Written questions by Cocking.

What her Department's policy is on supporting schools with falling pupil numbers.

Local authorities hold the statutory place planning function, ensuring there are sufficient schools in their area to meet the needs of pupils. It is for local authorities, in collaboration with academy trusts and other local partners, to balance the supply and demand of school places.The department recognises the pressures caused by demographic changes in some areas. The lagged funding system, where schools are funded on the basis of their pupil numbers in the previous October census, helps to give schools more certainty over funding levels, and is particularly important in giving schools with falling rolls time to re-organise their staffing and costs.Where falling pupil numbers results in spare space becoming available, primary schools have been able to apply for capital funding to create or expand school-based nurseries. We have just announced at least £3 billion for high needs capital between 2026/27 and 2029/30, on top of the £740 million this year, to create special educational needs units and resourced provision, including where there is spare space, and to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of the school environment.

How much funding has been provided to schools to support pupils for whom English is an additional language in each of the last three years.

Schools attract additional funding through the English as an additional language (EAL) factor in the schools national funding formula (NFF), for pupils recorded as having entered state education in England during the last three years, and whose first language is not English.The below table sets out the proportion of funding provided through the EAL factor in the NFF from 2023/24 financial year to 2025/26 financial year.YearProportion of total funding through NFF2025/26 financial year1.1%2024/25 financial year1.1%2023/24 financial year1.0%The NFF is used to allocate funding to local authorities. How much individual schools receive depends on their local authority’s local funding formula.

If she will publish revised guidance for schools on promoting British values.

Schools already embed British values through their statutory duty to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development. This is supported by statutory curriculum content, notably in citizenship and relationships education. The department has no current plans to publish revised guidance on promoting British values.Schools have a good understanding of these values and integrate them well. However, through the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, we will ensure young people are provided with a balanced curriculum that develops the knowledge and skills they need to thrive as citizens, both in work and throughout life.

What her Department's planned timetable is for issuing guidance on gender-questioning children to schools.

I refer the hon. Member for Broxbourne to the answer of 28 February 2025 to Question 31690.

Whether she has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on amending eligibility for education, health and care plans.

Ministers and departmental officials engage with a wide range of experts on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The government has established and are working with an Inclusion Expert Advisory Group and a Neurodiversity Task and Finish Group, set up by Ministers to advise on steps needed to improve mainstream education outcomes and experiences for children and young people with SEND.In addition to regular engagement with parents across the country, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education met recently with members of the Disabled Children’s Partnership (a coalition representing more than 120 organisations who support families of children and young people with SEND) and the department continues to have ongoing conversations with parents and other key stakeholders.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the delay in confirming funding for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund for the financial year 2025-26 on families and children who receive support.

Announcements on funding for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) will be made as soon as possible. We will, of course, always consider the impact of decisions on vulnerable children. ASGSF applications are generally permitted to extend up to 12 months, allowing children and families to receive continuing therapy across financial years. Where applications are agreed, therapy which starts before March 2025 may therefore continue into the next financial year, under previously agreed transitional funding arrangements.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the increase in employer National Insurance contributions on SEND transport to educational institutions.

I refer the hon. Member for Broxbourne to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.

What steps she is taking to support private providers of school transport for SEND pupils.

Home-to-school travel is an integral part of the school system. It provides a valuable service on which many families rely. The department is grateful to the many transport operators for the crucial role they play in ensuring that children receive the education that they need to help them thrive.Local authorities are responsible for arranging home-to-school travel for eligible children. It is for them to determine how best to do so, based on local circumstances and the needs of the children travelling. They might, for example, have an in-house fleet, provide passes for free travel on public transport or contract with private transport operators for the provision of buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles. Where they contract with private operators, it is for the local authority and the operator to agree suitable terms.

Whether her Department plans to allocate new (a) funding and (b) resources to support children with special educational needs and disabilities in schools in Hertfordshire.

The department is providing schools with extra funding of almost £1.1 billion in the 2024/25 financial year through the new Core Schools Budget Grant (CSBG), to support them with overall costs, including the costs of supporting their pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Of this total, special schools and alternative provision settings will be receiving over £140 million through the CSBG. The additional funding through the CSBG comes alongside high needs funding for children and young people with complex needs, which totals over £10.75 billion in 2024/25, including the funding through the separate teachers’ pay and pension employer contribution grants. Hertfordshire County Council is receiving a high needs funding allocation of £193.2 million, including funding for previous teachers’ pay and pension costs, and a CSBG allocation of over £2.3 million. Budgets for the 2025/26 financial year have not yet been set which means that decisions on the high needs and schools national funding formulae as well as the publication of allocations for that year are not to the usual timescales. The department will publish information as soon as possible after the Budget in October.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of enabling the financial contributions of independent schools to state academies to be offset against VAT liability.

The department understands that, in line with schools’ charitable objectives, private schools do not typically charge for partnership work, meaning it is outside the scope of VAT. Whilst the government keeps all tax policy under review, there are currently no plans for changes that would enable independent schools to offset any financial contributions made to state academies against their VAT liability. Whilst developing these policies, the government has carefully considered the impact that they will have on pupils and their families across both the state and private sector, as well as the impact these policies will have on state and private schools. Following scrutiny of the government’s costing by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, the government will confirm its approach to these reforms at the Budget on 30 October and set out its assessment of the expected impacts of these policy changes in the normal way.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of charging VAT on independent school fees on sponsorship partnerships with state academies.

The department understands that, in line with schools’ charitable objectives, private schools do not typically charge for partnership work, meaning it is outside the scope of VAT. Whilst the government keeps all tax policy under review, there are currently no plans for changes that would enable independent schools to offset any financial contributions made to state academies against their VAT liability. Whilst developing these policies, the government has carefully considered the impact that they will have on pupils and their families across both the state and private sector, as well as the impact these policies will have on state and private schools. Following scrutiny of the government’s costing by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, the government will confirm its approach to these reforms at the Budget on 30 October and set out its assessment of the expected impacts of these policy changes in the normal way.