Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to (a) her confirmation of 24 March 2026 that her Department accepts Surrey County Council’s decision to continue with FS0756 Betchwood Vale Academy, (b) the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 27008 on Free Schools, Dorking, and (c) the Minister for Early Education’s letter (ref. 20245-0039819) of 24 December 2024, what the status is of each of the reports and surveys completed in support of the initial planning application submitted by the Department which in February 2025 were in the process of being reviewed and refreshed by the Department’s appointed construction contractor; and what plans and timetable the Department has to engage with Mole Valley District Council planning officers to progress a new or revised planning application.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department confirmed Surrey County Council’s decision to continue with Betchwood Vale Academy on 24 March. Officials are working on a new delivery programme and will be in contact with Surrey County Council and the Trust to discuss next steps. A review of all planning documentation will be required before a new or revised planning application can be submitted.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many departmental employees were on performance management plans in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department is committed to thorough performance management and has in place robust processes to ensure that those who fall below the expected standards are supported to improve in a timely manner, using performance improvement plans (PIPs) where appropriate. While data on PIPs is not held centrally, the figures below show the number of employees identified as receiving additional performance support in each financial year. Those who cannot improve their performance, despite this additional support, may be dismissed.
Financial year | Number of employees identified for informal or formal performance action |
2022/23 | 315 |
2023/24 | 285 |
2024/25 | 310 |
Asked by: Dan Aldridge (Labour - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether students required to resit GCSE Mathematics alongside A-level study are mandated to attend school-delivered resit classes, including in cases where they are receiving private tuition outside of school.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Progress towards and attainment of Level 2 maths and English is essential for helping students seize opportunities in life, learning and work. The 16 to 19 maths and English Condition of Funding ensures students have this opportunity. Students aged 16 to 19 who have not yet achieved a GCSE grade 4 in maths are required to continue studying towards Level 2 maths as part of their study programme. Under the 16 to 19 maths and English Condition of Funding, institutions are required to deliver a minimum of 100 hours in-person, whole class, standalone teaching in maths each academic year for eligible students on 16 to 19 study programmes and T Levels. Any additional support, including remote, online delivery or private tuition can be delivered in addition to the minimum teaching hours.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that those currently repaying Plan 2 student loans are able to pay off the initial capital owed and return to solvency.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Student loans are not like commercial loans, as they carry significant protections for borrowers, and repayments are linked to income, not to the amount borrowed or interest applied. As repayments remain income-contingent, if a borrower’s salary remains the same, their monthly repayments will also stay the same.
Repayments are made at a fixed rate above the earnings threshold and borrowers earning under the earnings threshold are not required to make repayments. Any outstanding loan, including interest built up, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.
The government appreciates that making student loan repayments does have an impact on individuals. This is why there are unique protections for borrowers, and the finance system is heavily subsidised by taxpayers.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when further details relating to the Mission North East and Mission Coastal programmes will be published.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Departmental officials are currently engaging school leaders, alongside local and national stakeholders, on the approach for the Missions and we will announce further details in due course.
Asked by: Saqib Bhatti (Conservative - Meriden and Solihull East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help prevent AI-driven plagiarism in schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The majority of GCSE and A level assessments are taken as written exams under close staff supervision, without access to the internet or artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which prevents the use of AI-generated material in most assessments.
The department is working closely with Ofqual and the wider sector to understand the risks associated with generative AI and to ensure appropriate mitigations are in place.
Strict rules, set by exam boards, are already in place to ensure that students’ work is their own, and sanctions for malpractice are severe, including the possibility of disqualification. Schools and teachers know their students best and are experienced in identifying their individual students’ work.
To support the sector, the Joint Council for Qualifications has published guidance for teachers and exam centres to help prevent and identify potential malpractice involving the misuse of AI in assessments. The guidance is available here: https://www.jcq.org.uk/knowledge-hub/ai-use-in-assessments-your-role-in-protecting-the-integrity-of-qualifications/.
Ofqual, as the independent regulator, has also published its overall approach to regulating AI use in the qualifications sector. The approach can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofquals-approach-to-regulating-the-use-of-artificial-intelligence-in-the-qualifications-sector.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of screen time on children's development.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
On 27 March, the government published advice on screen use for children aged 0-5 on the Best Start in Life website, accessible at: https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/screen-time-under-5s/.
The advice is informed by an expert panel’s independent report, which draws on quantitative and qualitative research, including engagement with parents, carers and stakeholders. This report can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/screen-use-by-children-aged-under-5.
The independent panel was co-chaired by Professor Russell Viner, and Dame Rachel de Souza.
On 2 March, alongside the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the department launched the Children’s Digital Wellbeing consultation on further measures to ensure children have healthy relationships with technology, mobile phones and social media. The consultation will close on 26 May, with the government set to publish its response in the summer.
We will also support families by producing evidence-based screen time guidance for parents of children aged 5 to 16.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department collects on children’s education, including pupil attainment and characteristics, and how this information is used to inform policy.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department collects different categories of data for different cohorts of individuals depending on their interaction with the education and children’s services system in England. These data are collected through statutory data collections with categories including:
This data provides a robust evidence base that enables the department to understand how well the education and children’s services sectors are functioning and ensure policy interventions are effectively targeted. The data also supports essential functions such as allocating school funding fairly and enabling parents, Parliament and the wider public to access clear information about educational outcomes and system performance.
Asked by: Luke Evans (Conservative - Hinckley and Bosworth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to engage with the autism community to ensure that public opinion is captured for the SEND Reform White Paper without the need to provide a written submission to the consultation.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
On Monday 23 February, we launched a full 12-week consultation on our special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms because we want to hear directly from people across the country who have an interest in these reforms and build on our national conversation.
There are three ways that we are ensuring we capture the views of those who are part of the SEND community. First, we are hosting a series of online and in-person events throughout the consultation period, including sessions delivered in partnership with the Council for Disabled Children. More information on these sessions will be advertised in the coming weeks.
Second, we are engaging with a range of SEND organisations, including autism organisations, and representatives of those organisations will also be on ministerial engagement groups. Members of our Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, SEND Development Group, and Complex Needs Group have autism expertise, and we also plan to engage with representatives from other organisations that specialise in autism at our planned deep dives. We are also engaging with academics in this space. Finally, we continue to engage with young people, including those with autism, on the consultation as we did pre-publication.
Third, the department has a dedicated mailbox for SEND reform consultation responses and is accepting non-written as well as written responses to consultation questions. The mailbox is available at: SENDreform.CONSULTATION@education.gov.uk.
The consultation, including accessible versions, can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first.
Asked by: Lord Pack (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps the Department for Education has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In the past year, we have committed in Parliament to undertake the required post-legislative scrutiny of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This will include considering the coming into force of measures, where not yet commenced.
The department will, as part of its usual process, continue to periodically review legislation within its area of responsibility as part of policy development.