Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to (1) track, and (2) publish, the number of learning days lost to extreme weather events, such as those that cause flooding or overheating.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department publishes attendance data, including reasons for absence such as setting closures.
Decisions on closures rest with individual settings and responsible bodies, based on their own risk assessments.
Closures should be a last resort, with the priority to keep settings open where safe. Settings are expected to provide remote education and the department’s emergency planning guidance explains how schools should deliver remote education. The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings#exam-and-assessment-disruption.
Drawing on lessons from Covid, the department has strengthened monitoring of disruptions to provide faster support and reduce lost learning time.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools have implemented measures to be climate resilient in (1) a two degree centigrade, and (2) a four degree centigrade, rise in average global temperatures.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of our Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, we are helping all education settings to develop and implement climate action plans through a package of online and in person support. All climate action plans include taking action to become more climate resilient.
The department’s specification for the design and construction of new school buildings includes the requirement that they are built for a 2 degree rise in average global temperatures, and future-proofed for a 4 degree rise.
Engagement with the support has been positive. The department does not currently collect data relating to the number of schools with plans.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools have produced climate action plans.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of our Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, we are helping all education settings to develop and implement climate action plans through a package of online and in person support. All climate action plans include taking action to become more climate resilient.
The department’s specification for the design and construction of new school buildings includes the requirement that they are built for a 2 degree rise in average global temperatures, and future-proofed for a 4 degree rise.
Engagement with the support has been positive. The department does not currently collect data relating to the number of schools with plans.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of warm days on school pupil performance.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In June 2025, we published a summary of our initial assessment of the three climate risks (flooding, overheating, and water scarcity), in response to the adaptation committee’s independent assessment of UK climate risk. This was to raise awareness in the education system of how the predicted rise in temperatures could impact education. The publication is attached and can also be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/impact-of-uk-climate-change-risk-on-the-delivery-of-education.
Findings show the extent to which rising temperatures, from subtle general increases to extreme heat events (heatwaves), could affect students’ ability to learn.
From our initial assessment, we understand that even when temperatures are less extreme, persistent increases in temperature can affect the ability to learn. That is why the government is supporting responsible bodies to take steps to manage the impact of rising temperatures in school and college environments. It is important to recognise that these findings are based on emerging evidence, giving only an indication at this stage.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many student learning days were lost to flooding during each of the past five academic years.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to revise the school food standards guide so as to maximise the nutritional value of food served through the school breakfast programme.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government is committed to delivering on our pledge to provide free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary aged children. We have made early progress towards this, announcing that up to 750 early adopter schools will be delivering these new breakfast clubs from April 2025.
Schools will be expected to provide a healthy, nutritious and varied breakfast offer to pupils which will set them up for the school day ahead. The school food standards regulate the food and drink provided throughout the school day, including at breakfast clubs. The school food standards restrict foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as low quality reformed or reconstituted foods. They ensure that pupils always have healthy options.
The school food standards practical guide provides useful advice for headteachers and governors to ensure that food offered at breakfast clubs is compliant with the school food standards, and is accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-food-standards-resources-for-schools/school-food-standards-practical-guide.
As with all policies, we will keep our approach to school food under continued review.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand the monitoring and enforcement of school food standards to ensure that free breakfasts are nutritionally beneficial.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.
The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that primary schools have sufficient resources and staff time for free breakfast clubs to be delivered effectively.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.
The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that kitchen facilities in primary schools are sufficient for new breakfast clubs to provide healthy and nourishing breakfasts.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.
The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to update the school food standards to ensure that breakfasts served in free breakfast clubs are nutritionally beneficial.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.
The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.