reduction in tax paid is a reduction in the money available to support important public services, including the NHS and policing. The government therefore has no plans to change the VAT treatment of nurseries. However, all taxes are kept under constant review.

From this year, we plan to provide over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, a more than 30% increase compared to 2024/25. The early years pupil premium rate has increased by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year. We are also providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant and £25 million through the forthcoming National Insurance contributions grant for public sector employers in early years.

It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high-quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life. This is key to the government’s Plan for Change, which starts with reaching the milestone of a record number of children being ready for school. That also means ensuring the sector is financially sustainable and confident as it continues to deliver entitlements and high-quality early years provision going forward.

That is why, despite tough decisions to get our public finances back on track, this government is continuing to prioritise and invest, supporting early education and childcare providers with the costs they face.

In the 2025/26 financial year alone, we plan to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements. The department has also announced the largest ever uplift to the early years pupil premium, increasing the rate by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year.

On top of this, the department is providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant to support the sector as they prepare to deliver the final phase of expanded childcare entitlements from September 2025, recognising the significant level of expansion needed and the effort and planning this will require.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education prioritises visits to state schools, which serve 93% of pupils in England. The Secretary of State for Education and the wider Ministerial team visit a wide variety of education settings, including to private schools.

The total number of schools participating in the breakfast clubs early adopters scheme has increased since the initial list was published on 24 February.

From the start of this term, the first 750 free breakfast clubs are opening in towns and cities across the country, supporting nearly 180,000 children with a healthy, nutritious start to their day.

Over 3,000 schools expressed interest in joining the programme, so some movement was always expected as the department confirmed the final list.

The department built in time between the announcement and the start of the scheme in order to work closely with schools, ensure plans were deliverable, and get clubs up and running from the first day of term.

The department supports academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided bodies, who are responsible for managing the safety and maintenance of their estates, with capital funding, rebuilding programmes and guidance on effective estate management.

We recently confirmed details of £2.1 billion of capital funding for the 2025/26 financial year to improve the condition of schools, up from the £1.8 billion committed for the 2024/25 financial year. Allocations are partly informed by consistent data on the condition of the estate collected by the department reflecting the relative need of schools.

This is in addition to the continuing school rebuilding programme, which includes Ashfield Comprehensive School and Outwood Academy Kirkby in Ashfield constituency.

The department also provides capital funding through the basic need grant to support local authorities meet their statutory duty to provide sufficient school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data.

In March 2025, the department announced that Nottinghamshire County Council has been allocated just over £21.7 million to support it to create the mainstream school places needed by September 2028. This is on top of the just over £55 million we have previously allocated to support Nottinghamshire County Council provide the new school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.

Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality to mobile phones throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the department’s ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance. The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

New research from the Children’s Commissioner, with responses from nearly all schools and colleges in England show that the overwhelming majority of schools, 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools, already have policies in place that limit or restrict the use of mobile phones during the school day.

The department is funding 750 early adopter schools to provide access to a free, universal breakfast club lasting at least 30 minutes. Schools will receive a combination of set-up, fixed-term and per-pupil payments to cover staffing, delivery and food. Funding rates vary depending on uptake and pupil characteristics.

On average, a school with 50% take-up would receive around £23,000 for a full year. The funding model is designed to ensure that allocations reflect actual take up in early adopter schools.

A key aim of the early adopter programme is to test and learn about take-up across a diverse range of schools, to help inform future national rollout.

The department used existing programmes and cost data to determine the funding rates and methodology, which have been tested and refined with a number of schools. It is designed to ensure schools can meet the minimum expectations, including a 30 minute breakfast club with food that meets the school food standards.

The department is funding 750 early adopter schools to provide access to a free, universal breakfast club lasting at least 30 minutes. Schools will receive a combination of set-up, fixed-term and per-pupil payments to cover staffing, delivery and food. Funding rates vary depending on uptake and pupil characteristics.

On average, a school with 50% take-up would receive around £23,000 for a full year. The funding model is designed to ensure that allocations reflect actual take up in early adopter schools.

A key aim of the early adopter programme is to test and learn about take-up across a diverse range of schools, to help inform future national rollout.

The department used existing programmes and cost data to determine the funding rates and methodology, which have been tested and refined with a number of schools. It is designed to ensure schools can meet the minimum expectations, including a 30 minute breakfast club with food that meets the school food standards.

As of November 2023, the latest date for which data is available, 73 people were employed in state-funded special schools in England with a role of ‘nurse’. This is an increase from 66 in 2022 and 56 in 2021.

The figures provided are based on staff roles as reported by the school and, as such, ‘nurse’ may not necessarily indicate a qualified specialist community public health nurse.

Information on the school workforce, including the number of support staff employed by schools, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

I refer the hon. Member for Ashfield to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43267.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.

We recognise the vital role that special schools play in catering to those with the most complex needs. We also want more children and young people to receive the support they need to thrive in their local mainstream school, reducing the need for pupils to travel a long way to access a specialist placement. Many mainstream settings are already committed to delivering specialist provision locally, including through resourced provision and special educational needs units.

The department has now published allocations for £740 million in high needs provision capital allocations for the 2025/26 financial year, to support local authorities to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings, and to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings.

The funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible for children with SEND, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

Nottinghamshire Council has been allocated £14 million for the 2025/26 financial year and it is up to the local authority to make decisions about the places they create and to prioritise this funding to meet local needs.

Approximately 596,000 members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme require Remediable Service Statements (RSSs) setting out their choices as part of the transitional protection (McCloud) remedy. Of those, approximately 532,000 RSSs were issued by 31 March 2025.

The remaining RSSs for members who retired before the relevant legislation was in place, are those that cannot be automated due to their complexity. The department is continuing to work with the scheme administrator to identify ways to increase capacity to complete this work.

All young people should have every opportunity to succeed, no matter who they are or where they are from. That is why, through our work to deliver the Opportunity Mission, this government will improve opportunities across the country for all children and young people.

As in previous years, the latest attainment data shows girls continue to do better than boys across all headline measures. However, the gap has narrowed when comparing 2023/24 to 2018/19. The department publishes attainment data by sex on an annual basis in the autumn term, which can be broken down by specific local authorities, including Ashfield. The relevant data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/0b85fb67-0628-414c-95b1-08dd85738b16.

High and rising standards across education are at the heart of this mission and are key to unlocking stronger outcomes and a better future for all children and young people, regardless of their gender. As one of the department’s first steps for change, we are committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 expert teachers. We have also introduced new regional improvement for standards and excellence teams and launched an independent, expert-led Curriculum and Assessment Review that is looking closely at the key challenges to attainment.

An update is publicly available through the Treasury Minutes, published in April 2025, and accessible here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ed087598b3bac1ec299b5a/Treasury_Minutes_v02_PRINT.pdf.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Slough to the answer of 30 December 2024 to Question 20796.

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Slough to the answer of 30 December 2024 to Question 20796.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. This brings total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to over £12 billion. Of that total, Nottinghamshire County Council is being allocated over £130 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), which is an increase of £10.8 million on their 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula.

Departmental officials regularly meet with representatives of special schools to discuss a wider variety of matters, including funding levels.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. This brings total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to over £12 billion. Of that total, Nottinghamshire County Council is being allocated over £130 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), which is an increase of £10.8 million on their 2024/25 DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula.

Departmental officials regularly meet with representatives of special schools to discuss a wider variety of matters, including funding levels.

Primary and secondary schools are free to teach about road safety as part of their duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum, and many do so through their personal, social, health and economic education provision, alongside the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) content. Schools can draw on resources available from many providers, including the THINK! Campaign developed by the Department for Transport.

The department is currently reviewing the statutory RSHE curriculum for primary and secondary pupils and is analysing consultation responses, talking to stakeholders and considering relevant evidence before setting out next steps.