Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to address health inequality through schools.

Schools play a key role in tackling health inequalities through providing a good education and pastoral support.

Attainment is key to supporting better long term outcomes. Therefore, closing attainment gaps plays a vital role in addressing health inequality through schools. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, almost £5 billion has been made available for an ambitious, multi year education recovery plan to support young children and pupils in early years, schools and colleges. This support is especially focused on helping the most disadvantaged pupils. Additionally, the National Funding Formula (NFF) targets funding to schools that have the greatest numbers of pupils with additional needs. In 2023/24, a greater proportion of schools NFF funding was targeted towards deprived pupils than ever before, with 9.8% (over £4 billion) of the formula being allocated according to deprivation in 2023/24. In 2023/24, schools with the highest levels of deprivation have, on average, attracted the largest per pupil funding increases. On top of this core funding, the Pupil Premium, worth over £2.9 billion this year, continues to support schools to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.

The Department is supporting schools to improve outcomes for vulnerable pupils. Every Local Authority in England must appoint a Virtual School Head, who has a statutory duty to promote the educational achievement of all children in their care. Looked after children receive Pupil Premium Plus funding of £2,530 per child up to age 16, which is managed by the Virtual School Head, to work with the child’s education setting to deliver objectives in their individual Personal Education Plans. In June 2021, the Department extended the role of Virtual School Heads to include strategic responsibility for all children with a social worker.

The Department also launched the period product scheme in 2020. The scheme aims to help break the stigma surrounding menstruation, providing free period products to schools and colleges so that no pupil has to miss out on education because of their period.

In the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan, the Department committed to working together with the Department of Health and Social Care to take a joint approach to SEND workforce planning. The Department has established a steering group to oversee this work, which recently reported to the National SEND and AP Implementation Board.

Schools can play a role in preventing health inequalities through what is taught and by providing safe, calm and supportive environments for pupils. The Department has made health education compulsory in all schools, so that all pupils are taught about healthy lifestyles and are given the information that they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing. The Department has also offered state schools and colleges a grant to train a senior mental health lead by 2025, to help support whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing. Over 13,800 schools & colleges have received a grant so far, including more than 7 in 10 state funded secondary schools in England.

The Government spends over £1 billion each year on free school meals and Universal Infant Free School Meals, with more than one third of all children receive a free lunchtime meal. Around 90,000 disadvantaged students in further education also receive a free meal. The Department is funding up to £30 million into the National School Breakfast Programme until the end of the summer term in 2024. In addition, the Department has expanded the Holiday Activities and Food programme, which provides healthy food and enriching activities to disadvantaged children. The programme is continuing this year with over £200 million provided.