Written questions by Bennett.

What proportion of, a) pupils recorded as young carers and, b) pupils not recorded as young carers were eligible for Free School Meals in the January school census returns for 2023 to 2025.

The department holds data on young carers and pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM), which is published in the ‘Schools, pupils and characteristics’ publication. The most recent version was published in June 2025 and the next is scheduled for summer 2026.Below is a table showing the proportion of pupils who are identified as young carers and known to be eligible for FSM, and the proportion of pupils who are not identified as young carers but are known to be eligible for FSM.YearProportion of young carers known to be eligible for free schools meals (%)Proportion of pupils not recorded as a young carer but known to be eligible for free school meals (%)2024/2556.9025.502023/2456.8024.402022/2356.4023.70

If she will set out how the violence against women and girls strategy will address misogynistic behaviour in schools; and what guidance, resources and funding her Department will provide to support intervention.

Education is a significant part of the cross-government strategy to keep women and girls safe, focusing on prevention by instilling early the values and skills needed to protect young people, disrupt dangerous attitudes, and stop harmful behaviours escalating.We have already overhauled the relationships, sex, and health education (RSHE) curriculum, with a new focus on developing skills for healthy relationships from the beginning of primary school, and equipping children with the tools to tackle harmful influences.We have also committed £11 million to fund three pilot programmes to support teachers to implement the new RSHE curriculum, provide healthy relationships training, and advise on how to tackle harmful behaviours.Departmental officials are also developing a series of resources on extreme misogyny with Connect Futures to support schools and colleges on whole school approaches, teaching materials, and assembly plans which will be available soon.

Whether she has considered the potential merits of removing the loan charge for students who withdraw from university in their first year due to health conditions and other mitigating circumstances.

Students may defer or withdraw from their studies for different reasons including due to health conditions and other mitigating circumstances. Interest will continue to accrue even if a student suspends or withdraws from their course, but current students on Plan 5 loans will only accrue Retail Price Index level interest, without the additional rates of Plan 2.Interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by student loan borrowers, which stay at a constant rate of 9% above an earnings threshold to protect lower earners. If a borrower’s income drops below the repayment threshold, or they are not earning, their repayments will stop.Any outstanding loan will be cancelled if the borrower becomes disabled and permanently unfit for work, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

Whether she has assessed the potential merits of waiving interest on student loans for people who withdraw from university due to health conditions or other mitigating circumstances.

Students may defer or withdraw from their studies for different reasons including due to health conditions and other mitigating circumstances. Interest will continue to accrue even if a student suspends or withdraws from their course, but current students on Plan 5 loans will only accrue Retail Price Index level interest, without the additional rates of Plan 2.Interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by student loan borrowers, which stay at a constant rate of 9% above an earnings threshold to protect lower earners. If a borrower’s income drops below the repayment threshold, or they are not earning, their repayments will stop.Any outstanding loan will be cancelled if the borrower becomes disabled and permanently unfit for work, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2025 to Question 88105, how many 16 to 19 year olds are enrolled on each of the 900 non-A level Level 3 qualifications referenced in the Department’s consultation document on Post-16 Level 3 and Below Pathways.

The government’s vision for the 16-19 education system is to create a clear and coherent system with distinct pathways leading to further study, training or employment, including apprenticeships.At level 3, this includes introducing V Levels, a new pathway alongside A levels and T Levels, as recommended in the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report. These reforms are currently under consultation.Despite removing qualifications with sustained low or no enrolments ahead of this academic year, there remain 872 level 3 qualifications that are still available for 16–19-year-olds. Further analysis shows there were circa. 494,300 16-19 study programme enrolments in academic year 2022/23.

How many 16 to 19 year olds are currently enrolled on each Level 3 qualification.

Official statistics showing Participation in education, training and employment age 16 to 18 are published annually, with the latest estimates being for end 2024, and accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/participation-in-education-and-training-and-employment/2024.The estimates relate to a snapshot of activities at the end of the calendar year, and are based on academic age, defined as ‘age at the start of the academic year’, that is age as at 31 August. The number of 16 to 18-year-olds participating on level 3 qualifications by their highest qualification aim at the end of 2024 can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/2e4d74ca-0086-4465-e324-08de1acd7617.

Whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on (a) increasing funding for the Music and Dance Scheme and (b) committing to a multiple-year settlement.

The government fully supports the arts and the development of a skills pipeline into the creative industries.The department is providing £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year.Funding beyond the current academic year, including any introduction of multi-year funding agreements, will be considered in due course.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of withdrawing funding from applied general qualifications on the number of young people not in education, employment or training.

​​​The department introduced 140 newly reformed qualifications to be taught from the beginning of this academic year and just announced a further 27 newly reformed qualifications which it will fund from August 2026. This includes newly reformed alternative academic qualifications and new technical qualifications in health and social care and related areas such as science, that will sit alongside the T Level in health and related A levels. The department is withdrawing funding from unreformed qualifications in the same areas, so that students can benefit from the higher quality reformed alternatives.​T Levels are out-performing other qualifications. Where a student wishes to study a large qualification in health they should undertake the T Level.​We published an equalities impact assessment alongside the outcome of the review of qualifications reform. The review is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-level-3-qualifications-reform-equality-impact-assessment. The department expects the impact on the number of young people not in education, employment or training, to be mitigated by the availability of T Levels and other reformed qualifications. ​

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of withdrawing funding from applied general qualifications in Health and Social Care on the number of students studying courses in these subjects.

​​​The department introduced 140 newly reformed qualifications to be taught from the beginning of this academic year and just announced a further 27 newly reformed qualifications which it will fund from August 2026. This includes newly reformed alternative academic qualifications and new technical qualifications in health and social care and related areas such as science, that will sit alongside the T Level in health and related A levels. The department is withdrawing funding from unreformed qualifications in the same areas, so that students can benefit from the higher quality reformed alternatives.​T Levels are out-performing other qualifications. Where a student wishes to study a large qualification in health they should undertake the T Level.​We published an equalities impact assessment alongside the outcome of the review of qualifications reform. The review is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-level-3-qualifications-reform-equality-impact-assessment. The department expects the impact on the number of young people not in education, employment or training, to be mitigated by the availability of T Levels and other reformed qualifications. ​

Whether multi-academy trusts can implement Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice schemes.

New electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes for academy trusts are currently paused. Academy trusts with existing schemes have been able to keep them in place, but not expand them by adding new members. This pause is subject to a review about salary sacrifice schemes in the public sector and a decision on these schemes by HM Treasury. The department will inform academy trusts when a decision has been made, and the Academy Trust Handbook (ATH) will be updated accordingly. The ATH is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academy-trust-handbook/academy-trust-handbook-2025-effective-from-1-september-2025.

What steps she is taking to ensure that schools enable pupils with severe dietary conditions to access free school meal entitlements.

Schools are expected to make reasonable efforts to cater for pupils with particular requirements, for example to reflect medical, dietary and cultural needs, to ensure they are not put at a substantial disadvantage in relation to accessing meals.Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on governing bodies of maintained schools, proprietors of academies and management committees of pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils at their school with medical conditions, which may be food-related. Schools must therefore take appropriate action in supporting such pupils to access free school meals provision.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of sitting year 6 SATs on children with both anxiety and special educational needs.

Statutory tests and assessments at primary school are an important part of ensuring that all pupils master the basics of reading, writing and mathematics to prepare them to achieve and thrive at secondary school. They are subject to robust test development processes, which include reviews involving teachers and experts in special educational needs (SEN). Schools can utilise a range of access arrangements where appropriate, and pupils should only take tests if, in the view of the head teacher, they are in a fit physical and mental state to do so.Although it is important that schools encourage their pupils to do their best in the tests, the department does not recommend that pupils in primary school devote excessive preparation time to assessments, and not at the expense of pupils’ mental health and wellbeing. Schools should support a culture of wellbeing amongst staff and pupils, including for pupils with anxiety and SEN.

Whether she is considering (a) restricting the number of children who can obtain Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and (b) replacing the EHCP system.

The evidence is clear that this government inherited a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system left in a state of disarray, with too many children not having their needs met and parents forced to fight for support.This government is actively working with parents and experts on how children's needs can be better met, including through earlier identification and support to prevent needs escalating. We have made available £740 million to encourage councils to create more specialist places both in mainstream schools and specialist provision, and almost a £1 billion increase to the high needs budget for 2025/26 to ensure children have access to the support they need to achieve and thrive.At the heart of any changes to the SEND system must be children’s outcomes and opportunities. The department’s aim is for the support children need to be more easily accessed earlier, and to put an end to adversarial processes with parents having to fight for support, while protecting provision currently in place. As part of our Plan for Change, we want to restore the confidence of families up and down the country and deliver the improvement they need so that they can achieve and thrive.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing the eligibility criteria for the Adoption and special guardianship support fund to include (a) kinship carers with informal childcare arrangements and (b) people under Special Guardianship Orders from 2025-26.

The adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) supports children previously in care who are under special guardianship orders, residency orders or child arrangements orders. We are not proposing wider eligibility changes at this point. The ASGSF does not allow unused funds to be carried over from one financial year to the next. However, where applications were agreed and therapy started prior to April 2025, that therapy may continue under previously agreed transitional funding arrangements.

What steps she is taking to help decarbonise schools.

The department is committed to supporting the UK net zero carbon targets. Since 2021, our own building standards require that all new school buildings we deliver are net zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change.The department is providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help for buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high quality and value to the sector. More information can be found at: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.Additionally, the department recently announced the £80 million Great British Energy Solar Accelerator Programme in partnership with GB Energy that will install solar and other technologies such as electric vehicle chargers in 200 targeted schools and colleges, prioritising those in areas of deprivation, to start in the 2025/26 financial year.Details of other government funding available to public bodies for sustainability, prepared by the Crown Commercial Service can be found at: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/social-value/carbon-net-zero/funding-and-grants.Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational.The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is £300 million more than the previous year.

Whether people who started therapy funded by the Adoption and special guardianship support fund in 2024-25 will be permitted to carry over unused funds to fund therapy during the 2025-26 financial year.

The adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) supports children previously in care who are under special guardianship orders, residency orders or child arrangements orders. We are not proposing wider eligibility changes at this point. The ASGSF does not allow unused funds to be carried over from one financial year to the next. However, where applications were agreed and therapy started prior to April 2025, that therapy may continue under previously agreed transitional funding arrangements.

If she will take steps to provide additional funding to non-academised sixth form colleges for increasing the pay of teachers to the same level as teachers in academised sixth form colleges.

The government is not responsible for setting or making recommendations about teacher pay in further education (FE) colleges, including sixth form colleges which unlike 16-19 academies are part of the statutory FE sector.The Autumn Budget 2024 set out the government’s commitment to skills, by providing an additional £300 million revenue funding for FE to ensure young people are developing the skills this country needs. The department recognises the vital role that FE teachers and providers play in equipping learners with the opportunities and skills they need to succeed in their education. The department will set out in due course how this funding will be distributed.This builds on our investment to extend targeted retention incentive payments of up to £6,000 after tax to eligible early career FE teachers in key subject areas, including in sixth form colleges. The department is also delivering funding to support those young people who do not pass mathematics and English GCSE at 16, who are predominantly studying in FE.The department has continued to offer financial incentives for those undertaking teacher training for the FE sector in priority subject areas. For the 2024/2025 academic year, training bursaries are worth up to £30,000 each, tax free, with further information about schemes for future years in due course. Additionally, we are supporting industry professionals to enter the teaching workforce through our Taking Teaching Further programme.