Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Measure What Matters' report entitled National Testimony Collection, published on 16 October 2025, what steps her Department is taking to address failures by local authorities to comply with guidance on the provision of SEND support to children, including those with an education, health and care plan.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Schools White Paper sets out unequivocal expectations for every local authority on the quality and timeliness of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, including planning school places effectively and providing the expert support that schools and families need, with significant investment in local authorities to transform SEND support.

In March 2026 we commissioned local authorities, together with their integrated care boards, to develop SEND reform plans by June 2026.

The department will use these plans to hold them accountable to deliver strong outcomes for children and young people with SEND and will act decisively where progress does not materialise. Where failure is persistent, we will not hesitate to use the full range of intervention powers including removing the licence to deliver SEND services.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with exam boards on offering GCSEs in Tamil.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Decisions about which languages to offer at GCSE in England are taken by four independent awarding organisations – AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC – rather than by central government. These organisations have the freedom to create a Tamil GCSE based on the subject content for modern foreign languages set by the department. This decision would be informed by several factors, including the level of demand from schools and the proportion of the population in the UK speaking the language.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish student loan repayment data, broken down by national origin, for the last academic year for which data has been collated.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The number of student loan borrowers who are not UK Nationals and withdrew from their latest recorded course in 2024/25 was 15,000 (to the nearest 500).

The department and the Student Loans Company have strengthened the quality and consistency of data in this area and now hold reliable information on borrowers’ UK national status and nationality.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Runnymede Trust Excluded: Misrecognition, control and the Roma experience in Bradford schools, published on 25 March; and what plans they have to implement its recommendations.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department recognises the issues faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people, and how schools and others can make a positive difference.

We are currently reviewing the report’s findings alongside existing evidence on school exclusions and ethnic disparities. This assessment will inform our ongoing work to ensure that behaviour and attendance policies are applied fairly and that schools are supported to meet the needs of all pupils, including Roma communities.

Under the Equality Act 2010, schools must not discriminate against pupils on the basis of their ethnic background. We have already published guidance for schools on complying with this duty.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many foreign nationals claiming student loan or a maintenance loan dropped out of their courses in the last academic year for which data is available.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The number of student loan borrowers who are not UK Nationals and withdrew from their latest recorded course in 2024/25 was 15,000 (to the nearest 500).

The department and the Student Loans Company have strengthened the quality and consistency of data in this area and now hold reliable information on borrowers’ UK national status and nationality.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have issued guidance to local authorities in England about special school expansion and historical special educational needs and disability deficits; and if so, whether they will publish it.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department has issued guidance relevant to special school expansion in high needs provision capital allocations. This sets out how councils should assess need, plan delivery routes for new capacity, and, where appropriate, expand or refurbish existing special schools, while also strengthening mainstream inclusion through inclusion bases.

Guidance on Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficits has also been published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The explanatory note confirms that High Needs Stability Grant payments, covering up to ninety per cent of high needs related DSG deficits accrued up to the end of the 2025/26 financial year, will only be released once a Local Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Reform Plan has been approved. This requirement was reiterated in the material circulated alongside the Local SEND Reform Plan commission.

All documents are available on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish the latest School Teachers' Review Body report on teacher’s pay; and what discussions she has had with head teachers and their representatives on (a) the publication date of that report and (b) the potential impact this date will have on the adequacy of the amount of time schools get to plan their budgets for September.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government has received the School Teachers’ Review Body’s 36^th Report. As is the case each year once the report is received, the government is now in the process of discussing the recommendations and will publish the report, in addition to the government’s response, and launch the statutory consultation as soon as those discussions have concluded, making every effort to give schools as much notice of the impact on school budgets as is possible.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 11 March 2026 to question 118316 on Special Educational Needs: Cambridgeshire, if she will publish the monthly data on Cambridgeshire’s education, health and care plan timeliness.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department publishes information on the number of education, health and care (EHC) plans that are issued within the statutory 20-week timeframe. Excluding cases where exceptions apply, the number and percentage of plans issued within this timeframe for both Cambridgeshire and England are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/b46a4968-aafd-4bd6-948a-08de4155ee12.

Information on EHC plans maintained by local authorities, including requests for an EHC needs assessment, the number of assessments carried out, the number where a decision is made to assess, and the number of plans issued within 20 weeks, are included in the annual statistical release. The latest January 2025 statistics were published in June 2025 here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2025.

The department monitors Cambridgeshire’s EHC plan timeliness through regular monitoring meetings. The information shared at these meetings is not published but informs the support and challenge that the department provides.

Furthermore, as set out in the recent Schools White Paper and its associated consultation, the department is consulting on proposals to reform the special educational needs and disabilities system, including to ensure that the information, advice and guidance provided offers effective support for children, young people and their families, and promotes greater fairness across the system. The consultation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help improve levels of attainment among working class pupils.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Too many children are held back by their background. That is why, through the Opportunity Mission, we will break the link between background and future success.

The ‘Every child achieving and thriving’ White Paper establishes the department’s plan to improve the outcomes of all children, building on support at home with a stretching, enriching and inclusive school experience. Our ambition is that all children achieve higher standards and the disadvantage gap is halved. This equates to 30,000 more disadvantaged young people passing their English and maths GCSEs than today.

Additionally, we are driving standards through new RISE teams, a refreshed high-quality curriculum and assessment system and recruiting 6,500 additional teachers - as well as taking action to address barriers to learning.

Alongside this, around £3.2 billion is being provided in the 2026/27 financial year to state-funded schools in England through the pupil premium, to support disadvantaged pupils so they achieve and thrive in education.

'Giving every child the best start in life' sets out the immediate steps to deliver on our commitment to make early education and childcare more accessible and affordable. We have rolled out the expansion of government funded hours so that working parents can now access 30 hours per week from the term after their child turns nine months. We’ve also announced Best Start Family Hubs, backed by £500 million, and launched the Better Futures Fund, a new £500 million fund to break down barriers to opportunity for up to 200,000 vulnerable children and young people.

Finally, our Child Poverty Strategy will lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030. This includes the expansion of free school meals. Providing over half a million disadvantaged children with a free lunchtime meal will lead to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) estimate her Department has made of the number and (b) assessment of the adequacy of availability of trained professionals required to meet the Experts at Hand plan.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Poole to the answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 121419.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the success of Government initiatives launched between 2010 and 2024 in narrowing the attainment gap in schools.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Despite the efforts of dedicated staff, our school system is not serving all children well, with unacceptable disparities in attainment existing across all phases of education and all areas of the country.

Disadvantaged children, especially white working-class children, and those with special educational needs and disabilities are not succeeding as they should.

The attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and all other pupils remains high and persistent at both primary and secondary.

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ white paper establishes the department’s plan to improve the outcomes of all children and young people.

When children born under this government finish secondary school, it is our ambition that all children achieve higher standards and the disadvantage gap will be halved, equating to 30,000 more disadvantaged young people passing their English and maths GCSEs than today.

To deliver this we will provide family support to help more disadvantaged children arrive at reception school ready, strengthen teacher recruitment and retention, broaden the curriculum and offer high-quality enrichment opportunities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will set out the requirements councils must meet to be eligible for the write-off of 90% of their historic SEND-related deficits.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

As set out in the final Local Government Finance Settlement, all local authorities with a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) related High Needs deficit will be eligible in 2026/27 to receive a High Needs Stability Grant that will cover 90% of their accumulated High Needs‑related DSG deficit up to the end of 2025/26. This is conditional on each local authority securing my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education’s approval of their Local SEND Reform Plan, as confirmed in the government’s announcement on managing accumulated SEND deficits.

Each local area will be required to set out credible and deliverable actions that support a more inclusive and financially sustainable system, consistent with the vision for earlier intervention, stronger mainstream inclusion and improved outcomes for children and young people as set out in the Schools White Paper.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assistance her Department provides for young people seeking employment upon leaving school.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Young people must continue in education or training until their 18th birthday and may do so through full-time study, full-time work or volunteering combined with part-time learning, or an apprenticeship, while local authorities hold statutory duties to identify and support those needing help, including young people who are not in education, employment or training.

Apprenticeships allow young people to earn and learn. Employers receive financial support to hire young apprentices, including up to £2,000 for small and medium sized enterprises taking on 16 to 24-year-old new starters. Foundation apprenticeships were introduced in August 2025, to give young people a route into critical sectors.

Through the Careers and Enterprise Company, the department is supporting schools to deliver high quality, employer-led careers advice, giving young people clearer insight into the full range of pathways available. We are also bridging the gap between education and work with our commitment to two weeks’ worth of work experience for every secondary pupil.

The Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper set out major reforms, including new Vocational Levels alongside A Levels and T Levels, a further study pathway with a Foundation Certificate, and an occupational pathway with an Occupational Certificate to support progression into study, work or apprenticeships.

For those who want to move into work after they are 18 but cannot find work, the Department for Work and Pensions is strengthening support through the Youth Guarantee, supported by £2.5 billion of investment to create 500,000 opportunities for young people to earn and learn. This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee trailblazers in England, the expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain, and the introduction of a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in jobcentres, providing more intensive support to 16 to 24-year-olds.

Together these measures demonstrate the government’s commitment to backing young people.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when further details relating to the Mission North East and Mission Coastal programmes will be published.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Departmental officials are currently engaging school leaders, alongside local and national stakeholders, on the approach for the Missions and we will announce further details in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Civil Servants are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

The department does not hold centrally collated data on the number of breaches of the Civil Service Code.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure adequate careers support in schools, especially for alternative pathways.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Schools are required to offer multiple opportunities for pupils to hear directly from apprenticeship, further education and training providers.

The government has adopted updated Gatsby Benchmarks into statutory guidance. They place greater emphasis on high quality information about alternative pathways. Schools are expected to provide pupils with up-to-date labour market information and information about apprenticeships, T Levels and other technical qualifications across a range of sectors.

The government’s commitment to delivering two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person will further support awareness of alternative pathways, giving secondary pupils practical insights into a wide range of employers and progression routes.

Through the Careers and Enterprise Company, the department is continuing to invest in support for careers leaders to embed the Gatsby Benchmarks in schools and to improve pupils’ access to meaningful encounters with employers and providers, workplace experiences and personal guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department is supporting university students and graduates with accumulating student debt.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Unlike commercial loans, student loans carry significant protections for borrowers. Student loan repayments are linked to income, not to the amount borrowed or interest applied. As repayments remain income contingent, if a borrower’s salary remains the same, their monthly repayments will also stay the same.

Repayments are made at a constant rate of 9% above the earnings threshold. Borrowers earning under the earnings threshold are not required to make repayments. Any outstanding loan, including interest built up, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

The government appreciates that making student loan repayments does have an impact on individuals. This is why there are unique protections for borrowers, and the finance system is heavily subsidised by taxpayers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what was the total value of non-contractual severance payments across the department in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

I refer the hon. Member for Mid Leicestershire to the answer of 7 April 2026 to Question 121697.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve access to Portage services.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

On 23 February, the government published its ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper where we announced new investment of over £200 million over three years to strengthen the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) offer in Best Start Family Hubs. This includes funding for a family-facing practitioner in every hub to support children with additional needs and their families from the earliest stages.

Our reforms to the SEND system will give families a more joined up local offer, with Best Start Family Hubs, early years settings, local authorities and health partners working together to ensure children with SEND and their families get the support they need. Portage services play an important role in supporting children with additional needs and Best Start Family Hubs will join up local services and build capacity through partnership working in every community.

Best Start Family Hubs guidance was published on 30 March and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-achieving-and-thriving.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 22 of her Department's consultation document entitled SEND Reform: Putting Children and Young People First, CP1509, when will schools in Huntingdonshire have to publish a legal Inclusion Strategy.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

In the recent consultation ‘SEND reform: putting children and young people first’, the government proposed holding schools to account on how they will take meaningful steps to invest in inclusion through a published Inclusion Strategy.

On 25 March 2026, the department published the inclusive mainstream fund (IMF) methodology alongside best practice for schools. These documents provided detail on the requirement on schools to produce an Inclusion Strategy, along with information on how the IMF will be allocated to support schools’ inclusive practice. More information on how to produce an effective and ambitious Inclusion Strategy will be published soon.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps the Department for Education has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

In the past year, we have committed in Parliament to undertake the required post-legislative scrutiny of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This will include considering the coming into force of measures, where not yet commenced.

The department will, as part of its usual process, continue to periodically review legislation within its area of responsibility as part of policy development.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the equity of the Early Years funding formula on families and childcare providers in Sheffield.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department uses the early years national funding formulae (EYNFF) to allocate early years entitlement funding to local authorities in a fair and transparent way.

The formulae ensure each area receives a base rate for each age group individually, regardless of location or individual need. On top of this, additional needs funding is allocated to reflect the proportion of children in each area who are disadvantaged, have English as an additional language, or have more complex special educational needs, recognising the higher costs of supporting these groups. An area cost adjustment is also applied to account for local variations in staffing and premises costs.

Through this approach, the department aims to ensure funding reflects children’s needs and local cost pressures throughout England, including in Sheffield.

We have committed to reviewing early years funding, including the national funding formulae, to ensure funding continues to match needs. We will consult the sector on changes by summer 2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has considered moving from a term‑time funding model to a year‑round model for early years entitlements.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

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

Children become eligible for the working parent entitlement from 1 September, 1 January or 1 April, the term after they reach the relevant age and meet relevant eligibility criteria.

Depending on when a child is born and when the eligibility criteria are met, there will be differing periods to wait until the relevant termly date.

Termly deadlines enable local authorities and childcare providers to better plan and ensure sufficient early years places are available for parents each term, as there are clear periods for when children are likely to enter into a place.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve (a) recruitment, (b) retention, (c) career progression and (d) workload in the early years workforce.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The early years workforce is at the heart of our mission to give every child the best start in life and deliver the Plan for Change. This is why the department is supporting the sector to attract talented staff and childminders by creating conditions for improved recruitment, alongside programmes to better utilise the skills of the existing workforce and make early years careers as accessible as possible.

The department is attracting new people into the early years sector through initiatives like our national recruitment campaign and financial incentives programmes. We are also ensuring there is a career path for everyone who wants to become an early years teacher, through increasing places on our existing teacher training programmes and introducing a new early years teacher degree apprenticeship route.

The department is confident that through our Best Start in Life Strategy, we can lay the foundations for long-term change. We will give early years educators the status they deserve, creating more opportunities to enter the profession, gain higher qualifications, and build fulfilling careers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the availability and accessibility of supported apprenticeships and supported internships for young people with Education, Health and Care Plans; whether a centrally held list of such apprenticeships and internships exists at a national or regional level; which Department or body is responsible for maintaining and communicating that information; and what steps are being taken to (a) improve transparency, (b) ensure such information is made publicly available and (c) ensure timely and coordinated responses between relevant Departments in supporting young people into suitable placements.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Since 2022, the department has invested around £33 million in supported internships to provide more opportunities for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to transition into sustained, paid employment.

As set out in the SEND Code of Practice, local authorities must keep their educational and training provision under review, including the sufficiency of provision, and each local authority’s local offer must include information on supported internships.

The availability of apprenticeships is determined by employers choosing to offer apprenticeship opportunities. The ‘Find an Apprenticeship’ service allows people to identify opportunities from Disability Confident employers.

The government is working to ensure that a learning difficulty or disability is not a barrier to people who want to realise the benefits of an apprenticeship. Additional Learning Support funding is available to training providers to make reasonable adjustments to support apprentices with learning difficulties and disabilities. The government also pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16 to 18 and for apprentices aged 19 to 24 who have an education, health and care plan, or have been, or are, in local authority care.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure teachers are equipped to deal with student mental health challenges.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The government will provide access to NHS-funded mental health support teams (MHSTs) in every school by 2029, with around six in ten pupils expected to have access by April 2026. Data for 2024/25 is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision.

MHSTs supplement existing pastoral provision, and schools retain the freedom to determine support based on pupil need, making best use of their funding.

Alongside providing direct support to pupils, MHSTs can also work with the mental health lead in each school to introduce or develop a whole-school approach to mental health.

The department also encourages whole-school approaches to promoting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing, which includes schools equipping teachers with the skills and knowledge to recognise and respond appropriately to pupil’s mental health needs. The department’s guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing.

To support education staff, the department provides a resource hub for mental health leads, and a targeted support guide and hub to help choose evidence-based targeted support for pupils.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to provide additional support to schools to help students with their mental health.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The government will provide access to NHS-funded mental health support teams (MHSTs) in every school by 2029, with around six in ten pupils expected to have access by April 2026. Data for 2024/25 is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision.

MHSTs supplement existing pastoral provision, and schools retain the freedom to determine support based on pupil need, making best use of their funding.

Alongside providing direct support to pupils, MHSTs can also work with the mental health lead in each school to introduce or develop a whole-school approach to mental health.

The department also encourages whole-school approaches to promoting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing, which includes schools equipping teachers with the skills and knowledge to recognise and respond appropriately to pupil’s mental health needs. The department’s guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/promoting-children-and-young-peoples-emotional-health-and-wellbeing.

To support education staff, the department provides a resource hub for mental health leads, and a targeted support guide and hub to help choose evidence-based targeted support for pupils.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on the application submitted by Pennoweth Primary School to join the free breakfast clubs programme from April 2026; and when the school will be informed of its status on the waitlist.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

On 17 March 2026, Pennoweth Primary School, along with all schools currently on the free breakfast clubs programme waitlist, received a notification from the department to invite them to join the free breakfast clubs programme and deliver from September 2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether students required to resit GCSE Mathematics alongside A-level study are mandated to attend school-delivered resit classes, including in cases where they are receiving private tuition outside of school.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Progress towards and attainment of Level 2 maths and English is essential for helping students seize opportunities in life, learning and work. The 16 to 19 maths and English Condition of Funding ensures students have this opportunity. Students aged 16 to 19 who have not yet achieved a GCSE grade 4 in maths are required to continue studying towards Level 2 maths as part of their study programme. Under the 16 to 19 maths and English Condition of Funding, institutions are required to deliver a minimum of 100 hours in-person, whole class, standalone teaching in maths each academic year for eligible students on 16 to 19 study programmes and T Levels. Any additional support, including remote, online delivery or private tuition can be delivered in addition to the minimum teaching hours.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help prevent AI-driven plagiarism in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The majority of GCSE and A level assessments are taken as written exams under close staff supervision, without access to the internet or artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which prevents the use of AI-generated material in most assessments.

The department is working closely with Ofqual and the wider sector to understand the risks associated with generative AI and to ensure appropriate mitigations are in place.

Strict rules, set by exam boards, are already in place to ensure that students’ work is their own, and sanctions for malpractice are severe, including the possibility of disqualification. Schools and teachers know their students best and are experienced in identifying their individual students’ work.

To support the sector, the Joint Council for Qualifications has published guidance for teachers and exam centres to help prevent and identify potential malpractice involving the misuse of AI in assessments. The guidance is available here: https://www.jcq.org.uk/knowledge-hub/ai-use-in-assessments-your-role-in-protecting-the-integrity-of-qualifications/.

Ofqual, as the independent regulator, has also published its overall approach to regulating AI use in the qualifications sector. The approach can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofquals-approach-to-regulating-the-use-of-artificial-intelligence-in-the-qualifications-sector.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many departmental employees were on performance management plans in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department is committed to thorough performance management and has in place robust processes to ensure that those who fall below the expected standards are supported to improve in a timely manner, using performance improvement plans (PIPs) where appropriate. While data on PIPs is not held centrally, the figures below show the number of employees identified as receiving additional performance support in each financial year. Those who cannot improve their performance, despite this additional support, may be dismissed.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to (a) her confirmation of 24 March 2026 that her Department accepts Surrey County Council’s decision to continue with FS0756 Betchwood Vale Academy, (b) the Answer of 3 February 2025 to Question 27008 on Free Schools, Dorking, and (c) the Minister for Early Education’s letter (ref. 20245-0039819) of 24 December 2024, what the status is of each of the reports and surveys completed in support of the initial planning application submitted by the Department which in February 2025 were in the process of being reviewed and refreshed by the Department’s appointed construction contractor; and what plans and timetable the Department has to engage with Mole Valley District Council planning officers to progress a new or revised planning application.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department confirmed Surrey County Council’s decision to continue with Betchwood Vale Academy on 24 March. Officials are working on a new delivery programme and will be in contact with Surrey County Council and the Trust to discuss next steps. A review of all planning documentation will be required before a new or revised planning application can be submitted.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of screen time on children's development.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

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

On 27 March, the government published advice on screen use for children aged 0-5 on the Best Start in Life website, accessible at: https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/screen-time-under-5s/.

The advice is informed by an expert panel’s independent report, which draws on quantitative and qualitative research, including engagement with parents, carers and stakeholders. This report can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/screen-use-by-children-aged-under-5.

The independent panel was co-chaired by Professor Russell Viner, and Dame Rachel de Souza.

On 2 March, alongside the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the department launched the Children’s Digital Wellbeing consultation on further measures to ensure children have healthy relationships with technology, mobile phones and social media. The consultation will close on 26 May, with the government set to publish its response in the summer.

We will also support families by producing evidence-based screen time guidance for parents of children aged 5 to 16.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to streamline the process of safeguarding referrals from schools to local authorities.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are strengthening the role of education and childcare in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements to better protect children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

All schools must also have regard to the ‘Keeping children safe in education’ statutory guidance when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Part one of this guidance sets out what all staff need to know and do if they have any concerns about a child, including the process for making referrals to local authority children’s social care and for statutory assessments.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to engage with the autism community to ensure that public opinion is captured for the SEND Reform White Paper without the need to provide a written submission to the consultation.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

On Monday 23 February, we launched a full 12-week consultation on our special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms because we want to hear directly from people across the country who have an interest in these reforms and build on our national conversation.

There are three ways that we are ensuring we capture the views of those who are part of the SEND community. First, we are hosting a series of online and in-person events throughout the consultation period, including sessions delivered in partnership with the Council for Disabled Children. More information on these sessions will be advertised in the coming weeks.

Second, we are engaging with a range of SEND organisations, including autism organisations, and representatives of those organisations will also be on ministerial engagement groups. Members of our Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, SEND Development Group, and Complex Needs Group have autism expertise, and we also plan to engage with representatives from other organisations that specialise in autism at our planned deep dives. We are also engaging with academics in this space. Finally, we continue to engage with young people, including those with autism, on the consultation as we did pre-publication.

Third, the department has a dedicated mailbox for SEND reform consultation responses and is accepting non-written as well as written responses to consultation questions. The mailbox is available at: SENDreform.CONSULTATION@education.gov.uk.

The consultation, including accessible versions, can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-first.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department collects on children’s education, including pupil attainment and characteristics, and how this information is used to inform policy.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department collects different categories of data for different cohorts of individuals depending on their interaction with the education and children’s services system in England. These data are collected through statutory data collections with categories including:

• Identifiers such as name and address.
• Characteristics such as sex or ethnicity.
• Details of any special educational needs.
• Details of schools attended.
• Information on absence and exclusions.
• Information relating to academic performance.
• Information relating to any contact with children’s services.
• Information relating to destinations after finishing school.

This data provides a robust evidence base that enables the department to understand how well the education and children’s services sectors are functioning and ensure policy interventions are effectively targeted. The data also supports essential functions such as allocating school funding fairly and enabling parents, Parliament and the wider public to access clear information about educational outcomes and system performance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that those currently repaying Plan 2 student loans are able to pay off the initial capital owed and return to solvency.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Student loans are not like commercial loans, as they carry significant protections for borrowers, and repayments are linked to income, not to the amount borrowed or interest applied. As repayments remain income-contingent, if a borrower’s salary remains the same, their monthly repayments will also stay the same.

Repayments are made at a fixed rate above the earnings threshold and borrowers earning under the earnings threshold are not required to make repayments. Any outstanding loan, including interest built up, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

The government appreciates that making student loan repayments does have an impact on individuals. This is why there are unique protections for borrowers, and the finance system is heavily subsidised by taxpayers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the rate at which boys move from Children in Need status to becoming looked-after children; and what analysis has been undertaken of the specific support needs of boys who experience this escalation.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Information on the rate at which boys move from children in need status to becoming looked after children is not readily available, nor has the department undertaken any analysis of the specific support needs of boys who experience this escalation.

The latest children in need statistics were published in October 2025 and show that there were 220,210 male children in need as at 31 March 2025. This figure includes the 46,040 boys who were looked after on the same date. These statistics are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-in-need/2025.

The latest children looked after statistics were published in November 2025, and can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2025.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the government has conducted an assessment of the number and availability of trained professionals needed to meet the Experts at Hand plan published in the Schools White Paper.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Poole to the answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 121419.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) responsibilities and (a) powers SEND practitioners will have in Best Start Family Hubs.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The department is investing over £200 million over three years to strengthen the special educational needs and disabilities offer in Best Start Family Hubs, including funding a family-facing practitioner in every hub to support children with additional needs and families from the earliest stages. The practitioners will offer practical, hands‑on advice about their child’s development and help families identify emerging needs much earlier and guide parents on what those signs mean and the next steps to take. They will also help run, or link families into, early support sessions in Hubs, such as toddler groups that promote speech and language. By joining up support across services, the practitioners will ensure families do not have to navigate services alone.

We have published the Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies guidance for local authorities, which sets out the role expectations and funding remit, ahead of April 2026 delivery. This guidance can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69c6be4acdfd19de13d0f810/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-guidance-for-local-authorities.docx.pdf.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will conduct an Impact Assessment of the SEND reforms on mainstream schools’ workload and resource requirements.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Impact assessments were published alongside the consultation to aid engagement during the consultation period.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will conduct an Impact Assessment of the SEND reforms on early years settings supporting children with additional needs.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Impact assessments were published alongside the consultation to aid engagement during the consultation period.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of new statutory guidance for supporting pupils with medical conditions and allergies in schools on costs for schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Schools have existing statutory duties to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. The draft statutory guidance makes clear to schools what is expected of them in taking reasonable steps to fulfil their legal obligations and to meet the individual needs of pupils with medical conditions.

Schools will be required to stock ‘spare’ adrenaline auto-injectors, and many already choose to do so. The department’s draft guidance suggests most schools should stock 2 to 4 pairs of adrenaline auto-injectors, at a likely cost of £300. The government is in discussion with suppliers to facilitate options here and will look to say more in due course.

School funding is increasing by £1.7 billion in 2026/27, including funding for special educational needs and disabilities reform announced within the Schools White Paper. Our overall investment in schools funding is a critical step forward in our mission to support teachers and leaders to deliver high and rising standards across every school and for every pupil, including those with medical conditions and allergies.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will conduct an Impact Assessment of the SEND reforms on transport obligations for children with SEND.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government has published equalities and children’s rights impact assessments alongside SEND reform: Putting Children and Young People First.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will conduct an Impact Assessment of the SEND reforms on children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Impact assessments were published alongside the consultation to aid engagement during the consultation period.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will conduct an Impact Assessment of the SEND reforms on special schools and specialist provision.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Impact assessments were published alongside the consultation to aid engagement during the consultation period.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure young carers with neurodiverse learning needs are able to access additional support at school.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Every child deserves a high quality, inclusive education establishment in their community, including young carers with neurodiverse learning needs.

We have now announced plans to reform the special educational needs and disabilities system, with further information available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-achieving-and-thriving.

The department will introduce a new universal offer, ensuring all children receive the right support in mainstream schools. For all those with additional needs there will be layers of targeted support that remove barriers to learning, with schools working alongside parents and local partnerships.

Regional improvements for standards and excellence has made a universal offer to equip mainstream schools with the expertise, evidence and networks they need to embed consistently high quality, inclusive practice and improve outcomes for every child, including young carers. Ofsted’s renewed inspection framework, introduced in November 2025, focuses explicitly on inclusion and their inspection toolkit is clear that inspectors will consider the impact of a school’s work to improve the attendance, behaviour, inclusive personal development and wellbeing of young carers.

Furthermore, this government is preparing a cross-government action plan for unpaid carers of all ages which it plans to publish later this year. This will include actions to strengthen the support that is provided to young carers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to schools and local authorities on recognising and supporting pupils with a Pathological Demand Avoidance profile when developing an Education, Health and Care Plan.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

All children will benefit from a strengthened universal offer of high quality, inclusive teaching in every mainstream setting, with early identification of needs and evidence-based support as standard. On top of the universal offer, we propose that there will be three flexible layers of support for those that need it. These layers are Targeted, Targeted Plus and Specialist. These layers will be guided by the National Inclusion Standards, which will provide evidence-informed tools and strategies for identifying and supporting children’s needs, including for children with profiles of need such as Pathological Demand Avoidance. Children in early years settings, mainstream schools and colleges will benefit from access to education and support from health professionals without long waits for assessments.

Children will not need a statutory education, health and care (EHC) plan to receive Targeted or Targeted Plus support, as there will be a duty on schools and funding to provide it. Settings will have a statutory duty to record and monitor special educational needs and provision in an Individual Support Plan for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

For those with complex needs, we are developing new Specialist Provision Packages (SPPs), designed with independent experts and tested with parents, and intended to each include a description of the need profile it is designed to support. SPPs will underpin the right to the educational provision set out in an EHC plan, and we propose that only those children and young people who need an SPP will have an EHC plan in future.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether proposed SEND reforms will consider the experiences of SEND children with regards to SATs.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Statutory tests and assessments at primary school help measure the attainment of pupils in relation to the standards set out in the national curriculum and help teachers and parents identify where pupils may need additional support in a certain subject area. The department’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms are designed to ensure that every child can access a high quality, inclusive education, with early and consistent support in place across the system.

Key stage 2 tests are subject to robust test development processes, which include reviews involving serving teachers and experts in SEND, as well as trials with hundreds of year 6 pupils. Children with SEND have a range of needs and abilities, and it is important they can participate in assessments to demonstrate their achievements. Schools can utilise a range of access arrangements where appropriate, while for any children with SEND and others who are working below the standards of the national curriculum assessments there are alternative teacher assessments.

Primary assessments were reviewed as part of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review 2025, led by Professor Becky Francis. In line with the Review’s recommendations, we are strengthening the national curriculum so that it is more accessible and ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the Government plans to publish the detailed national SEND standards and how compliance with those standards will be monitored and enforced across local authorities.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The National Inclusion Standards will set out evidence-based tools, strategies and approaches to identify and support children and young people with additional needs. Settings should consider the National Inclusion Standards when planning their Inclusion Strategy. To hold schools accountable for how they plan to deliver inclusive practice and meet the needs of their cohort, they will be required to produce an inclusion strategy outlining their plan to embed inclusive practice and meet the needs of their cohort. There will be a legal duty on settings to produce an Individual Support Plan (ISP) for every child or young person receiving targeted or specialist support. Ofsted will draw on settings’ inclusion strategies to assess effectiveness of leaders plans, implementing and delivering inclusive practice, and will consider the use and quality of ISPs in inspections. Local areas have been commissioned to develop local special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform plans setting out how partners across education, health and care will deliver SEND reform locally.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 28 January (HL Deb col 1030), what inspection arrangements they are proposing for the governance of single academy trusts.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill introduces new powers for Ofsted to inspect academy trusts. These inspections will focus on trusts, rather than schools. The detailed arrangements will be set out in secondary legislation and subject to proposed consultation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that further education colleges are included in the design and implementation of the SEND reforms set out in the Schools White Paper, including the new Individual Support Plan system and the Inclusive Mainstream Fund.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Our special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform proposals, including the new Individual Support Plans and the Inclusive Mainstream Fund, aim to improve help and support for children and young people with SEND up to age 25. The consultation document explains the changes we plan to make and asks for comments from everyone with an interest.

Our proposals were informed by our national conversation on SEND, through a series of online conversations and regional events. For the post-16 sector this also included two roundtables, a series of follow-up discussions with key stakeholders on emerging themes and visits to colleges by departmental officials and Ministers.

During the consultation period, we are engaging with the post-16 sector in several ways, including a series of webinar events, facilitated by post-16 membership organisations, which are aimed directly at providers, and including representatives of the post-16 sector in key working groups such as the SEND development group. These seek to provide clarity on key proposals and offer an opportunity for open discussion so that providers feel able to make informed written responses to the consultation.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she will consider the experiences of SEND children in SATs, and include reform of SATs and other statutory assessment in the government's plans to put inclusion at the heart of education.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Statutory tests and assessments at primary school help measure the attainment of pupils in relation to the standards set out in the national curriculum and help teachers and parents identify where pupils may need additional support in a certain subject area. The department’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms are designed to ensure that every child can access a high quality, inclusive education, with early and consistent support in place across the system.

Key stage 2 tests are subject to robust test development processes, which include reviews involving serving teachers and experts in SEND, as well as trials with hundreds of year 6 pupils. Children with SEND have a range of needs and abilities, and it is important they can participate in assessments to demonstrate their achievements. Schools can utilise a range of access arrangements where appropriate, while for any children with SEND and others who are working below the standards of the national curriculum assessments there are alternative teacher assessments.

Primary assessments were reviewed as part of the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review 2025, led by Professor Becky Francis. In line with the Review’s recommendations, we are strengthening the national curriculum so that it is more accessible and ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help improve SEND provision in mainstream schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department has announced plans for special educational needs and disabilities reform, with further information available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-achieving-and-thriving.

An inclusive education system for all children and young people requires a strong universal offer. We will introduce new National Inclusion Standards to guide schools on what effective, inclusive universal provision and evidence-based targeted provision looks like.

For those whose needs cannot be met through the universal offer alone, there will be additional layers of support (targeted, targeted plus and specialist). A duty will be placed on settings to produce an Individual Support Plan for any pupil receiving targeted or specialist support, developed together with parents and young people to ensure every professional understands their needs and how best to support them.

We have announced £1.6 billion for an Inclusive Mainstream Fund to support schools, colleges and early years settings to embed inclusive practice over the next three years. We will provide educators with a new landmark training package on inclusion, with an investment of over £200 million over three years. We have also announced a new £1.8 billion investment over three years to deliver expertise to all settings from Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists. We are consulting on our plans for reform and encourage the sharing of views through the ongoing consultation at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/send-strategy-division/send-reform-putting-children-and-young-people-firs/.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the age at which vocational and technical training begins on (a) pupil engagement at Key Stage 3 and (b) skills shortages in construction and technical trades.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

There are 46 key stage 4 (KS4) Technical Awards, which pupils can take alongside GCSEs. These qualifications cover broad sector areas such as health and social care, building and construction, and support the development of knowledge and practical skills. In 2024/25, 45% of students in state-funded schools took at least one Technical Award.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review emphasised maintaining stability to allow these qualifications to embed fully in the system and did not recommend introducing structured vocational pathways at ages 11 to 14, and we have no current plans to pilot such models. For pupils in KS4, we will review the current suite of Technical Awards from 2027 with a focus on their impact and progression to post-16 pathways.

This is because the Review concluded that in comparison to other jurisdictions, we have a reasonably broad and balanced curriculum to age 16, which offers all children an entitlement to a core set of knowledge. The department is maintaining the existing architecture of key stages, national assessments and qualifications, which international comparisons suggest have had a positive impact on attainment. New measures at key stage 3, including better sequenced content, a year 8 statutory reading test and improved use of diagnostic assessment, are designed to support engagement and progress without narrowing the curriculum prematurely. To prepare learners for a changing world, we are developing an oracy framework and embedding financial, media and digital literacy and climate and sustainability education into the relevant subjects.

The Review concluded that structured vocational pathways are most effective post‑16. The department is therefore reforming the 16 to 19 system through A levels, T Levels and new V Levels, alongside redesigned Level 2 pathways, ensuring clear, high quality routes into technical fields and helping address skills shortages, including in construction and the wider technical trades.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help promote the inclusion of disability history in the national curriculum.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government’s ambition is for every child and young person to receive a rich and broad, inclusive and innovative education, and that the curriculum reflects our modern society and diverse communities, including disabled people. We will ensure disability is taught in the curriculum, so that all children and young people have a positive and informed understanding of disability.

The history curriculum provides a broad and flexible framework that allows schools to select which topics to teach across the key stages, and this can include history relating to disabled people. We are in the process of refreshing the history curriculum to support the teaching of the inherent diversity within history. We will consult on the curriculum from early summer, and we will fully implement the new full national curriculum for first teaching from September 2028.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of introducing structured vocational education pathways for pupils aged 11 to 14, including in comparable education systems such as that operated by the Government of the Netherlands, in England; and whether she plans to pilot similar models in England.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

There are 46 key stage 4 (KS4) Technical Awards, which pupils can take alongside GCSEs. These qualifications cover broad sector areas such as health and social care, building and construction, and support the development of knowledge and practical skills. In 2024/25, 45% of students in state-funded schools took at least one Technical Award.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review emphasised maintaining stability to allow these qualifications to embed fully in the system and did not recommend introducing structured vocational pathways at ages 11 to 14, and we have no current plans to pilot such models. For pupils in KS4, we will review the current suite of Technical Awards from 2027 with a focus on their impact and progression to post-16 pathways.

This is because the Review concluded that in comparison to other jurisdictions, we have a reasonably broad and balanced curriculum to age 16, which offers all children an entitlement to a core set of knowledge. The department is maintaining the existing architecture of key stages, national assessments and qualifications, which international comparisons suggest have had a positive impact on attainment. New measures at key stage 3, including better sequenced content, a year 8 statutory reading test and improved use of diagnostic assessment, are designed to support engagement and progress without narrowing the curriculum prematurely. To prepare learners for a changing world, we are developing an oracy framework and embedding financial, media and digital literacy and climate and sustainability education into the relevant subjects.

The Review concluded that structured vocational pathways are most effective post‑16. The department is therefore reforming the 16 to 19 system through A levels, T Levels and new V Levels, alongside redesigned Level 2 pathways, ensuring clear, high quality routes into technical fields and helping address skills shortages, including in construction and the wider technical trades.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure value for money for funding from her Department to support multi-academy trusts with financial issues.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government is delivering on its manifesto commitment by legislating to introduce Ofsted inspection of academy trusts to help drive better outcomes for children and provide greater confidence for parents. Robust financial oversight is crucial to achieving a strong school system and trust inspections will look at whether trusts are using their resources efficiently and strategically to support high quality education. This will provide families clear and independent assurance about the strength of the trust responsible for their child’s academy.

We know there is excellent practice across the sector, with schools and trusts proactively finding ways to secure better value from their resources. The department’s Maximising Value for Pupils programme helps schools seize opportunities to maximise value in four key areas: commercial spend, assets, including reserves, workforce deployment, and developing capabilities, including digital and technology.

Where an academy trust is facing financial difficulties, the department offers practical advice and guidance covering financial management, educational performance, and governance. Where failings in financial management or governance are identified, the department can take robust action to drive the required improvement, for example through issuing a Financial Notice to Improve. We may also commission a School Resource Management Adviser to provide additional specialist advice where required.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging education employers to promote membership of a credit union to teachers and non-teaching staff.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government is a strong supporter of the mutual sector, including credit unions. The department is not the employer of any school staff, and it would therefore be inappropriate to encourage or recommend membership to specific financial products or institutions.

Abolish the 11 plus nationally. Require phase out of remaining state-funded selective grammar schools and prevent the creation of new ones. Focus on SEND support. Require local authorities to redirect resources from selective testing (11 plus) toward an inclusive, mainstream-first education system.

Found: information to help deliver sessions within PSHE regarding community resilience, with an expectation from DfE

Found: University execution partnerships (Lead: DfE / UKRI) — MBA/business school programmes providing execution

Found: responses from across multiple departments and public sector bodies (DSIT, DWP, MOJ, HO, DEFRA, CO, HMRC, DFE

Found: In England, Department for Education are responsible for the NEET agenda, while in Scotland it is Skills

Found: Dyslexia is estimated to affect around 10% of the population, but Department for Education (DfE) statistics

Found: The benefits of the UTC approach can be expanded beyond the existing programme through: A Department for Education

Found: Effective targets require: Joined-up action across DfE, DWP and DHSC Long-term, stable funding rather

Found: Recent evidence from the Department for Education suggests that 51.3% of 16-24 year olds who identify

Found: A report by the Department for Education [13] indicated that coordinated transition planning, early and

Found: Government departments, including the DfE, DWP and DHSC, must take a joined-up approach, recognising

Found: Key system weaknesses include: Fragmented responsibilities between DfE, DWP, local authorities, Combined

Found: ➢ High-quality careers provision (Gatsby-aligned) with a focus on disadvantaged settings: DfE

Found: As Stephen Morgan MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Education, has stated

Found: families entitled to FSM (under the current criteria) do not benefit from their entitlement (Department for Education

Found: responsibility for child poverty outcomes, and with membership drawn from the Treasury, DWP, MHCLG, DfE

Found: should be a cross-government target, rather than responsibility sitting solely with the Department for Education

Found: Buildings 20 Great Smith Street London SW1P 3BT tel: 0370 000 2288 www.education.gov.uk/contactus/dfe

Found: Skills England sits with the Department for Education, apprenticeships are with DWP, and manufacturing

Found: Smith of Malvern Minister of State for Skills, Further Education and Higher Education Department for Education

Found: We have already mentioned the Cabinet Office, the Department for Education, and DSIT.

Found: by the National Audit Office last year in a report on the family justice system and the Department for Education

Found: things that have happened, but we have also had really positive conversations with the Department for Education

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of parents who were previously unemployed who have entered (1) part-time, and (2) full-time, employment as a result of Government-funded childcare.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We have not made this specific assessment and to do so would be at disproportionate cost.

There is relevant information in our published statistics which show in November 2025, 26% of households on Universal Credit (UC) with pre-school children and in which all claimants had earnings received the childcare element.

We are undertaking a number of activities to address this key barrier to work. This includes provision of the Governments UC childcare offer. This helps to address a key barrier to work by providing financial help with childcare to make it easier for low-income families to choose to work, stay in work and progress in work.

Eligible UC customers can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare costs each month regardless of the number of hours they work. This is up to a maximum amount of £1071.09 a month for a single child and £1836.16 a month for families with two or more children.

Additionally, through the Child Poverty Strategy, we are improving access to childcare. This includes our commitment to create more places in schools-based nurseries, £600 million to extend the Holiday Activities and Food programme and free breakfast clubs in every primary school.

Alongside this, the Department for Education will lead a cross-government review of early education and childcare support to design and deliver a simpler system that maximises benefits for child development and parental ability to work or work more hours.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are seeking ethical approval for their pilot study on social media bans, time limits and curfews.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

DSIT sought academic advice in designing the pilot study. The Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Dame Angela McLean, convened a roundtable of senior academics, alongside Chief Scientific Advisers from FCDO, DfE and College of Policing.

This advice included consideration of sample size. The pilots, by design, form a social research, qualitative study which is thorough, but not statistically representative. With 300 interviews with teenagers, and their parents, from varied perspectives, we aim to gather first-hand insights into their experience of social media.

DSIT worked closely with our delivery partner, Savanta, to design the study to established ethical standards, including securing informed consent from participants, the right of withdrawal, appropriate safeguarding arrangements, and data protection and confidentiality measures throughout.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have sought academic advice on their pilot study on social media bans, time limits and curfews, including on the number of participants needed for meaningful results.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

DSIT sought academic advice in designing the pilot study. The Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Dame Angela McLean, convened a roundtable of senior academics, alongside Chief Scientific Advisers from FCDO, DfE and College of Policing.

This advice included consideration of sample size. The pilots, by design, form a social research, qualitative study which is thorough, but not statistically representative. With 300 interviews with teenagers, and their parents, from varied perspectives, we aim to gather first-hand insights into their experience of social media.

DSIT worked closely with our delivery partner, Savanta, to design the study to established ethical standards, including securing informed consent from participants, the right of withdrawal, appropriate safeguarding arrangements, and data protection and confidentiality measures throughout.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assistance his Department provides for young people with caring responsibilities for older (a) siblings and (b) relatives.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Local authorities must identify young carers, including those caring for older siblings and relatives, who may need support and assess their needs when requested. We strongly support the No Wrong Doors for Young Carers Memorandum of Understanding, which promotes collaboration across children’s and adults’ services, health partners, and schools. We strongly encourage local authorities to sign up to it.

NHS England is supporting the identification of young carers through general practice guidance and improved data sharing. NHS England is also leading a cross-Government project, co-produced with young carers and voluntary, community, and social enterprise partners, to improve identification, strengthen support pathways, and join up services across education, health, and local organisations.

I chair a regular cross-Government meeting with ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Department for Education, to consider how best to provide unpaid carers and young carers with the recognition and support they deserve. The Government is preparing a cross-Government action plan for unpaid carers which we plan to publish later this year. This will include actions to strengthen further the support that is provided to young carers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve public awareness of the symptoms of endometriosis.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government acknowledges the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it has on their lives, their relationships, and their participation in education and the workforce.

We acknowledge that improving public awareness of endometriosis will reduce stigma and ensure symptoms are recognised, and we have taken action to address this.

In July 2025, the Department for Education published revised Relationships Education and Sex Education and Health Education statutory guidance, which emphasise the importance of ensuring that pupils have a comprehensive understanding of women’s health topics, including endometriosis. This will help young people better understand what is normal and when to seek professional help.

The women’s health area on the National Health Service website brings together over 100 different women’s health topics for the public seeking health information, including pages on periods, gynaecological conditions, and endometriosis.

The NHS YouTube channel features two video series on endometriosis and heavy periods, providing more evidence-based information for women, girls, and the wider public, as well as some short videos filmed with NHS doctors.

The Women’s Health Ambassador for England has also been raising awareness of women’s health since her appointment in 2022 by engaging extensively with NHS and healthcare leaders, voluntary sector organisations, patient groups, and industry to raise awareness of the women’s health strategy and build collaborative relationships.

Found: said: As the National Agency for Erasmus+, the British Council will work closely with the Department for Education

Found: The government backing brings together £97 million from the Department for Education, £50 million from

Found: including pregnant women • launched our first Best Start in Life (BSiL) campaign, jointly with DfE

Found: including pregnant women • launched our first Best Start in Life (BSiL) campaign, jointly with DfE

Found: To do this, navigate to DfE Sign In and select 'Information Exchange' from the list of services.

Found: To do this, navigate to DfE Sign In and select 'Information Exchange' from the list of services.

Found: To do this, navigate to DfE Sign In and select 'Information Exchange' from the list of services.

Found: To do this, navigate to DfE Sign In and select 'Information Exchange' from the list of services.

Found: ACT e-learning for education This free course has been developed by the Department for Education in

Found: The Department for Education will be the National Authority, and it will designate and oversee the National

Found: Department for Education Civil Service 185000 - 189999 Lapworth Susan Permanent Secretary

Found: "govuk-table__cell">Permanent Secretary

Found: on this aspect. 248 D FE000018/34 – Department for Education (2025), ‘After-school clubs, community

Found: The Department for Education should consider national implementation.

Found: The Department for Education have been working closely with Lullaby Trust and the Campaign for Gigi to

Found: said: As the National Agency for Erasmus+, the British Council will work closely with the Department for Education

Found: location of the School and other relevant schools; and e) information available on the websites o of the DfE

Found: OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE - DFE USE ONLY OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE - DFE USE ONLY Mr Ian Garforth: Professional

Found: the cost of curriculum staff per pupil is higher than 96.7% of other schools in a benchmark set in DfE

Found: individual support from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy or the Department for Education

Found: The Department for Education (DfE) has announced once-in-a-generation reforms to post-16 education.

Found: MoJ-DfE linked data set: Feasibility of evaluating early interventions for violence prevention: Generating