Written questions by Evans.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that guidance and resources for School Attendance Support Teams includes young carers.

The department wants to ensure that young carers have the best life chances by supporting them in their education. We recognise that absence from school is almost always a symptom of wider needs and barriers that a family are facing and is often also the best early indication of need in a family that may not be in contact with other services.The department’s expectations of local authorities and schools, as set out in the ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance, were made statutory on 19 August 2024 and include specific reference to young carers. The ‘support first’ ethos of the attendance guidance is that pupils and families, including young carers, should receive holistic, whole-family support to help them overcome the barriers to attendance they are facing. This includes holding regular meetings with the families of pupils who the school, and/or local authority, consider to be vulnerable to discuss attendance and engagement at school. Schools are expected to recognise that absence is a symptom and that improving pupil’s attendance is part of supporting the pupil’s overall welfare. This ethos is reflected in resources provided to schools on school attendance, and our Attendance Toolkit for Schools includes reference to supporting young carers in its self-assessment tool.The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance.The toolkit can be accessed via: https://attendancetoolkit.blob.core.windows.net/toolkit-doc/Attendance%20toolkit%20for%20schools.pdf.The department also publishes daily attendance data fortnightly and will continue to monitor the quality of data on young carers that is collected via the school register for consideration to include in the daily data collection in the future.

What discussions she has had with schools on ensuring that financial education for pupils includes (a) the impact of social media on managing money, (b) managing money in the context of accessible credit and (c) different types of (i) credit and (ii) debt.

Financial education forms a compulsory part of the national curriculum for mathematics at key stages 1 to 4, and citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. Together these cover personal budgeting, saving for the future, managing credit and debt, and calculating interest. Statutory relationships, sex and health education and computing lessons equip pupils to be discerning in evaluating digital content, including content they see through social media.The interim report from the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review noted the consistent call from children and young people and their parents for more focus on the applied knowledge regarding financial education. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn with the government’s response.

Pursuant to the Answers of 30 April 2025 to Questions 46842 and 46843 on Hinckley School: STEM Subjects, what her Department's planned timeframe is for working through the costs to develop a new STEM building at Hinckley School.

The department has increased the budget for the project significantly since completion of the feasibility study and officials are working through the costs with the selected contractor. A meeting has been scheduled for 10 June 2025, including the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth, the trust, and the school, during which departmental officials will provide a further update on the project.

What recent discussions her Department has had with local authorities on the impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on special educational needs transport providers.

I refer the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.

Pursuant to the Answers of 30 April 2025 to Questions 46842 and 46843 on Hinckley School: STEM Subjects, if he will hold discussions with (a) The Futures Trust and (b) the Hinckley School's senior leadership on the work of her Department to consider the costs of a new STEM building at Hinckley School.

The department has increased the budget for the project significantly since completion of the feasibility study and officials are working through the costs with the selected contractor. A meeting has been scheduled for 10 June 2025, including the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth, the trust, and the school, during which departmental officials will provide a further update on the project.

Pursuant to the Answers of 30 April 2025 to Questions 46842 and 46843 on Hinckley School: STEM Subjects, what indicative timescales her Department uses for working through the costs for major infrastructure projects on school estates.

The department has increased the budget for the project significantly since completion of the feasibility study and officials are working through the costs with the selected contractor. A meeting has been scheduled for 10 June 2025, including the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth, the trust, and the school, during which departmental officials will provide a further update on the project.

What recent discussions she has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on approval for the final cost information for the development of a new STEM building at Hinckley School.

The department has increased the budget for the project significantly since completion of the feasibility study and officials are working through the costs with the selected contractor. A meeting has been scheduled for 10 June 2025, including the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth, the trust, and the school, during which departmental officials will provide a further update on the project.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 42805 on Private Education, if she will list the private schools she has visited since 5 July 2024.

I refer the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth to the answer of 6 May 2025 to Question 46839.

What his planned timetable is for the conclusion of a review of the final cost information to develop a new STEM building at Hinckley School.

Officials are currently working through costs, and I will provide an update to the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth in due course.

If she will undertake a review of the potential impact of increases in National Insurance contributions on the availability of SEND home-to-school transport provision.

I refer the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.

What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the final cost of developing a new STEM building at Hinckley School.

Officials are currently working through costs, and I will provide an update to the hon. Member for Hinckley and Bosworth in due course.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of developing a long term funding model for (a) adopted and (b) special guardianship children previously in care.

All funding after March 2026 is subject to the next spending review. However, we recognise and value the positive impact of the adoption and special guardianship support fund in supporting adoptive and kinship families and its importance to many. Therefore, we will be discussing the best approach to the management of funds in future years with key stakeholders. We will announce next steps as soon as possible.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 42805 on Private Education, on what date she last visited a private school.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education prioritises visits to state schools, which serve 93% of pupils in England. The Secretary of State for Education and the wider Ministerial team visit a wide variety of education settings, including to private schools.

How many private schools she has visited since 5 July 2024; and which schools.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and the wider ministerial team visit a wide variety of education settings, including private schools. The Secretary of State for Education prioritises visits to our state schools, which serve 93% of pupils in England.

How many schools have withdrawn from the Free School Daily Breakfast Club pilot in (a) Leicestershire and (b) England.

The evidence is clear on the impact breakfast clubs can have to support children to arrive at school ready to learn. That is why this government is committed to introducing free and universal breakfast clubs in every state funded school with primary aged pupils.The early adopter scheme has not yet started. We were delighted that over 3,000 schools applied to be early adopters and 750 schools will start delivering from the summer term, bringing change now for pupils and parents in every corner of the country.

How many and what proportion of schools have pulled out of the Free School Daily Breakfast club pilot in (a) Leicestershire and (b) England.

The evidence is clear on the impact breakfast clubs can have to support children to arrive at school ready to learn. That is why this government is committed to introducing free and universal breakfast clubs in every state funded school with primary aged pupils.The early adopter scheme has not yet started. We were delighted that over 3,000 schools applied to be early adopters and 750 schools will start delivering from the summer term, bringing change now for pupils and parents in every corner of the country.

With reference to her plans for over £600 million of funding over four years to train up to 60,000 skilled construction workers, announced on 23 March 2025, how much of that funding she plans to allocate to (a) the East Midlands and (b) Leicestershire.

My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced an additional £625 million of funding to support construction skills training, with the detail set out in Spring Statement 2025. This is expected to deliver up to 60,000 additional skilled construction workers this Parliament. The measures will support the expansion of existing skills programmes including Skills Bootcamps and apprenticeships, as well as helping deliver new initiatives such as establishing 10 technical excellence colleges specialising in construction across every region in England. Additional information regarding allocations at regional and provider level will be shared in due course.

What (a) statutory and (b) non-statutory bodies her Department is consulting on her plans for musical education.

On 18 March 2025, the department announced its intention to launch a National Centre for Arts and Music Education to promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school, including through the government’s network of Music Hubs. Our intention is to launch in September 2026, with a delivery lead appointed through an open procurement. Further details will be released in due course, including on engagement with music education partners.To support the delivery of music education, the government has committed £79 million per year for the Music Hubs programme, inclusive of the 2024/25 academic year. The 43 Music Hubs partnerships across England offer a range of services, including musical instrument tuition, instrument loaning and whole-class ensemble teaching. To widen access to musical instruments, the government is investing £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology from the 2024/25 academic year. This funding enables Music Hubs partnerships to better cater to the needs of the children and young people they work with.The government is also investing £2 million to support the Music Opportunities Pilot over a four year period from the 2024/25 to 2027/28 academic years, backed by a further £3.85 million funding from Arts Council England and Youth Music. This pilot is delivered by Young Sounds UK in 12 areas of the country and aims to help disadvantaged children and young people, as well as those with special educational needs and disabilities, to learn how to play an instrument of their choice or learn to sing to a high standard.The government believes creative subjects like music, art and drama are important elements of the rounded and enriching education every child deserves.

What progress she has made on producing a plan for musical education.

On 18 March 2025, the department announced its intention to launch a National Centre for Arts and Music Education to promote opportunities for children and young people to pursue their artistic and creative interests in school, including through the government’s network of Music Hubs. Our intention is to launch in September 2026, with a delivery lead appointed through an open procurement. Further details will be released in due course, including on engagement with music education partners.To support the delivery of music education, the government has committed £79 million per year for the Music Hubs programme, inclusive of the 2024/25 academic year. The 43 Music Hubs partnerships across England offer a range of services, including musical instrument tuition, instrument loaning and whole-class ensemble teaching. To widen access to musical instruments, the government is investing £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment and technology from the 2024/25 academic year. This funding enables Music Hubs partnerships to better cater to the needs of the children and young people they work with.The government is also investing £2 million to support the Music Opportunities Pilot over a four year period from the 2024/25 to 2027/28 academic years, backed by a further £3.85 million funding from Arts Council England and Youth Music. This pilot is delivered by Young Sounds UK in 12 areas of the country and aims to help disadvantaged children and young people, as well as those with special educational needs and disabilities, to learn how to play an instrument of their choice or learn to sing to a high standard.The government believes creative subjects like music, art and drama are important elements of the rounded and enriching education every child deserves.

What discussions she is having with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the future of the Adoption and Special Guardian Support Fund.

As part of spending review discussions, there are regular conversations between the department and His Majesty’s Treasury. We will shortly be finalising business planning decisions on how we will allocate the department’s budget for the next financial year. All decisions regarding the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) are being made as part of these discussions.The ASGSF has provided valuable support to both adoptive and special guardianship families during 2024/25, helping them to thrive and enabling children and young people to make the best start in life. In 2023/24, the last full financial year, the Fund supported a total of 19,495 children and families with funding of £49,191,908.