Written questions by Lewin.

What progress she has made on the introduction of a GCSE in Ukrainian.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of all secondary schools notifying SEND students and their families of the option to study Functional Skills Qualifications instead of GCSEs.

Awaiting answer.

What whether she has considered screening all primary school age children for colour blindness.

The department knows that effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Whilst the department does not have any current plans to introduce screening for all primary school age children for colour blindness, to support settings to identify need early, we are strengthening the evidence base of what works to improve early identification in mainstream settings. Recently published evidence reviews from University College London will help to drive inclusive practices. They highlight what the best available evidence suggests are the most effective tools, strategies and approaches for teachers and other relevant staff in mainstream settings to identify and support children and young people with different types of needs.We also recently announced new government-backed research into SEN identification, which will be delivered by UK Research Innovation (UKRI) in partnership with the department. This will aim to develop and test trusted and effective approaches to help the early identification of children needing tailored educational support.

How many postgraduate students are (a) studying and (b) parents of children of nursery age for which the latest data is available..

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is responsible for collecting and publishing data on the UK higher education (HE) sector. HESA does not collect data on the parental status of students across all UK HE providers, and so information on the total number of postgraduate students that are parents of children of nursery age is not currently held by the department.For the 2023/24 academic year, HESA reported there are 847,905 postgraduate students enrolled in UK HE providers. Counts of HE student enrolments by level of study are published in Table 3 of HESA’s Student data, which can be found here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb271/figure-3.

How many and what proportion of children in year three and above who are eligible for free school meals attend schools rated (a) Outstanding, (b) Good, (c) Requires Improvement and (d) Inadequate in Welwyn Hatfield constituency.

Data on the number pupils eligible for free school meals broken down by a schools’ single headline grade is not held by the department. Ofsted has, as of September 2024, ceased providing headline grades as part of the move to a comprehensive school report card to provide greater information for parents and proportionate accountability for schools. Subject to the ongoing consultation report, cards will include reporting on inclusion. Information on the total number and percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals at school level, including the constituency of the school, is published in an additional supporting file as part of the statistical release. The release is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.

What information her Department holds on the number and proportion of children in England who (a) are aged between four and 18 and (b) have an EHCP that attend schools rated (a) Outstanding, (b) Good and (c) Requires improvement and (d) Inadequate.

Data on children with education, health and care (EHC) plans broken down by a schools’ single headline grade is not held by the department. Ofsted has, as of September 2024, ceased providing headline grades as part of the move to a comprehensive school report card to provide greater information for parents and proportionate accountability for schools. Subject to the ongoing consultation report, cards will include reporting on inclusion.Information on the total number of pupils in schools in England with an EHC plan by their age is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/4c599f37-7eed-462d-6cbe-08dd48e2728c.Information on the special educational needs of pupils in schools in England is published as part of the statistical release, Special Educational Needs in England. The release is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england.

How many and what proportion of children aged four to 18 who have an EHCP attend schools rated (a) Outstanding, (b) Good, (c) Requires Improvement and (d) Inadequate in Welwyn Hatfield constituency.

Data on children with education, health and care (EHC) plans broken down by a schools’ single headline grade is not held by the department. Ofsted has, as of September 2024, ceased providing headline grades as part of the move to a comprehensive school report card to provide greater information for parents and proportionate accountability for schools. Subject to the ongoing consultation report cards will include reporting on inclusion.Information on the total number of pupils with an EHC plan by school, including the constituency of the school, is published in an additional supporting file as part of the statistical release. It is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england.

How many and what proportion of children in year three who are eligible for free school meals attend schools rated (a) Outstanding, (b) Good, (c) Requires Improvement and (d) Inadequate in England.

Data on the number pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) broken down by a schools’ single headline grade is not held by the department. Ofsted has, as of September 2024, ceased providing headline grades as part of the move to a comprehensive school report card to provide greater information for parents and proportionate accountability for schools. Subject to the ongoing consultation report, cards will include reporting on inclusion. Information on the total number of pupils in year 3 who are eligible for FSM is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d86ace7e-c9c0-4fd6-6cbc-08dd48e2728c. Information on the number and percentage of pupils eligible for FSM by school, is published as part of the statistical release. The release is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.