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1782513

registered interest
date	10/03/2025
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to extend the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund beyond 31 March 2025.
tabling member constituency	South Suffolk
tabling member printed	James Cartlidge
uin	36711
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2025 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member for South Suffolk to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-01-23/26025" target="_blank">26025</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Lewisham East answering member printed Janet Daby question first answered 13/03/2025 17:04:53 answering member 4698 label Biography information for Janet Daby
tabling member	4519 label Biography information for James Cartlidge

1782009

registered interest
date	06/03/2025
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Children and Young People: Reading
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to increase access to books for young people.
tabling member constituency	Fylde
tabling member printed	Mr Andrew Snowden
uin	36181
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2025 answer text <p>High and rising school standards, with excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.</p><p> </p><p>The national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. It emphasises the importance of pupils listening to, discussing and – as their fluency increases – reading for themselves a wide range of stories, poems, plays and information books.</p><p> </p><p>School libraries complement public libraries in giving pupils access to a range of books and other kinds of texts, both in and out of school. It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide, maintain and fund a library service for their pupils. Headteachers have autonomy to decide how best to spend their core schools funding. The Autumn Budget 2024 announced an additional £2.3 billion for schools for the 2025/26 financial year, compared to 2024/25, bringing the total core schools budget to almost £63.9 billion in 2025/26.</p><p> </p><p>On 5 February 2025, the government announced a £2 million investment to drive high and rising standards in reading and writing. Building on the success of phonics, teachers will receive additional training to help children progress from the early stages of phonics in reception and year 1 through to reading fluently by the time they leave primary school. This will be delivered through the English Hubs programme.</p><p> </p><p>In secondary school, teachers will be offered new training and resources this year to help them support readers at all levels, and next year the department will commission further training that will be focused specifically on struggling readers in secondary school who are at risk of falling behind.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Newcastle upon Tyne North answering member printed Catherine McKinnell question first answered 11/03/2025 17:24:28 answering member 4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell
tabling member	5072

1782107

registered interest
date	06/03/2025
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Neurodiversity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce legislation for the provision of (a) early screening for neurodivergent conditions and (b) improved teacher training in those conditions.
tabling member constituency	Bicester and Woodstock
tabling member printed	Calum Miller
uin	36320
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2025 answer text <p>The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with neurodiverse conditions.</p><p> </p><p>We have established a neurodivergence task and finish group, which includes a range of experts including clinicians, scientists and academics, education experts and third sector organisations. This group is chaired by Professor Karen Guldberg from Birmingham University and is working closely with the department to help improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream settings in a way that works for neurodivergent children and young people. This includes considering the use of needs-assessment and screening tools by educational professionals.</p><p> </p><p>High-quality teaching is the most important in-school factor for improving outcomes for all children, particularly those with SEND. All initial teacher training (ITT) providers must ensure that their courses enable trainee teachers to meet the Teachers’ Standards, which set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND, such as neurodiversity, to be recommended for the award of qualified teacher status.</p><p>The ITT Core Content Framework and Early Career Framework (ECF), for trainee and Early Career Teachers (ECTs) respectively, cover the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career. They set out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching, and from September 2025, these will be superseded by the combined Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF), which sets out a minimum entitlement to training and must be used by providers of ITT and those delivering provider-led early career training to create their curricula. From September 2025, all ECTs will be entitled to a two-year induction that is underpinned by the ITTECF, known as the Early Career Teacher Entitlement (ECTE).</p><p> </p><p>The department’s review of content for the ITTECF paid particular attention to the needs of trainees and ECTs when supporting pupils with SEND. There is now significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, including those with neurodiversity. We have edited existing statements to improve inclusivity for SEND throughout the framework including, for example, developing an understanding of different pupil needs, and learning how to provide opportunities for success for all pupils. From September 2025, the department has also enhanced the requirement on providers of ECT training to develop SEND training materials. The department tested this approach with SEND educational experts with consensus that the approach of ‘quality-first teaching’ would be the best way to improve outcomes for all children, particularly those with SEND.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that continuous improvement is essential and have recently committed to a full review of the ECTE in 2027 to ensure it continues to provide the best possible support for ECTs. This review will focus on the support we provide new teachers in teaching pupils with SEND.</p> answering member constituency Newcastle upon Tyne North answering member printed Catherine McKinnell question first answered 12/03/2025 16:38:43 answering member 4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell
tabling member	5346

1781383

registered interest
date	05/03/2025
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Uniforms
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has made a comparative assessment of the cost of (a) girls' and (b) boys' school uniforms.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	35660
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2025 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>The department published its latest research on the cost of school uniforms in September 2024, which surveyed parents and carers of children aged 4 to 16 attending state-funded schools in England. It is published here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms-survey-2023" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms-survey-2023</a>.</p><p>The research found that for secondary pupils, the average total costs of uniforms (including both daywear and PE kit) were broadly similar for boys and girls, with the average expenditure for girls being £4.80 greater. For primary pupils, the average total costs for both daywear and PE were £23.56 greater for girls. In general, daywear for girls is more expensive, whilst for boys, PE kit incurs a greater cost.</p><p>Too many families still tell us that the cost of school uniforms remain a financial burden. That is why the department is legislating to limit the number of expensive branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Newcastle upon Tyne North answering member printed Catherine McKinnell question first answered 13/03/2025 16:35:06 answering member 4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1781386

registered interest
date	05/03/2025
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Pupils: Absenteeism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what is the current number of school-age children not in school.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	35663
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2025 answer text <p>Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.</p><p>The department publishes data on compulsory school-aged children in elective home education, and children missing education (children not registered at school or otherwise receiving suitable education). In autumn 2024/25, local authorities reported 111,700 children in elective home education and 39,200 children missing education. The latest figures are available at <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education</a> and <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-missing-education" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-missing-education</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Portsmouth South answering member printed Stephen Morgan question first answered 13/03/2025 17:01:44 answering member 4653 label Biography information for Stephen Morgan
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1781388

registered interest
date	05/03/2025
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Meadowgate Academy: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish her Department's advice issued to Cambridgeshire County Council in relation to plans to expand the number of places at Meadowgate Academy in Wisbech.
tabling member constituency	North East Cambridgeshire
tabling member printed	Steve Barclay
uin	35648
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2025 answer text <p>In February 2021, the department approved the expansion of Meadowgate Academy by 60 places. The department has not provided advice to Cambridgeshire County Council on plans to expand the number of places.</p> answering member constituency Newcastle upon Tyne North answering member printed Catherine McKinnell question first answered 13/03/2025 16:17:03 answering member 4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell
tabling member	4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay

1781424

registered interest
date	05/03/2025
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Vetting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with schools on ensuring that (a) external and (b) other staff are subject to sufficient Disclosure and Barring Service checks.
tabling member constituency	Keighley and Ilkley
tabling member printed	Robbie Moore
uin	35778
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2025 answer text <p>There is already a robust safeguarding framework in place in the form of Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), which is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all schools and colleges must have regard to when safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This guidance clearly sets out requirements regarding the checks schools should undertake for staff, including external staff, and visitors, to ensure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place.</p><p>In particular, KCSIE provides guidance on how schools should manage visitors, distinguishing between those in a professional capacity (for example, educational psychologists, social workers) and general visitors (for example, parents attending events). KCSIE makes clear that schools should not request Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for general visitors, while those attending in a professional capacity should have their ID checked, and schools should be assured that appropriate DBS checks have been carried out by their employer. The guidance also highlights the importance of schools having policies in place to assess external organisations providing educational content.</p><p>KCSIE is reviewed annually, ordinarily with substantive changes and public consultation taking place in one year and technical-only changes the next. This approach ensures that schools and colleges have sufficient time to implement any updates effectively while minimising disruption for their staff.</p> answering member constituency Newcastle upon Tyne North answering member printed Catherine McKinnell question first answered 11/03/2025 17:58:47 answering member 4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell
tabling member	4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore

1781428

registered interest
date	05/03/2025
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Transport
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that post-16 learners with SEND are able to access transport to education settings.
tabling member constituency	Thurrock
tabling member printed	Jen Craft
uin	35804
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2025 answer text <p>I refer my hon. Friend for Thurrock to the answer of 11 September 2024 to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-09-03/4162" target="_blank">4162</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Newcastle upon Tyne North answering member printed Catherine McKinnell grouped question UIN 35805 question first answered 13/03/2025 16:30:40 answering member 4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell
tabling member	5056

1781429

registered interest
date	05/03/2025
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Transport
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the statutory framework for home-to-school transport for post-16 learners with SEND.
tabling member constituency	Thurrock
tabling member printed	Jen Craft
uin	35805
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2025 answer text <p>I refer my hon. Friend for Thurrock to the answer of 11 September 2024 to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-09-03/4162" target="_blank">4162</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Newcastle upon Tyne North answering member printed Catherine McKinnell grouped question UIN 35804 question first answered 13/03/2025 16:30:40 answering member 4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell
tabling member	5056

1781430

registered interest
date	05/03/2025
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Special Educational Needs: Academies and Maintained Schools
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment she has made of trends in the level of children identified with special educational needs in (a) local authority maintained schools and (b) academies.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	35714
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/03/2025 answer text <p>Information on the numbers of pupils in schools in England with education, health and care (EHC) plans, and special educational needs (SEN) without an EHC plan, by the type of school attended in the academic years 2015/16 to 2023/24, is available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/18296cee-15b6-4a0d-e280-08dd5a6d191a" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/18296cee-15b6-4a0d-e280-08dd5a6d191a</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on the numbers of pupils with SEN is available in the statistical publication ‘Special Educational Needs in England’, is accessible at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/special-educational-needs-in-england" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/special-educational-needs-in-england</a>.</p> answering member constituency Newcastle upon Tyne North answering member printed Catherine McKinnell question first answered 11/03/2025 17:56:41 answering member 4125 label Biography information for Catherine McKinnell
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes