Written questions by Dance.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of removing public funding for level 7 apprenticeships for people aged 22 and older on people in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) the South West.

I refer the hon. Member for Yeovil to the answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57098.

What steps she is taking to support the introduction of assistive technology in primary schools in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.

The government is committed to increasing awareness and use of assistive technology (AT) in primary schools across England, including in the Yeovil constituency and Somerset.Firstly, the department is investing in high-quality research to identify barriers to and opportunities for AT use in schools, so that we have a strong evidence base for AT and are able to pilot approaches. This is key to giving schools the right support they need. We published the most recent research report for special schools and colleges in May entitled ‘Developing a competency framework for effective assistive technology training’. The report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/developing-a-competency-framework-for-effective-assistive-technology-training.From September 2025, teachers will receive training on effective AT use as part of their initial teacher training. Our programme of research can also inform the development of workforce training aimed at equipping teachers with the necessary skills to effectively use AT.Secondly, the government is working to improve the multi-agency working of all those involved in supporting pupils to get the AT that they require. The department will soon publish research undertaken with local authority special educational needs teams and local authority health teams, AT suppliers, schools and colleges to identify effective practices when working together to meet pupil need.Finally, the government is investing £20 million this year to ensure schools can access a fibre internet connection, which includes 27 schools across Somerset. Our investment in infrastructure will ensure that schools can fully harness the opportunities of AT.

Whether she plans to introduce a national dyslexia strategy.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia.The SEND code of practice makes it clear that meeting the needs of a child with special educational needs does not require a diagnostic label, such as dyslexia. Instead, we expect teachers to monitor the progress of all pupils and put support in place where needed. In keeping with this, the department has no current intentions to pursue a condition-specific approach.However, we recognise that the early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with dyslexia. There are already a number of measures to help teachers do this, including the phonics screening check and statutory assessments at the end of key stage 2.Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools.The English Hubs programme is dedicated to improving the teaching of reading, with a focus on supporting children making the slowest progress in reading. As part of the continuous professional development provided by the English Hubs, the Reading Ambition for All programme has been launched to improve outcomes for children who need additional support with reading, including those with SEND.

If she will appoint a named policy lead in her Department on dyslexia.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia.The SEND code of practice makes it clear that meeting the needs of a child with special educational needs does not require a diagnostic label, such as dyslexia. Instead, we expect teachers to monitor the progress of all pupils and put support in place where needed. In keeping with this, the department has no current intentions to pursue a condition-specific approach.However, we recognise that the early identification of need and support is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, including those with dyslexia. There are already a number of measures to help teachers do this, including the phonics screening check and statutory assessments at the end of key stage 2.Measures have also been introduced to support the effective teaching of reading, including for those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme, the publication of the reading framework and an updated list of high quality systematic synthetic phonics programmes for schools.The English Hubs programme is dedicated to improving the teaching of reading, with a focus on supporting children making the slowest progress in reading. As part of the continuous professional development provided by the English Hubs, the Reading Ambition for All programme has been launched to improve outcomes for children who need additional support with reading, including those with SEND.

What steps she is taking to support the introduction of more (a) vocational and (b) functional education pathways for students in (i) Somerset and (ii) England.

The department continues to reform qualifications so they have clearer routes to higher education or skilled employment and are, where applicable, aligned to occupational standards designed by employers. 140 reformed qualifications at levels 2 and 3 have been approved for next academic year.There are a wide range of technical and functional pathways in all areas of the country, including Somerset. These include: T levels, a high-quality technical education option for young people, including a valuable workplace industry placement which prepares them work. Higher Technical Qualifications, occupation-focused level 4-5 qualifications, approved and quality marked as providing the skills demanded in the workplace by employers. Apprenticeships, including widening the offer into a growth and skills offer which will include new foundation apprenticeships, giving more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working life. Skills Bootcamps, giving learners the chance to build sector-specific skills with a job interview on completion. Free Courses for Jobs, giving learners the chance to access high value level 3 qualifications. Functional Qualifications in English, mathematics and digital, available to learners for whom a GSCE is not the right qualification path, designed with employers in mind and taught depending on the needs of the learner.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of removing spelling, punctuation and grammar marks from non-English (a) secondary and (b) sixth form exams.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review is ongoing and is evaluating the existing national curriculum and statutory assessment system in England to ensure they are fit for purpose. The Review wants to ensure an assessment system that captures the strengths of every child and young person and the breadth of curriculum, with the right balance of assessment methods, whilst maintaining the important role of examinations. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of regulating the educational guardianship sector.

All independent and state boarding schools must have regard to the ‘Keeping children safe in education’ guidance and must meet the national minimum standards for boarding schools. Section 22 of those standards sets out the requirements of schools in relation to educational guardians appointed by a school.Parents of international child students who make private educational guardianship arrangements for their children should ensure that they apply due diligence to any arrangements.

What assessments she has made of the merits of implementing a teacher retention strategy that addresses key factors driving staff to leave the profession.

High-quality teaching is the in-school factor that has the biggest positive impact on a child or young person’s outcome in schools and colleges. Recruiting and retaining more qualified, expert teachers is critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every child. This is why the government’s Plan for Change has committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers in secondary and special schools, and in our colleges, over the course of this Parliament.The best recruitment strategy is an effective retention strategy. The department recently announced a 4% pay award for teachers and leaders in maintained schools from September 2025. This builds on the 5.5% pay award for the 2024/25 academic year, resulting in a near 10% pay award since this government came to power, ensuring teaching is once again a valued profession and keeping high-quality teachers in schools. In addition, we invested around £700 million across schools and further education this year, which included increasing our targeted retention incentives, worth up to £6,000 per year for early career teachers teaching in disadvantaged schools, and resources to improve teachers’ workload and wellbeing.Our investment is starting to deliver. The workforce has grown by 2,346 full-time equivalent, between 2023/24 and 2024/25 in secondary and special schools, with leaver rates dropping to 9.1%, one of the lowest on record.To further support teacher retention, the department has established a new way of working through ‘Improving Education Together’, which brings together employer representative organisations, unions and government to help inform policy design and approaches to implementation across key reform priorities.

What assessments she had made of the potential merits of screening for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in primary schools in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The SEND code of practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with special educational needs does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, the department expects schools to monitor the progress of pupils and put support in place where needed.In 2024, the department brought together a group of leading neurodiversity experts to make recommendations to its Ministers on the best ways to support and meet the needs of neurodivergent children and young people in mainstream education settings. The group includes the chair of the independent ADHD Taskforce, convened by NHS England, to ensure join up and support across the health and education systems.The Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme is a national programme, backed by £13 million of investment.PINS deploys specialists from health and education workforces to build teacher and staff capacity to identify and better meet the needs of neurodivergent children, in mainstream primary schools. In the 2024/25 financial year, PINS has been delivered to over 1650, around 10%, of all mainstream primary schools, including 38 schools within the Somerset local authority.

What assessment she has made of the level of bullying towards neurodiverse students in schools in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset, and (c) England.

The department is clear that schools must take a strong stand against all forms of bullying and should tackle bullying at the earliest opportunity to prevent it from escalating. All schools must have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying, including the bullying of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).The department does not collect data on specific incidents of bullying in schools. We expect schools to develop their own approaches for monitoring bullying and exercise their own judgement as to what will work best for their pupils.We monitor young people’s perceptions of bullying at a high level, through surveys, which indicate that a higher level of children and young people with SEND, including neurodivergence, report that they have been bullied, than children without SEND. The latest survey can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6628dd9bdb4b9f0448a7e584/National_behaviour_survey_academic_year_2022_to_2023.pdf.​The department has published advice to support schools with addressing incidents of bullying, which can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/625ee64cd3bf7f6004339db8/Preventing_and_tackling_bullying_advice.pdf, as well as a practical tool to help schools, which can be found on the Educate Against Hate website here: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/.

What steps she is taking to protect neurodiverse pupils from bullying at school in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England.

The department is clear that schools must take a strong stand against all forms of bullying and should tackle bullying at the earliest opportunity to prevent it from escalating. All schools must have a behaviour policy with measures to prevent all forms of bullying, including the bullying of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).The department does not collect data on specific incidents of bullying in schools. We expect schools to develop their own approaches for monitoring bullying and exercise their own judgement as to what will work best for their pupils.We monitor young people’s perceptions of bullying at a high level, through surveys, which indicate that a higher level of children and young people with SEND, including neurodivergence, report that they have been bullied, than children without SEND. The latest survey can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6628dd9bdb4b9f0448a7e584/National_behaviour_survey_academic_year_2022_to_2023.pdf.​The department has published advice to support schools with addressing incidents of bullying, which can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/625ee64cd3bf7f6004339db8/Preventing_and_tackling_bullying_advice.pdf, as well as a practical tool to help schools, which can be found on the Educate Against Hate website here: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reducing funding for level 7 healthcare apprenticeships on the NHS long-term workforce plan.

I refer the hon. Member for Yeovil to the answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39819.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reducing funding for level 7 apprenticeships on the number of chartered town planners in local government.

I refer the hon. Member for Yeovil to the answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 23140.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reducing funding for level 7 healthcare apprenticeships on skills shortages in the NHS; and what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on that funding.

I refer the hon. Member for Yeovil to the answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39819.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reducing funding for level 7 healthcare apprenticeships on the number of advanced clinical practitioners in the NHS.

I refer the hon. Member for Yeovil to the answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39819.

What plans she has to improve the (a) mental health and (b) wellbeing of teachers in Somerset.

I refer the hon. Member for Yeovil to the answer of 14 February 2025 to Question 29516.

What plans she has to improve teacher (a) recruitment and (b) retention in Somerset.

High quality teaching is the most important in-school factor to a child’s educational outcomes. Recruiting and retaining more qualified, expert teachers is therefore critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every child. This is why the department will recruit 6,500 new expert teachers, get more teachers into shortage subjects, support areas that face recruitment challenges and tackle retention issues. To deliver this pledge we are resetting the relationship with the sector to ensure teaching is once again a valued and attractive profession.We agreed a 5.5% pay award for teachers this year, 2024/25, and we have increased the funding available for bursaries for trainee teaches to £233 million from 2025/26, to support teacher trainees with tax-free bursaries of up to £29,000 and scholarships of up to £31,000 in some shortage subjects. The department has also expanded its school teacher recruitment campaign, ‘Every Lesson Shapes a Life’, and the further education teacher recruitment campaign ‘Share your Skills’.A successful recruitment strategy starts with a strong retention strategy, and in addition to recruiting high quality teachers, we want to ensure teachers stay and thrive in this profession. New teachers of mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing in the first five years of their careers will now receive a targeted retention incentive of up to £6,000, after-tax, if working in disadvantaged schools. There are six schools in the Yeovil constituency where teachers are eligible for targeted retention incentives.The department has also taken steps to improve teachers’ workload and wellbeing, to support retention and help re-establish teaching as an attractive profession. This includes opportunities for greater flexible working, such as allowing planning, preparation and assessment time to be undertaken remotely, and making key resources to support wellbeing, developed with school leaders, available to teachers​.The department is also funding bespoke support provided by flexible working ambassador schools and multi-academy trusts, ensuring schools are capturing the benefits of flexible working, whilst protecting pupils’ face-to-face teacher time.Malmesbury School of the Athelstan Trust is the flexible working ambassador school providing local, tailored peer support for Yeovil schools.High quality continuing professional development is also key to ensuring the retention of an effective teaching workforce. Through the revised Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework, new teachers will benefit from at least three years of evidence-based training, across initial teacher training and into their induction. The department has also launched an updated suite of national professional qualifications (NPQs) for teachers and school leaders at all levels, from those who want to develop expertise in high quality teaching practice to those leading multiple schools across trusts. Teaching School Hubs play a significant role in delivering the initial teacher training, the early career framework and NPQs. The Five Counties Teaching School Hubs Alliance is a partnership of Teaching School Hubs supporting teacher training and development across Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bath and Bristol.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2024 to Question 2285 on Pupils: Dyslexia, what discussions she has had with (a) families and (b) education care experts on delivering the best educational outcomes for children with (i) dyslexia and (ii) other neurodivergent conditions in (A) Somerset and (B) the South West.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions.The department is working closely with experts on reforms, including Dame Christine Lenehan as a Strategic Advisor for SEND, who is playing a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families, as we consider the next steps for the future of SEND reform.We know that consistent, meaningful co-production is vital to improving the experiences of all children, young people and their families, and local authorities must ensure that children, young people and parents are provided with the information, advice and support necessary to enable them to participate in discussions and decisions about their support. We will continue to offer training and support, via our contracted delivery partners, to SEND Information, Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS).The English Hubs programme is dedicated to improving the teaching of reading, with a focus on supporting children making the slowest progress in reading. As part of the continuous professional development provided by the English Hubs, the Reading Ambition for All programme has been launched to improve outcomes for children who need additional support with reading, including those with SEND.In the South West, there are six English Hubs: Cornerstone, Ilsham, Kernow, Mangotsfield, Ramsbury and Unlocking Excellence. This academic year, they are supporting a total of 130 schools with the Reading Ambition for All programme.The Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme brings together integrated care boards, local authorities and schools, working in partnership with parents and carers to support schools to better meet the needs of neurodivergent children. PINS was co-produced with parent carers with input from education and health professionals.Since the programme launched in November 2023, PINS has deployed health and education specialists to strengthen training for teachers and staff in around 1,650 mainstream primary schools (10%).PINS is successfully operating in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, with specialist neurodiversity training and parent carer engagement currently being delivered in participating schools. The PINS programme is being evaluated and the learning will inform future policy development around how schools support neurodivergent children.Additionally, the department has brought together a group of leading neurodiversity experts to work closely with us to help improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream settings in a way that works for neurodivergent children and young people.

What plans she has to support technical colleges to provide specialist support for dyslexic students in (a) Somerset and (b) the South West.

We are the department for opportunity. As part of this we are committed to help every learner to achieve and thrive, through excellent teaching and high standards. This includes a focus on children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).The SEND Code of Practice is clear that all children and young people with SEND should be prepared for adulthood.Preparation for adulthood means higher education and/or employment, independent living, participation in society and being as healthy as possible in adult life.All local authorities must set out the support available to help children and young people with SEND move into adulthood as part of their local offer.All education and training providers, including Technical Colleges, and other related service providers, have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, so they are not disadvantaged compared to non-disabled students. This includes people with a learning difficulty. This duty is set out under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010, which is available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/20.There is a range of support on offer for dyslexic students. Students should discuss their needs with the college or education provider before the course begins. They will assess needs by consulting the student, their previous school and (if appropriate, and with permission) parents. Over the age of 16, the student should be fully involved in the discussions around special educational needs support.The college must explain what support they will provide to meet the person’s individual learning needs. They should regularly review this support, keep records of the student’s progress and discuss this with them.Support can include the use of additional time for tasks and exams, assistive technology, specialist tuition, note-takers and one-to-one or small group learning support.The British Dyslexia Association offers advice and guidance on how students should be supported, which is available at: https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/advice/educators.Disability Rights UK have information available which describes how reasonable adjustments can be provided for students with disabilities. This can be accessed at: https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/resources/adjustments-disabled-students-and-apprentices.

What plans she has to improve specialist teacher training on supporting dyslexic students in primary schools.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions. The government is focusing on improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and is working with families and education and care experts to deliver this in the best interests of all children and to improve parents’ trust. High-quality teaching is the most important in-school factor for improving outcomes for all children, particularly those with SEND or from disadvantaged backgrounds, and the department is committed to ensuring that all pupils receive excellent support from their teachers. The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND such as dyslexia. All initial teacher training (ITT) providers must ensure that their courses enable trainee teachers to meet the Teachers’ Standards to be recommended for the award of qualified teacher status. 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. From September 2025, they 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). 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, some of which has been adapted from the new national professional qualification for special educational needs co-ordinators to be relevant for trainees and ECTs. 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, including those with dyslexia. 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. The department recognises that continuous improvement is essential and has 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.