Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative data her Department holds on the proportion of 16-24 year olds not in education, employment or training (a) who were previously eligible for free school meals and (b) overall.

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

The department publishes statistics on those aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the Labour Force Survey (LFS): NEET age 16 to 24, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2024.

At the end of 2024, the proportion of the 16 to 24 population who were NEET was estimated to be 13.6%. Data is not available for those NEET who attended state schools nor who were previously eligible for free school meals, as this is not collected in the LFS.

Official statistics for 16 to 18 destination measures show the percentage of pupils not continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination in the year after completing 16 to 18 study, that is 6 months of continual activity. The latest publication includes destinations in 2023/24 by characteristics breakdown, for those finishing 16 to 18 study in 2022/23. Data on those who were not recorded as continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination is available for state-funded mainstream schools and colleges, and by free school meals eligibility here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/9e5bf7ed-27f0-49f3-b1bd-08de39895a0e.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that all pupils are able to purse vocational education pathways in Lincolnshire.

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

The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, published on 20 October, set out our vision for a world-leading skills system which breaks down barriers to opportunity, meets student and employers’ needs, widens access to high quality education and training, supports innovation, research, and development and improves people’s lives.

It sets out our plans to introduce V Levels, which will sit alongside A levels and T Levels, and will become the pathway for vocational qualifications at level 3 for 16 to 19 year olds, sitting alongside the academic and technical pathways. We will also introduce two clear post-16 pathways at level 2 for further study and for occupations. We have launched a consultation on these measures, which will close on 12 January 2026. Full details are accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/post-16-level-3-and-below-pathways.

Skills England has also been established to ensure we have the highly trained workforce needed to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs of the next decade.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what evaluation has been undertaken of access to specialist educational provision for children with acquired brain injuries; and whether additional support is planned for emerging specialist schools such as those in Stockton-on-Tees.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Children who have had a brain injury can be affected in different ways. Some brain injuries will result in a special educational need (SEN) or a medical need, whilst others may affect a child in other ways. In whatever way a brain injury manifests, it is essential that the pupil’s individual needs are identified and supported appropriately.

Schools must make arrangements to support their pupils with medical conditions and must make reasonable adjustments to their practices, procedures and policies and not discriminate against their disabled pupils.

The governing body should ensure that sufficient staff have received suitable training and are competent before they take on responsibility to support children with medical conditions. They should also ensure that any members of school staff who provide support to pupils with medical conditions, or those with SEN, are able to access information and other teaching support materials as needed.

Mainstream schools must use their best endeavours to meet the special educational needs of their pupils, which includes those with acquired brain injury. Where needs are more complex the school may request the local authority to conduct an education, health and care needs assessment.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps are being taken to improve early identification of cognitive, behavioural, and emotional needs arising from acquired brain injury in children, particularly within school settings.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Children who have had a brain injury can be affected in different ways. Some brain injuries will result in a special educational need (SEN) or a medical need, whilst others may affect a child in other ways. In whatever way a brain injury manifests, it is essential that the pupil’s individual needs are identified and supported appropriately.

Schools must make arrangements to support their pupils with medical conditions and must make reasonable adjustments to their practices, procedures and policies and not discriminate against their disabled pupils.

The governing body should ensure that sufficient staff have received suitable training and are competent before they take on responsibility to support children with medical conditions. They should also ensure that any members of school staff who provide support to pupils with medical conditions, or those with SEN, are able to access information and other teaching support materials as needed.

Mainstream schools must use their best endeavours to meet the special educational needs of their pupils, which includes those with acquired brain injury. Where needs are more complex the school may request the local authority to conduct an education, health and care needs assessment.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has been made of the adequacy of training for teachers and education support staff on recognising and supporting pupils with acquired brain injuries.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Children who have had a brain injury can be affected in different ways. Some brain injuries will result in a special educational need (SEN) or a medical need, whilst others may affect a child in other ways. In whatever way a brain injury manifests, it is essential that the pupil’s individual needs are identified and supported appropriately.

Schools must make arrangements to support their pupils with medical conditions and must make reasonable adjustments to their practices, procedures and policies and not discriminate against their disabled pupils.

The governing body should ensure that sufficient staff have received suitable training and are competent before they take on responsibility to support children with medical conditions. They should also ensure that any members of school staff who provide support to pupils with medical conditions, or those with SEN, are able to access information and other teaching support materials as needed.

Mainstream schools must use their best endeavours to meet the special educational needs of their pupils, which includes those with acquired brain injury. Where needs are more complex the school may request the local authority to conduct an education, health and care needs assessment.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support students with dyslexia in the context of the Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report and the SEND white paper.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government is committed to ensuring that all pupils receive the support they need to achieve and thrive, including those with dyslexia. The Curriculum and Assessment Review emphasised inclusion and high standards for all, recommending evidence-led resources to help teachers adapt curricula for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). We know that effective early identification and intervention is critical to improving the outcomes for children and young people with SEND. We are strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve early identification in mainstream settings. This includes recently published evidence reviews from University College London which highlight the most effective tools, strategies and approaches to identify and support different types of needs

The department also recently announced new government-backed research into SEND identification, which will aim to develop and test effective approaches to help the early identification of children needing tailored educational support.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2025 to Question 95257 on Children: Data protection, if she will publish a Data Privacy Impact Assessment on the entire Bill.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

A single Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) cannot be conducted on the entire Bill. DPIAs are intended to evaluate specific data processing activities that may present high risks to individuals’ data protection rights, rather than entire pieces of legislation. The department has ensured that all Bill provisions involving personal data comply with data protection legislation by consulting the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under Article 36 of UK GDPR.

We continue to engage with the ICO key measures, such as the Consistent Identifier and Children Not in School (CNIS) measures, to identify and mitigate any data protection risks. In line with our commitment to transparency, we will publish summaries of these DPIAs to provide assurance that children’s data will be processed lawfully and securely once the measures become operational.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2025 to question 93149, if she will publish the Programme-level Key Performance Indicators for RISE advisors.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is committed to transparency and accountability. To that end, we will publish the aggregated information on programme-level performance measures and key performance indicators so stakeholders can see how the programme is delivering against its objectives.

Advisers, whether working with targeted schools or through the universal offer, play a vital role in achieving these programme-level outcomes. Their work is aligned to the overarching measures that define success for the programme.

The department does not intend to publish individual adviser objectives. These are part of personal performance management and may constitute personal data, that cannot be disclosed under data protection requirements.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the take up of free school meals is for those eligible; and what measures are in place to increase take up.

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

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty. The latest school census data shows 2,171,916 pupils claimed benefits-based free school meals (FSM). In total, 25.7% of all pupils claimed benefits-based FSM. This is an increase from the previous academic year, where 24.6% claimed a free meal. A further 1,265,399 pupils received a meal under our universal infant free school meal policy, representing 88.4% of non-FSM eligible infant pupils. This is increase on 87.6% the previous academic year.

Introducing a new eligibility threshold for free school meals of all children from households in receipt of universal credit will make it easier for parents to know whether they are entitled to receive free meals.

To support take-up, we are also updating the Eligibility Checking System, which will make it easier for LAs, schools and parents to check if children are eligible for FSM and can therefore receive a healthy, nutritious meal during the school day. This new entitlement will mean over 500,000 of the most disadvantaged children will begin to access free meals, pulling 100,000 children out of poverty.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in Telford constituency have applied for funding to provide a) free breakfast clubs and b) funded nurseries places in all rounds of applications up to and including 6 December 2025; and how many of those applications have been successful.

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

The department launched the free breakfast club early adopter scheme in April 2025 to test and learn what works in delivering free breakfast clubs in 750 state-funded schools across England. Early adopter schools were selected to ensure a wide range of representation across different school types, sizes and geographical areas. In Telford, one school is taking part in the scheme. National rollout will begin in April 2026, and the first cohort of applications closed on 5 December. Successful applicants will be announced in due course.

High quality early years education is central to the department’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity, give every child the best possible start in life and is essential to our Plan for Change. This government is boosting availability and access through the School-based Nursery Programme. In phase 1 of the programme, one primary school in Telford applied and was awarded funding. Phase 2 closed on 11 December, with successful schools to be announced in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) name, (b) job title, (c) annual remuneration, (d) time commitment and (e) expected end date is for each direct ministerial appointment in her Department.

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

The department does not currently have any direct ministerial appointments.

Details of any exceptional public appointments and all other regulated public appointments at the department can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-education-non-executive-appointments.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how the Department plans to monitor the potential impact of changes to independent school fees on (a) schools and (b) services in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

The department does not monitor impact on changes to private school fees. This is a matter for individual schools.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how are post-16 options such as apprenticeships, technical qualifications and other vocational routes being reformed; and what outcomes data she plans to publish on progression and earnings.

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

This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will provide greater flexibility to employers and learners, and support the Industrial Strategy. In August, the government introduced new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors, and shorter duration apprenticeships.

In October, we published a consultation which sets out our proposals for reformed qualifications pathways at level 3 and level 2. This includes a third, vocational pathway at level 3 called V Levels, and two new pathways at level 2 through the Further Study pathway and the Occupational pathway. The consultation closes on 12 January 2026 and can be accessed here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/technical-education-and-qualifications-reform/post-16-level-3-and-below-pathways/supporting_documents/post-16-level-3-and-below-pathways-consultationpdf.

The department publishes an annual official statistics publication which presents the employment, earnings and learning outcomes of further education learners. The statistics can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/further-education-outcomes/2021-22#explore-data-and-files.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what measures she will use to evaluate the effect of the National Year of Reading 2026 on closing the gender attainment gap.

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

Reading for pleasure brings a range of benefits, including strong links with attainment. However, research by the National Literacy Trust shows that in 2025, just one in three children aged 8 to 18 reported enjoying reading, with teenage boys regularly reporting the lowest levels of reading enjoyment.

That is why the department is launching the National Year of Reading, a UK-wide campaign to address the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people and adults

Grounded in existing evidence and new research by an external research agency, the campaign is designed to deliver meaningful impact during 2026 and beyond.

The impact of the National Year of Reading will be measured through an independent external evaluation. The evaluation will examine how the campaign influences reading behaviours, connects with audiences and shapes attitudes towards reading, particularly among the campaign’s priority audiences: teenage boys, early years children, and families from disadvantaged communities. It will also assess the wider impact on the literacy sector and the foundations for long-term change. The findings will be published in 2027.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued to the Regional Department for Education Directors about the implementation of the Equality Act 2010 in schools in the maintained system.

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

It is a school's responsibility to ensure they meet the requirements in the Equality Act 2010, including complying with the Public Sector Equality Duty. The department provides guidance to help schools understand their duties under the Act.

Enforcement of equality legislation is the role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which offers advice, supports legal cases, and can take regulatory action against organisations that breach the law.

If someone believes a school has not complied with the Equality Act, they should first follow the school’s complaints procedure. They can also seek advice from the Equality Advisory and Support Service, which advises and assists people on issues relating to equality and human rights. If, after completing the school’s process, they feel their complaint was mishandled, they may complain to the department, which will review whether the school followed their complaints process correctly.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what processes the Regional Department for Education Directors has in place to monitor the implementation of the Equality Act 2010 by academies.

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

It is a school's responsibility to ensure they meet the requirements in the Equality Act 2010, including complying with the Public Sector Equality Duty. The department provides guidance to help schools understand their duties under the Act.

Enforcement of equality legislation is the role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which offers advice, supports legal cases, and can take regulatory action against organisations that breach the law.

If someone believes a school has not complied with the Equality Act, they should first follow the school’s complaints procedure. They can also seek advice from the Equality Advisory and Support Service, which advises and assists people on issues relating to equality and human rights. If, after completing the school’s process, they feel their complaint was mishandled, they may complain to the department, which will review whether the school followed their complaints process correctly.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued to the Regional Department for Education Directors about the implementation of the Equality Act 2010 in academies.

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

It is a school's responsibility to ensure they meet the requirements in the Equality Act 2010, including complying with the Public Sector Equality Duty. The department provides guidance to help schools understand their duties under the Act.

Enforcement of equality legislation is the role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which offers advice, supports legal cases, and can take regulatory action against organisations that breach the law.

If someone believes a school has not complied with the Equality Act, they should first follow the school’s complaints procedure. They can also seek advice from the Equality Advisory and Support Service, which advises and assists people on issues relating to equality and human rights. If, after completing the school’s process, they feel their complaint was mishandled, they may complain to the department, which will review whether the school followed their complaints process correctly.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase early identification of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department knows that effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

To support settings to identify need early, the department is strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve early identification in mainstream settings. Recently published evidence reviews from University College London will help to drive inclusive practices, as they highlight what the best available evidence suggests are the most effective tools, strategies and approaches for teachers and other relevant staff in mainstream settings to identify and support children and young people with different types of needs.

We also recently announced new government-backed research into special educational need identification, which will be delivered by UK Research Innovation in partnership with the department. This will aim to develop and test trusted and effective approaches to help the early identification of children needing targeted educational support.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much of the announced SEND funding will be allocated to Surrey County Council.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

In December, the department announced at least £3 billion for high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30 to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities or who require alternative provision. We will confirm local authority allocations for this funding in the spring.

This builds on the £740 million invested in 2025/26. which is on track to create around 10,000 new specialist places, of which Surrey Council was allocated just over £16 million for 2025/26.

This funding is intended to create facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs. It can also be used to adapt mainstream schools to be more accessible and create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools provide equal access to school reports, parents’ evening information, and other communications for separated and separating parents.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department’s parental responsibility guidance sets out how schools should communicate with non-resident parents. The guidance states that ’school and local authority staff must treat all parents equally, unless a court order limits a parent’s ability to make educational decisions, participate in school life or receive information about their child’.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the availability of anonymised data relevant to children with irregular migrant status who are enrolled in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Every child who is resident in England has a right to a school place irrespective of their nationality or immigration status therefore this data is not collected.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of financial barriers such as maintenance loans, accommodation costs, unpaid placements on working-class students in higher education; and what reforms are being considered to improve retention alongside initial access.

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

The department recognises the impact the cost of living crisis on students. To help students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds progress into and excel in higher education, we will future proof our maintenance loan offer by increasing maintenance loans in line with forecast inflation every academic year. We will also provide extra support for care leavers, who will automatically become eligible to receive the maximum rate of maintenance loan.

We will reintroduce maintenance grants, providing full-time higher education students from low-income households studying subjects aligned with the government’s missions and Industrial Strategy with up to £1,000 extra support per year from 2028/29.

Further, we will develop options to address regional disparities in access and tackle systemic barriers in the journey to higher education for disadvantaged students. To deliver this we have brought together a task and finish group to focus on how the system can best widen access for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of college provision for construction courses in Surrey Heath constituency.

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

We have established 10 Construction Technical Excellence Colleges (CTECs), one for each region of the country and one cross-regional CTEC. These CTECs will work with all construction providers and other key stakeholders across their region to deliver on the objectives of the CTEC programme, which includes boosting construction skills provision in direct response to local and national employer needs.

North Kent College is the CTEC for the south-east and will be working across the region to deliver on the objectives of the programme.

We recognise that many colleges have waiting lists for construction courses, so the department is investing £195 million capital funding announced as part of the construction skills package to expand construction skills capacity in the areas across the country, both in CTECs and their partner colleges. More detail on how areas such as Surrey Heath can access this funding will be set out in the new year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking with the devolved administrations to facilitate the sharing of best practice and models of reform of special educational needs provision throughout the UK.

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

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

​As part of our Plan for Change, we are determined to fix the special educational needs and disabilities system and restore the trust of parents by ensuring schools have the tools to better identify and support children before issues escalate. We’re continuing to engage closely with children, parents and experts as we develop plans to ensure all children get the outcomes and life chances they deserve. 

The department engages the devolved governments at ministerial and official level on a range of areas, which allows a sharing of collective knowledge and experience as well as collaborative working on shared interests and challenges to deliver better outcomes for people across the UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the availability of sign language education courses.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

There are a variety of British Sign Language (BSL) qualifications available, from Level 1 through to Level 6. This includes Level 1 and 2 accredited qualifications offered by the Institute of British Sign Language, Signature and ABC Awards.

There are also funds available for adults who want to learn new skills through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF), which fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3. 68% of the ASF is devolved to 13 strategic authorities, including the East Midlands Authority, who are responsible for ASF provision to their residents. The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for the remaining ASF and makes funding available for a range of qualifications including the Level 1 Award in BSL.

The government, working with Ofqual, has also developed the content and assessment arrangements for a new BSL GCSE.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to follow the government of Scotland in providing matched funding for incentivised learning of life skills for young people in care through the Share Foundation’s Stepladder PLUS programme.

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

​​We want to ensure that children leaving care have stable homes, access to health services, support to build lifelong loving relationships and are engaged in education, employment and training.

​

​We recognise the importance of financial skills, such as that provided through the Stepladder Plus programme, in achieving this aim. The department currently supports the use of this programme through its contract, for the provision of Junior ISA savings accounts to children in care, with The Share Foundation. We do not have any plans to provide match funding at this time.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire are able to offer swimming lessons to pupils.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

It is a requirement of the PE national curriculum that schools must provide swimming and water safety lessons to pupils in either key stage 1 or 2. Whilst academies are not required to follow the national curriculum, they must provide a broad and balanced curriculum. The department is processing information gathered on swimming and water safety through the Digital Expenditure Reporting Return and will publish a summary of quality assured data in the new year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 2 December (HL12136), whether they plan to conduct a formal review of the law relating to (1) collective worship, and (2) religious education, in schools in England in response to the Supreme Court's ruling in JR87 [2025] UKSC 40; and if so, what the scope and timetable of that review will be.

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

​​We are continuing to review the Supreme Court judgement to establish whether there are any implications for religious education or collective worship in England and will say more in due course. ​

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on reviewing care plans where new diagnoses of (a) special educational needs, (b) disabilities or (c) neurodevelopmental conditions are identified after a child has entered foster care.

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

The department has published a comprehensive suite of guidance to ensure that children in care have their needs identified and supported, as part of a dynamic and continuous cycle of care planning. This includes:

• The Children Act 1989 guidance, Volume 2.
• Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children (joint Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care guidance).
• Promoting the educational outcomes of looked-after children.
• The Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice.

As part of this, each child must have a care plan, bringing together information from assessment across the dimensions of their developmental needs, incorporating a health plan and a personal education plan. Reviews must occur within 20 days of entering care, again within three months, and at least every six months thereafter, and can be brought forward if circumstances change significantly, including to account for significant health, medical events, or diagnoses.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make proposals to support pupils with medical conditions, including allergies.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. Schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with medical conditions and have policies and processes in place to ensure these can be well managed. Any member of school staff providing support to a pupil with medical needs should have received suitable training.

The government has committed to reviewing the statutory guidance on Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions at School (2015), and we intend to consult on revised guidance. The current guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.

Our aim is to ensure that schools are better equipped to support all pupils with medical conditions as part of our wider ambition to create more inclusive schools through the forthcoming Schools White Paper.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has her Department made of the potential merits of incorporating history-based video games to enhance learning.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Schools are trusted to use their judgement to choose high quality resources and deliver their lessons in ways that work best for their pupils.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review has recommended that the department works with experts to assess the validity of digital practice in subjects, and we will consider inclusion of relevant digital content in the national curriculum based on this process.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps is she taking to ensure that the National Curriculum includes immersive experiences.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, published on 5 November, sets out our plans for a refreshed curriculum to ensure that all pupils develop the knowledge and skills that we know are essential for life, work and innovation.

Schools are trusted to use their judgement to choose high quality resources and deliver their lessons in ways that work best for their pupils.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what factors determined the timing between the publication of the consultation on the SEND white paper on 2 December 2025 and the first engagement event on 3 December 2025; and whether that notice period aligns with her Department’s standards for effective public consultation.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department has undertaken extensive engagement over the past year, holding more than 100 events with children, young people, parents and other stakeholders to inform our work on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The SEND national conversation, launched on 2 December, is not a formal consultation but an expansion of this ongoing engagement, designed to broaden participation and ensure parents’ voices are heard. The first events were scheduled promptly to maintain momentum and provide early opportunities for families to contribute. The Council for Disabled Children has promoted the regional engagement sessions, which are now fully subscribed, and further online events run by the department remain open for sign‑up.

A formal consultation will take place following publication of the Schools White Paper next year, in line with the department’s standards for effective public consultation, to continue the conversation on reform and gather views on specific proposals.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of expanding the National Curriculum to embed (a) critical and creative thinking, (b) problem solving, (c) communication and (d) collaboration skills to support the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The government response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review sets out our plan to ensure that all pupils develop the knowledge and skills that we know are essential for life, work and innovation.

When refreshing the national curriculum, we will identify where subject-specific disciplinary skills are not clearly described or not emphasised adequately, and then ensure that these are properly reflected in those subjects’ programmes of study. For example, creative thinking in computing, critical thinking in history or problem solving in maths.

Furthermore, we will be extending citizenship to primary schools to introduce important financial literacy to pupils from an earlier age; reforming computing education to equip more young people with the digital skills they need for the future; and creating a new oracy framework to help pupils become confident, fluent speakers, setting them up for leadership roles in the workplace.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will bring forward policy proposals to make access to PE and sport at school a right for all disabled children.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is committed to giving every pupil the chance to participate in PE and sport while at school. This government has committed funding of up to £300,000 this financial year to the Youth Sport Trust to deliver Inclusion 2028, a programme to upskill the school workforce to deliver high quality, inclusive PE, school sport and physical activity to pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The programme also funds the Inclusive Education Hub, an online platform of resources to help schools make their PE and sport more inclusive.

Schools also receive capital funding directly through core funding. The government is investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034/35 in capital maintenance and renewal to improve the condition of the school and college estate, rising from £2.4 billion in 2025/26.

Following my right hon. friend, the Prime Minister’s announcement on 19 June 2025, we are establishing a new PE and school sport partnerships network to ensure all children and young people, including those with SEND, have access to high quality PE and school sport.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 14 February to Question 29521, on Teachers: Music, for what reason the Department does not collect curriculum data from primary schools on the subjects taught by individual teachers; and whether consideration has been given to collecting such data in order to identify the number of primary teachers specialising in music.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Information on the school workforce, including the number of teachers in state-funded schools and teacher entrants and leaver rates, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.

The department publishes secondary subject level entrant numbers and leaver rates as part of the ‘Postgraduate initial teacher training targets’ (PGITT) publication, the most recent version of which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/postgraduate-initial-teacher-training-targets/2025-26.

To note that the entrant and leaver rates included within this publication are calculated for a specific purpose which is to produce the primary and secondary PGITT targets and teachers that arrive from or leave to the special/pupil referral unit phase are counted within the rates. This is a different methodology than used to calculate the overall national and phase level teacher entrant and leaver rates in the school workforce census and so the rates are not directly comparable. These data will be updated when new targets are published in Spring 2026.

The department collects and publishes data on the degree subjects held by primary school teachers. The number of primary school teachers who hold a music degree or degree in a music-related subject is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/1a4752ff-957f-4676-b1dd-08de39895a0e. This data has been available since 31 July 2025.

1.7% of secondary school music teachers were aged 60 or over in 2024/25. There is no single set retirement age for teachers. The department does not collect information on subjects taught in primary schools.

The department does not collect curriculum data from primary schools on the subjects taught by individual teachers. Unlike secondary teachers, who specialise in individual subjects, primary school teachers typically instruct across the whole curriculum. Gathering detailed data on which subjects each teacher delivers would require extensive additional reporting, increasing administrative workload.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department collects data on the (a) degree subjects of primary school teachers and (b) number of primary school teachers who hold a music degree or degree in a music-related subject.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Information on the school workforce, including the number of teachers in state-funded schools and teacher entrants and leaver rates, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.

The department publishes secondary subject level entrant numbers and leaver rates as part of the ‘Postgraduate initial teacher training targets’ (PGITT) publication, the most recent version of which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/postgraduate-initial-teacher-training-targets/2025-26.

To note that the entrant and leaver rates included within this publication are calculated for a specific purpose which is to produce the primary and secondary PGITT targets and teachers that arrive from or leave to the special/pupil referral unit phase are counted within the rates. This is a different methodology than used to calculate the overall national and phase level teacher entrant and leaver rates in the school workforce census and so the rates are not directly comparable. These data will be updated when new targets are published in Spring 2026.

The department collects and publishes data on the degree subjects held by primary school teachers. The number of primary school teachers who hold a music degree or degree in a music-related subject is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/1a4752ff-957f-4676-b1dd-08de39895a0e. This data has been available since 31 July 2025.

1.7% of secondary school music teachers were aged 60 or over in 2024/25. There is no single set retirement age for teachers. The department does not collect information on subjects taught in primary schools.

The department does not collect curriculum data from primary schools on the subjects taught by individual teachers. Unlike secondary teachers, who specialise in individual subjects, primary school teachers typically instruct across the whole curriculum. Gathering detailed data on which subjects each teacher delivers would require extensive additional reporting, increasing administrative workload.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of primary and secondary school music teachers are within 5 years of retirement age.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Information on the school workforce, including the number of teachers in state-funded schools and teacher entrants and leaver rates, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.

The department publishes secondary subject level entrant numbers and leaver rates as part of the ‘Postgraduate initial teacher training targets’ (PGITT) publication, the most recent version of which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/postgraduate-initial-teacher-training-targets/2025-26.

To note that the entrant and leaver rates included within this publication are calculated for a specific purpose which is to produce the primary and secondary PGITT targets and teachers that arrive from or leave to the special/pupil referral unit phase are counted within the rates. This is a different methodology than used to calculate the overall national and phase level teacher entrant and leaver rates in the school workforce census and so the rates are not directly comparable. These data will be updated when new targets are published in Spring 2026.

The department collects and publishes data on the degree subjects held by primary school teachers. The number of primary school teachers who hold a music degree or degree in a music-related subject is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/1a4752ff-957f-4676-b1dd-08de39895a0e. This data has been available since 31 July 2025.

1.7% of secondary school music teachers were aged 60 or over in 2024/25. There is no single set retirement age for teachers. The department does not collect information on subjects taught in primary schools.

The department does not collect curriculum data from primary schools on the subjects taught by individual teachers. Unlike secondary teachers, who specialise in individual subjects, primary school teachers typically instruct across the whole curriculum. Gathering detailed data on which subjects each teacher delivers would require extensive additional reporting, increasing administrative workload.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative data her Department holds on the proportion of 16-24 year olds not in education, employment or training (a) who attended state schools and (b) overall.

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

The department publishes statistics on those aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the Labour Force Survey (LFS): NEET age 16 to 24, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2024.

At the end of 2024, the proportion of the 16 to 24 population who were NEET was estimated to be 13.6%. Data is not available for those NEET who attended state schools nor who were previously eligible for free school meals, as this is not collected in the LFS.

Official statistics for 16 to 18 destination measures show the percentage of pupils not continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination in the year after completing 16 to 18 study, that is 6 months of continual activity. The latest publication includes destinations in 2023/24 by characteristics breakdown, for those finishing 16 to 18 study in 2022/23. Data on those who were not recorded as continuing to a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination is available for state-funded mainstream schools and colleges, and by free school meals eligibility here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/9e5bf7ed-27f0-49f3-b1bd-08de39895a0e.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the closure of arts-based courses at universities and colleges on the culture and economy of towns and cities.

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

​​Arts-based courses are an important part of the creative sector’s contribution to society and the economy.

​Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) are designed to ensure training provision meets local labour market needs. We have placed stronger expectations on higher education (HE) providers, through statutory guidance, to actively engage with LSIPs and consider them when shaping their course offer, supporting local economic growth.

​For this academic year, strategic priorities grant recurrent (programme) funding allocation for world-leading small and specialist providers is being maintained at £57.4 million. This is in line with the government’s priorities to maximise growth and opportunity for students, HE providers and the economy. For performing and creative arts courses at all approved (fee cap) providers, the per student funding rate for eligible courses is being maintained at £130.54 for this academic year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what processes the Regional Department for Education Directors has in place to monitor the implementation of the Equality Act 2010 by schools in the maintained system.

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

It is a school's responsibility to ensure they meet the requirements in the Equality Act 2010, including complying with the Public Sector Equality Duty. The department provides guidance to help schools understand their duties under the Act.

Enforcement of equality legislation is the role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which offers advice, supports legal cases, and can take regulatory action against organisations that breach the law.

If someone believes a school has not complied with the Equality Act, they should first follow the school’s complaints procedure. They can also seek advice from the Equality Advisory and Support Service, which advises and assists people on issues relating to equality and human rights. If, after completing the school’s process, they feel their complaint was mishandled, they may complain to the department, which will review whether the school followed their complaints process correctly.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many minutes of citizenship teaching per week will be required for a primary school class when that subject becomes compulsory.

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

The national curriculum does not specify how much time should be dedicated to individual subjects at either primary or secondary school. The department trusts school leaders and teachers to design their curriculum and lessons to meet the requirements in a way that is appropriate for their pupils.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she plans to take to improve a) universal, b) targeted and c) specialist speech, language and communication support.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Speech and Language Therapists (SaLTs) play a critical role in early intervention for children and young people. By breaking down communication barriers, they unlock learning, inclusion, and opportunity for every child.

The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. This includes extending the Early Language and Support for Every Child programme, trialling new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years settings and primary schools.

We are also continuing to grow the pipeline. In addition to the undergraduate degree route, speech and language therapists can also train via a degree apprenticeship. This route is now in its fourth year of delivery and offers an alternative pathway to the traditional degree route into a successful career as a speech and language therapist.

Further plans to bolster this critical workforce will be set out in the forthcoming Schools White Paper.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what has been the market share of (a) private equity firms, and (b) sovereign wealth funds in the additional needs sector in each year since 2020.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Based on publicly available information, we understand that approximately 300 independent special schools (34% of the sector), educating around 14,000 pupils, are owned by fifteen private equity funds, including sovereign wealth funds (SWF). Within these 300 schools, two sovereign wealth funds, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, own 42 schools (5% of the total market). The Qatar Investment Authority acquired Senad Group in 2008, while Mubadala Capital (part of the Abu Dhabi SWF) acquired Witherslack Group from a UK private equity firm in 2021. SWF owned six independent special schools in 2020, increasing to the current level in 2021.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many requests her Department has received from schools for sign-off of confidentiality clauses in staff settlement agreements in each of the last three financial years; and how many of those requests were approved.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The requirement for academy trusts to obtain prior approval from the department for confidentiality clauses associated with staff severance payments was introduced in October 2025 and is set out in paragraph 5.13 of the academy trust handbook, which is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academy-trust-handbook/academy-trust-handbook-2025-effective-from-1-september-2025.

The revision was made to reflect HM Treasury’s updated guidance on public sector exit payments, which states that Treasury approval is required if the payment is novel, contentious or repercussive. Settlement agreements that contain confidentiality clauses are included within this description. As this requirement was only introduced in October 2025, annual data is not currently available.

For local authority-maintained schools, the responsibility and oversight for such decisions will be managed locally.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to introduce policies requiring schools to give both parents equal access to information about their child’s education, regardless of parental separation status.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department’s parental responsibility guidance sets out how schools should communicate with non-resident parents. The guidance states that ’school and local authority staff must treat all parents equally, unless a court order limits a parent’s ability to make educational decisions, participate in school life or receive information about their child’.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the additional cost of special educational needs provision in England in each of the next three years.

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

To support specialist provision, in December, the department announced at least £3 billion for high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30. This builds on the £740 million invested in 2025/26, which is on track to create around 10,000 new specialist places.

The department will publish its plans for reform to the special educational needs system in the new year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the inclusion of the book 'Pigeon English' in the English GCSE curriculum in England and Wales.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Schools have the autonomy to choose the specific books and resources they use within the framework of the national curriculum. The department defines the genres of literature that must be covered, but does not prescribe individual authors or texts, other than Shakespeare which must be taught. At GCSE level, exam boards set out a range of set texts in their specifications, and schools are free to select those they wish to teach.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools educate pupils about the Holocaust in a way that counters misinformation and denial; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of curriculum guidance on that subject.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The Holocaust is the only historic event which is compulsory within the current national curriculum for history at key stage 3. The government has made a commitment that the Holocaust will remain a compulsory topic in the reformed national curriculum, which will also be required teaching in academy schools when it is implemented.

The government funds a set of programmes to support Holocaust teaching that provide high quality, rigorous education about the Holocaust and tackle misinformation, denial and distortion.

The department funds teachers’ professional development in this subject through University College London’s Centre for Holocaust Education, and the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz project gives students aged 16 to 18 the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau.

In addition, the Supporting Holocaust Survivor Testimony in Teaching programme will support schools in using recorded Holocaust survivor testimony in their teaching. The programme will include resources on use of new technological innovations in this area to help teacher and student digital literacy, critical engagement with AI tools and recognition of AI-generated misinformation.

Schools can also access wider resources available to tackle Holocaust distortion, including through the Oak National Academy.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish a revised delivery timeline for issuing all outstanding Remedial Service Statements to retired teachers affected by Transitional Protection.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is working closely with the scheme administrator to process Remediable Service Statements (RSSs) as quickly and efficiently as possible. Several factors have affected the original delivery timeline, including technical dependencies, regulatory requirements, coordination with external partners and preparation for a transition of contractor.

The combination of these factors means an accurate delivery timetable is not available at present. The department continues to monitor progress and is working closely with the scheme administrator to streamline processes and introduce automation where possible. Any pension adjustments arising from members’ choices will be backdated with interest to ensure members are not financially disadvantaged.

The administrator will keep affected members informed of revised timelines through established channels, including My Pension Online and its website. The latest update is available here: https://www.teacherspensions.co.uk/news/public-news/2025/11/timeline-for-sending-out-remediable-service-statements-rss.aspx. As responsibility for this work transitions to the new administrator of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in Summer 2026, the department is working with TCS to finalise the timeline for issuing all RSSs. Once the timeline is confirmed, it will be communicated to relevant members.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the availability of low-quality, online children’s content on levels of SEND diagnosis.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Research from the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education demonstrates that rates of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) identification are increasing internationally, and England is one of the countries with a relatively higher percentage change of pupils identified with SEND. The research is available here: https://www.european-agency.org/activities/data/cross-country-reports

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced on 4 December the launch of an independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism so children, young people and adults can receive the right support

The SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years makes it clear that meeting the needs of a child with special educational needs does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, we expect teachers to monitor the progress of all pupils and put support in place where needed. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support schools seeking to attain purchasing power agreements for solar panels.

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

My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Autumn Budget 2025 indicated that departments could consider private sources of finance, including Public Private Partnerships, to decarbonise the public sector estate. The department is exploring how this could be applied to schools, including the potential use of Power Purchase Agreements for solar installations. Based on research to date there is an estimated capacity on the school estate in its current roof condition to generate up to 1.9 gigawatts of electricity.

The Great British Energy Solar Partnership for Schools is already investing £100 million to install solar and other energy efficiency interventions on 250 schools and colleges. The department ‘s sustainability website also provides support for all schools on reducing their emissions, including some low-cost approaches.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support creative education in schools.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and this response relates to state-funded schools in England only.

On 5 November, the government issued the response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, setting out the changes that will be made to the national curriculum, as well as reforms to qualifications, school accountability and enrichment. The first teaching of a refreshed curriculum will be September 2028, and will include improvements in music, art and design, dance in PE, and drama in English.

We will also consult on an improved version of Progress 8 that balances a strong academic core with breadth.

Next year, the National Centre for Arts and Music Education will support excellent teacher training in the arts, boost partnerships between schools and cultural organisations and promote arts opportunities.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of secondary school music teachers left the profession in each year from 2010 to 2025; and how that proportion compares to those that joined in each of those same years.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Information on the school workforce, including the number of teachers in state-funded schools and teacher entrants and leaver rates, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.

The department publishes secondary subject level entrant numbers and leaver rates as part of the ‘Postgraduate initial teacher training targets’ (PGITT) publication, the most recent version of which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/postgraduate-initial-teacher-training-targets/2025-26.

To note that the entrant and leaver rates included within this publication are calculated for a specific purpose which is to produce the primary and secondary PGITT targets and teachers that arrive from or leave to the special/pupil referral unit phase are counted within the rates. This is a different methodology than used to calculate the overall national and phase level teacher entrant and leaver rates in the school workforce census and so the rates are not directly comparable. These data will be updated when new targets are published in Spring 2026.

The department collects and publishes data on the degree subjects held by primary school teachers. The number of primary school teachers who hold a music degree or degree in a music-related subject is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/1a4752ff-957f-4676-b1dd-08de39895a0e. This data has been available since 31 July 2025.

1.7% of secondary school music teachers were aged 60 or over in 2024/25. There is no single set retirement age for teachers. The department does not collect information on subjects taught in primary schools.

The department does not collect curriculum data from primary schools on the subjects taught by individual teachers. Unlike secondary teachers, who specialise in individual subjects, primary school teachers typically instruct across the whole curriculum. Gathering detailed data on which subjects each teacher delivers would require extensive additional reporting, increasing administrative workload.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of retention rates among secondary school music teachers compared to other subject teachers between 2015 and 2025.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Information on the school workforce, including the number of teachers in state-funded schools and teacher entrants and leaver rates, is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england/2024.

The department publishes secondary subject level entrant numbers and leaver rates as part of the ‘Postgraduate initial teacher training targets’ (PGITT) publication, the most recent version of which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/postgraduate-initial-teacher-training-targets/2025-26.

To note that the entrant and leaver rates included within this publication are calculated for a specific purpose which is to produce the primary and secondary PGITT targets and teachers that arrive from or leave to the special/pupil referral unit phase are counted within the rates. This is a different methodology than used to calculate the overall national and phase level teacher entrant and leaver rates in the school workforce census and so the rates are not directly comparable. These data will be updated when new targets are published in Spring 2026.

The department collects and publishes data on the degree subjects held by primary school teachers. The number of primary school teachers who hold a music degree or degree in a music-related subject is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/1a4752ff-957f-4676-b1dd-08de39895a0e. This data has been available since 31 July 2025.

1.7% of secondary school music teachers were aged 60 or over in 2024/25. There is no single set retirement age for teachers. The department does not collect information on subjects taught in primary schools.

The department does not collect curriculum data from primary schools on the subjects taught by individual teachers. Unlike secondary teachers, who specialise in individual subjects, primary school teachers typically instruct across the whole curriculum. Gathering detailed data on which subjects each teacher delivers would require extensive additional reporting, increasing administrative workload.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to expand SEND Hubs in schools in West Dorset.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is committed to encouraging schools and local authorities to set up resourced provision and special educational needs (SEN) units to increase capacity in mainstream schools and is working with the sector to increase capacity and extend best practice across the system.

The department has announced £3 billion in high needs capital to create 50,000 places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This builds on the £740 million high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision, including setting up resourced provision or SEN units in mainstream schools. Dorset received a high needs provision capital allocation of £5,023,392 for 2025/26. Funding for individual SEN units or resourced provision is the responsibility of the relevant local authority, with minimum place funding governed by the high needs operational guidance.

The department is launching national SEN unit/resourced provision peer networks, as part of the regional improvement for standards and excellence universal service offer on inclusive mainstream, to support frontline practitioners so that children benefit from high quality and consistent provision.

The department is also working with the Council for Disabled Children and the National Association for Special Educational Needs to develop guidance to help mainstream settings deliver high quality support for children and young people accessing SEN units, resourced provision, and pupil support units.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of SEND Hubs on educational outcomes for children with SEND in West Dorset constituency.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is committed to encouraging schools and local authorities to set up resourced provision and special educational needs (SEN) units to increase capacity in mainstream schools and is working with the sector to increase capacity and extend best practice across the system.

The department has announced £3 billion in high needs capital to create 50,000 places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This builds on the £740 million high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision, including setting up resourced provision or SEN units in mainstream schools. Dorset received a high needs provision capital allocation of £5,023,392 for 2025/26. Funding for individual SEN units or resourced provision is the responsibility of the relevant local authority, with minimum place funding governed by the high needs operational guidance.

The department is launching national SEN unit/resourced provision peer networks, as part of the regional improvement for standards and excellence universal service offer on inclusive mainstream, to support frontline practitioners so that children benefit from high quality and consistent provision.

The department is also working with the Council for Disabled Children and the National Association for Special Educational Needs to develop guidance to help mainstream settings deliver high quality support for children and young people accessing SEN units, resourced provision, and pupil support units.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department is ensuring that SEND Hubs in West Dorset schools are adequately funded and staffed.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is committed to encouraging schools and local authorities to set up resourced provision and special educational needs (SEN) units to increase capacity in mainstream schools and is working with the sector to increase capacity and extend best practice across the system.

The department has announced £3 billion in high needs capital to create 50,000 places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This builds on the £740 million high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision, including setting up resourced provision or SEN units in mainstream schools. Dorset received a high needs provision capital allocation of £5,023,392 for 2025/26. Funding for individual SEN units or resourced provision is the responsibility of the relevant local authority, with minimum place funding governed by the high needs operational guidance.

The department is launching national SEN unit/resourced provision peer networks, as part of the regional improvement for standards and excellence universal service offer on inclusive mainstream, to support frontline practitioners so that children benefit from high quality and consistent provision.

The department is also working with the Council for Disabled Children and the National Association for Special Educational Needs to develop guidance to help mainstream settings deliver high quality support for children and young people accessing SEN units, resourced provision, and pupil support units.

I ask the Government to consider introducing specific, mandatory lessons on sewing & textile skills into the National Curriculum, and Early Years Foundation Stage for nursery children. Currently, nurseries may teach sewing via continuous provision but it may not continue for all children in Year 1.

Introduce GCSE Law to the national education curriculum. I feel the current curriculum can sometimes fail to inspire and motivate students.

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