Department for Education

The department provides guidance to support education settings in planning for and responding to emergencies. College corporations hold statutory and fiduciary responsibility for strategic oversight, risk management and accountability, including ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place to manage emergencies, protect students and staff, and maintain continuity of education.

The department engages regularly with Coventry College’s leadership team and corporation, which informs its ongoing support and monitoring of the college. Through this engagement, we will continue to support the college, as appropriate, in maintaining robust arrangements and responding to any specific issues that arise.

The total level of student debt across the whole student finance loan book for England at the end of the 2028/29 financial year is forecast to be £355.5 billion or £323 billion in 2025/26 prices. These figures are published annually and are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2025-26.

For comparison, the total student loan balance for England at the end of 2025/26 was £296.6 billion, as published by the Student Loans Company, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-loans-in-england-2025-to-2026/student-loans-in-england-financial-year-2025-26.

The reception baseline assessment (RBA) provides a consistent starting point from which to measure pupils’ progress to the end of key stage 2. It is a short, one-off assessment administered one-to-one by a teacher, during which a pupil may use the screen for around 12 minutes. The content is slow-paced and safe, and a pupil will never be alone with the device. It includes questions where the teacher models the first response, and questions where the child provides verbal responses or uses small toy bears.

A paper-based version is available in exceptional circumstances where this is more suitable for the child. The decision to use the paper-based version is made by the school, based on the individual pupil’s needs. Schools determine the most appropriate arrangements for individual pupils while maintaining a consistent approach to the assessment wherever possible.

The government consulted on the policy design and principles for V levels between October 2025 and January 2026, and published its response in March 2026. It set out our ambition that once all V levels are introduced and in steady delivery, a student will be equally likely to progress into level 4+ study whether they take A levels or V levels. In September 2026, UCAS confirmed that V levels will attract the same UCAS tariff points as A levels at grades A* to E.

We are now progressing detailed subject content development for V Levels, working closely with higher education institutions, providers, awarding organisations and employers to support students to progress into higher education.

The department published the national subject content in July 2026 for the first V levels that will be taught from September 2026, following public consultation. Further consultations for V levels content will take place in November 2026.

Further context is available at: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2288333/details.

Local authorities have duties under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 to arrange suitable education for children of compulsory school age who, because of illness, exclusion or otherwise, would not otherwise receive suitable education.

The department does not currently routinely collect data on the number of pupils who are without educational provision while awaiting an alternative placement.

As part of the 'SEND reform: education otherwise than at school' consultation, which closed in September 2026, the department sought views on the role of accredited online education providers in delivering high-quality alternative provision. This consultation is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-education-otherwise-than-at-school.

All participants of the department’s Management Information Systems (MIS) sector working group were required to complete a ‘conflicts of interests’ declaration. No declarations received identified a contractual dispute with an MIS supplier.

The department continues to work with local authorities to strengthen their sufficiency planning for children, including reviewing whether statutory requirements are clear enough and exploring how to improve data on the availability of suitable places, such as for those needing specialist support.

In 2026/27, the government is also expecting to spend over £9.5 billion on early years entitlements, supporting more parents, especially mothers, to balance family life and work. This funding reflects a full year of eligible working parents being able to access 30 hours of childcare from nine months until their children start school, and an expected increase in funding rates.

Recent statistics show that 1.7 million eligible children were registered for government funded entitlements.

The table below sets out the department’s expenditure on contracts with Capita group companies and Serco in the 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years. Figures for 2026/27 are to 3 November 2026.

The department recorded no expenditure on contracts with G4S during this period.

Local authorities are responsible for managing traffic on their roads, including around schools and colleges, as they are best placed to determine appropriate measures for their local area.

The Department for Transport and Active Travel England have published guidance to support local authorities in setting up and managing school streets, including measures to manage traffic at school drop-off and collection times. This guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-streets-how-to-set-up-and-manage-a-scheme.

Local authorities must publish a sustainable modes of travel strategy which aims to provide health benefits for children and their families through active journeys and environmental improvements through reduced congestion and improved air quality. The department’s statutory guidance for local authorities can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel.

The government is committed to widening opportunity and tackling child poverty. Expanding free school meals to all children in households receiving Universal Credit is expected to lift around 100,000 children out of poverty by the end of this parliament and put around £500 a year back into families' pockets.

The department anticipates that over half a million additional pupils nationally will become eligible as a result of this expansion. Published departmental analysis estimates that there are around 45,000 children in households receiving Universal Credit in Nottinghamshire. These children are within the group that may benefit from the expansion of free school meals eligibility, subject to meeting the relevant eligibility requirements and being registered for free school meals.

Providing a free, nutritious meal supports children's wellbeing, attendance, readiness to learn and educational attainment, and helps ensure that children flourish and succeed regardless of their background.

The department is currently holding initial meetings with the selected pilot local authority areas, following an expression of interest process. We have ensured a good geographical spread across England and will confirm the participating local authorities publicly in the coming months. All local authorities, including those participating in the pilot programme, have expertise in children’s social care and safeguarding, and have Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations in their area, with expertise on parental imprisonment. The pilot programme will run through to autumn 2028, which is the initial pilot end date. The pilot evaluation is due to be completed in winter 2028. As this is a test and learn pilot programme, findings will inform further thinking on wider roll out and potential national implementation.

The reception baseline assessment (RBA) provides a consistent starting point from which to measure pupils’ progress to the end of key stage 2. It is a short, one-off assessment administered one-to-one by a teacher, during which a pupil may use the screen for approximately 12 minutes. The content is slow-paced and safe, and a pupil will never be alone with the device. It includes questions where the teacher models the first response and questions where the child provides verbal responses or uses small toy bears.

A paper-based version is available in exceptional circumstances where this is more suitable for the child. Schools determine the most appropriate arrangements for individual pupils while maintaining a consistent approach to the assessment wherever possible.

Social media allows the government to explain policy directly to the public in clear language and in the places people already engage. The total number of departmental staff with ‘social media’ in their job title in the last three years is as follows:

2024: 2 staff

2025: 2 staff

2026: 3 staff.

The department has no current plans to introduce an A level in Chinese Ancient Civilisation. There is scope for Chinese civilisation to be covered in the A level subject content for history, depending on the awarding body specification taught.

As a key provider of state-funded schools, departmental officials and Ministers engage regularly with the Church of England and its dioceses.

There have not been specific discussions on the use of funds, endowments and charitable bequests held by parish churches to support Church of England schools.

Local authorities have duties under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 to arrange suitable education for children of compulsory school age who, because of illness, exclusion or otherwise, would not otherwise receive suitable education.

The department does not currently routinely collect data on the number of pupils who are without educational provision while awaiting an alternative placement.

As part of the 'SEND reform: education otherwise than at school' consultation, which closed in September 2026, the department sought views on the role of accredited online education providers in delivering high-quality alternative provision. This consultation is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-education-otherwise-than-at-school.

After careful assessment of other options, the Target Operating Model process recommended a shift to an outside provider as the best way to maintain the efficient delivery of the Student Loans Company’s Infrastructure & Operations function.

This supports the findings of the previous delivery model assessment, which stated that delivery of this service needed to become more cost-effective.

The independent Milburn Review’s interim report, ‘Young People and Work’, provides an estimate of the average lifetime cost to the state of £29,000 per year for each individual aged 18 to 24 who is not in education, employment or training (NEET). This is an estimate for the wider NEET population and is not specific to people with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

However, the report states that young people with SEND are 80% more likely to be NEET. The government’s social research also indicates that having an Education Health and Care Plan during school years is the strongest single link to becoming NEET between the ages of 17 and 19.

The needs of individuals with SEND can vary greatly, but in 2015 the National Audit Office estimated that providing a young person with the skills to live in semi-independent rather than fully supported housing could reduce lifetime support costs by around £1 million, in addition to improving their quality of life.

The department will present its financial year 2027/28 capital spending plans to Parliament through the government’s Main Estimates and accompanying Estimates Memorandum, following the conclusion of departmental business planning and prioritisation processes.

The government is committed to supporting local authorities with their Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficits as we transition to a reformed special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system. The High Needs Stability Grant marks the largest ever government intervention on council SEND deficits, covering 90% of local authorities' DSG deficits accrued to the end of March 2026, in a package worth around £6 billion nationally.

Each local authority’s High Needs Stability Grant allocation is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-stability-grant-2026-to-2027.

For deficits arising in 2026/27 and 2027/28, local authorities can expect that we will take an appropriate and proportionate approach, though it will not be unlimited. Future support will take into account local authorities' successful delivery of their approved local SEND reform plan, including appropriate use of investment funding to establish an Experts at Hand offer.

The current system for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is failing too many children and families. Improving the life chances of children and young people with SEND is the first priority for these reforms, including for adopted children and for those who have experienced early-life trauma. Every child deserves a high-quality, inclusive education, and families should not have to battle the system for this.

During the 12-week ‘SEND reform, putting children and young people first’ consultation, we hosted over 200 engagement events, meetings and roundtables, including ‘deep dive’ discussions on the interaction between children’s social care reforms and recommendations from the Law Commission’s report into disabled children’s social care. The government will provide a full response to this report in the autumn.

The SEND reform consultation has now closed, and we are carefully reviewing and considering all responses submitted to the consultation. We will publish a response to the consultation in due course.

Virtual School Heads promote the educational achievement of previously looked-after children, including those who left care through adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements orders. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act extends this role to eligible children in kinship care.

Schools must appoint a designated teacher for previously looked-after children, who attract £2,690 annually in Pupil Premium Plus. We are updating statutory guidance for Virtual School Heads and designated teachers, and schools can now record children in kinship care through the school census.

The department is considering responses received from ‘Adoption Support that Works for All’, which consulted on support at key life stages and integration of social care, health and education. The department is also piloting support for children entering secondary school, and Families First Partnership multi-disciplinary teams will help families receive support from the right professionals at the right time.

The department publishes information on Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans annually in the ‘Education, Health and Care plans’ statistical publication, which includes data subdivided by local authority. The most recent publication was on 25 June 2026 and is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2026.

The Local Area special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform plan for the Lancashire Local Area Partnership was approved by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, and confirmed in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 29 October 2026, available at: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-10-29/hcws431.

The department is strengthening careers guidance so that all young people understand the full range of academic, vocational and technical routes available.

Schools have legal duties to provide independent careers guidance and give pupils at least six opportunities to hear directly from apprenticeship and technical education providers. Statutory guidance makes clear that these encounters should form part of a progressive careers programme, with information provided before key choices at ages 14, 16 and 18.

The department funds the Careers & Enterprise Company and careers hubs to connect schools with employers and training providers. All secondary schools and colleges in Greater Lincolnshire are part of the local careers hub, ensuring that pupils across Lincolnshire benefit from this support. Through its Boosting Skills Pathway Programme, the hub works with construction employers and the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network to raise pupils’ awareness of vocational and technical qualifications, develop employability skills and connect pupils with apprenticeship opportunities.

Universities must tackle antisemitic abuse swiftly and decisively. Following the 5 May Antisemitism Summit, the government made clear that universities should publish anonymised data on antisemitic incidents and the action taken in response to improve transparency and accountability.

A recent Universities UK survey found that while some institutions publish information on incidents and outcomes, practice varies across the sector. Data protection concerns, particularly where small numbers could lead to individuals being identified, can present barriers to greater transparency.

The department is working with Universities UK, the Office for Students, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator and the Union of Jewish Students to consider the findings, share good practice and encourage greater transparency and consistency across the sector.

The government is working with higher education (HE) institutes, Universities UK and UCAS to ensure that V Levels are recognised as high-quality qualifications that support progression to HE, through the content development process and by establishing the Technical and Vocational Qualifications Higher Education Network.

UCAS confirmed in September 2026 that V Levels will attract the same tariff points as A Levels at grades A*–E. Our ambition is that once all V Levels are introduced and in steady delivery, a student will be as equally likely to progress into level 4+ study whether they take A Levels or V Levels. The post-16 pathways implementation plan sets out the timeline and information on progression pathways to HE. More information on the plan is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/post-16-pathways-implementation-plan/post-16-pathways-implementation-plan.

The department is working to ensure these reforms work for all students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In March 2026, we published an equality impact assessment and we will continue to work with the sector to identify and address any barriers to progression into HE. More information on the assessment is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69aec7cd917847c0a4c899c3/Post-16_level_3_and_below_pathways_equality_impact_assessment.pdf.

The government is working with higher education (HE) institutes, Universities UK and UCAS to ensure that V Levels are recognised as high-quality qualifications that support progression to HE, through the content development process and by establishing the Technical and Vocational Qualifications Higher Education Network.

UCAS confirmed in September 2026 that V Levels will attract the same tariff points as A Levels at grades A*–E. Our ambition is that once all V Levels are introduced and in steady delivery, a student will be as equally likely to progress into level 4+ study whether they take A Levels or V Levels. The post-16 pathways implementation plan sets out the timeline and information on progression pathways to HE. More information on the plan is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/post-16-pathways-implementation-plan/post-16-pathways-implementation-plan.

The department is working to ensure these reforms work for all students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In March 2026, we published an equality impact assessment and we will continue to work with the sector to identify and address any barriers to progression into HE. More information on the assessment is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69aec7cd917847c0a4c899c3/Post-16_level_3_and_below_pathways_equality_impact_assessment.pdf.

The government has committed to appointing the national delivery partner for the PE and School Sport Partnerships Network before the end of 2026. The national delivery partner will use available data to identify gaps and schools with low attainment, provide swimming and water safety continuing professional development and guidance, and coordinate targeted support. This may include assistance with pool access, transport and joint-school provision, with priority given to schools where fewer pupils are meeting the national curriculum swimming requirements. By bringing together schools, local clubs and national governing bodies of sport to identify and address barriers to participation, including access to swimming, funding and support can be targeted where they are needed most.

Swimming and water safety are vital life skills, but not enough children are currently meeting the national curriculum expectation to swim confidently over a distance of at least 25 metres by the time they leave primary school.

The department is investing over £1 billion in PE and school sport, including a new Partnerships Network and improved school sports facilities. To help ensure more children can access high-quality opportunities to learn to swim and be safe around water, we will specifically require the national delivery partner for the partnerships to improve swimming attainment and water safety, particularly in schools with low attainment, supporting schools to provide swimming lessons more effectively and reducing inequalities in swimming attainment. Delivery and impact will be monitored throughout implementation and supported by independent evaluation, with findings published in due course. Once in place, the national delivery partner will establish clear performance frameworks, including for swimming, with regular reporting to the government.

The government recognises that early years providers face a range of cost pressures and that the cost of childcare can influence parents’ employment decisions.

Providers set their own fees for privately purchased hours. Eligible working families can access 30 hours of government-funded childcare a week from nine months until school age to make childcare more affordable and support parents to enter work, increase their hours or remain in employment. Families using their full entitlement can save an average of £8,000 per eligible child each year. Eligible families can also receive support for childcare costs through Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit childcare.

In the 2026/27 financial year, the government expects to spend over £9.5 billion in the early years entitlements, with national average funding rates increasing by 4.95% for 3 to 4-year-olds before the termly funding adjustment, 4.36% for 2-year-olds, and 4.28% for 9 months to 2-years-old compared to the 2025/26 financial year. These increases reflect forecast cost pressures on the sector, including the National Living Wage announced at Autumn Budget 2025, and wider workforce pressures felt by the sector since April 2025.

​​The department does not hold the requested data.

​​However, as part of the childcare and early years survey of parents carried out by department, parents are asked whether they were able to find term-time childcare that fits in with their working hours or their partner’s working hours. This is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2025.

​​The most recent results are for 2025. Among couple families with one or both parents in work and working lone-parent families, 68% agreed that they could find term-time childcare that fits their working hours (19% strongly agree; 49% agree), 9% neither agreed nor disagreed, 11% disagreed and 11% reported that they do not use or need formal childcare. Findings are based on 1,418 couple families with children aged 0 to 4. Percentages do not add up to exactly 100 due to rounding.

​​Local authorities should ensure sufficient flexible provision to meet parental needs and help parents access places that support parents' work commitments.

​​The department does not hold the requested data.

​​However, as part of the childcare and early years survey of parents carried out by department, parents are asked whether they were able to find term-time childcare that fits in with their working hours or their partner’s working hours. This is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-survey-of-parents/2025.

​​The most recent results are for 2025. Among couple families with one or both parents in work and working lone-parent families, 68% agreed that they could find term-time childcare that fits their working hours (19% strongly agree; 49% agree), 9% neither agreed nor disagreed, 11% disagreed and 11% reported that they do not use or need formal childcare. Findings are based on 1,418 couple families with children aged 0 to 4. Percentages do not add up to exactly 100 due to rounding.

​​Local authorities should ensure sufficient flexible provision to meet parental needs and help parents access places that support parents' work commitments.

As part of the government’s mission to tackle child poverty, the department is extending free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

As a result of this expansion, more children are now eligible for free school meals, including in Leicester. The department has engaged with local authorities across England to support the expanded entitlement and ensure eligible families can benefit from this support.

As stated in the statutory guidance for local authorities, government funding is intended to deliver 15 or 30 hours a week of free, high-quality, flexible childcare. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2/early-education-and-childcare-valid-from-1-april-2026.

The 15 or 30 hours must be accessible to parents free of charge and there must not be any mandatory charges in relation to the free hours. Government funding is not intended to cover the costs of meals or additional hours and services.

Providers can charge parents for any additional, private paid hours according to their usual terms and conditions, provided taking up private paid hours is not a condition of accessing a place.

Where concerns are raised that a provider's allocation of funded hours may not be consistent with the statutory guidance, it is for the local authority to investigate the circumstances and determine whether the provider is complying with the requirements of its local provider agreement.

As stated in the statutory guidance for local authorities, government funding is intended to deliver 15 or 30 hours a week of free, high-quality, flexible childcare. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2/early-education-and-childcare-valid-from-1-april-2026.

The 15 or 30 hours must be accessible to parents free of charge and there must not be any mandatory charges in relation to the free hours. Government funding is not intended to cover the costs of meals or additional hours and services.

Providers can charge parents for any additional, private paid hours according to their usual terms and conditions, provided taking up private paid hours is not a condition of accessing a place.

Where concerns are raised that a provider's allocation of funded hours may not be consistent with the statutory guidance, it is for the local authority to investigate the circumstances and determine whether the provider is complying with the requirements of its local provider agreement.

There is limited robust, causal evidence on the impact of digital technologies on children and young people’s cognitive development, including their classroom concentration.

The department is committed to improving the evidence base on the impact of digital technologies and is funding further research in this space, such as a systematic review of causal studies of the impacts of screen time and social media on mental health and development.

The Online Safety Act has already strengthened protections for children online.

Following the government's ‘Growing up in the online world’ consultation, the government announced plans in June 2026 to ban social media companies from offering their services to under-16s.

The government is aiming for regulations on the social media ban to be laid before Parliament under the powers of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 by the end of this year, with the restrictions in effect from spring 2027.

Pupils who are absent from school but receive remote education must still be recorded as absent using the most appropriate absence code. The attendance register is a legal record of whether pupils are physically present at school, and helps schools and local authorities understand the reasons why a pupil cannot attend so that appropriate support and reasonable adjustments can be put in place. This longstanding position predates the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024.

The department is clear that regular physical attendance at school is in the best interests of the vast majority of pupils. Attending school is about more than receiving lessons: it enables pupils to learn alongside their peers, build relationships, benefit from wider school life and access pastoral and other support. It also helps schools keep children safe and identify where pupils need additional support.

Remote education should therefore only be considered as a last resort where a decision has already been made that attendance at school is not possible, even with reasonable adjustments.

Even though remote education is not counted within school attendance data, schools can keep a separate record of pupils' participation in remote education activity for their records.

Ensuring that schools have the resources and buildings they need is a key part of the department’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life

Nominations to the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) closed in April. The department will select 250 schools to join the programme by early 2027. Places will be prioritised for the worst condition schools and sixth-form colleges in areas where places are needed now and in the future.

There are currently no plans for another round of nominations for SRP. If further places are confirmed for the programme, the department will advise on the process for how we will prioritise schools for those places.

The department's voluntary online education accreditation scheme provides schools and local authorities with confidence that accredited providers have met a robust set of quality standards. The scheme is intended to support informed commissioning decisions and help schools and local authorities identify suitable online education provision where it is appropriate. The department does not currently require schools or local authorities to commission online education from accredited providers.

The department has not identified any specific financial or procurement barriers relating to the commissioning of accredited online education providers. Decisions on commissioning provision are made locally by schools and local authorities, taking account of individual circumstances and local needs.

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, backed by over £200 million per year, provides free nutritious meals, enriching activities and safe environments to eligible children during the school holidays. The programme remains specifically targeted at children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) from households with annual earnings of £7,400 or less, ensuring the programme prioritises families facing the greatest levels of disadvantage.

Local authorities have discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to provide free or subsidised places to children who do not meet the eligibility criteria who could benefit from HAF, in line with local needs and priorities.

HAF also sits alongside wider support for low-income families, including the expansion of FSM to all children from households receiving Universal Credit, the continued rollout of free breakfast clubs and broader action through the child poverty strategy.

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, backed by over £200 million per year, provides free nutritious meals, enriching activities and safe environments to eligible children during the school holidays. The programme remains specifically targeted at children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) from households with annual earnings of £7,400 or less, ensuring the programme prioritises families facing the greatest levels of disadvantage.

Local authorities have discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to provide free or subsidised places to children who do not meet the eligibility criteria who could benefit from HAF, in line with local needs and priorities.

HAF also sits alongside wider support for low-income families, including the expansion of FSM to all children from households receiving Universal Credit, the continued rollout of free breakfast clubs and broader action through the child poverty strategy.

Published research from the early adopter scheme provides encouraging evidence on staffing, showing that schools have adapted their staffing and deployment models to their individual circumstances and delivered reliable provision. This research is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6ad8c07e4e6a61c502e89fc2/Breakfast_club_early_adopters_research_report.pdf.

The department’s free breakfast clubs guidance makes it clear that school leaders should identify the staffing model that best meets the needs of children, families and staff, and recruit accordingly. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-breakfast-clubs-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts/free-breakfast-clubs-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-for-phase-1-of-the-national-rollout-from-april-2026#staffing.

The workforce toolkit also provides practical information on options, including external providers, existing support staff and volunteers, and is available at: https://earlyyearscareers.campaign.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/182/2026/09/Workforce-Toolkit-Recruiting-Retaining-and-Support-Your-Workforce.pdf.

Schools are supported to deliver their free breakfast clubs successfully through guidance and practical tools, peer support networks and tailored support from expert advisers and breakfast club champions.

Published research from the early adopter scheme provides encouraging evidence on staffing, showing that schools have adapted their staffing and deployment models to their individual circumstances and delivered reliable provision. This research is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6ad8c07e4e6a61c502e89fc2/Breakfast_club_early_adopters_research_report.pdf.

The department’s free breakfast clubs guidance makes it clear that school leaders should identify the staffing model that best meets the needs of children, families and staff, and recruit accordingly. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-breakfast-clubs-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts/free-breakfast-clubs-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-for-phase-1-of-the-national-rollout-from-april-2026#staffing.

The workforce toolkit also provides practical information on options, including external providers, existing support staff and volunteers, and is available at: https://earlyyearscareers.campaign.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/182/2026/09/Workforce-Toolkit-Recruiting-Retaining-and-Support-Your-Workforce.pdf.

Schools are supported to deliver their free breakfast clubs successfully through guidance and practical tools, peer support networks and tailored support from expert advisers and breakfast club champions.

The Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF) will invest over £500 million each financial year for the spending period, in schools and other education settings, to support the development of a more inclusive mainstream system. The distribution of the IMF takes account of the incidence of low prior attainment in schools and is calculated for each school, not at a cluster level. The IMF should not be seen as the only source of funding for inclusive practice. Schools should spend their IMF allocation alongside their core funding allocations, including base funding and their notional special educational needs budget. Funding for provision for children and young people with education, health and care plans continues through existing funding arrangements, including local authorities’ high needs budgets.

We are also providing around £1.8 billion over the three years from 2026/27 for local authorities to work in partnership with Integrated Care Boards to develop and deliver a new Experts at Hand offer for mainstream education settings. This new offer is designed to strengthen inclusive practice in mainstream education settings by providing a new route to access expert advice and support from education and health professionals.

To further improve inclusive practice and access to support, we will strengthen strategic special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) partnerships and propose that every school becomes part of a local SEND group. In the long term, schools will pool some inclusion funding for a more collaborative, efficient system to meet needs across their group and allow for better sharing of expertise and resources. Over time, there will be further rebalancing of funding from the High Needs budget into schools’ budgets, to give schools direct responsibility over funding to empower them to deliver for children and young people with SEND, in line with new accountability arrangements.