Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total sum raised so far by the introduction of VAT on independent school fees, and how many extra teachers have been recruited as a result.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
HM Treasury published a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) on applying VAT to independent school fees.
The TIIN estimates that, accounting for the spending implications of any pupil movement into the state sector, the policy is expected to raise £1.7 billion per annum by 2029/30.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2025 to Question 73665 on Pupils: English Language, what proportion of children starting primary school cannot speak English to an acceptable standard.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department does not hold specific data on the proportion of children starting primary school who are unable to speak English to an acceptable standard.
Information on teacher assessments of children’s development at the end of the early years foundation stage (EYFS), specifically the end of the academic year in which a child turns five, is published as part of the annual statistical release, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-results/2023-24.
The latest data on the percentage of children at expected level for communication and language, including speaking, can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d481e08f-ef55-4809-f8d6-08de0724494a.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to help support students who are retaking (a) maths and (b) English GCSE whilst in further education.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is committed to supporting high quality teaching and learning for students who are continuing their English and maths study during 16 to 19 under the maths and English condition of funding. The department has already introduced the requirement for providers to offer 100 hours minimum of classroom teaching per subject, supported by additional funding for providers, and set clearer expectations on which students should typically be entered into November resits, to avoid unnecessary repeated resits which we recognise are demoralising for students.
We are also introducing new level 1 stepping stone qualifications to support post-16 students to consolidate foundational skills and knowledge, preparing those with lower prior attainment for successful GCSE resits the following year. In addition, we are working with the further education Commissioner to gather and share effective practice, to help providers support their students.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with her Northern Ireland counterpart on substitute teachers unable to get permanent jobs.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Supply teachers perform a valuable role and make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and covering teacher absences.
Schools, academies and local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of supply teachers, which includes deciding whether they contract supply teachers directly or use employment agencies.
Education is a devolved matter. The department is in contact with Northern Ireland counterparts at an official level to discuss and share valuable knowledge about supply teachers and the supply system in England and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing funding levels for the Music and Dance Scheme; and whether she plans to (a) uplift bursary rates in line with inflation and (b) provide multi-year funding settlements to give greater certainty to participating schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Bedford, to the answer of 23 October 2025 to Question 78882.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that all primary schools are keeping children safe from the exposure to the sun during the school day.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Schools are responsible for safeguarding children in their care. We expect all schools to make sensible decisions about sun safety when temperatures are high.
The department’s Education Hub website signposts the UK Security Agency’s advice for teachers and other educational professionals on looking after children before and after hot weather, and the Health and Safety Executive’s advice for schools as employers.
We also expect schools to engage parents and pupils in discussions about what precautions are acceptable, including how schools adhere to the UK Security Agency’s advice around whether staff should administer sunscreen to younger pupils, whether children are allowed to carry their own sunscreen or cover up, wear sunglasses and a hat.
The department has no plans to introduce a national sun safe policy for primary schools. We believe schools are best placed to determine what measures are practical within the context of their school to minimise the risks arising from pupils being exposed to the sun during the school day.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy that all primary schools must adopt a national sun safe policy.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Schools are responsible for safeguarding children in their care. We expect all schools to make sensible decisions about sun safety when temperatures are high.
The department’s Education Hub website signposts the UK Security Agency’s advice for teachers and other educational professionals on looking after children before and after hot weather, and the Health and Safety Executive’s advice for schools as employers.
We also expect schools to engage parents and pupils in discussions about what precautions are acceptable, including how schools adhere to the UK Security Agency’s advice around whether staff should administer sunscreen to younger pupils, whether children are allowed to carry their own sunscreen or cover up, wear sunglasses and a hat.
The department has no plans to introduce a national sun safe policy for primary schools. We believe schools are best placed to determine what measures are practical within the context of their school to minimise the risks arising from pupils being exposed to the sun during the school day.
Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children are on waiting lists for Education, Health and Care plan assessments in (a) Hexham constituency, (b) Northumberland, (c) Newcastle, (d) the North East and (e) England.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department does not hold information on the number of children waiting for an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment.
Information is published on the number of requests for an EHC needs assessment and the number of assessments carried out. The number of requests for an EHC needs assessment which were outstanding at the end of the 2024 calendar year in Northumberland, Newcastle, the North East and England for the 2024 calendar year is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/99797c00-9a15-49d0-7af8-08de11c58191.
The number of EHC needs assessments which were outstanding at the end of the 2024 calendar year in Northumberland, Newcastle, the North East and England for the 2024 calendar year is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/e0532abe-628f-452a-7af9-08de11c58191.
This information is not available at constituency level.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the role of play in supporting the (a) development and (b) learning of (i) children with special educational needs and disabilities and (ii) other children; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that reductions in school break times do not limit opportunities for play during the school day.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department recognises that play is critical to children’s wellbeing, learning and development. This is reflected in the early years foundation stage statutory framework, which supports early years practitioners to design a rich curriculum that includes regular opportunities for play-based learning.
Governing bodies (for maintained schools) and academy trusts (for academies) are responsible for deciding when sessions should begin and end on each school day. They are also responsible for deciding the length of each lesson and the timings for the morning session, the midday break and the afternoon session. The department does not collect data on the number of breaks, including lunch time, that schools schedule into their daily and weekly timetable.
Government guidance sets out the expectation that a school week is a minimum of 32.5 hours, inclusive of breaks. However, the department does not collect data on the amount of time provided.
Asked by: Amanda Hack (Labour - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department collects data on the amount of (a) break and (b) lunch time provided in schools; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reduced break times on (i) disabled children and (ii) pupils with special educational needs.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department recognises that play is critical to children’s wellbeing, learning and development. This is reflected in the early years foundation stage statutory framework, which supports early years practitioners to design a rich curriculum that includes regular opportunities for play-based learning.
Governing bodies (for maintained schools) and academy trusts (for academies) are responsible for deciding when sessions should begin and end on each school day. They are also responsible for deciding the length of each lesson and the timings for the morning session, the midday break and the afternoon session. The department does not collect data on the number of breaks, including lunch time, that schools schedule into their daily and weekly timetable.
Government guidance sets out the expectation that a school week is a minimum of 32.5 hours, inclusive of breaks. However, the department does not collect data on the amount of time provided.