Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if hr Department will commit to ensuring healthy eating education takes into account autistic and other neurodivergent children, including those who may interpret simplified or rule-based messages about food literally.

The government recognises the importance of food education in supporting pupils’ health and wellbeing. Following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, the department has committed to strengthening the status of food and nutrition within design and technology by creating a new, distinct programme of study. This will set out the key knowledge and skills pupils should be taught, supporting teachers to deliver food education more consistently across schools.

As the department develops the new programmes of study, we will consider how the whole curriculum supports clear, inclusive teaching that can be adapted by schools to meet all pupils’ individual needs.