Department for Education

Over £600 million has been confirmed for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme over the three financial years from 2026/27. HAF funding is now provided through the Children, Families and Youth Grant, ringfenced to protect programme spend. Local authority allocations, which continue to be calculated using free school meal (FSM) data, have been confirmed for the 3-year settlement, providing local authorities with greater certainty and supporting planning and investment.

HAF remains a targeted programme to support children facing the greatest disadvantage. Local authorities have flexibility to use a proportion of their allocation to support other children who may benefit from the programme in line with local needs and priorities.

From September 2026, FSM eligibility expanded to include all households in receipt of Universal Credit, creating two categories of FSM: targeted and expanded. HAF eligibility remains aligned with the targeted FSM threshold. The department is monitoring implementation of these changes and will continue to gather relevant data. No definitive constituency level estimates currently exist due to unavailability of the necessary data. We will continue to work with local authorities to monitor HAF participation, engage eligible families and support delivery. The government has also committed to a full evaluation of FSM expansion, which will consider its impact and uptake.

Over £600 million has been confirmed for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme over the three financial years from 2026/27. HAF funding is now provided through the Children, Families and Youth Grant, ringfenced to protect programme spend. Local authority allocations, which continue to be calculated using free school meal (FSM) data, have been confirmed for the 3-year settlement, providing local authorities with greater certainty and supporting planning and investment.

HAF remains a targeted programme to support children facing the greatest disadvantage. Local authorities have flexibility to use a proportion of their allocation to support other children who may benefit from the programme in line with local needs and priorities.

From September 2026, FSM eligibility expanded to include all households in receipt of Universal Credit, creating two categories of FSM: targeted and expanded. HAF eligibility remains aligned with the targeted FSM threshold. The department is monitoring implementation of these changes and will continue to gather relevant data. No definitive constituency level estimates currently exist due to unavailability of the necessary data. We will continue to work with local authorities to monitor HAF participation, engage eligible families and support delivery. The government has also committed to a full evaluation of FSM expansion, which will consider its impact and uptake.

This is a matter for His Majesty's Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. Ofsted holds the information requested. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member for Birmingham Perry Barr and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The Adzuna report provides one indicator of conditions in the market for advertised graduate roles. The department considers that evidence from a range of sources should be used to establish the full picture of graduate outcomes and the wider labour market.

Updated research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies and the 2026 Longitudinal Education Outcomes data shows that higher education continues to offer good value for money for most students, with graduates expected to be on average around £100,000 better off over their lifetime than someone who does not go to university. It also shows that rates of individuals in sustained employment, further study, or both remain consistently higher amongst graduates than amongst those with no higher level qualification, across all combinations of subject area, gender and prior GCSE attainment.

The government wants to make sure that children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can receive the support they need to achieve and thrive in their local school, but we know that there will always be a vital role for special schools and specialist post-16 provision for children with the most complex needs.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide sufficient school places, including for pupils with SEND.

The department is supporting local authorities by investing at least £3.7 billion in high needs capital funding between 2025/26 and 2029/30, to support local authorities to provide places for children and young people with SEND or those requiring alternative provision.  We expect that local authorities will prioritise investing this funding in specialist bases in mainstream schools to achieve a more inclusive system overall, but there will still be some areas where new special school places are needed.

The government has consulted on new Early Years Register fee arrangements through the early years funding consultation, published on 6 July 2026 and which closed on 14 September 2026. The consultation sets out proposed reforms to the early years entitlements funding system, including proposals intended to simplify funding arrangements, improve access for families on low incomes, improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and make funding more efficient and transparent.

As part of the consultation, we are proposing to reduce or remove individual annual Ofsted fees, which could simplify the system and reduce direct cost pressures on providers, supporting provider sustainability.

All interested parties, including local authorities, early years providers, parents and carers, were encouraged to take part and share their views before the 14 September closing date.

The government is taking forward a range of measures to prevent young people from becoming not in education employment or training (NEET), including improving identification, tracking and data sharing.

The department’s Risk of NEET Indicator tool brings together a range of indicators associated with an increased risk of becoming NEET. These include special educational needs and disabilities, attendance in alternative provision, mental health needs, care experience, Children in Need status, youth offending, caring responsibilities, parenthood or pregnancy, refugee / asylum-seeker status, substance misuse, exclusion from school or poor attendance, and eligibility for free school meals.

The tool is intended to support local authorities and their partners in the early identification of young people who may require additional support to participate and remain engaged in education, employment or training.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), part of Jisc, is responsible for collecting and publishing data on the UK higher education sector. The information is shared with the department and includes data on student accommodation through the HESA student record.

The publication date for the 2025/26 HESA student record has not yet been confirmed. However, based on previous publication cycles, it is expected to be published around January 2027.

The department monitors the private school sector and publishes data on schools opening and closing through the ‘Get Information about Schools’ service. Between 1 July 2024 and 31 August 2026, 146 private schools closed, of which 114 were mainstream independent schools. This remains within historic norms, as on average, around 75 private schools, including independent special schools, have closed each year over the past 20 years.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

Every school should actively promote the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. Promotion of these values plays an important role in preparing children and young people for life in a modern and diverse Britain.

Citizenship education equips young people to understand their place in the wider world and provides an important platform for discussions about global events and how they affect them and their communities. Religious education can also help pupils develop an understanding of different faiths and beliefs. Schools should promote critical thinking, logical reasoning and empathy, building children’s resilience to all forms of hatred, including antisemitism and anti-Muslim hostility.

The department has funded £7 million to tackle antisemitism in schools, colleges and universities, including £1 million for an innovation fund supporting projects that improve media literacy, tackle misinformation and promote tolerant debate. We also provide guidance and resources through the department’s Educate Against Hate website.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities. The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data.

Worcestershire County Council was allocated a total of just over £16.5 million across the 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years to support it to provide new mainstream primary and secondary school places. It was not allocated funding in 2026/27 and 2027/28 because its pupil forecasts and school capacity data, gathered in Summer 2024, indicated there was no need to fund further places by September 2028.

This is in addition to housing developer contributions that Worcestershire can, and does, secure to create new places where demand is driven by new housing.

The department is at an early stage of developing the new technical education pathways. Our ambition is to give every young person access to high-quality technical education pathways from age 14 and support progression into further study, training and skilled employment. The department will work with the Mayoral Strategic Authorities, local leaders, and schools and education leaders to design locally tailored, vocationally focussed pathways for each region and to begin rolling them out from September 2028. As policy develops, we will continue working with key partners to consider the evidence needed to support the implementation of the pathways.

The department is maintaining funding for PE and school sport at £1 billion over three years as we move to providing support through a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network (SSPN).

In the context of moving to the new approach, we have listened to schools and confirmed £150 million PE and Sport Premium for the 2026/27 academic year to support this transition. Transition funding allocations will be published in autumn 2026, in line with standard practice.

The procurement process is ongoing and expected to conclude by the end of 2026, in order for the Partnership Network to start delivering support from April 2027. Funding allocations within the new PE and SSPN will be informed by baseline and ongoing needs assessments undertaken by the National Delivery Partner (NDP), but the approach will focus on ensuring support reaches those most in need.

All state-funded schools will be able to access support through the Network’s universal offer, including professional development and training opportunities. Schools will also be able to request additional support through the School-Requested Intervention pathway and apply for additional funding through School Led Intervention grant opportunities delivered through the Network, subject to the relevant eligibility criteria and application processes.

Following completion of the procurement, the successful NDP will be responsible for developing and proposing the criteria for support delivered through the network. The department will review and approve the proposed criteria before implementation.

The department is maintaining funding for PE and school sport at £1 billion over three years as we move to providing support through a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network (SSPN).

In the context of moving to the new approach, we have listened to schools and confirmed £150 million PE and Sport Premium for the 2026/27 academic year to support this transition. Transition funding allocations will be published in autumn 2026, in line with standard practice.

The procurement process is ongoing and expected to conclude by the end of 2026, in order for the Partnership Network to start delivering support from April 2027. Funding allocations within the new PE and SSPN will be informed by baseline and ongoing needs assessments undertaken by the National Delivery Partner (NDP), but the approach will focus on ensuring support reaches those most in need.

All state-funded schools will be able to access support through the Network’s universal offer, including professional development and training opportunities. Schools will also be able to request additional support through the School-Requested Intervention pathway and apply for additional funding through School Led Intervention grant opportunities delivered through the Network, subject to the relevant eligibility criteria and application processes.

Following completion of the procurement, the successful NDP will be responsible for developing and proposing the criteria for support delivered through the network. The department will review and approve the proposed criteria before implementation.

Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) is the department’s school improvement programme. It provides universal support for all schools and targeted support for those facing the greatest challenges.

All Mansfield schools can access universal support, which connects leaders with effective practice, expert advice and opportunities to learn from other schools. This includes English and maths hubs, attendance and behaviour hubs, Reception-year networks, professional development and regional conferences. Further programmes will help schools strengthen literacy, key stage 2 and key stage 3 education, and support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, with details announced shortly.

In Mansfield, three schools are receiving targeted RISE support through RISE advisers, improvement partners and funding to secure sustainable improvement and pupils outcomes. Further details of RISE support in the East Midlands can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rise-east-midlands/rise-east-midlands.

The Department for Education occupies premises owned, leased, and managed by the Government Property Agency (GPA) who are responsible for building assets, including the installation and use of rooftop solar panels.

The department is engaging with GPA through its Net Zero Programme to track progress in this area and understands GPA intends to undertake feasibility studies and energy audits at a number of sites during this financial year to assess opportunities for rooftop solar panel installation.

Funding support for public bodies to install solar panels has been available through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme with a total of over £3 billion made available up 2028. Great British Energy (GBE) also supports public sector decarbonisation and the GBE Solar programme is investing £255 million to fund around 250 schools, around 260 NHS sites, and around 15 military sites to install solar panels across the country.

The June 2025 press release announced the department’s investment of over £1.6 million in an assistive technology lending library pilot through the ‘SEND and alternative provision change programme’. The press release referenced that the number of children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs) had increased by 11% to 638,700, referring to the data from the 2024 to 2025 academic year.

For the same period, the number of EHCPs specifically for children under the age of 8 at the start of the academic year increased by 14%, rising to 124,148.

The government is committed to ensuring that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities receive appropriate support at the earliest opportunity, and that local authorities and education settings have the expertise and resources needed to meet their needs effectively. As part of this work, the pilot enabled up to 3,800 mainstream settings across 30 local authorities to borrow and trial assistive technology before making purchasing decisions.

The department's fire safety guidance is set out in Building Bulletin 100, which is available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-100-design-for-fire-safety-in-schools.

All new school buildings must comply with building regulations and be signed off by a registered building inspector. Where automatic fire suppression systems (sprinklers) are considered necessary to protect pupils and staff, they must be installed.

The department's fire safety guidance is set out in Building Bulletin 100, which is available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-100-design-for-fire-safety-in-schools.

All new school buildings must comply with building regulations and be signed off by a registered building inspector. Where automatic fire suppression systems (sprinklers) are considered necessary to protect pupils and staff, they must be installed.

The department's fire safety guidance is set out in Building Bulletin 100, which is available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-100-design-for-fire-safety-in-schools.

All new school buildings must comply with building regulations and be signed off by a registered building inspector. Where automatic fire suppression systems (sprinklers) are considered necessary to protect pupils and staff, they must be installed.

The department's fire safety guidance is set out in Building Bulletin 100, which is available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-100-design-for-fire-safety-in-schools.

All new school buildings must comply with building regulations and be signed off by a registered building inspector. Where automatic fire suppression systems (sprinklers) are considered necessary to protect pupils and staff, they must be installed.

The new Renewal and Retrofit Programme was launched to improve the condition of school and college buildings and increase resilience to climate change so buildings can last for decades to come and are net zero ready. The programme will initially focus in 2026/27 on replacing the worst-condition, life-expired temporary buildings alongside installation of energy generation and efficiency measures. There was no application process, and projects are currently being selected.

As the programme expands from 2027, it will support a broader range of renewal projects, such as those addressing significant issues with roofs, heating and electrical systems, while also considering measures to improve resilience to flooding and overheating. The programme will take a whole-site approach, assessing individual school needs and delivering a range of interventions that improve building condition and increase resilience to climate change.

The department will set out further details on how schools and colleges join the programme when it is expanded from 2027 in due course.

The new Renewal and Retrofit Programme was launched to improve the condition of school and college buildings and increase resilience to climate change so buildings can last for decades to come and are net zero ready. The programme will initially focus in 2026/27 on replacing the worst-condition, life-expired temporary buildings alongside installation of energy generation and efficiency measures. There was no application process, and projects are currently being selected.

As the programme expands from 2027, it will support a broader range of renewal projects, such as those addressing significant issues with roofs, heating and electrical systems, while also considering measures to improve resilience to flooding and overheating. The programme will take a whole-site approach, assessing individual school needs and delivering a range of interventions that improve building condition and increase resilience to climate change.

The department will set out further details on how schools and colleges join the programme when it is expanded from 2027 in due course.

Registered providers of children’s homes must meet the Care Standards Act 2000 and associated regulations, available at:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/14/contents.

This legislation requires providers to have an up-to-date statement of purpose, setting out how a children’s home operates. It is illegal to run or manage a children’s home or service that has not been registered with Ofsted. Mandatory registration with Ofsted ensures that appropriate oversight and checks are in place. Unregistered settings may pose a significant risk to vulnerable children as there is no assurance about the safety of children, staff or the environment.

On 1 April 2026, Ofsted updated the Social Care Common Inspection Framework to promote high-quality inspections that focus on the impact of services on the lives and relationships of children and families. Ofsted is currently consulting on further reforms, with implementation from 2027. The department is working closely with Ofsted as it updates inspection frameworks, grounded in our shared ambition to support the sector to improve services and outcomes for children and families.

Young people aged under 18 may, in certain circumstances, be accommodated in services registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Whether registration with CQC is appropriate depends on the facts of the individual case, the nature of the service being provided and the relevant statutory and regulatory frameworks. Guidance is available to providers and local authorities on the respective regulatory responsibilities of Ofsted and CQC, including the joint Ofsted and CQC guidance ‘Children's homes and health care: registration with Ofsted or CQC’, which sets out the circumstances in which services should be registered with Ofsted, CQC, or both regulators.

The CQC does not have a published provision directly equivalent to Ofsted's special circumstances policy. The department is working with the Department for Health and Social Care, Ofsted, and the CQC to explore how regulation can support and improve transitions into adult services. As part of this work, the department keeps policy and regulatory arrangements in this area under review, including issues relating to young people transitioning into adult services.

The department takes periods of hot weather and heatwaves seriously and has published a climate risk assessment on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/impact-of-uk-climate-change-risk-on-the-delivery-of-education/summary-of-findings-in-relation-to-3-climate-risks-overheating-flooding-and-water-scarcity.

The department publishes non-statutory guidance on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools in Building Bulletin 101, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings. There are no plans to update this guidance.

The department has recently launched a new construction framework and updated design standards, setting out requirements for all new and refurbished school buildings delivered by the department in England, which are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/design-standards-employers-requirements. These standards are separate to Building Bulletin 101. They cover overheating risk assessments which account for rising temperatures associated with climate change, as well as external shading, cross ventilation and the use of cooling through ground source heat pumps.

The government is committed to improving standards across the foster care sector and is taking steps to improve the recruitment and retention of foster carers, which is critical to improving outcomes for children.

The department’s action plan to renew fostering, backed by £88 million over the next two years, sets out the urgent steps we are taking to reverse the decline in foster carers and reform the system. 14 regional hubs are moving towards end-to-end recruitment from September, backed by £12 million in transformation funding. Our Room Makers programme will provide up to £25 million to add additional capacity to existing loving foster homes. We have launched a £12.4 million innovation programme, and enhanced digital tools and a communications campaign will launch in the autumn.

The government is currently consulting on revised national fostering standards to ensure children and foster families receive consistently high-quality support. Alongside this, the department continues to support and invest in the rollout of the Mockingbird model, while drawing on programme data and feedback from fostering services and carers to assess its impact on children, placement stability and carer support.

We recognise the benefits Mockingbird can offer in building peer support, stability and resilience for fostering families and will continue to promote effective practice across the sector.

The government is committed to improving standards across the foster care sector and is taking steps to improve the recruitment and retention of foster carers, which is critical to improving outcomes for children.

The department’s action plan to renew fostering, backed by £88 million over the next two years, sets out the urgent steps we are taking to reverse the decline in foster carers and reform the system. 14 regional hubs are moving towards end-to-end recruitment from September, backed by £12 million in transformation funding. Our Room Makers programme will provide up to £25 million to add additional capacity to existing loving foster homes. We have launched a £12.4 million innovation programme, and enhanced digital tools and a communications campaign will launch in the autumn.

The government is currently consulting on revised national fostering standards to ensure children and foster families receive consistently high-quality support. Alongside this, the department continues to support and invest in the rollout of the Mockingbird model, while drawing on programme data and feedback from fostering services and carers to assess its impact on children, placement stability and carer support.

We recognise the benefits Mockingbird can offer in building peer support, stability and resilience for fostering families and will continue to promote effective practice across the sector.

The government is committed to improving standards across the foster care sector and is taking steps to improve the recruitment and retention of foster carers, which is critical to improving outcomes for children.

The department’s action plan to renew fostering, backed by £88 million over the next two years, sets out the urgent steps we are taking to reverse the decline in foster carers and reform the system. 14 regional hubs are moving towards end-to-end recruitment from September, backed by £12 million in transformation funding. Our Room Makers programme will provide up to £25 million to add additional capacity to existing loving foster homes. We have launched a £12.4 million innovation programme, and enhanced digital tools and a communications campaign will launch in the autumn.

The government is currently consulting on revised national fostering standards to ensure children and foster families receive consistently high-quality support. Alongside this, the department continues to support and invest in the rollout of the Mockingbird model, while drawing on programme data and feedback from fostering services and carers to assess its impact on children, placement stability and carer support.

We recognise the benefits Mockingbird can offer in building peer support, stability and resilience for fostering families and will continue to promote effective practice across the sector.

The government is committed to improving standards across the foster care sector and is taking steps to improve the recruitment and retention of foster carers, which is critical to improving outcomes for children.

The department’s action plan to renew fostering, backed by £88 million over the next two years, sets out the urgent steps we are taking to reverse the decline in foster carers and reform the system. 14 regional hubs are moving towards end-to-end recruitment from September, backed by £12 million in transformation funding. Our Room Makers programme will provide up to £25 million to add additional capacity to existing loving foster homes. We have launched a £12.4 million innovation programme, and enhanced digital tools and a communications campaign will launch in the autumn.

The government is currently consulting on revised national fostering standards to ensure children and foster families receive consistently high-quality support. Alongside this, the department continues to support and invest in the rollout of the Mockingbird model, while drawing on programme data and feedback from fostering services and carers to assess its impact on children, placement stability and carer support.

We recognise the benefits Mockingbird can offer in building peer support, stability and resilience for fostering families and will continue to promote effective practice across the sector.

The department is taking steps to improve the availability of suitable provision for children with the most complex needs. Evidence shows that a significant proportion of these children are currently placed in unsuitable or unregistered settings because the right provision is not available. To address this, we have invested £53 million capital funding to create up to 200 places in suitable residential homes for children with multiple and overlapping needs. This investment is targeted at relieving the most critical pressures within the system. The new places will be delivered through local authority-owned children's homes, designed to enable placement stability as needs change and develop by implementing robust design and flexible technology.

Alongside this, the department has launched Home Again, a programme that will establish multi-disciplinary teams operating across regional care cooperatives. The programme aims to improve placement stability, reduce the use of unnecessary restrictive practices and lessen reliance on unregistered provision.

Unregistered settings are illegal and may pose a significant risk to children, with no assurance about children’s safety, the staff or the environment. This is why the department is taking a number of measures to eliminate the use of such placements by local authorities.

To increase the availability of safe, registered provision, we are investing £560 million between 2026/27 and 2029/30, alongside £90 million in 2025/26, to expand local authority-owned children's homes in areas where they are needed most. We are also rolling-out Regional Care Cooperatives across the country to strengthen local commissioning, improve planning and increase purchasing power.

Through the Children Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, we have strengthened Ofsted’s powers to crack down on unregistered providers by introducing uncapped financial penalties alongside exiting prosecution powers.

We are also improving transparency and oversight by introducing a dedicated category for unregistered placements within the 2026 children looked after annual return (SSDA903) completed by local authorities. This will provide the first national dataset on the use of unregistered placements, helping the department identify where and how often they are being used.

Recruiting and retaining expert teachers is critical to the government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity for every child, as high-quality teaching is the in-school factor that has the biggest positive impact on a child’s outcomes.

In November 2025, there were 466,400 full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers in state-funded schools in England, compared with 468,300 in 2024. The change in teacher FTE is in line with changes to pupil numbers, with falling rolls in primary schools. Pupil to teacher ratios have remained broadly stable at 17.9 in 2025 compared to 18.0 in 2024.

In February, we published our delivery plan, which sets how we will recruit 6,500 secondary, special school and FE teachers over the course of this parliament. Our delivery approach is focused on three key themes – attracting, retaining and developing teachers – to ensure we have enough highly-skilled teachers in our schools and colleges to allow every child to achieve and thrive. We are recruiting these additional teachers where need is greatest. Changing demographics means our greatest needs are in mainstream secondary schools, special schools and further education colleges. We have achieved 71.6% of the 6,500 target: there are 4,654 more teachers; 3,008 more teachers in Secondary and Special Schools in 2025/26 and 1,646 more teachers in Further Education, than in 2024/25.

The latest School Workforce Census reported the lowest leaver rate (8.5%) in any year outside the pandemic and teacher vacancies decreased to 1,600 in November 2025, down from 2,200 in November 2024.

The number of teachers returning to classrooms is continuing to rise. Latest figures reported 17,700 returners, continuing the increasing trend seen in the past four years.

Our school teacher pipeline is also growing. There were 32,576 new entrants to Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in Autumn 2025, up 13% from the previous year.

Primary and nursery schools saw a 2,900 decrease in teachers from 2024/25 to 2025/26. However, primary pupil numbers have fallen by 172,000 since 2019 and are expected to continue falling until at least 2030 which is why we did not include primary schools in the 6,500 teacher pledge. We are targeting workforce growth in mainstream secondary schools, special schools and FE colleges where they are most needed.

We are also seeing strong growth where there have been shortages. Last year we saw a 13% increase in new entrants to teacher training, including a 37% increase in Physics entrants, recruiting 78% of the target. This is the highest number of Physics entrants since comparable statistics began in 2014/15.

The government is consulting on proposals to improve support for children and young people who receive education outside a school or further education setting, known as Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS). The consultation, which closes on 18 September 2026, seeks views from children, young people, parents, carers and professionals.

The consultation includes proposals to strengthen decision making, oversight and accountability arrangements for EOTAS, helping to ensure that children and young people receive suitable education and support that meets their needs. The department recognises the importance of ensuring that children receiving EOTAS can access appropriate educational and therapeutic support.

As part of the consultation, we welcome a wide range of views on how support for children and young people receiving EOTAS can best be delivered, including access to educational and therapeutic services. We will carefully consider all responses, including any responses about how low-arousal community hubs and Family Hubs can support children receiving EOTAS, before deciding on the next steps.

As part of the school capacity survey 2025, Worcestershire Local Authority submitted information on school capacity and forecasts of the number of pupils that the local authority expects to provide a mainstream school place for. This data is published at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity/2024-25.

As part of this release, modelled estimates of future school place demand at planning area and Local Authority level are also published. This data is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity/2024-25.

The department estimates that in the 2029/30 academic year, there will be 8,364 spare primary places and 5,665 spare secondary places in Worcestershire. Please note that viewing surpluses at local authority level data may mask shortfalls in planning areas within the local authority.

It is for local authorities, in collaboration with academy trusts and other local partners, to balance the supply and demand of school places in line with changing demographics.

The department has not made a formal assessment of the merits of introducing regional variations in summer holiday dates.

School holidays are not determined at national level and are decided locally by trusts, schools and local authorities, depending on the school type.

The department encourages collaboration between schools, trusts and local authorities in the setting of term dates to minimise any disruption or inconvenience to families. In doing so, they should consider the importance of regular school attendance to children’s attainment, wellbeing and wider development.

The department will keep this policy area under review, including considerations of the impacts of different approaches to school holiday arrangements.

The department has not made a formal assessment of the merits of introducing regional variations in summer holiday dates.

School holidays are not determined at national level and are decided locally by trusts, schools and local authorities, depending on the school type.

The department encourages collaboration between schools, trusts and local authorities in the setting of term dates to minimise any disruption or inconvenience to families. In doing so, they should consider the importance of regular school attendance to children’s attainment, wellbeing and wider development.

The department will keep this policy area under review, including considerations of the impacts of different approaches to school holiday arrangements.

The department has not made a formal assessment of the merits of introducing regional variations in summer holiday dates.

School holidays are not determined at national level and are decided locally by trusts, schools and local authorities, depending on the school type.

The department encourages collaboration between schools, trusts and local authorities in the setting of term dates to minimise any disruption or inconvenience to families. In doing so, they should consider the importance of regular school attendance to children’s attainment, wellbeing and wider development.

The department will keep this policy area under review, including considerations of the impacts of different approaches to school holiday arrangements.

The current PE national curriculum requires all primary pupils to be taught to swim competently and confidently over 25 metres, use a range of strokes effectively, and perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

The government accepted the recommendations of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, which recognised the benefits of PE while identifying a need for greater clarity, consistency and progression across the curriculum, including in swimming and water safety. In response, the department is developing a revised PE programme of study, which will be subject to consultation.

The reforms will strengthen the emphasis on swimming and water safety and will be supported through the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, drawing on expertise from organisations including Swim England.

The department has not made a specific assessment of recruitment and retention among those delivering curriculum swimming. However, the School and College Voice survey published in May 2025 found that 94% of primary schools surveyed relied solely on external teachers to teach swimming and water safety, compared with 6% using internal swimming staff and 20% supporting delivery. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-and-college-voice-omnibus-surveys-for-2024-to-2025/school-and-college-voice-may-2025#sec-Swimming-and-water-safety.

The current PE national curriculum requires all primary pupils to be taught to swim competently and confidently over 25 metres, use a range of strokes effectively, and perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

The government accepted the recommendations of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, which recognised the benefits of PE while identifying a need for greater clarity, consistency and progression across the curriculum, including in swimming and water safety. In response, the department is developing a revised PE programme of study, which will be subject to consultation.

The reforms will strengthen the emphasis on swimming and water safety and will be supported through the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, drawing on expertise from organisations including Swim England.

The department has not made a specific assessment of recruitment and retention among those delivering curriculum swimming. However, the School and College Voice survey published in May 2025 found that 94% of primary schools surveyed relied solely on external teachers to teach swimming and water safety, compared with 6% using internal swimming staff and 20% supporting delivery. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-and-college-voice-omnibus-surveys-for-2024-to-2025/school-and-college-voice-may-2025#sec-Swimming-and-water-safety.

The current PE national curriculum requires all primary pupils to be taught to swim competently and confidently over 25 metres, use a range of strokes effectively, and perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

The government accepted the recommendations of the Curriculum and Assessment Review, which recognised the benefits of PE while identifying a need for greater clarity, consistency and progression across the curriculum, including in swimming and water safety. In response, the department is developing a revised PE programme of study, which will be subject to consultation.

The reforms will strengthen the emphasis on swimming and water safety and will be supported through the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, drawing on expertise from organisations including Swim England.

The department has not made a specific assessment of recruitment and retention among those delivering curriculum swimming. However, the School and College Voice survey published in May 2025 found that 94% of primary schools surveyed relied solely on external teachers to teach swimming and water safety, compared with 6% using internal swimming staff and 20% supporting delivery. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-and-college-voice-omnibus-surveys-for-2024-to-2025/school-and-college-voice-may-2025#sec-Swimming-and-water-safety.

I commissioned the Review of Early Care Leaver Deaths because I wanted the whole country to see the tragedies that I read every fortnight. I want to thank Ashley John-Baptiste and Clare Chamberlain for their important work on this review.

Their central finding is the same as my core focus for care reform – too many care experienced people entering adulthood lonely, without a tribe.

That's why I have set out a comprehensive programme to make enduring relationships the obsession of the care system.

As part of this, we have confirmed over £25 million of funding this financial year alone, to continue the rollout of Staying Close.

For a young person that means keeping somewhere settled to live rather than being moved along at 18, and having a network of people around them as they move into adulthood.

Staying Close runs in 47 local areas now and will become a national duty for local areas and run everywhere.

It is vital that students with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with dyslexia and other neurodivergent conditions, can access exams and assessments without disadvantage. The Equality Act 2010 requires awarding organisations to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled student would otherwise be placed at a substantial disadvantage when undertaking an assessment.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review took an evidence-led approach, drawing on data and engagement with experts, stakeholders and the public, including consideration of the experiences of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

We have carefully considered this evidence and will make improvements where the Review recommends change is needed. As qualifications are reformed, we will work closely with Ofqual and awarding organisations to ensure accessibility is fully considered throughout the qualification development process, including for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

New digital Individual Support Plans will set out the educational needs of children and young people with SEN and the support required to help them thrive, bringing information together in one place to support students and their families to experience smoother, better-informed transitions. We are also introducing new expectations for planning for post-16 destinations to begin at least 12 months before students leave school.