Department for Education

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

Phones have no place in our schools, and leaders already have the power to ban phones. The department’s guidance on mobile phones in schools, published in February 2024, is clear that schools should prohibit the use of devices with smart technology throughout the school day, including during lessons, transitions and breaks. ​The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

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

In financial year 2025/26 alone, the government has provided over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, increasing to over £9 billion in 2026/27. We have announced the largest ever increase to early years pupil premium since its introduction and have delivered a significant tranche of supplementary funding of £75 million through the early years expansion grant.

Government funding for the entitlements does not cover consumables like meals so providers are able to ask parents to pay for these things. However, the statutory guidance is clear that these charges must not be mandatory or a condition of accessing an entitlements place.

Ministers and officials regularly meet with the Office for Students to discuss a wide range of topics, including international partnerships. The government welcomes these partnerships, including with China, many of which make strong contributions to our society. Universities have a responsibility to ensure that any partnership, including with a Confucius Institute, is managed appropriately and is compliant with their legal duties and regulatory requirements.

The department does not mandate or promote any specific materials or programmes as it is for schools to decide what to use. The department has provided over £6 million of funding since July 2024 to support safe and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools, including £2 million for Oak National Academy to develop its AI lesson planning assistant, Aila, and joint-funding the Education Content Store pilot along with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The department has also funded free support materials for staff in schools and colleges, developed by the Chiltern Learning Trust and the Chartered College of Teaching.

As set out in the Budget Document, the income raised by the Levy will be fully reinvested into higher education and skills, including to fund maintenance grants for disadvantaged students studying priority courses.

To ensure the student finance system remains sustainable, students who already hold a qualification at an equivalent or higher-level qualification (ELQ) to that of their current course are not normally eligible for tuition fee or maintenance loans. An exception has been made to these rules to encourage access to certain professions, including veterinary medicine. Students undertaking a full-time second degree in veterinary medicine starting before 1 January 2027 will qualify for maintenance support for the duration of their course.

This position will change under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, which will replace higher education student finance loans from 1 January 2027. An additional loan entitlement will be made available for a limited number of priority subjects, such as medicine. These are courses required to address priority skills needs and that align with the government’s Industrial Strategy.

The investigation remains ongoing and all reasonable lines of inquiry will be pursued.

The department publishes figures from the school census on pupil absence in England on a termly basis. The most recent published data relates to the autumn and spring terms of the 2024/25 academic year, and the latest full academic year is 2023/24, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england/.

The published data includes absence rates by local authority and school. School level data includes identifiers that can be used to link the parliamentary constituency for the school using the ‘Get Information About Schools’ website, which is available here: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.

The latest absence release has been available since 23 October 2025.

As part of our ‘Giving every child the best start in life’ strategy, the department is investing in evidence-based parenting and home learning environment interventions delivered through Best Start Family Hubs.

These interventions are designed to strengthen children’s social, emotional and behavioural wellbeing and promote positive parent-child interactions, encouraging families to chat, play and read together. They help parents create balanced routines that may include using screens as a tool for learning while also supporting activities away from screens, fostering healthy habits and strong relationships.

The department is working in partnership with the National Centre for Family Hubs, the Foundations - What Works Centre for Children & Families, and Nesta to ensure local areas can identify and implement the most effective programmes. This approach will promote greater consistency and quality across the country and support our ambition for 75% of children to achieve a good level of development by 2028.

Protecting children online is a priority, and we will continue to build the evidence base on the impact of screen time on children and listen to parents, children and schools to help us improve our guidance and our understanding of emerging needs and gaps.

The department spends over £1.5 billion annually supporting free school meals provision to around 3.5 million school pupils. Officials meet regularly with the sector to gather feedback.

The government sets out required minimum standards for school food in the school food standards to ensure that children are served healthy, nutritious meals. The government is reviewing the standards and will be engaging widely with the sector, including faith groups, throughout this process.

We have confirmed over £30 million of funding for the current 2025/26 financial year and around £80 million for the 2026/27 financial year for free breakfast clubs. From April 2026, mainstream schools will be funded at a new increased rate of £25 a day, plus £1 per pupil per day who attends the club. We continue to learn through our programme evaluation and sector engagement, including with faith groups.

The government sets out required minimum standards for school food in the school food standards to ensure that children are served healthy, nutritious meals at school. The standards do not specify food requirements in terms of cultural and religious needs.

Head teachers, governors and their caterers are best placed to make decisions about their school food policies. We expect schools to act reasonably, providing choices that take account of cultural, religious and special dietary needs, and to work with parents in making appropriate arrangements.

The department aims to revise the school food standards and is engaging with stakeholders to ensure they support the work to create the healthiest generation of children in history. As part of this work, the department will complete a full equalities impact assessment, including the consideration of pupils with religious beliefs.

Mobile phones have no place in school and school leaders already have the power to ban them. The department’s guidance on mobile phones in schools, published in February 2024, is clear that schools should prohibit the use of devices with smart technology throughout the school day, including during lessons, transitions and breaks.

The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

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

Following the success of the 750 early adopters, where we invested £30 million in the 2025/26 financial year, the department is now moving to national rollout, raising the budget to £80 million to fund an additional 2,000 schools joining the programme between April 2026 and March 2027.

The department has used the rich learning from the early adopters, existing programmes and costs to determine funding rates for national rollout, and this has been tested and refined with schools. This includes mainstream schools with special educational needs and disabilities pupils.

The funding rate for national rollout will take this learning into account and provide schools with the autonomy they need to allocate funding to promote inclusive access and ensure the offer reaches those who need it most.

The department will provide further information on the funding for national rollout in the near future, alongside specifics on eligibility, funding, and expectations.

Tackling absence is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity.

Thanks to the efforts of schools, absence is moving in the right direction, with children attending over 5.31 million more days this year compared to last. However, around one in five pupils are still missing 10% or more of school, which is why the department is continuing to drive further improvement.

Steps taken to improve attendance includes developing real-time data tools that allows schools to compare attendance against similar schools and enable earlier intervention as well as investing in targeted support, including £15 million to set up the attendance mentors programme supporting 10,800 pupils.

The department has also started to establish new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs, where up to 90 hubs led by schools with excellent attendance and behaviour practice will support more than 4,500 schools to improve.

Independent special schools are private enterprises. Local authorities have the discretion to make support, training and resources available to them. As private enterprises, the proprietor of the school is responsible for its financial viability.

The department recognises that independent special schools can play an important role in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, particularly in meeting highly complex needs and building capacity in the system. Independent special schools should be part of local authorities’ strategic planning of SEND provision, and the department works to support local authorities to ensure that every local area has sufficient school places for children that need them.

Where a pupil’s place in a private school is funded by the local authority because the private school is named in the pupil’s education, health and care plan, the local authority is able to reclaim the VAT they are charged on the fees of these pupils via the Section 33 VAT Act 1994 Refund Scheme.

The safety and wellbeing of children in our schools is the department’s highest priority. We recognise the importance of robust safeguarding measures and take concerns about unauthorised adult access to school premises very seriously. The produced non-statutory guidance for schools and colleges in respect of developing a security policy. The department expects security in schools to be considered alongside statutory safeguarding responsibilities and the legal obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. The department also issues the statutory ‘Keeping children safe in education’ guidance, including guidance on the use of school premises for non-school activities.

When the department has concerns regarding the safeguarding policies of any MATs, they can then enforce compliance through the MAT’s funding agreement, in line with our published statutory guidance.

Schools, academies and local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers, which includes deciding whether to use private supply agencies to fill temporary posts or cover teacher absence.

The department recognises the role that agencies play in helping to keep schools running when they face teacher shortages and absences. We are committed to helping schools achieve better value for money when using agencies, which is why we have established the agency supply deal in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service. The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge. Our most recent announcement on maximising value for pupils is available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maximising-value-for-pupils/maximising-value-for-pupils.

The department has no plans to take steps to introduce a national supply register for teachers.

Schools, academies and local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers, which includes deciding whether to use private supply agencies to fill temporary posts or cover teacher absence.

The department recognises the role that agencies play in helping to keep schools running when they face teacher shortages and absences. We are committed to helping schools achieve better value for money when using agencies, which is why we have established the agency supply deal in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service. The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge. Our most recent announcement on maximising value for pupils is available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maximising-value-for-pupils/maximising-value-for-pupils.

The department has no plans to take steps to introduce a national supply register for teachers.

The information requested is not held centrally.

To support music education, the government has committed £76 million per year grant funding for the Music Hubs programme, including the 2025/26 academic year. The 43 Music Hub partnerships across England offer a range of services, including instrumental music tuition and instrument loans. To widen access to instruments, the government is also investing £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years.

The department is committed to providing training for teachers to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). In the new year, we will publish a white paper to build a system where every child receives the support needed to achieve and thrive.

The department has reviewed the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework. From September 2025 more content related to adaptive teaching and improving inclusivity for SEND pupils was added. The department also enhanced the requirement on providers to develop SEND training materials.

Beyond the first few years of teaching, National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) are available to education professionals at all levels. In 2024 we began delivery of the mandatory NPQ for Special Educational Needs (SEN) Co-ordinators. Participants will develop the knowledge and skills needed to set the strategic direction of SEN policy and the conditions for pupils with SEND to thrive.

The department has committed to a full review of both NPQs and Early Career Teacher training, which will include a focus on SEND.

The Universal Services programme helps the school and further education workforce to identify and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND earlier and more effectively.

I refer the hon. Member for Hazel Grove to the answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 92797.

The schools national funding formula (NFF) allocates funding based on the characteristics of schools and their pupils. The immigration status of pupils has no impact on the funding allocated.

The government’s Opportunity Mission is improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people at every life stage.

The research rightly highlights the importance of giving disadvantaged young people the skills and career guidance they need to overcome barriers to opportunity, and the key role the national curriculum plays in this. That is why the revised national curriculum will remain knowledge-rich and focus on enhancing disciplinary skills, setting students up to achieve in life and work.

Alongside this, the department will improve careers advice in schools and deliver two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person to support their skills development and work readiness. We are targeting additional support through careers hubs in disadvantaged areas where there is the greatest need.

The department has made inclusion and impact prominent themes in careers statutory guidance. There is a strong emphasis on highlighting progression routes and career pathways from all curriculum subjects.

The government’s Opportunity Mission is improving outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people at every life stage.

The research rightly highlights the importance of giving disadvantaged young people the skills and career guidance they need to overcome barriers to opportunity, and the key role the national curriculum plays in this. That is why the revised national curriculum will remain knowledge-rich and focus on enhancing disciplinary skills, setting students up to achieve in life and work.

Alongside this, the department will improve careers advice in schools and deliver two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person to support their skills development and work readiness. We are targeting additional support through careers hubs in disadvantaged areas where there is the greatest need.

The department has made inclusion and impact prominent themes in careers statutory guidance. There is a strong emphasis on highlighting progression routes and career pathways from all curriculum subjects.

On 16 September 2025, the Law Commission published its final report following an extensive review of the legal framework governing social care for disabled children in England, commissioned by the department in April 2023. The report sets out 40 recommendations aimed at improving how the law operates, with a focus on simplifying and strengthening the system to better support disabled children and their families.

In line with the Protocol agreed between the Lord Chancellor and the Law Commission, the department is expected to provide an initial response to these recommendations within six months of publication, and a full response within one year. This full response will set out which recommendations have been accepted, rejected or will be accepted in a modified form. It may also include a timeline for implementation. We will have regard to the views outlined in the report and we will engage relevant stakeholders at appropriate points as we consider our response.

I refer the hon. Member for Witney to the answer of 30 October 2025 to Question 81701.

This government is committed to ensuring that all students are well supported during their time at university.

Higher education providers have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for all their disabled students, which includes those with a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.

Wherever possible, disabled students should expect to have their needs met through inclusive learning practices and individual reasonable adjustments made by their provider. In addition to reasonable adjustments, Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is available for the provision of more specialist support.

My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills, has recently appointed Sir Steve West as Higher Education Student Support Champion to lead the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. The Taskforce is instrumental in assessing and driving improvements in mental health support across the sector, including taking forward recommendations from the recent national review of higher education student suicides.

This government is committed to ensuring that all students are well supported during their time at university.

Higher education providers have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for all their disabled students, which includes those with a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.

Wherever possible, disabled students should expect to have their needs met through inclusive learning practices and individual reasonable adjustments made by their provider. In addition to reasonable adjustments, Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is available for the provision of more specialist support.

My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills, has recently appointed Sir Steve West as Higher Education Student Support Champion to lead the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. The Taskforce is instrumental in assessing and driving improvements in mental health support across the sector, including taking forward recommendations from the recent national review of higher education student suicides.

This government is committed to ensuring that all students are well supported during their time at university.

Higher education providers have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for all their disabled students, which includes those with a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities.

Wherever possible, disabled students should expect to have their needs met through inclusive learning practices and individual reasonable adjustments made by their provider. In addition to reasonable adjustments, Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is available for the provision of more specialist support.

My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills, has recently appointed Sir Steve West as Higher Education Student Support Champion to lead the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. The Taskforce is instrumental in assessing and driving improvements in mental health support across the sector, including taking forward recommendations from the recent national review of higher education student suicides.

In August 2025, the government appointed ten Construction Technical Excellence Colleges (CTECs), one in each region of England and a tenth operating cross-nationally. Backed by £100 million in funding, CTECs will deliver high quality construction skills, supporting our mission to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament, and creating well-paid jobs nationwide in the construction sector. Launched at the start of this academic year, CTECs have begun their delivery of specialist skills, working with national and local construction employers to ensure critical construction skills needs are met now and in future years. To ensure benefits are widespread throughout each region, CTECs are operating under a ‘hub and spoke model’, collaborating with and supporting further education construction skills providers across their region.

Ten Construction Technical Excellence Colleges (CTECs) have commenced their delivery of high quality construction skills provision from the start of this academic year. 40,000 construction learners will benefit from excellent teaching and curricula to set them up with the skills for well-paid jobs in the construction sector. The department is working with CTECs, mayoral strategic authorities, and other partners in the skills system to understand best practice in delivering quality construction skills in alignment with the Technical Excellence Colleges core objectives and we will monitor progress against these on a regular basis.

Play is an essential part of a child’s development and learning, as recognised in the early years foundation stage statutory framework. Schools, governing bodies and academy trusts are responsible for ensuring the school day includes opportunities for social interaction, physical activity and enrichment activities.

The department’s guidance sets out an expectation that the school week in all state-funded mainstream schools should be at least 32.5 hours including breaks, providing opportunity for schools to incorporate time for play and other enrichment activities. This guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/length-of-the-school-week-minimum-expectation.

As part of the department’s work to develop a good practice framework to help schools increase pupil engagement, we will consider the evidence around effective use of breaktimes and other elements of the school day that can support engagement. While Ofsted does not inspect breaktime quality, inspectors will observe and talk to pupils on breaktimes, and this will form part of their consideration of the school.

Play is an essential part of a child’s development and learning, as recognised in the early years foundation stage statutory framework. Schools, governing bodies and academy trusts are responsible for ensuring the school day includes opportunities for social interaction, physical activity and enrichment activities.

The department’s guidance sets out an expectation that the school week in all state-funded mainstream schools should be at least 32.5 hours including breaks, providing opportunity for schools to incorporate time for play and other enrichment activities. This guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/length-of-the-school-week-minimum-expectation.

As part of the department’s work to develop a good practice framework to help schools increase pupil engagement, we will consider the evidence around effective use of breaktimes and other elements of the school day that can support engagement. While Ofsted does not inspect breaktime quality, inspectors will observe and talk to pupils on breaktimes, and this will form part of their consideration of the school.

Play is an essential part of a child’s development and learning, as recognised in the early years foundation stage statutory framework. Schools, governing bodies and academy trusts are responsible for ensuring the school day includes opportunities for social interaction, physical activity and enrichment activities.

The department’s guidance sets out an expectation that the school week in all state-funded mainstream schools should be at least 32.5 hours including breaks, providing opportunity for schools to incorporate time for play and other enrichment activities. This guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/length-of-the-school-week-minimum-expectation.

As part of the department’s work to develop a good practice framework to help schools increase pupil engagement, we will consider the evidence around effective use of breaktimes and other elements of the school day that can support engagement. While Ofsted does not inspect breaktime quality, inspectors will observe and talk to pupils on breaktimes, and this will form part of their consideration of the school.

Play is an essential part of a child’s development and learning, as recognised in the early years foundation stage statutory framework. Schools, governing bodies and academy trusts are responsible for ensuring the school day includes opportunities for social interaction, physical activity and enrichment activities.

The department’s guidance sets out an expectation that the school week in all state-funded mainstream schools should be at least 32.5 hours including breaks, providing opportunity for schools to incorporate time for play and other enrichment activities. This guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/length-of-the-school-week-minimum-expectation.

As part of the department’s work to develop a good practice framework to help schools increase pupil engagement, we will consider the evidence around effective use of breaktimes and other elements of the school day that can support engagement. While Ofsted does not inspect breaktime quality, inspectors will observe and talk to pupils on breaktimes, and this will form part of their consideration of the school.

This government is investing in a modern childcare system that supports families. When developing our programmes, we look at previous schemes, including internationally, as well as receiving representations from families and providers.

In February 2024, 24% of parents of primary-aged pupils reported that the availability of wraparound childcare affected the working patterns or hours of their household. The government is committed to rolling out free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. So far, we have delivered 2.6 million breakfasts in 750 early adopter schools and an additional 2,000 schools will join the programme next year.

Since September 2024, the National Wraparound Programme has provided over 50,000 additional full childcare places, allowing more parents to access opportunities for work and study. In the 2026/27 financial year, we are providing local authorities with £12.9 million of funding to continue to sustain these places to ensure sufficiency of school-age childcare and facilitate national rollout of free breakfast clubs.

Eligible parents can access government subsidies, such as Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare, to support them with their childcare costs.

This government is investing in a modern childcare system that supports families. When developing our programmes, we look at previous schemes, including internationally, as well as receiving representations from families and providers.

In February 2024, 24% of parents of primary-aged pupils reported that the availability of wraparound childcare affected the working patterns or hours of their household. The government is committed to rolling out free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. So far, we have delivered 2.6 million breakfasts in 750 early adopter schools and an additional 2,000 schools will join the programme next year.

Since September 2024, the National Wraparound Programme has provided over 50,000 additional full childcare places, allowing more parents to access opportunities for work and study. In the 2026/27 financial year, we are providing local authorities with £12.9 million of funding to continue to sustain these places to ensure sufficiency of school-age childcare and facilitate national rollout of free breakfast clubs.

Eligible parents can access government subsidies, such as Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare, to support them with their childcare costs.

This government is investing in a modern childcare system that supports families. When developing our programmes, we look at previous schemes, including internationally, as well as receiving representations from families and providers.

In February 2024, 24% of parents of primary-aged pupils reported that the availability of wraparound childcare affected the working patterns or hours of their household. The government is committed to rolling out free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. So far, we have delivered 2.6 million breakfasts in 750 early adopter schools and an additional 2,000 schools will join the programme next year.

Since September 2024, the National Wraparound Programme has provided over 50,000 additional full childcare places, allowing more parents to access opportunities for work and study. In the 2026/27 financial year, we are providing local authorities with £12.9 million of funding to continue to sustain these places to ensure sufficiency of school-age childcare and facilitate national rollout of free breakfast clubs.

Eligible parents can access government subsidies, such as Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare, to support them with their childcare costs.

This government is investing in a modern childcare system that supports families. When developing our programmes, we look at previous schemes, including internationally, as well as receiving representations from families and providers.

In February 2024, 24% of parents of primary-aged pupils reported that the availability of wraparound childcare affected the working patterns or hours of their household. The government is committed to rolling out free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. So far, we have delivered 2.6 million breakfasts in 750 early adopter schools and an additional 2,000 schools will join the programme next year.

Since September 2024, the National Wraparound Programme has provided over 50,000 additional full childcare places, allowing more parents to access opportunities for work and study. In the 2026/27 financial year, we are providing local authorities with £12.9 million of funding to continue to sustain these places to ensure sufficiency of school-age childcare and facilitate national rollout of free breakfast clubs.

Eligible parents can access government subsidies, such as Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare, to support them with their childcare costs.

This government is investing in a modern childcare system that supports families. When developing our programmes, we look at previous schemes, including internationally, as well as receiving representations from families and providers.

In February 2024, 24% of parents of primary-aged pupils reported that the availability of wraparound childcare affected the working patterns or hours of their household. The government is committed to rolling out free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. So far, we have delivered 2.6 million breakfasts in 750 early adopter schools and an additional 2,000 schools will join the programme next year.

Since September 2024, the National Wraparound Programme has provided over 50,000 additional full childcare places, allowing more parents to access opportunities for work and study. In the 2026/27 financial year, we are providing local authorities with £12.9 million of funding to continue to sustain these places to ensure sufficiency of school-age childcare and facilitate national rollout of free breakfast clubs.

Eligible parents can access government subsidies, such as Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare, to support them with their childcare costs.

As part of the National Year of Reading, state-funded secondary schools in England will receive funding to purchase books to support and encourage reading enjoyment amongst their pupils.

Funding will be distributed by the Department for Education, during the National Year of Reading 2026. This separate from the Dormant Assets Fund which will be used to fund libraries in primary schools and is administered by the Department for Culture Media and Sport.

Details about the allocation of funds will be communicated in the coming months.

This £5 million funding for books will accompany new continuous professional development training for secondary schools. The ‘Unlocking Reading’ programme starts in January 2026 and will equip schools with assessment tools and evidence-based strategies to support pupils with reading.

As part of the National Year of Reading, state-funded secondary schools in England will receive funding to purchase books to support and encourage reading enjoyment amongst their pupils.

Funding will be distributed by the Department for Education, during the National Year of Reading 2026. This separate from the Dormant Assets Fund which will be used to fund libraries in primary schools and is administered by the Department for Culture Media and Sport.

Details about the allocation of funds will be communicated in the coming months.

This £5 million funding for books will accompany new continuous professional development training for secondary schools. The ‘Unlocking Reading’ programme starts in January 2026 and will equip schools with assessment tools and evidence-based strategies to support pupils with reading.

As part of the National Year of Reading, state-funded secondary schools in England will receive funding to purchase books to support and encourage reading enjoyment amongst their pupils.

Funding will be distributed by the Department for Education, during the National Year of Reading 2026. This separate from the Dormant Assets Fund which will be used to fund libraries in primary schools and is administered by the Department for Culture Media and Sport.

Details about the allocation of funds will be communicated in the coming months.

This £5 million funding for books will accompany new continuous professional development training for secondary schools. The ‘Unlocking Reading’ programme starts in January 2026 and will equip schools with assessment tools and evidence-based strategies to support pupils with reading.

The department is reviewing 44 projects as part of the mainstream free school pipeline review, to ensure they continue to meet localised need for places, consider whether they provide a unique educational offer and are not to the detriment of the other schools locally. These projects would provide approximately 30,000 additional places at capacity.

The National Audit Office set out in 2017 that planned free schools would lead to an estimated 57,500 spare places, and that there is a cost both to the taxpayer and to other local schools via impact on pupil numbers at existing schools.

Since the review was launched, the department has paused development of the sites. Any funding has been in line with managing public money. The department will publicly communicate the outcomes of the review as soon as possible.

We have engaged with trusts, local authorities and other stakeholders in relation to individual projects in scope of the review, including reviewing the evidence they have provided.

As would be expected from a review of this scale, there have been a significant number of meetings, including meetings between ministers and MPs, where local MPs have requested them.