Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding was originally made available for the provision of the planned 92 new special and AP free schools that were commissioned by the previous Government and were subject to a value for money review by this Government.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
For the 18 schools where no trust had been appointed and which were in the earliest stages of development local authorities will receive funding for 2487 school places in Summer 2026, equivalent to places the school would have provided.
For local authorities with the choice between accepting the alternative funding offer or continuing with the free school, the deadline to confirm their choice is 27 February 2026. After this date, we will know how many local authorities have accepted the alternative funding offer and the total funding amount.
Funding for delivery of free school projects are provided at different stages of a project’s development, in line with key delivery milestones. Most of the projects in scope of the alternative funding offer are at the earliest stages of development and therefore have not received any funding. Where sites have been secured for these schools, details and costs of acquisitions will have been set out on the Land Registry website. Additionally, the department will have published contract details and costs for all free school construction contracts on Contracts Finder.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much alternative funding has been provided to the local authorities who have decided to not proceed with the building of the proposed special and AP free schools, following the review of planned special and AP free schools.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
For the 18 schools where no trust had been appointed and which were in the earliest stages of development local authorities will receive funding for 2487 school places in Summer 2026, equivalent to places the school would have provided.
For local authorities with the choice between accepting the alternative funding offer or continuing with the free school, the deadline to confirm their choice is 27 February 2026. After this date, we will know how many local authorities have accepted the alternative funding offer and the total funding amount.
Funding for delivery of free school projects are provided at different stages of a project’s development, in line with key delivery milestones. Most of the projects in scope of the alternative funding offer are at the earliest stages of development and therefore have not received any funding. Where sites have been secured for these schools, details and costs of acquisitions will have been set out on the Land Registry website. Additionally, the department will have published contract details and costs for all free school construction contracts on Contracts Finder.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much alternative funding has been provided to the local authorities of the 18 cancelled special and AP free schools, to create specialist spaces in mainstream schools.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
For the 18 schools where no trust had been appointed and which were in the earliest stages of development local authorities will receive funding for 2487 school places in Summer 2026, equivalent to places the school would have provided.
For local authorities with the choice between accepting the alternative funding offer or continuing with the free school, the deadline to confirm their choice is 27 February 2026. After this date, we will know how many local authorities have accepted the alternative funding offer and the total funding amount.
Funding for delivery of free school projects are provided at different stages of a project’s development, in line with key delivery milestones. Most of the projects in scope of the alternative funding offer are at the earliest stages of development and therefore have not received any funding. Where sites have been secured for these schools, details and costs of acquisitions will have been set out on the Land Registry website. Additionally, the department will have published contract details and costs for all free school construction contracts on Contracts Finder.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much has been spent on the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile in each of the last five years; and how many children have gone through that assessment in each of the last five years.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The early years foundation stage profile assessment (EYFSP) is undertaken by teachers at the end of the academic year in which children turn five, usually reception year. No fee is charged per child for the EYFSP. Any costs incurred by schools would primarily relate to staff time in connection with undertaking the assessment and submitting the data to their local authority. The department does not collect data on the time spent to complete the assessment at school level or time spent processing the data by local authorities.
The number of children assessed under the EYFSP in the last five years is available alongside further details on GOV.UK at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/cf4c5896-b574-421b-70de-08de5e4c1b9a.
The 2020/21 EYFSP data collection was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, so the department does not hold information for that year.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils are currently studying GCSE choices not compatible with the new Progress 8 framework.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government is proposing improvements to the Progress 8 model that balance a strong academic core with breadth and student choice, reflecting the importance of a curriculum that supports high standards. Pupils currently studying GCSE courses have selected options under the existing Progress 8 model which influences behaviour and the options that schools make available to their pupils.
The government will consult on the proposed Progress 8 model in due course and expects to include further information on likely impact. Schools will have time to take the revised measure into account when determining subject choices for pupils who will start their GCSEs in September 2027.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people who will no longer have transitional protection funding for free school meals by ethnicity after the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
We have set aside over £1 billion in funding over the multiyear spending review period to cover the cost of additional free meals, after taking into account the removal of protections. The action we are taking will ensure that over 500,000 additional children and pupils will receive a free and nutritious lunchtime meal.
Transitional protections have been in place since 2018 to ensure no one who gained free school meals (FSM) eligibility would lose it while Universal Credit was rolled out. The department intends to bring transitional protections to an end once the new eligibility is introduced. We have not yet carried out analysis by cohort characteristics to understand which pupils may no longer be eligible.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people who will no longer have transitional protection funding for free school meals by location after the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
We have set aside over £1 billion in funding over the multiyear spending review period to cover the cost of additional free meals, after taking into account the removal of protections. The action we are taking will ensure that over 500,000 additional children and pupils will receive a free and nutritious lunchtime meal.
Transitional protections have been in place since 2018 to ensure no one who gained free school meals (FSM) eligibility would lose it while Universal Credit was rolled out. The department intends to bring transitional protections to an end once the new eligibility is introduced. We have not yet carried out analysis by cohort characteristics to understand which pupils may no longer be eligible.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of children with SEND who will no longer have transitional protection funding for free school meals after the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
We have set aside over £1 billion in funding over the multiyear spending review period to cover the cost of additional free meals, after taking into account the removal of protections. The action we are taking will ensure that over 500,000 additional children and pupils will receive a free and nutritious lunchtime meal.
Transitional protections have been in place since 2018 to ensure no one who gained free school meals (FSM) eligibility would lose it while Universal Credit was rolled out. The department intends to bring transitional protections to an end once the new eligibility is introduced. We have not yet carried out analysis by cohort characteristics to understand which pupils may no longer be eligible.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of children in (a) rural and (b) urban areas who will no longer have transitional protection funding for free school meals after the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
We have set aside over £1 billion in funding over the multiyear spending review period to cover the cost of additional free meals, after taking into account the removal of protections. The action we are taking will ensure that over 500,000 additional children and pupils will receive a free and nutritious lunchtime meal.
Transitional protections have been in place since 2018 to ensure no one who gained free school meals (FSM) eligibility would lose it while Universal Credit was rolled out. The department intends to bring transitional protections to an end once the new eligibility is introduced. We have not yet carried out analysis by cohort characteristics to understand which pupils may no longer be eligible.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children will lose transitional protection funding for free school meals by each key stage group in 2025.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
We have set aside over £1 billion in funding over the multiyear spending review period to cover the cost of additional free meals, after taking into account the removal of protections. The action we are taking will ensure that over 500,000 additional children and pupils will receive a free and nutritious lunchtime meal.
Transitional protections have been in place since 2018 to ensure no one who gained free school meals (FSM) eligibility would lose it while Universal Credit was rolled out. The department intends to bring transitional protections to an end once the new eligibility is introduced. We have not yet carried out analysis by cohort characteristics to understand which pupils may no longer be eligible.