Every parliamentary written question tabled by Gregory Stafford this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 50 · Department for Education
What steps her Department is taking to improve training for teachers (a) in the early identification of dyslexia and (b) to ensure minimum standards of SEND support are in place across all primary schools.
I refer the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon to the answer of 1 August 2025 to Question 61402.
If she will make an assessment of the potential use of disused school buildings to increase SEND specialist school capacity in (a) Surrey and (b) Hampshire.
The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.The department provides local authorities with capital funding to support them to meet this duty and has published allocations for £740 million in High Needs Provision Capital Allocations for the 2025/26 financial year.Of this £740 million, Surrey has been allocated £16.1 million. Hampshire has been allocated £22.8 million.This funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs. This includes utilising spare capacity in mainstream schools where appropriate.When considering options for the reutilisation of space, local factors should be carefully weighed up, along with considerations of quality, diversity, and accessibility of local provision and the forecast demand for places, to determine the most appropriate approach in each area.
Pursuant to the Safety Valve Agreement signed with Surrey County Council in 2021, whether her Department has disbursed the full funding allocated to support the delivery of three new SEND schools in Surrey.
Funding for free school projects is provided at different stages of project development, in line with key delivery milestones.The department provides capital funding for the acquisition of sites, land and construction. For centrally delivered free school projects, a contractor is appointed from the department’s framework and construction costs are paid directly by the department.The department recognises the financial pressures on local authorities in providing suitable specialist places and will continue to support Surrey Council to implement its Safety Valve agreement.
If she will publish a progress report on the (a) delivery of specialist school places and (b) other outcomes by all local authorities that entered into safety valve agreements.
The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.The department provides local authorities with annual High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) to support them to meet this duty.Local authorities with Safety Valve agreements have previously received additional high needs capital funding where they were able to demonstrate that investment in local infrastructure would result in the availability of more appropriate provision and subsequent revenue savings.This additional capital funding was paid to local authorities as a top-up to their HNPCA funding, and local authorities are responsible for prioritising this funding to create places and address local issues. The department continues to work with local authorities with Safety Valve agreements to deliver their plans.
What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that employers are financially able to support level 7 apprenticeships in the context of the proposed funding changes from January 2026.
This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity.From January 2026 the government will no longer fund level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level, except for young apprentices under the age of 22. This will enable apprenticeships opportunities to be rebalanced towards young people and create more opportunities for those entering the labour market, who need skills and training to get on in their careers.This decision was informed by a wide range of evidence, including Skills England’s analysis of official apprenticeship statistics and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. Skills England’s evidence suggested there was unlikely to be a significant or unavoidable fall in the supply of these skills in the long term, post-defunding.We are encouraging more employers to invest in upskilling their staff over 22 to level 7 where it delivers a benefit to the business and the individual. It will be for employers to determine the most appropriate training. There are alternative training options available to employers at level 7 including non-apprenticeship routes.
Whether her Department plans to introduce a national alternative to the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme.
The government is committed to ensuring every young person can develop the skills they need to succeed in work and life. We want them to have access to good quality careers advice as part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity, under our Plan for Change.Nationally, schools and colleges can access a range of digital and in-person support to help them inform their students about technical routes, such as apprenticeships. This support includes T Levels Ambassador Networks, the Skills for Apprenticeships support page (part of the government’s Skills for Life – ‘It All Starts With Skills’ communications campaign), and The Careers and Enterprise Company’s (CEC) resource directory.Locally, through careers hubs, data and front-line insights support conversations about what is preventing take-up of technical and vocational pathways at the local level, enabling local partners to devise solutions. The government will continue to invest in high-quality careers education for young people, including boosting skills pathways such as apprenticeships and other technical education routes.We will continue investing in wider careers infrastructure, including careers hubs, to ensure successful implementation of our careers programme.Careers hubs, supported by CEC, will continue locally to address barriers relating to apprenticeships and technical education awareness and uptake.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of ending the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme on regional equality of access to apprenticeship (a) information and (b) advice.
Enabling access to apprenticeships and technical education remains a key part of this government’s education policy. The decision not to continue the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme was based on:Growth in awareness of apprenticeships amongst secondary pupils, which is now on a par with awareness of A Levels.Apprenticeships programme development since ASK was introduced, with emphasis now moving towards supporting successful participation and completion than awareness-raising.Tight fiscal climate requires tough decisions about activity that can be extended. Schools and colleges seeking support to raise awareness of apprenticeships and technical education can continue to access the following support:The Skills for Careers Apprenticeships support page, accessible at: https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/training-choice/apprenticeships.The Careers and Enterprise Company’s (CEC) resource directory.Amazing Apprenticeships which offers a wide range of resources and support for schools and colleges. This is accessible at: https://resources.careersandenterprise.co.uk/.CEC’s network of Careers Hubs, covering 95% of schools and colleges, works with schools and colleges to support their careers education programmes.CEC also supports enhanced Provider Access Legislation which specifies schools must provide at least six encounters with approved providers of apprenticeships and technical education.The Apprenticeship Ambassador Network of around 2000 volunteers which visits institutions sharing compelling experiences about apprenticeships.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of withdrawing funding for level 7 apprenticeships for people aged 22 and over on workforce planning in critical public services.
This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity.From January 2026 the government will no longer fund level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level, except for young apprentices under the age of 22. This will enable apprenticeships opportunities to be rebalanced towards young people and create more opportunities for those entering the labour market, who need skills and training to get on in their careers.This decision was informed by a wide range of evidence, including Skills England’s analysis of official apprenticeship statistics and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. Skills England’s evidence suggested there was unlikely to be a significant or unavoidable fall in the supply of these skills in the long term, post-defunding.We are encouraging more employers to invest in upskilling their staff over 22 to level 7 where it delivers a benefit to the business and the individual. It will be for employers to determine the most appropriate training. There are alternative training options available to employers at level 7 including non-apprenticeship routes.
What discussions she has had with representatives of the Council for Disabled Children on the potential impact of SEND reforms on (a) special needs children and (b) EHCP allocation.
The department regularly works with a range of stakeholders, including the Council for Disabled Children (CDC), on a number of areas relating to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) policy. We regularly meet the CDC to discuss the development of SEND reforms and their impact on children and young people with SEND and their families. We have appointed Dame Christine Lenehan, former director of the CDC, as SEND adviser to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education.
What assessment she has made of the potential merits of promoting workplace apprenticeships as an alternative to sixth form or college education.
This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity. Too many young people are struggling to access high quality opportunities, and this government wants to ensure that more young people can undertake apprenticeships.The department is widening the apprenticeships offer into a growth and skills offer, to deliver greater flexibility and choice for learners and employers, including through new foundation apprenticeships for young people.Foundation apprenticeships will be a work-based training offer that will provide young people with clear progression pathways into further work-based training and employment. Construction will be one of the key sectors that will benefit from new foundation apprenticeships. This will inspire more young people into the construction industry and give them the tools they need for a sustained and rewarding career. As part of this new offer, employers will be provided with £2,000 for every foundation apprentice they take on and retain in construction.The department continues to promote apprenticeships to young people through the Skills for Life campaign and the apprenticeship ambassador network (AAN). The AAN, which has around 2,000 volunteers, aims to champion apprenticeships for young people by aligning an ambassador to every state-funded secondary school by March 2026.
What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on support for (a) parents and (b) schools in understanding the legal routes to raise concerns about people who pose a potential safeguarding risk.
This government believes that action must always be taken to protect children from any safeguarding risk. That is why we are taking forward system reforms in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and have published a government progress update to the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. The Keeping Children Safe mission board, chaired by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of Education, will ensure that there continues to be a cross-government focus on safeguarding, including how parents can be best supported.We have also provided robust statutory safeguarding guidance for all schools on the policies and procedures they must put in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of their pupils. This guidance not only sets out the different types of abuse and harm but also supports all staff to know what signs to look out for, including how they must respond to any concerns about a child and when to make a referral to local safeguarding partners, the police and Prevent services.Advice for parents is also clear that where there are child protection concerns, these should be reported to local authority children’s social care departments or to the police if a child is at immediate risk of harm.
What assessment her Department has made of the impact of declining birth rates on (a) the financial sustainability and (b) capacity of nurseries in England; and what steps she is taking to support early years providers impacted by these trends.
It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.We use the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) population estimates (to 2023) and ONS population projections (2022-based ‘principal’ scenario) to inform our internal national level early years funding forecasts. ONS population estimates suggest that the 0 to 4-year-old population in England decreased by 6% in the five years to 2023, driven by falling birth rates. The ONS principal projections assume that fertility rates decrease slightly in the short-term, remain stable in the medium term and increase slightly in the longer term.These projections are used to ascertain funding and capacity needs and to support the sector as they prepare to deliver the final phase of expanded childcare entitlements from September 2025. From this year, we plan to provide over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, a more than 30% increase compared to 2024/25. The early years pupil premium rate has increased by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year. We are also providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant and £25 million through the forthcoming National Insurance contributions grant for public sector employers in early years.
What recent steps her Department has taken to provide a remedy to the Teachers' Pension Scheme following the McCloud judgement.
Approximately 596,000 members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme require Remediable Service Statements (RSSs) setting out their choices as part of the transitional protection (McCloud) remedy. Of those, approximately 532,000 RSSs were issued by 31 March 2025.The remaining RSSs for members who retired before the relevant legislation was in place, are those that cannot be automated due to their complexity. The department is continuing to work with the scheme administrator to identify ways to increase capacity to complete this work.
What assessment she has made of trends in the level of the rate of (a) fixed-term and (b) permanent exclusions for pupils with ADHD in mainstream secondary schools; and whether her Department monitors compliance with statutory duties to consider a pupil’s disability before exclusion decisions are made.
Information of pupils’ primary type of special educational need broken down by suspension and permanent exclusion can be viewed via a detailed table at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/e604c2a7-ce18-4fb3-d9d8-08dd800922cb. This table includes social, emotional and mental health which encompasses a range of conditions affecting emotional regulation, behaviour, and mental health, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).Schools have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 not to discriminate against pupils with a special educational need or disability. This government is clear that schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour, and in the most serious cases, exclusion may be necessary to ensure that schools are calm and safe learning environments.The department trusts headteachers to use their professional judgement based on the individual circumstances of each case when considering excluding a pupil. All such decisions must be lawful, reasonable, and fair. The ‘Suspension and permanent exclusion’ statutory guidance is clear that, in all cases, school leaders should consider early intervention strategies to address the underlying causes or contributing factors of a pupil’s disruptive behaviour before issuing an exclusion.This can include where a pupil has any neurodiversity or unmet additional needs.
What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on developing a cross-departmental strategy to improve outcomes for children with ADHD in education settings.
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. We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs.The department is working closely with other government departments and with external experts on reforms. In November 2024, we established the Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group, which includes clinicians, scientists and academics, as well as education experts and third sector organisations. This group is chaired by Professor Karen Guldberg from Birmingham University and aims to provide an expert view and make recommendations on the best ways to support and meet the needs of neurodivergent children and young people in mainstream education settings, including consideration of the types of support that should be readily available without the need for a diagnosis.The Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group includes the chair of the independent ADHD Taskforce, convened by NHS England, which provides vital co-ordination across government. My right hon. Friends, the Secretary of State for Education and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, have met on several occasions, including to discuss support for children with SEND.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the extent to which standardised behaviour policies in schools reflect evidence on (a) executive dysfunction and (b) other traits associated with ADHD.
All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour and the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour.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. This includes taking account of pupils’ special educational needs and disabilities.The ’Behaviour in schools’ guidance provides support for schools on developing and implementing a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour. This guidance is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-in-schools--2.
What recent steps her Department has taken to assess the consistency of SEND policy implementation in secondary schools; and what mechanisms exist to hold schools accountable where legal duties towards neurodivergent pupils are not being met.
The department’s expectations for high quality, inclusive education are enforced through inspection by Ofsted. Ofsted’s proposed new framework for inspection of education settings will be informed by their public consultation, which closed on 28 April and includes a stronger focus on children with additional needs including neurodiverse children. We will continue to work with Ofsted to consider how their framework can best ensure continuous improvement in outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision. The framework is scheduled for implementation from autumn 2025.There are several routes of redress available to parents, or children and young people with SEND, who disagree with a decision made by a school. First, they can complain informally or formally to the school. If they remain unhappy, they can complain to their local authority or multi-academy trust. They can also request to use their local authority’s dispute resolution service or lodge an appeal with the First Tier SEND Tribunal, if they feel that their child has been discriminated against on grounds of their disability.We continue to ensure that local and regional delivery includes the voice of children and young people, parents/carers and the SEND sector. We are funding 153 local authority Parent Carer Forums, helping families to navigate the SEND system through the Contact national helpline support and advice service, and funding the training and support of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information and Advice Support Service (SENDIASS) staff.
What plans her Department has to introduce mandatory training on (a) ADHD and (b) other neurodevelopmental conditions within initial teacher training and ongoing professional development frameworks; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of training gaps on pupil outcomes.
The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with ADHD and other neurodiverse conditions.From September 2025, the new initial teacher training and early career framework (ITTECF) will set out a minimum entitlement to training for all new teachers. The ITTECF contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and SEND which was tested with SEND educational experts to ensure new teachers are equipped to support pupils with a range of additional learning needs.The department recognises that continuous improvement is essential and has committed to review the ITTECF in 2027 to ensure it continues to provide the best possible support. This review will include a focus on teaching pupils with SEND.The department also offers the Universal Services programme which helps the school workforce identify and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND, including those with neurodiversity. This includes a range of continuing profession development such as bespoke professional development groups and autism training. Alongside this, 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 November 2024, the department established a neurodivergence task and finish group, which includes a range of experts from clinicians, scientists and academics, as well as education experts and third sector organisations. This group is chaired by Professor Karen Guldberg from the University of Birmingham and aims to work closely with the department to help improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream settings in a way that works for neurodivergent children and young people.
Whether she is taking steps to ensure that information and communications technology literacy forms part of the national curriculum following the Curriculum and Assessment Review.
The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s interim report notes the rise of artificial intelligence and trends in digital information and that it is necessary that the curriculum keep pace with these changes, including a renewed focus on digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills. The interim report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn with the government’s response.
Whether she plans to provide additional (a) resources, (b) teacher training and (c) curriculum support to improve media literacy education in schools.
Media literacy is covered in the citizenship, relationships, sex and health education and computing curriculums.The department funds the National Centre for Computing Education, which provides teachers with continuing professional development and resources to support the teaching of computing. This includes units on messaging in digital media, the credibility of sources, and identifying ‘fake’ news and edited images, supporting the teaching of artificial intelligence (AI) and media literacy.In 2024, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) provided £0.5 million to scale up two programmes, to provide media literacy support to teachers, children aged 11 to 16, parents/carers and other professionals working with families.The Educate against Hate website also hosts a series of online media literacy resources which seek to help young people evaluate the validity of information. This can be accessed at: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/.The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s interim report notes the rise of AI and trends in digital information and that it is necessary that the curriculum keep pace with these changes, including a renewed focus on digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills. The interim report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn with the government’s response.