Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of exams on mental health.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Exams and other assessments are an essential part of ensuring that young people have acquired the knowledge and skills they need in order to succeed in further study and in later life.
We recognise that exams, like other things in life such as job interviews, have the potential to exacerbate feelings of stress amongst young people. But when pupils receive the right support, for many of them the level of stress from exams is manageable.
We encourage schools to provide safe, calm and supportive environments that help young people to understand and look after their mental health and wellbeing and develop healthy behaviours that can support them to stay well during stressful periods.
There is also a range of advice and guidance on how to beat exam stress. This includes guidance from the NHS, accessible at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/children-and-young-adults/advice-for-parents/help-your-child-beat-exam-stress/.
Additional guidance by Ofqual can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coping-with-exam-pressure-a-guide-for-students. The information provides some useful advice which pupils can use to help alleviate or lessen the anxiety they have about sitting exams.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of SAT exams on primary school students.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
End of key stage 2 tests and teacher assessments, often known as SATs, are an essential part of ensuring that primary school pupils master the basics of reading, writing and mathematics to prepare them to achieve and thrive at secondary school.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering key stages 1 to 5, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, an expert in education policy. The panel’s interim report, published on 18 March 2025, is clear that assessments in key stage 1 and 2 are an important part of assessing children’s progress throughout primary school, and that the system of primary assessment is generally working well. The review panel is now considering where there are challenges and how to make any necessary improvements to support the attainment of all children. The panel intend to deliver their final report in autumn 2025.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to consider introducing a range of alternative assessment methods to exams in schools.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, an expert in education policy, including curriculum and social inequality. The Review is evaluating the existing national curriculum and statutory assessment system in England, to ensure they are fit for purpose.
The Review’s Interim Report, published in March 2025, is clear that traditional examined assessment should remain the primary means of assessment. The Review will take a subject-by-subject approach to consider assessment fitness for purpose and consider the impact of different assessment methods on teaching and learning.
The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, and the department will take decisions on what changes to make in light of these recommendations.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on implementing (a) the draft RSHE curriculum and (b) the suicide prevention content in that curriculum.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The government is clear that children’s wellbeing must be at the heart of statutory guidance on teaching relationships, sex and health education and, as such, the department is looking carefully at responses to the public consultation conducted last year, considering the relevant evidence and discussing with stakeholders before setting out next steps to make sure the guidance draws from the best available evidence.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to make the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund permanent.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
I refer the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26025.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increased Teachers' Pension Scheme employer contributions on higher education institutions; and whether her Department plans to offer subsidies to those institutions.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government acknowledges the significant impact of our world-leading higher education (HE) sector. As both educational and research institutions, these universities make a vital contribution to our economy, society, and to industry and innovation.
The department appreciates the impact of the increased Teachers‘ Pension Scheme employer contribution rate on some HE providers and is working with departmental officials and stakeholders across the sector to better understand the impact of this issue.
We are also reviewing options to deliver a more robust HE sector and will set out a long-term plan for reform by summer 2025.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing higher education institutions to develop alternative pension options.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government acknowledges the significant impact of our world-leading higher education (HE) sector. As both educational and research institutions, these universities make a vital contribution to our economy, society, and to industry and innovation.
The department appreciates the impact of the increased Teachers‘ Pension Scheme employer contribution rate on some HE providers and is working with departmental officials and stakeholders across the sector to better understand the impact of this issue.
We are also reviewing options to deliver a more robust HE sector and will set out a long-term plan for reform by summer 2025.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on improving the standard of placements available to young people studying Catering T Levels in Cumbria.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is examining what provision will best meet the needs of employers and students in this important sector, which plays an important role in Cumbria.
There are 143 level 2 and level 3 qualifications in the hospitality and catering sector for 16-19 year olds that are approved for funding in 2024/2025. Catering qualifications are not due to be defunded as part of the post 16 qualifications reform.
There is a wide range of support and guidance available for employers and providers to ensure that T Level students have a high quality experience on their industry placement. This includes workshops, webinars, continuing professional development support and online guidance. Providers also receive £550 per industry placement student as part of their wider 16-19 funding allocation to support the costs of sourcing and setting up industry placements and can use their 16-19 bursary funding to support disadvantaged students to access placements.
The latest data shows that 78% of 2021 T Level starters who completed an industry placement were ‘very’ or ‘quite satisfied’ with it.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she expectsthe Natural History GCSE to be made widely available in schools.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The government has launched an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering key stages 1 to 5, which will be chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review will consider the current qualification pathways available at key stage 4 and key stage 5. A call for evidence will be published in the autumn, which will set out the areas where the review group would particularly welcome input. Further information about the Review is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-curriculum-and-assessment-review.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will list the schools in England by (i) parliamentary constituency and (ii) local authority which have been contacted due to their buildings containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out.
The Government published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September, and committed to providing further updates.