Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of specialist occupational therapists to support children and young people with SEND in schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department is working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including occupational therapy for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
As we look to reform the SEND system, we want to improve how services that support early identification and intervention and whole school inclusive practice are jointly commissioned and made available to schools. The local authorities and the Integrated Care Board as joint commissioners of services will continue to play an important role in this.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that any changes to SEND provision include access to occupational therapy for children and young people with SEND in mainstream schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department is working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including occupational therapy for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
As we look to reform the SEND system, we want to improve how services that support early identification and intervention and whole school inclusive practice are jointly commissioned and made available to schools. The local authorities and the Integrated Care Board as joint commissioners of services will continue to play an important role in this.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to provide dedicated funding for (a) sensory-friendly adaptations and (b) other environmental adjustments in schools to support the inclusion of children and young people with SEND.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
In December, the department announced at least £3 billion for high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30, to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities or who require alternative provision. This funding is intended to create facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs. It can also be used to adapt mainstream schools to be more accessible and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.
The department will confirm local authority allocations later in the spring.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that occupational therapists are consulted in the design of (a) new school buildings and (b) new learning environments, funded through school capital investment programmes.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Departmental construction programmes build or rebuild schools in line with our design and construction standards. These standards integrate statutory requirements for accessibility and equitable use in all new or rebuilt school settings, including mainstream.
Since our specifications are prepared by industry experts and reference the latest standards and guidance for accessible, equitable and inclusive environments, it is not necessary to engage with occupational therapists.
We use evidence from building-in-use studies to ensure the specifications guiding our designs meet end-user needs and are updated when necessary.
Stakeholder engagement forms an integral part of the delivery process for all projects using the department’s suite of documentation.
The Equality Act 2010 requires local authorities to prepare accessibility strategies for the schools for which they are the responsible bodies. There is a similar duty for individual schools of all types to develop accessibility plans.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme, (a) when the Department plans to publish the full evaluation of this programme; and (b) whether the findings of this evaluation will inform (i) the SEND Improvement Plan and, (ii) any future Schools White Paper.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
An independent interim evaluation of the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme was published on 2 December 2025, and is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/partnerships-for-inclusion-of-neurodiversity-in-schools-pins-interim-evaluation-report.
The second year of PINS delivery is due to conclude on 31 March 2026, with independent evaluation activity continuing until summer 2026. We anticipate publishing a final evaluation report of the PINS programme after this date.
The learning from the PINS interim evaluation is informing policy development around how schools support neurodivergent children. We will set out our plans for reform of the special educational needs and disabilities system in the upcoming Schools White Paper, building on the work we have already done to create a system that is rooted in inclusion, where children receive high quality support early on and can thrive at their local school.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consideration she has given to the potential benefits for schools of introducing a register of supply teachers, allowing access to available, qualified and DBS checked substitute staff.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department continues to develop and review policy on supply teaching and currently has no plans to introduce a national supply register for teachers.
The mix of models presently available in England, including agencies, direct hire and some local pools, gives schools choice over how they secure supply teachers, how many providers they work with and how they engage with providers to ensure their needs are met.
As part of our Maximising Value for Pupils programme, we will introduce a cap on supplier rates on the new Crown Commercial Service framework due in June 2026, and expect schools and trusts to use this new framework unless they are achieving better value for money elsewhere.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish guidance for schools on (a) responding to parental requests for the withdrawal of books from recommended reading lists and (b) the circumstances under which schools can remove books from those lists.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The current National Curriculum requires teachers to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. Following the publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review on 5 November 2025, the department will continue to emphasise the importance of pupils listening to, discussing, and reading for themselves a wide range of stories, poems, plays and non-fiction books.
Within the framework of the National Curriculum, schools make their own choices about which specific books or other resources they use. Teachers have flexibility in their choice of books to teach within the context of the curriculum. Any sensitive issues should be covered by the school’s own policy, and in consultation with parents.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department holds data on families with home-educated children who are unable to (a) secure a place in a GCSE examination centre and (b) afford exam entry fees.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not hold data on families with home educated children who are unable to secure a place in a GCSE examination centre or afford exam entry fees.
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce the first ever duty on local authorities to provide support for home educating families in their areas who are registered with them and who request support. This support could include advice and information on how to access examinations.