Written questions by Dance.

What plans she has to improve specialist teacher training on supporting dyslexic students in secondary 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 From September 2025, they will be superseded by the combined Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF), which sets out a minimum entitlement to training and must be used by providers of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.

What plans she has to improve specialist teacher training on supporting dyslexic students in the post-16 education sector.

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 department has put measures in place to support students with SEND. All publicly funded further education (FE) teacher training routes are required to support trainees to achieve the learning and skills teacher occupational standard. The standard requires trainee teachers to actively promote equality of opportunity and inclusion by responding to the needs of all students, including children and young people with SEND and/or dyslexia.The department has also continued to offer financial incentives for those undertaking teacher training for the FE sector in priority subject areas. We confirmed that FE teacher training bursaries will be offered for a further year, the 2025/26 academic year. We have set the bursaries for SEND at £15,000.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 here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/20.

What plans she has to improve (a) inclusivity and (b) expertise on dyslexia in mainstream schools in (i) Somerset and (ii) 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.We are providing £1 billion more for high needs budgets in 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding to £11.9 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND.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.Schools should apply a ‘graduated approach’ to identify a child’s needs, plan appropriate support, implement that support and review it regularly to ensure it continues to meet their identified needs. Through this, schools should develop personalised approaches to supporting the unique needs of individual pupils. Schools should involve pupils and their parents in this process, taking their views into consideration.The core content framework and early career framework, 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 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 initial teacher training and those delivering training to ECTs to create their curricula. The ITTECF contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND.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.In the South West there are 6 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.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of support for dyslexic students in mainstream education 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.We are providing £1 billion more for high needs budgets in 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding to £11.9 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND.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.Schools should apply a ‘graduated approach’ to identify a child’s needs, plan appropriate support, implement that support and review it regularly to ensure it continues to meet their identified needs. Through this, schools should develop personalised approaches to supporting the unique needs of individual pupils. Schools should involve pupils and their parents in this process, taking their views into consideration.The core content framework and early career framework, 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 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 initial teacher training and those delivering training to ECTs to create their curricula. The ITTECF contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND.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.In the South West there are 6 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.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure early diagnosis of dyslexia in 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.We are providing £1 billion more for high needs budgets in 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding to £11.9 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND.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.Schools should apply a ‘graduated approach’ to identify a child’s needs, plan appropriate support, implement that support and review it regularly to ensure it continues to meet their identified needs. Through this, schools should develop personalised approaches to supporting the unique needs of individual pupils. Schools should involve pupils and their parents in this process, taking their views into consideration.The core content framework and early career framework, 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 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 initial teacher training and those delivering training to ECTs to create their curricula. The ITTECF contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND.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.In the South West there are 6 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.

What steps her Department is taking to support children diagnosed with dyslexia in Yeovil constituency.

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.We are providing £1 billion more for high needs budgets in 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding to £11.9 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND.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.Schools should apply a ‘graduated approach’ to identify a child’s needs, plan appropriate support, implement that support and review it regularly to ensure it continues to meet their identified needs. Through this, schools should develop personalised approaches to supporting the unique needs of individual pupils. Schools should involve pupils and their parents in this process, taking their views into consideration.The core content framework and early career framework, 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 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 initial teacher training and those delivering training to ECTs to create their curricula. The ITTECF contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND.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.In the South West there are 6 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.

What assessment she has made of the potential (a) administrative and (b) psychological impact of children not being on school registers on home schooling families of neurodivergent children.

There is currently no duty on parents to notify local authorities when they have elected to home educate their child. The ‘Children Not in School’ measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will help remedy this by placing a duty on local authorities to maintain compulsory registers of all children not in school in their areas, and accompanying duties on parents and out-of-school education providers to provide information for these registers.Information recorded on registers could include whether an eligible child has special educational needs. This would enable local authorities to provide tailored support to these children and their families, and for a more accurate assessment to be made of the impact on these children of not being on school registers. Statutory guidance will be produced to go alongside the measures, which will set out requirements for local authorities and parents.The department has conducted an Equalities Impact Assessment on the ‘Children Not in School’ measures. As part of this assessment, we have considered the potential impact on children with special educational needs and disabilities, including those who are neurodivergent.

What steps she is taking to reduce bullying in schools.

I refer the hon. Member for Yeovil to the answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 22877.

What estimate she has made of the potential cost to local authorities of the provisions of the Children’s Wellbeing and School Bill.

I refer the hon. member for Yeovil to the answer of 20 January to Question 24930.

What estimate she has made of the cost of home schooling a child for (a) parents and (b) local education authorities in this financial year.

The department does not hold data on the cost of elective home education for parents or local authorities.As set out in our elective home education guidance, parents who home educate assume the full financial responsibility for their child’s education, since a state-funded school place is available for their child.The new duties created by the Children Not in School measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will include the creation of a duty on local authorities to create and maintain Children Not in School registers and a duty to provide support to home educating families, should it be requested. Local authority delivery will be funded by central government in line with the New Burdens Doctrine. To determine the level of funding, the department will carry out a new burdens assessment.

What steps she is taking to help improve (a) vocational education and (b) apprenticeships in agriculture.

The government is developing a comprehensive strategy for post‐16 education and skills to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce in all sectors, including agriculture and drive economic growth through our industrial strategy.We have established Skills England to ensure we have the highly trained workforce required to deliver the national, regional and local skills needs of the next decade. It will ensure that the skills system is clear and navigable for individuals, both young people and older adults, strengthening careers pathways into jobs across the economy.The department’s reformed growth and skills offer, which will have apprenticeships at its core, will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers. As a key first step towards greater flexibility, we are introducing new foundation apprenticeships for young people as well as shorter apprenticeships. These will help more people learn high-quality skills at work and fuel innovation in businesses across the country. During autumn 2024, Skills England engaged with employers and other key stakeholders on initial priorities for the new offer. The department will set out more detail on the offer in due course.The department will continue to support learners who wish to have a career in agriculture through its technical education offer, with a range of high-quality qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities at all levels. We recognise the crucial role that land-based colleges and providers play in delivering the skills training and innovation needed for the current and future workforce.Employers have developed several apprenticeships in the agriculture sector to support them to develop skilled workforces, including general farm worker (level 2), livestock unit technical (level 3) and assistant farm manager (level 4).21 T Levels are being delivered in a range of in-demand subjects. T Levels in Agriculture, Land Management and Production, and Animal Care and Management are now being taught across the country, providing students with the core knowledge and skills needed for entry to a range of occupations in the rural sector.Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), which are occupation-focussed level 4-5 qualifications, are approved and quality marked as providing the skills demanded in the workplace by employers. To date, 263 HTQs have been approved for delivery across a range of occupational routes, with the Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care route becoming available for first teach from September 2025.

What steps she is taking to encourage upskilling for tradespeople.

The department is developing a comprehensive strategy for post‐16 education and skills, to break down barriers to opportunity, support the development of a skilled workforce and drive economic growth through our Industrial Strategy. My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills’ keynote speech on 12 November at the Association of Colleges conference recommitted to this pledge and to working collaboratively with the sector to bring forward this strategy, building on the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the introduction of Skills England, and with a continued focus on lifelong learning. The newly established Skills England will provide authoritative assessments of national and regional skills needs now and for the future, combining the best available statistical data with insights generated from employers and other key stakeholders. It will also ensure that there is a comprehensive suite of apprenticeships, training and technical qualifications available that are aligned with what employers need, including those in the construction industry. The construction sector is vital in driving economic prosperity and providing career opportunities for people at all ages and stages of their careers. Construction employers can benefit from a wide range of government-funded programmes, including apprenticeships, T Levels, sector-based work academies, Skills Bootcamps, and Free Courses for Jobs. Employers in the construction sector have developed a number of apprenticeships to help meet their skills needs. T Levels are a high-quality technical option for 16 to 19-year-olds, offering classroom learning with hands-on experience and a built-in 45-day industry placement. This means students spend 20% of their time working with an employer, gaining the skills and confidence they need for the workplace. The department is working across government and in partnership with industry through the Construction Skills Delivery Group to ensure that our skills offer meets the needs of individuals and employers in the sector.

With reference to paragraph 2.62 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the application of the standard VAT rate to independent schools on the teaching of (a) music and (b) the arts in such schools; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing support to such schools for such teaching.

HM Treasury (HMT) is responsible for VAT policy. HMT has published its assessment of the impacts of removing the VAT exemption that applied to private school fees, which can be found on here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/ac8c20ce-4824-462d-b206-26a567724643#who-is-likely-to-be-affected. As this sets out, the government expects the impacts of these changes on the private and state sectors to be small. The government's costings have been scrutinised by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility. As set out in HMT’s response to the technical consultation in the VAT changes, performing arts schools that offer full-time education to children of compulsory school age and/or 16 to 19-year-olds for a charge will remain in scope of this policy. This is to ensure fairness and consistency across all schools that provide education services and vocational training for a charge. In addition to providing performing arts education, when educating children of compulsory school age, these institutions will also provide academic education. An exemption from the VAT rules would therefore be unfair to other private schools. The department provides means-tested bursaries for eligible families as part of the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) if their child has a place at any one of eight performing arts private schools. For the 2024/25 academic year, lower income families will receive additional support to ensure the total cost of their parental contributions do not rise from January 2025 as a result of the VAT change. This will benefit around half of the families with an MDS bursary for their child.

What assessment she has made of the capacity of state schools to accommodate a potential increase in students transferring from private schools; and whether students transferring from private schools in rural areas will be guaranteed a place at their nearest state school.

The government predicts that 35,000 pupils will move into UK state schools in the long-term steady state following the removal of the VAT exemption to school fees. The government expects approximately 2,900 pupils will move into state schools in England following the business rates policy taking effect. As such, the impact on the state education system as a whole is expected to be very small.This increase in the state sector represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over nine million. The number expected to move before the end of the 2024/25 academic year is around 3,000. The government expects the associated revenue costs of pupils entering the state sector to steadily increase to a peak of around £300 million after several years.Local authorities have statutory duties to ensure that there are sufficient school places for children in their area. They must also, on request, provide information to parents about the availability of places in schools in their area.Parents that require a state-funded place for their child must apply to the admission authority of the school for which they want to apply. Admission authorities must deal with applications in line with their published admissions policy. Admissions policies can prioritise applicants on a range of factors, including by distance from home. However, no pupil is guaranteed a place at their nearest state-funded school.

With reference to paragraph 4.11 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, whether the £69 million to continue delivery of a network of Family Hubs will be used to include (a) more and (b) all local authorities in the programme.

The Budget announcement includes £69 million to continue delivery of a network of Family Hubs. The announcement is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/autumn-budget-2024.Decisions on the breakdown of this funding are yet to be taken. The department will provide further details in due course.