Written questions by Jarvis.

How much funding from the SEND teacher training programme will be allocated to schools and early years settings in Eastleigh constituency; and how many teachers, teaching assistants and support staff in Eastleigh will be supported by that programme.

The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) teacher training offer comprises an investment of over £200 million over the course of this Parliament. This significant investment, forms a central pillar of the government’s SEND reform plans, helping to secure a fairer system where effective support is available for every child with SEND from early years to the age of 25.This training offer will be freely available to all leaders, teachers and teaching assistants working in schools, colleges, childminders and nurseries across England, including those in Eastleigh. Training packages will be developed with the needs of different educators and sectors in mind. Some training will be accessible at any time, while other elements may require registering with a provider. More details on how to access the different packages will be published on GOV.UK in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of designating Portage services as a targeted early years and SEND support offer across all local authorities; what steps she is taking to address regional variation in access to Portage provision; and what consideration she has given to providing (a) sustainable and predictable funding, (b) national training standards and (c) further research and evaluation to support the consistent delivery of evidence-based early intervention services.

Help for families of children with additional needs is central to the Best Start in Life Strategy, which spotlights high-quality, inclusive and joined-up services.The department is considering delivery expectations for how Best Start Family Hubs (BSFHs) can deliver special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support, alongside flexibility to meet community needs.From April, BSFHs will receive funding to recruit a dedicated SEND practitioner for every hub to support parents, identify emerging needs sooner and coordinate services. Evaluation of BSFHs will build the evidence base to inform future reform.We will fund partnerships between early years settings and schools to test and implement different approaches to improving transitions to reception, including for children with SEND. These will allow staff to spend time to share expertise, help parents and children build relationships with schools and help teachers spot issues early.Plans for reform will be in the upcoming Schools White Paper.

What steps she is taking to help reduce risks of suicide, self-harm and depression among care-experienced young people; and what plans she has to ensure continuity of mental health and wellbeing support for care-experienced young people beyond the age of 18.

The department is committed to reviewing the shockingly high number of early deaths amongst care-experienced young people. As I stated in the House of Commons, at the beginning of the first ever National Care Leavers Month in November 2025, suicide and early death are, tragically, part of the care experience for too many. To start to solve a problem, we must first confront it.As we progress this review, we will carefully consider how to improve the support that care leavers receive across a range of aspects of their lives, including mental and physical health, housing, education, employment and training, and relationships.We are already taking action through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, including placing a new duty on local authorities to provide Staying Close support to care leavers up to the age of 25, to help care leavers find and keep suitable accommodation and to access services relating to health and wellbeing, relationships, education, training and employment.In addition, we are reviewing guidance on ‘Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children’ and extending it to cover care leavers up to age 25.In December 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and I announced that, in a boost for mental health support, the government will trial a 3-year pilot to make sure children in care have access to the support they need sooner. This will build on existing work across the country, bringing together social workers and NHS health professionals to work together to provide direct mental health support to children and families when they need it most.

Whether her Department plans to publish a timeline for improvements in the identification of young carers in the school census; and whether she plans to take further steps to support accurate reporting of young carers.

Information on young carers was first collected through the school census in spring 2023. Since then, we have seen year-on-year improvements in the identification of pupils who are young carers. The department continues to work closely with schools and their representatives to refine and strengthen the guidance provided and for the 2026 spring school census, we have introduced changes to data validation processes to support more accurate and complete reporting of this information.The latest information about the number of pupils identified as a young carer is published in the ‘Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics’ statistical release, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2025.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of making play-based learning and continuous provision statutory in England's Key Stage 1 Curriculum.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review considered the extent to which the curriculum and the assessment system in England is fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people. The government’s response set out key reforms to the national curriculum that we will be taking forward. The purpose of the national curriculum is to outline what must be taught in schools rather than how.There are no plans to legislate to make play and continuous provision statutory in the key stage 1 curriculum. However, we will continue to back educators to apply their professional judgment and creativity to meet the needs of their pupils, meaning children will be able to benefit from play-based learning throughout their primary education where appropriate.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2025 to Question 98528 on Schools: Speech and Language Therapy, what progress her Department has made in extending the Early Language Support for Every Child programme; and how her Department is assessing the programme's impact on early identification and support for children with speech, language and communication needs.

In partnership with NHS England, the department has extended the Early Language and Support for Every Child (ELSEC) programme for the 2025/26 academic year, trialling new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years settings and primary schools. The interim independent programme evaluation, due to be published this month, will assess the programme’s impact and allow the department to explore insights into the effectiveness of ELSEC delivery at a local level.

What steps she is taking to help ensure continuity of (a) assessments and (b) support across local authorities for children of service personnel with special educational needs and disabilities when families relocate.

All those with statutory responsibilities towards children of service personnel with special education needs and disability (SEND), should ensure that the impact of their policies, administrative processes and patterns of provision do not disadvantage such children when families relocate.Statutory guidance is clear that when a child moves home across local authority boundaries, the education, health and care plan must be transferred from the ‘old’ local authority to the ‘new’ local authority on the day of the move or within 15 working days from when the old local authority first becomes aware of the move. Upon receiving the plan, the new local authority must arrange the special educational provision set out in it, although a child may have to be placed in a school other than the one named on the plan if the distance of the move makes it impractical to send the child to the named school.

What steps she is taking to help ensure young people from all backgrounds can pursue a career in STEM.

Following the Curriculum and Assessment review, our new national curriculum and GCSEs will have improved coherence, specificity, sequencing, and will be grounded in the most important knowledge and disciplinary skills.We will take forward many subject-specific Review recommendations for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), including working with schools to support them in developing a triple science offer for all pupils, ahead of introducing a statutory entitlement. We will build on support for early years and year 7 maths teaching, including through Maths Hubs programmes.Through the Careers and Enterprise Company, the department funds high quality resources to embed STEM insights into the curriculum and match over 3,500 business volunteers, including 1,400 from STEM backgrounds, with schools and colleges to provide strategic support to develop their careers programme.These measures will ensure that every child leaves school having mastered the subjects they have been taught and is able to pursue a career in their chosen field.

What steps she is taking to support young carers in school in Eastleigh constituency.

Statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ states that all school staff should be alert to the potential need for early help for young carers and requires designated safeguarding leads to be trained to understand and respond to their needs. These expectations apply to all schools ensuring young carers, including those in Eastleigh, are supported to thrive in education. The department is using school census data to shine a light on the educational disadvantage faced by young carers and published data on their attainment at key stages 2 and 4 for the first time last autumn. This increased visibility will ensure they receive tailored support and do not miss out on vital educational opportunities. Further, Ofsted’s new education inspection framework places a direct focus on their inclusion, safeguarding and personal development, with explicit reference to young carers. This will drive stronger practice, identification and support for young carers in Eastleigh and nationally.

What steps she is taking to support families of disadvantaged pupils with the cost of school trips.

It is for schools to decide whether to offer school trips to their pupils. Schools receive pupil premium funding to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, which may be used to support extracurricular activities, including school trips.Schools must comply with the law on charging for school activities, which prohibits charging for education provided during school hours. This means they may not make compulsory charges for a trip which takes place during school hours but they may ask parents for voluntary contributions towards the cost of the trip.

What discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of increasing the 3- and 4-year-old childcare funded hours rate.

The department will provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements in 2026/27. This will fund a full year of the expanded entitlements and an above inflation increase to funding rates. This increase ensures funding for the entitlements reflects forecasts of average earnings and inflation next year, and the national living wage announced at the Autumn Budget. On average, nationally, we are increasing the 3- and 4-year-old hourly funding rate by 4.95%. Since the introduction of the Early Years National Funding Formula in 2017, the national average funding rate to local authorities for 2-year-olds has been higher than that for 3-4-year-olds. We know, from listening to the sector and from our own regular research, that the cost of delivery is highest for younger children due to tighter staffing ratios and, consequently, higher staff costs, as staffing makes up the most significant proportion of provider costs. Our funding rates are set to reflect this.

What steps she is taking to improve (a) universal, (b) targeted and (c) specialist speech, language and communication support for children in schools.

The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. This includes extending the Early Language Support for Every Child programme, trialling new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years settings and primary schools. We are also continuing to grow the pipeline. In addition to the undergraduate degree route, speech and language therapists can also train via a degree apprenticeship. This route is now in its fourth year of delivery and offers an alternative pathway to the traditional degree route into a successful career as a speech and language therapist.

When her Department expects all eligible retired members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme to receive their McCloud remedy payments; and what steps she is taking to expedite payments to retired teachers impacted by the McCloud pension remedy.

Capita, as administrator of the teachers’ pension scheme, is processing Remediable Service Statements (RSSs) for retired members affected by the McCloud remedy as quickly as possible. As of 15 October 2025, 69,798 RSSs have been issued to retired members.Payments are made as soon as possible following the return of completed RSSs. To speed up delivery, the department is working with Capita to increase staffing, automate processes, improve IT systems, and prioritise complex cases. Members will continue receiving their original pension until remedy choices are implemented, and any backdated payments will include interest to ensure no financial disadvantage.This is a high priority for the department and we are committed to resolving this with Capita and ensuring retired members receive their RSSs as quickly as possible.

Whether she plans to issue updated guidance to schools on the inclusion of (a) authors and (b) perspectives from diverse backgrounds on reading lists.

The national curriculum for English aims to ensure an appreciation of our rich and varied literary heritage. It emphasises the importance of listening to, discussing and reading a wide range of stories, poems, plays and non-fiction. While the curriculum does not prescribe specific reading lists, it outlines broad categories for text selection. Teachers have flexibility in their choice of books to teach within the context of the curriculum.The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review wants to ensure an excellent foundation in the core subjects of reading, writing and mathematics, and a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work, and reflects the diversity of our society. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.

Whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of introducing a GCSE in digital creativity.

To help break down barriers to opportunity, this government will deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative, and ensures that all young people get the opportunity to learn digital and creative skills as part of their education, with digital skills becoming increasingly important to the economy and our growth mission.To meet this ambition, the government commissioned the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review to advise on how to refresh the curriculum to ensure that young people leave compulsory education with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive, including digital skills. The Review is also looking at whether the current assessment system for young people aged 5 to 19, including qualification pathways, can be improved, while protecting the important role of examinations.The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools have access to speech and language specialists.

The government is committed to ensuring that every child has the best start in life. This includes all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including speech, language and communications needs such as Developmental Language Disorder.We know that continuing to build the pipeline of speech and language therapists (SaLT) is essential. The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to improve access to community health services, including speech and language therapy, for children and young people with SEND.In addition to the undergraduate degree route, SaLTs can now also train via a degree apprenticeship. This route is entering its fourth year of delivery and offers an alternative pathway to the traditional degree route into a successful career as a SaLT.In partnership with NHS England, the department has extended the Early Language and Support for Every Child programme, trialling new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years settings and primary schools.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of funding for the Music and Dance Scheme.

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.Any introduction of multi-year funding agreements will be considered in due course.

Whether she plans to reintroduce three-year grant settlements for schools participating in the music and dance scheme.

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.Any introduction of multi-year funding agreements will be considered in due course.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of school meal debt; and whether she plans to take steps to support families to reduce that debt in the child poverty strategy.

To help break down barriers to opportunity and tackle child poverty, the government will be extending free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from September 2026. This will lift 100,000 children across England out of poverty and put £500 back in families’ pockets, supporting parents in decisive action to improve lives ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy.The Child Poverty Strategy in the autumn will deliver measures to tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty. The Taskforce is considering all available levers to reduce child poverty and recognises the importance of financial resilience for low-income families. Increasing financial resilience is one of the four key themes for the strategy, and in February the Taskforce met with external experts to discuss this topic specifically.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of mental health support within universities.

This government is committed to ensuring students in higher education (HE) have access to effective mental health support. This is why my noble Friend, the Minister for Skills, has recently appointed a new HE Student Support Champion to lead a reconvened HE Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. Full details of the new champion will be announced shortly.The taskforce is instrumental in assessing and driving improvements in mental health support across the sector, including taking forward recommendations from the recent national review of HE student suicides.The government also strongly supports the University Mental Health Charter Programme and Award, run by Student Minds. This programme provides a robust framework for universities to improve their mental health provision and is a valuable tool for driving sector-wide change.