Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to include (a) financial and (b) other citizenship education in the school syllabus.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The national curriculum for citizenship equips pupils to manage their money effectively and provides a framework to explore a range of important concepts to prepare pupils for adulthood, such as democracy, human rights, justice, media literacy, the law, and the need for mutual respect.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. During their public consultation, the Review Group heard consistently from parents and children that they want more focus on the applied knowledge and skills that will equip them for later life and work, such as financial education. The Review is considering whether there is sufficient coverage of these skills within subjects, and how content can remain relevant and support young people to thrive in a fast-changing world.
Asked by: Sadik Al-Hassan (Labour - North Somerset)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to review the level of guaranteed support available to children with special educational needs in mainstream schools.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed and thrive in their education and as they move into adulthood.
To enable high quality and inclusive practices within mainstream schools, the department is building a strong and credible evidence base on what works to drive inclusive education. The department has also created an Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, who are using their expertise and drawing on that of wider stakeholders to advise government on how to best drive inclusive practice and improve the education experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND in mainstream schools.
Additionally, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year. Total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND is over £12 billion in 2025/26. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has also announced £740 million for high needs capital in the 2025/26 financial year to support children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision. This can be used to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with SEND, create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit pupils’ needs and continue to provide places to support pupils in special schools with the most complex needs.