Every parliamentary written question tabled by Caroline Voaden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 20 · Department for Education
What estimate she has made of the number of independent schools in England that have closed since the introduction of VAT on school fees.
School closure information is available via the register of schools, which is accessible at: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.The latest school census data, as at June 2026, reveals pupil numbers remain firmly within historical patterns...
What estimate she has made of the number of pupils who have moved from independent schools to state schools since the introduction of VAT on independent school fees.
School closure information is available via the register of schools, which is accessible at: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.The latest school census data, as at June 2026, reveals pupil numbers remain firmly within historical patterns...
What steps she will take to ensure children with Developmental Language Disorder are adequately supported following upcoming reforms to the SEND system.
The department’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms are ensuring every child gets the right support at the right time. This includes all of those with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), including Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). We regularly engage with organisations who represent children with SLCN, including DLD, such as Speech and Language UK who are a member of our Complex Needs Group.Speech and language therapists (SaLTs) break down communication barriers, but too often, children and young people with SEND wait too long for this support.As part of our new £1.8 billion investment, schools will be able to access support from professionals such as SaLTs through the Experts at Hand offer. They will work directly with school staff to equip them with skills and strategies to better meet need.We are also investing £15 million to establish new SaLT advanced practitioners in every integrated care board area to support more SaLTs to work with educational settings, upskill speech and language support workers, and promote the SaLT apprenticeship route.
Whether children with Developmental Language Disorder were considered when writing the policy paper entitled SEND reform: putting children and young people first.
The department’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reforms are ensuring every child gets the right support at the right time. This includes all of those with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), including Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). We regularly engage with organisations who represent children with SLCN, including DLD, such as Speech and Language UK who are a member of our Complex Needs Group.Speech and language therapists (SaLTs) break down communication barriers, but too often, children and young people with SEND wait too long for this support.As part of our new £1.8 billion investment, schools will be able to access support from professionals such as SaLTs through the Experts at Hand offer. They will work directly with school staff to equip them with skills and strategies to better meet need.We are also investing £15 million to establish new SaLT advanced practitioners in every integrated care board area to support more SaLTs to work with educational settings, upskill speech and language support workers, and promote the SaLT apprenticeship route.
What estimate her Department has made of the level of funding required to improve school food standards.
We are consulting on proposed updates to the School Food Standards in England. Healthier food does not have to mean higher cost. We tested proposals to check affordability and are working closely with the sector.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of using parenting programmes such as that implemented in Australia to support parents in managing their children’s screen time.
The department is monitoring policies put in place in other countries, including Australia, and we are working with counterparts there to share learnings and best practice. Ministers at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will also be visiting Australia to understand the approach taken.Last month, the government announced a package of measures to improve children’s relationship with mobile phones and social media, including a commitment to produce evidence-based screen time guidance for parents of children aged 5 to 16. This builds on ongoing work to develop screen time guidance for parents 0 to 5 year-olds.The government also announced that we will be launching a consultation and national conversation on further measures to ensure technology is enriching children’s lives. The consultation will include exploring the option of banning social media for children below a certain age, alongside a range of other measures.
If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing a national rollout of parenting programmes, such as Triple P and Incredible Years, on levels of stigma associated with seeking parenting support.
The government is committed to expanding access to high-quality, evidence‑based parenting and home learning support as part of the Best Start in Life Strategy, delivered through the national rollout of Best Start Family Hubs.Local authorities are expected to commission from departmental menus of programmes with the strongest evidence base, which include both in-person and digital options.Delivering these programmes through open-access models within Best Start Family Hubs, aims to normalise parenting support by making it widely available and integrated within a broader system of help for families. This approach is intended to broaden access, ensure families can seek support in a non‑judgemental, accessible environment and reduce barriers, including stigma.The department will continue to evaluate the impact of Best Start Family Hubs to ensure they are delivering positive outcomes for children and families and informing future policy development.
What steps she is taking to ensure SEND is taken into account in school attendance policies.
As set out in the department’s 2024 guidance ‘Working together to improve school attendance’, every pupil has a right to a full-time education, and high attendance expectations should be set for all pupils. A school’s attendance policy should account for the specific needs of each pupil and provide these pupils with the necessary support. This includes pupils with specific barriers to attendance, such as those with mental or physical ill health and/or special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). To support pupils with SEND, schools should understand the individual needs of the pupil and family, work in partnership with the pupil and family to put in-school support in place, as well as with the local authority and other agencies where external support is needed, and regularly review and update support to ensure it continues to meet individual needs. Schools should ensure attendance data is regularly monitored for pupils with long-term illnesses and/or SEND, including alongside the local authority, so that additional support from other partners can be accessed where necessary.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 56493 on Teachers' Pensions, what progress she has made on resolving outstanding Cash Equivalent Transfer Value cases.
As at 4 September 2025, the number of unresolved Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) cases has been reduced to 433 from 3,062 at the end of October 2024. This includes recent CETV applications and as such there will always be a number of outstanding CETV cases at any given time.The scheme administrator is now working through the most complex cases for members who have retired. These cases can currently only be processed clerically and the estimated calculation times are between 20 and 65 hours per case. The department is funding IT changes for the scheme administrator that are expected to significantly reduce calculation times.This issue remains a top priority for the department and the scheme administrator, and the above actions are currently expected to result in the delayed CETVs being fully cleared by spring 2026.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of changing the postgraduate loan repayment threshold to be in line with the National Minimum Wage.
The government keeps the student finance system under continuous review to ensure it remains fair, sustainable and delivers value for students, universities and the wider economy.The postgraduate loans schemes were introduced to help remove the financial barrier faced by those wishing to step up to achieve a postgraduate level qualification. They are part of the long-term commitment to make the UK more globally competitive by increasing the number of those with high level skills and knowledge. As part of our ongoing work, we always consider a range of factors which can affect repayment thresholds and recognise the importance of ensuring that the system remains fair for borrowers, as well as being financially sustainable.
What steps she is taking to ensure school behaviour policies are (a) inclusive and (b) supportive of children with speech and language challenges.
All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour. Any policy must be lawful, proportionate and reasonable and comply with the school’s duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006.The ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance is clear that a school’s culture should consistently promote high standards of behaviour and provide the necessary support to ensure all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), can achieve and thrive. The appropriate response to misbehaviour will often need to be considered in relation to a pupil’s SEND, although not every incident of misbehaviour will be connected to their SEND. When a pupil is identified as having SEND, the graduated approach outlined in the ‘SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years’ should be used to assess, plan, deliver and then review the impact of the support being provided. The guidance also includes practical examples of how schools can meet their duties under the Equality Act 2010 and Children and Families Act 2014.
What steps she is taking to support adults with dyslexia to access further education.
All education and training providers, including further education colleges and other related service providers, have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, including those with dyslexia, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students. This duty is set out under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010.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. The college must explain what support they will provide to meet the person’s individual learning needs, and this support will be reviewed on a regular basis. Support can include assistive technology, coloured overlays or question papers printed on coloured paper note-takers, specialist tuition or additional time in exams.Disability Rights UK have information available which describes how reasonable adjustments can be provided for students with disabilities.
Whether she plans to extend PE and Sport Premium Funding beyond 2024-25.
I refer the hon. Member for South Devon to the answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 36699.
What steps she plans to take to ensure all staff working with children and young people have the appropriate training to identify and support children with speech, language and communication challenges.
All teachers are teachers of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). High quality teaching is central to ensuring that pupils with SEND are given the best possible opportunity to achieve in their education, and early language skills are vital to enable children to thrive in the early years and later in life, including for all aspects of later attainment in school.This is why the department’s new combined Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF) contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, including content on supporting pupils’ oral language skills, and our Universal SEND Services training programme helps school and further education workforces to identify and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND earlier and more effectively.The department is also co-funding the Early Language Support for Every Child and Partnerships programme with NHS England, which utilises pre-qualification speech and language therapy Support Assistants in early years and primary settings, and the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools builds teacher and staff capacity to identify and meet the needs of neurodivergent children, including those with speech and language needs.The department are continuing funding support for the 11,100 schools registered for the Nuffield Early Language Intervention programme. As of January 2024, we estimate that the programme has screened 650,000 children in the last four years and supported over 211,000 four and five year-olds since the pandemic.To continue to build workforce capability, the department has recently commissioned Newcastle University and University College London to review the most effective tools, strategies and approaches for teachers and other relevant staff in mainstream settings to identify and support children and young people, including around speech, language and communication needs.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending the Adoption and special guardianship support fund beyond March 2025.
I refer the hon. Member for South Devon to the answer of 12 March 2025 to 35389.
Whether additional funding will be made available to students from England on graduate entry medicine courses under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.
Under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, the government will make available an additional entitlement for priority subjects and longer courses, above an individual’s core four year entitlement.Learners will be able to access this additional entitlement to...
What steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) school and (b) higher education leavers are supported into meaningful employment, and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of piloting in
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 the government’s Industrial Strategy. The depar...
What steps her Department is taking to ensure people without Maths and English GCSEs can access appropriate apprenticeship schemes.
The department does not have entry requirements for apprenticeships, but we understand that employers may wish to set their own as apprentices are employees.The department does have specific English and mathematics exit requirements which apprentices must...
What assessment she has made of the potential financial impact on state schools of the introduction of VAT on private school fees.
The impact on the state sector as a result of the introduction of VAT on private school fees is being carefully considered. HM Treasury will deliver the tax changes. Further details of the government’s assessment of the expected impact will be published at the Budget. A Tax Information and Impact Note will be published alongside the Finance Bill once the independent Office for Budget Responsibility has scrutinised and certified the impacts of the final policy.
With reference to paragraph 83 of the HM Treasury's policy paper entitled, Fixing the foundations public spending audit 2024-25, published on 29 July 2024, if she will take steps to ensure the 2024 pay award for teachers is funded at a school level and takes account of existing staffing costs.
To support schools with overall costs, the department is providing almost £1.1 billion in 2024/25 through the new Core Schools Budget Grant (CSBG). This matches what the department has calculated is needed to fully fund, at a national level, the teacher pay award and the support staff pay offer in the 2024/25 financial year, over and above the available headroom in schools’ existing budgets. Guidance on the new CSBG can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/core-schools-budget-grant-csbg-2024-to-2025.The department understands that the picture will be different for individual schools and that funding will not always match a school’s precise costs. The formula allocates funding based on schools’ pupil numbers and their characteristics. Schools can then decide how to use this funding, including how many teachers and support staff to employ. When the department allocates grant funding for additional costs, it calculates the cost across the whole system and then adds that cost into the formula. This approach keeps funding fair. If grant funding was based on each schools’ specific teacher costs, then funding would be disproportionately allocated to the schools that already spend the most on their teachers and support staff, rather than giving every school a fair increase in their spending power.