Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether mainstream or special free school projects in the Maidenhead constituency are affected by the review of the free schools pipeline set out in her written ministerial statement of 15 December 2025.

There are no mainstream or special and alternative provision free schools planned in the Maidenhead constituency.

In line with the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education to the House on 15 December, we are making a funding package available to the local authority so they can deliver the places planned for the school themselves more quickly and with a greater focus on mainstream inclusion where appropriate. There is one planned special school in Windsor and Maidenhead local authority

For the planned special school in Windsor and Maidenhead, the local authority has a choice about whether to continue with the school or take the funding package. The department will fund the capital delivery of schools the local authority chooses to proceed with in the usual way.

Local authorities have until 27 February 2026 to make their decisions, and we will confirm the total funding for all local authorities, as well as the schools that are going ahead, in due course after that date.