Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when her Department plans to publish the lots, award criteria and supplier list for the proposed Management Information System procurement framework; and what opportunity schools, academy trusts and suppliers will have to comment before that framework is launched.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department is undertaking a formal procurement process in compliance with the Procurement Act 2023. We are currently in preliminary market engagement, and the proposed lots and award criteria have been discussed with suppliers as part of the engagement process. It is not possible to publish a supplier list when the framework is not yet established, This will be published once the procurement process comes to end, estimated to be Summer 2027.
Both the sector and suppliers have had opportunity to comment on the department’s proposals for the framework since the Preliminary Market Engagement Notice was published on 22 October 2025 including the creation of a sector working group, various engagement sessions with sector representative groups, multiple supplier webinars and deep dive sessions. This will continue as the project progresses. Further details are available at: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/067306-2025.
The Management Information System framework is mandated for trusts through the Academies Trust Handbook (ATH) through the ‘comply or explain’ principle. The ‘comply or explain’ principle, which is also in use for other categories, was consulted with the Academies finance and assurance steering group, more details on which are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/academies-finance-and-assurance-steering-group. Local authority-maintained schools are not under the same formal direction, although are still expected to use the framework once it is launched.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which organisations her Department consulted before deciding to establish a mandatory Management Information System procurement framework; and how those consultees were selected.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department is undertaking a formal procurement process in compliance with the Procurement Act 2023. We are currently in preliminary market engagement, and the proposed lots and award criteria have been discussed with suppliers as part of the engagement process. It is not possible to publish a supplier list when the framework is not yet established, This will be published once the procurement process comes to end, estimated to be Summer 2027.
Both the sector and suppliers have had opportunity to comment on the department’s proposals for the framework since the Preliminary Market Engagement Notice was published on 22 October 2025 including the creation of a sector working group, various engagement sessions with sector representative groups, multiple supplier webinars and deep dive sessions. This will continue as the project progresses. Further details are available at: https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/067306-2025.
The Management Information System framework is mandated for trusts through the Academies Trust Handbook (ATH) through the ‘comply or explain’ principle. The ‘comply or explain’ principle, which is also in use for other categories, was consulted with the Academies finance and assurance steering group, more details on which are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/academies-finance-and-assurance-steering-group. Local authority-maintained schools are not under the same formal direction, although are still expected to use the framework once it is launched.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that views gathered during the development of the proposed Management Information System procurement framework are representative of schools and academy trusts.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Department officials have presented at various forums where National Association of Head Teachers, Association of School and College Leaders and Confederation of School Trusts have been in attendance. This represents over 49,000 school leaders, 25,000 senior leaders and 80% of school trusts who educate over 4 million children collectively.
In addition, officials have held meetings with 36 schools, 72 academy trusts and 22 local authorities, issued communications via regular routes such as the DfE Update and Sector Email and established a representative sector working group.
Schools have reported a range of challenges including supplier lock-in, inability to access data, lack of transparent pricing and difficulty achieving value for money.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what issues reported by schools her Department's proposed Management Information System Framework procurement is intended to address.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Department officials have presented at various forums where National Association of Head Teachers, Association of School and College Leaders and Confederation of School Trusts have been in attendance. This represents over 49,000 school leaders, 25,000 senior leaders and 80% of school trusts who educate over 4 million children collectively.
In addition, officials have held meetings with 36 schools, 72 academy trusts and 22 local authorities, issued communications via regular routes such as the DfE Update and Sector Email and established a representative sector working group.
Schools have reported a range of challenges including supplier lock-in, inability to access data, lack of transparent pricing and difficulty achieving value for money.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a national digital parenting offer in supporting parents ahead of the restrictions on under-16s' access to social media.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is delivering the most significant expansion of joined-up health, education and family support since Sure Start and is committed to ensuring that families can access help and advice through both local services and digital channels. Backed by over £900 million, Best Start Family Hubs are now delivering across the country, building towards our ambition of 1,000 hubs by the end of 2028.
The Best Start in Life strategy committed to a digital parenting offer. The government has created the parent-facing website https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/ and is funding all local authorities to provide a parenting and home learning offer. The government has published a menu of interventions, including digital programmes, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-guidance-for-local-authorities/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-parenting-and-home-learning-environment-menu-of-interventions. These programmes are being delivered to families as part of our work to ensure that 75% of children achieve a good level of development by the end of reception from 2028.
Alongside this delivery, the department has been scoping an additional programme that would scale and strengthen the evidence base about the impact of digital parenting support in England, with a view to the eventual creation of a nationally available offer. This work included some early market engagement with potential suppliers to help shape a requirement. While final decisions are yet to be made, this work is ongoing and further announcements will be made in due course.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether a funding decision has been taken on the Online Parenting Interventions project in the Giving every child the best start in life strategy, published on 7 July 2025.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is delivering the most significant expansion of joined-up health, education and family support since Sure Start and is committed to ensuring that families can access help and advice through both local services and digital channels. Backed by over £900 million, Best Start Family Hubs are now delivering across the country, building towards our ambition of 1,000 hubs by the end of 2028.
The Best Start in Life strategy committed to a digital parenting offer. The government has created the parent-facing website https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/ and is funding all local authorities to provide a parenting and home learning offer. The government has published a menu of interventions, including digital programmes, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-guidance-for-local-authorities/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-parenting-and-home-learning-environment-menu-of-interventions. These programmes are being delivered to families as part of our work to ensure that 75% of children achieve a good level of development by the end of reception from 2028.
Alongside this delivery, the department has been scoping an additional programme that would scale and strengthen the evidence base about the impact of digital parenting support in England, with a view to the eventual creation of a nationally available offer. This work included some early market engagement with potential suppliers to help shape a requirement. While final decisions are yet to be made, this work is ongoing and further announcements will be made in due course.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the time taken to start the Online Parenting Interventions project on the target for 75% of children to reach a good level of development by the end of reception by 2028.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is delivering the most significant expansion of joined-up health, education and family support since Sure Start and is committed to ensuring that families can access help and advice through both local services and digital channels. Backed by over £900 million, Best Start Family Hubs are now delivering across the country, building towards our ambition of 1,000 hubs by the end of 2028.
The Best Start in Life strategy committed to a digital parenting offer. The government has created the parent-facing website https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/ and is funding all local authorities to provide a parenting and home learning offer. The government has published a menu of interventions, including digital programmes, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-guidance-for-local-authorities/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-parenting-and-home-learning-environment-menu-of-interventions. These programmes are being delivered to families as part of our work to ensure that 75% of children achieve a good level of development by the end of reception from 2028.
Alongside this delivery, the department has been scoping an additional programme that would scale and strengthen the evidence base about the impact of digital parenting support in England, with a view to the eventual creation of a nationally available offer. This work included some early market engagement with potential suppliers to help shape a requirement. While final decisions are yet to be made, this work is ongoing and further announcements will be made in due course.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 28 July 2026 to question 17814, whether her Department has (a) met with Kent County Council and (b) concluded whether their Communities of Schools model complies with her Department's guidance.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department has met Kent County Council to discuss its Communities of Schools model and to understand how the model is intended to operate in practice.
Following that engagement, the department is considering the information provided by the council against the relevant guidance.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether a state-funded school may require a pupil of primary-school age to wear religious clothing as part of its uniform without the express consent of the pupil's parent or guardian.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not routinely gather data on individual schools’ uniform policies and does not hold information on schools requiring articles of religious clothing.
School leaders, including those of faith schools, are responsible for making decisions on the uniform requirements for their school.
The department publishes non-statutory guidance on ‘Developing school uniform policy, which sets out schools’ obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010, as well as general equality and discrimination considerations. This is available here at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform/school-uniforms.
The department’s guidance is clear that schools should aim for their uniform policy to be as inclusive as possible so that all pupils are able to wear the uniform. They should engage with parents and pupils when developing the policy.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on how many state-funded schools in England require female pupils to wear a hijab as part of their school uniform.
Answered by Paul Waugh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not routinely gather data on individual schools’ uniform policies and does not hold information on schools requiring articles of religious clothing.
School leaders, including those of faith schools, are responsible for making decisions on the uniform requirements for their school.
The department publishes non-statutory guidance on ‘Developing school uniform policy, which sets out schools’ obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010, as well as general equality and discrimination considerations. This is available here at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform/school-uniforms.
The department’s guidance is clear that schools should aim for their uniform policy to be as inclusive as possible so that all pupils are able to wear the uniform. They should engage with parents and pupils when developing the policy.