Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the absolute numbers of specialist teachers in academies and maintained schools for each subject for each year from Key Stages 1 to 4 inclusive.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Data on the number of specialist teachers in state-funded secondary mainstream schools is published in the School workforce in England statistical publication. Figures for each subject for each year can be found below. This data has been available since 5 June 2025.
Information on subjects taught is not collected from primary schools.
Headcount of qualified specialist teachers holding a qualification in a related subject by subjects taught and Key Stage, in England for 2024/25:
Subject taught | Key Stage 3 | Key Stage 4 |
All subjects | 156,459 | 166,445 |
All Design and Technology | 8,632 | 6,422 |
All EBacc Subjects | 109,096 | 111,201 |
All Modern Foreign Languages | 9,349 | 9,351 |
All Sciences | 32,134 | 31,908 |
Art & Design | 8,913 | 7,062 |
Biology | 1,270 | 3,878 |
Business Studies | 539 | 4,029 |
Chemistry | 1,007 | 2,982 |
Combined Arts / Humanities / Social Studies | 54 | 28 |
Computer Science | 3,676 | 3,588 |
Design and Technology - Combined | 6,867 | 3,192 |
Design and Technology - Electronics/Systems and Control | 95 | 94 |
Design and Technology - Food Technology | 1,217 | 1,711 |
Design and Technology - Graphics | 250 | 425 |
Design and Technology - Other | 358 | 517 |
Design and Technology - Resistant Materials | 362 | 482 |
Design and Technology - Textiles | 416 | 653 |
Drama | 4,621 | 3,750 |
Engineering | 162 | 885 |
English | 26,792 | 26,624 |
French | 6,669 | 5,281 |
General/Combined Science | 27,488 | 24,455 |
Geography | 9,804 | 9,351 |
German | 1,593 | 1,410 |
History | 12,281 | 11,268 |
ICT | 1,768 | 1,269 |
Mathematics | 23,492 | 23,941 |
Media Studies | 121 | 729 |
Music | 4,962 | 4,173 |
Other Humanities | 249 | 249 |
Other Modern Foreign Language | 778 | 330 |
Other Social Studies | 249 | 1,536 |
Other science | 271 | 672 |
PE/Sports | 18,005 | 17,879 |
Physics | 745 | 2,060 |
Religious Education | 5,729 | 5,417 |
Spanish | 3,782 | 3,427 |
Source: School Workforce Census November 2024.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the relationship between (1) the level of initial teacher training bursaries, and (2) targets for teacher numbers, for each subject area; and what criteria are used to assess those targets.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Initial teacher training (ITT) bursaries are offered to incentivise more applications to ITT courses. Therefore, they are reviewed annually to take account of the need for trainee teachers by subject. Recruitment against the postgraduate ITT targets set by the Teacher Workforce Model is one factor that influences the level of bursaries, but we also take account of the impact of the economy and graduate labour market on ITT recruitment.
The Teacher Workforce Model is a national, stocks and flows model covering all state-funded primary and secondary schools, academies, and free schools in England. The model estimates the number of qualified teachers required for both primary and each secondary subject; and by considering the number of teachers that will leave or enter service in future, estimates the postgraduate ITT targets needed to supply sufficient teachers. The ITT Census is published in December each year to provide the numbers and characteristics of new entrants to ITT, and compares recruitment against the postgraduate ITT targets.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the final report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review will be published.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report and recommendations will be published imminently. The government’s response will be published alongside this.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Curriculum and Assessment Review will take autistic children into account.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is looking closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people and the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve.
Throughout the Review, the impact and experiences of children and young people, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds and with special educational needs, are being considered to ensure the curriculum works for all children.
The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published shortly. The government will then consider the recommendations and its response.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering opting into the creative thinking element of the PISA test.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The testing for the current cycle of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 study has now come to a close. The Creative Thinking domain was not offered as an option for countries and economies to participate in for the current cycle. The department will consider taking part in the options offered for the PISA study, including the Creative Thinking domain, in future PISA study cycles.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to negotiate rejoining the Erasmus+ Programme.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government has agreed to work towards the association of the UK to the EU Erasmus+ programme. The specific terms of this association, including mutually agreed financial terms, should be determined as part of that process in order to ensure a fair balance as regards the contributions of and benefits to the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether financial assistance to absorb the cost of changes to Employer National Insurance and minimum wage, similar to arrangements for maintained schools, will be provided to institutions that receive funding through the Music and Dance Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
For the 2024/25 academic year, the department adjusted the Music and Dance Scheme bursary contribution for families with a relevant income below £45,000 to account for the VAT introduction from January 2025. This methodology will be reviewed for future years and details will be set out in due course.
With reference to employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage, the Music and Dance Scheme grant funding of both private schools and Centres for Advanced Training relates to financing places for individual students via means-tested bursaries only and is not intended as direct funding to meet wider employment costs.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will adjust the means testing methodology of the Music and Dance Scheme to reflect the cost of VAT on fees.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
For the 2024/25 academic year, the department adjusted the Music and Dance Scheme bursary contribution for families with a relevant income below £45,000 to account for the VAT introduction from January 2025. This methodology will be reviewed for future years and details will be set out in due course.
With reference to employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage, the Music and Dance Scheme grant funding of both private schools and Centres for Advanced Training relates to financing places for individual students via means-tested bursaries only and is not intended as direct funding to meet wider employment costs.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to increase the £45,000 threshold of combined household income per family as part of the support package for the Music and Dance Scheme; and whether they plan to make that support package permanent.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
For the 2024/25 academic year, the department adjusted the Music and Dance Scheme bursary contribution for families with a relevant income below £45,000 to account for the VAT introduction from January 2025. This methodology will be reviewed for future years and details will be set out in due course.
With reference to employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage, the Music and Dance Scheme grant funding of both private schools and Centres for Advanced Training relates to financing places for individual students via means-tested bursaries only and is not intended as direct funding to meet wider employment costs.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they are having with providers of the Music and Dance Scheme on an appropriate future earnings threshold as part of support to offset VAT.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
For the 2024/25 academic year, the department adjusted the Music and Dance Scheme bursary contribution for families with a relevant income below £45,000 to account for the VAT introduction from January 2025. This methodology will be reviewed for future years and details will be set out in due course.
With reference to employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage, the Music and Dance Scheme grant funding of both private schools and Centres for Advanced Training relates to financing places for individual students via means-tested bursaries only and is not intended as direct funding to meet wider employment costs.