Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what work she is doing on exam conditions for students with dyslexia and neurodivergence.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
It is vital that students with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with dyslexia and other neurodivergent conditions, can access exams and assessments without disadvantage. The Equality Act 2010 requires awarding organisations to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled student would otherwise be placed at a substantial disadvantage when undertaking an assessment.
The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review took an evidence-led approach, drawing on data and engagement with experts, stakeholders and the public, including consideration of the experiences of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
We have carefully considered this evidence and will make improvements where the Review recommends change is needed. As qualifications are reformed, we will work closely with Ofqual and awarding organisations to ensure accessibility is fully considered throughout the qualification development process, including for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support is being given to schools to enable them to enforce phone bans.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government has published strengthened statutory guidance on mobile phones in schools, available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-phones-in-schools/mobile-phones-in-schools.
This guidance states that all schools should be mobile phone-free environments by default, with no access during lessons, between lessons, at breaktimes or at lunchtime.
To support implementation, the department has published case studies alongside the guidance which demonstrate a range of effective approaches and best practice. We have also published resources to help schools communicate their mobile phone policy to parents and pupils.
The government has committed to review the guidance and make any necessary revisions by September 2027.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that those currently repaying Plan 2 student loans are able to pay off the initial capital owed and return to solvency.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Student loans are not like commercial loans, as they carry significant protections for borrowers, and repayments are linked to income, not to the amount borrowed or interest applied. As repayments remain income-contingent, if a borrower’s salary remains the same, their monthly repayments will also stay the same.
Repayments are made at a fixed rate above the earnings threshold and borrowers earning under the earnings threshold are not required to make repayments. Any outstanding loan, including interest built up, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.
The government appreciates that making student loan repayments does have an impact on individuals. This is why there are unique protections for borrowers, and the finance system is heavily subsidised by taxpayers.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what capital funding is available to increase the number of childcare places in settings that are already at capacity, including those operating within primary schools.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
High-quality early years education is central to our 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 nurseries programme, supporting school-led provision and private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers and childminders operating from school sites.
The department recently announced that we are investing £45 million to support 331 additional schools to establish or grow their nurseries as part of Phase 2 of the School-Based Nursery scheme, creating more than 6,000 further places. This includes a school-based nursery in North Northumberland. Phase 3 of the programme is backed by up to £325 million of additional funding and will invite local authorities to develop multi-year funding proposals that outline plans for new or expanded school-based nurseries in their area. This will enable eligible schools, including those working in partnership with PVIs and childminders operating from school sites, to increase the number of childcare places available or establish new nursery provision. Local authorities may also use the grant funding to expand or create provision for maintained nursery schools, or on Best Start Family Hub sites.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of how Primary PE and Sport will be funded in the 2026–27 academic year; and when she plans to announce future funding arrangements for the Primary PE and Sport Premium.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Arrangements for the funding of PE and sport in the 2026/27 academic year and future will be confirmed in due course.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support children who arrive at school by (a) state-provided buses and (b) taxis to make use of free breakfast clubs.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
The government is committed to offering every primary aged child a free breakfast club and is currently working with 750 early adopter schools to test how best to implement this policy ahead of national rollout. Transport will be considered as part of this.
Free breakfast clubs should be at least 30 minutes immediately before the start of the compulsory school day. Further information is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/breakfast-clubs-early-adopter-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-in-england/breakfast-clubs-early-adopter-guidance-for-schools-and-trusts-in-england.
Local authorities’ statutory duty requires them to arrange free travel to enable an eligible child to travel to school for the beginning of the school day, and to return home at the end of the school day. While local authorities are not required to make travel arrangements to enable eligible children to attend breakfast clubs, we encourage them to work with schools to find solutions wherever possible.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) free breakfast clubs and (b) the free school meal expansion on poverty in North Northumberland constituency.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and tackling child poverty, which is why the department is taking action to expand access to free breakfasts and lunches in schools.
Free breakfast club places are already being offered in six early adopter schools in North Northumberland.
Furthermore, Department for Work and Pensions data shows that 3,690 children in North Northumberland will be eligible to receive free school meals when provision is extended to all household in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. Overall, this measure will lift 100,000 children out of poverty.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department considers future demographic changes when planning school funding.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
School funding will increase by £4.2 billion over the Spending Review period, meaning core school funding will total £65.9 billion by 2028/29. This additional funding will provide an above real terms per pupil increase on the core schools budget.
The majority of school funding is allocated on a per pupil basis through the National Funding Formula (NFF) on a lagged funding system, where schools are funded on the basis of their pupil numbers in the previous October census. This arrangement helps to give schools more certainty over funding levels and is particularly important in giving individual schools time to adjust to demographic change before experiencing the funding impact.
Local authorities are also allocated funding through the NFF for growth and falling rolls, which they can use to support schools experiencing significant growth in pupil numbers, to support schools facing a temporary drop in pupil numbers, or to help meet the revenue costs of removing or repurposing surplus places.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, by what process schools can apply for (a) rebuilds and (b) other capital spending following the funding commitments in the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
School buildings are integral to high and rising standards and need to be fit for the future.
The government has announced almost £20 billion of investment for the School Rebuilding Programme through to 2034/35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools across England within the existing programme, with a further 250 schools to be selected within the next two years. We plan to set out further details about the selection process later this year.
At the 2025/26 budget, the government increased capital investment to improve the condition of school buildings across England to £2.1 billion, almost £300 million more than 2024/25. More information on allocations and successful Condition Improvement Fund bids for 2025/26 can be found on GOV.UK.
£31 billion of capital funding for the education estate was announced at the Spending Review in June 2025 for the period the 2026/27 financial year to the 2029/30 financial year. As part of the 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, the government also committed to increase annual capital maintenance investment per year through to 2034/35. Further details on funding commitments and any application processes for capital funding will be announced on GOV.UK in due course.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of Berwick Academy's need for a rebuild; and whether she has received a business case outlining a proposed rebuild from Northumberland County Council.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Berwick Academy is the body responsible for the school buildings and has not put forward a nomination for the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP). The department is aware that Northumberland County Council has plans to invest in Berwick Academy as part of a wider school reorganisation in the area but we are yet to receive a business case or further detail.
The government has given a long-term commitment for capital investment through to 2034/35 to improve the condition of schools and colleges across England. We are investing almost £3 billion per year by 2034/35 in capital maintenance and renewal of the school and college estate, rising from £2.4 billion in 2025/26.
This is in addition to investment of almost £20 billion in the SRP through to 2034/35, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools across England within the existing programme, with a further 250 schools to be selected within the next two years.
The department plans to set out further details on the process for selecting additional schools for the rebuilding programme later this year.