Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to improve literacy rates in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
High and rising school standards, with excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.
The English Hubs programme supports the teaching of phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure. Romford is served by New Vision English Hub.
In the 2025/26 financial year, the government has committed £27.7 million to support and drive high and rising standards in reading. This funding will deliver a range of support for schools, including new training for primary schools, delivered through the English Hubs programme, to help children progress from the early stages of phonics through to reading fluently by the time they leave primary school, and new support and training for secondary schools to support reading at key stage 3.
The department also published a writing framework in July, which will support schools in delivering high quality writing provision across England.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support young Ukrainians commencing their (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) tertiary education in the UK.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Since its launch, 750 schools across Ukraine and the UK have applied to take part in the 100 Year Partnership Programme. This unique initiative between the UK and Ukraine will support schools to build lasting international partnerships through shared projects on reading for pleasure, that will support pupils, expand horizons, build confidence and boost mental wellbeing.
Schools are responsible for ensuring that all their pupils, including those classed as having English as an additional language (EAL), can access the full curriculum and have opportunity to achieve and thrive, building the knowledge and skills for life, no matter their background or circumstance.
In the 2024/25 academic year, £484 million was allocated to schools via the EAL factor in the national funding formula. Schools also have flexibility over how they use their overall budget to support EAL pupils.
Most young people legally residing in England will be eligible for a funded 16-19 study programme at a college, school or other 16-19 provider. Study programmes should be tailored to the needs of young people and include appropriate support.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will take steps to provide (a) funding and (b) other support to help non-accredited aesthetic training academies to gain OFQUAL recognised status.
Answered by Janet Daby
The department has no role in funding or supporting aesthetic training academies to gain Ofqual recognised status. Instead, this is a matter for training academies and awarding organisations. Ofqual, which is the independent regulator of qualifications in England, publishes guidance on how awarding organisations can apply for recognition for their qualifications, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-to-have-your-qualifications-regulated.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to ensure that educational institutions in England have adequate policies to ensure the safety of staff and students during heatwaves.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The responsible body, whether a local authority, academy trust, or voluntary-aided body, must ensure the health, safety, and welfare of pupils and staff, including maintaining safe internal environments during hot weather.
The department’s Education Hub offers guidance on managing heatwaves. Additional advice on emergency planning, including extreme heat, is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings.
The UK Health Security Agency provides resources for educators on protecting children in hot weather:
The department also allocates annual capital funding to improve school conditions and sustainability.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to improve the safety of students with serious allergies in English educational institutions.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
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. Policies should set out how staff will be supported in carrying out their role to support pupils, including how training needs are assessed and how training is commissioned and provided. Any member of school staff providing support to a pupil with medical needs should have received suitable training.
Schools can purchase spare adrenaline auto-injectors from a pharmacy without a prescription and for use in an emergency situation.
The department intends to consult on updated statutory guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions later this year. The full guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support grammar schools.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
I refer the hon. member for Romford to the answer of 22 May 2025 to Question 52218.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support faith-selective educational institutions.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
Faith schools, both state-funded and independent, have played a long-standing role in the provision of education in England and remain an important element of our education system. The department engages with the full range of faith school providers and is committed to working in partnership with all types of schools to remove barriers to opportunity and raise standards.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps she has taken with local authorities to help improve special educational and disability needs provision in (a) England and (b) Romford.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
The government’s ambition for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is that they will achieve and thrive, and lead happy, healthy and productive lives. The department is working closely with experts on SEND reforms.
The department and NHS England have been supporting local areas, including Havering, to improve their SEND service delivery for several years. This includes a monitoring, support and challenge relationship following an inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Where a local authority does not meet its duties, we can take action that prioritises children’s needs and supports local areas to bring about rapid improvement.
Ofsted and the CQC undertook a joint local area SEND inspection of Havering in March 2018 and received a positive outcome (the local area was not required to produce a written statement of action).
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken with relevant authorities to improve safeguarding policies in state primary schools.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. We published statutory safeguarding guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) which all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Education’s involvement is fundamental at all levels of safeguarding arrangements. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce a measure to place a duty on safeguarding partners to automatically include and strengthen the role of education and childcare settings in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.
This legislation ensures the full representation of education and childcare in operational safeguarding boards and systems, as well as at the strategic decision-making levels of safeguarding arrangements. It will also mean that all education and childcare settings must work together with safeguarding partners and ensure those arrangements are fully understood and applied in their organisations.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken with relevant authorities to improve safeguarding policies in state secondary schools.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. We published statutory safeguarding guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) which all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Education’s involvement is fundamental at all levels of safeguarding arrangements. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce a measure to place a duty on safeguarding partners to automatically include and strengthen the role of education and childcare settings in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.
This legislation ensures the full representation of education and childcare in operational safeguarding boards and systems, as well as at the strategic decision-making levels of safeguarding arrangements. It will also mean that all education and childcare settings must work together with safeguarding partners and ensure those arrangements are fully understood and applied in their organisations.