Written questions by Perteghella.

What progress she has made on the introduction of a Natural History GCSE.

I refer the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon to the answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18517.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed increase in employers National Insurance contributions on private suppliers providing local authority-funded home-to-school transport to children with special educational needs.

I refer the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.

If she will take steps to encourage students with low literacy rates to develop a love of reading.

High and rising school standards, with excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life.The department knows that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits. There are a number of strong links with attainment, such as the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study report, which found a 34 point difference in reading performance between pupils in England who “very much” liked reading and pupils who “do not” like reading. Additionally, the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment study found that enjoyment of reading links to pupils’ reading engagement, and that reading engagement was strongly positively correlated with reading performance. There is also a strong evidence base linking reading for pleasure with other positive effects, such as expanding pupils’ knowledge about the world and about language, as well as their understanding of subject-specific academic and technical vocabulary.Furthermore, pupils who read regularly report heightened levels of social and emotional wellbeing. For many, reading is a form of relaxation, a place to escape everyday challenges, or a source of entertainment. Reading allows readers to adopt new perspectives, develop empathy and become more socially conscious.In recognition of this, the department has implemented a range of measures to support reading for pleasure. The English Hubs programme supports the teaching of phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure, with £23 million committed for the 2024/25 academic year to support this work. Furthermore, the government’s reading framework provides guidance on improving the teaching of reading, to ensure that every child is not only able to read proficiently but also develops a genuine love of reading.On 5 February, the government announced a £2 million investment to drive high and rising standards in reading and writing. Building on the success of phonics, teachers will receive additional training to help children progress from the early stages of phonics in reception and year 1 through to reading fluently by the time they leave primary school. This will be delivered through the English Hubs programme.In secondary school, teachers will be offered new training and resources this year to help them support readers at all levels, and next year the department will commission further training that will be focused specifically on struggling readers in secondary school who are at risk of falling behind.The current national curriculum states that teachers are expected to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information.The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which will look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, in line with the government’s ambition for a curriculum that delivers excellent foundations in reading, writing and mathematics.

If she will make it her policy to support more employers to provide technical apprenticeships.

The government’s first mission is to kickstart economic growth. Across the country skills gaps are holding back business growth and the government has committed to widening the apprenticeships offer into a levy-funded growth and skills offer.Our levy-funded growth and skills offer, with apprenticeships at the heart, will deliver greater flexibility for learners and employers in England, aligned with our industrial strategy creating routes into good, skilled jobs in growing industries. As a first step, this will include shorter duration and foundation apprenticeships in targeted sectors, helping more people learn new high-quality skills at work, fuelling innovation in businesses across the country, and providing high-quality entry pathways for young people.In addition, as Skills England have highlighted, employer demand for higher technical skills at levels 4 and 5 is growing. The department is supporting employers to meet the need for higher technical skills, with over 150 apprenticeship standards approved for delivery at levels 4 and 5. Skills England will also help to ensure that there is a comprehensive suite of apprenticeships, training and technical qualifications for individuals and employers to access, which are aligned with skills gaps and what employers need.

Whether her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory requirements for nurseries to provide itemised breakdowns of additional service charges.

In December the government published its Plan for Change, which outlines the priority deliverable for the Opportunity Mission is for a record number of children to be starting school ready to learn, measured by attainment against the early learning goals. This is key to breaking the link between young people’s background and their success. The department is hugely ambitious for the early years because we know how important this is for parents and their children.It is important that the funded childcare hours are accessible and affordable for all families that need them. That is why the government is taking action to tackle reported instances of parents facing very high additional charges on top of the funded entitlement hours. These could include extra charges for nappies, lunch or other ‘consumables’, which should not be made a condition of accessing a funded place. It is also important that any additional charges are completely transparent to parents.As part of the department’s regular review of the early years statutory guidance for local authorities, we have engaged with local authorities, providers and groups representing parents to clarify our statutory guidance on charging, including on so-called ‘top up fees’, and are considering how the department can better support local authorities to protect parents from overcharging.The department will publish its updated statutory guidance in due course.

What discussions her Department has had with childcare providers on (a) changes in the level of additional service charges and (b) their potential impact on working families’ ability to access affordable childcare.

In December the government published its Plan for Change, which outlines the priority deliverable for the Opportunity Mission is for a record number of children to be starting school ready to learn, measured by attainment against the early learning goals. This is key to breaking the link between young people’s background and their success. The department is hugely ambitious for the early years because we know how important this is for parents and their children.It is important that the funded childcare hours are accessible and affordable for all families that need them. That is why the government is taking action to tackle reported instances of parents facing very high additional charges on top of the funded entitlement hours. These could include extra charges for nappies, lunch or other ‘consumables’, which should not be made a condition of accessing a funded place. It is also important that any additional charges are completely transparent to parents.As part of the department’s regular review of the early years statutory guidance for local authorities, we have engaged with local authorities, providers and groups representing parents to clarify our statutory guidance on charging, including on so-called ‘top up fees’, and are considering how the department can better support local authorities to protect parents from overcharging.The department will publish its updated statutory guidance in due course.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of interest rates for university student loans on (a) students and (b) their families.

Interest rates on student loans do not affect monthly repayments made by borrowers. Regular repayments are based on a fixed percentage of earnings above the applicable repayment threshold, not on amount borrowed or the rate of interest. The income of the ...

If she will make it her policy to extend home-to-school transport for SEND students to include those in post-16 education.

I refer the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon to the answer of 11 September 2024 to Question 4162.

If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of schools that have applied full-time attendance targets for (a) autistic and (b) neurodivergent children w

The department’s guidance to schools, trusts and local authorities on supporting school attendance sets clear expectations to provide a ‘support-first’ approach to attendance, while maintaining high ambitions for all pupils.The department knows that some ...

What plans she has to review the School Food Standards; and if she will update those standards in line with the UK’s climate targets.

The school food standards regulate the food and drink provided at lunchtime and at other times of the school day. Compliance with the school food standards is mandatory for all maintained schools, academies and free schools. It is important that children ...

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of SEND provision in Warwickshire; and whether she plans to take steps with Warwickshire County Council to help improve the (a) funding and (b) delivery of SEND services.

Following the last Ofsted inspection, officials have been working with Warwickshire County Council (WCC) to closely monitor progress against the area for improvement identified by inspectors. The areas were:(i) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) waiting times, assessments and support following diagnosis.(ii) Co-production.(iii) Placement of children and young people with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan.(iv) Uptake of training for school staff working with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).(v) And the quality of the online local offer. The department appointed a SEND advisor to support and work alongside WCC and the local area partnership. This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision (AP) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach in collaboration with Local Area Partnerships, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs. The department recognises the financial pressures on local authorities due to rising costs in the SEND system. The Core Schools Budget Grant (CSBG) will provide over £140 million, at a national level, in additional funding for special and AP schools in the 2024/25 academic year, to cover increased costs from the 2024 teachers' pay award and the outcome of the support staff negotiations. This is in addition to the £10.75 billion allocated this year for high needs provision and teacher-related costs. Local authorities’ allocations of the CSBG will be confirmed this autumn.

What steps she is taking to help improve school transport for children living in rural areas in Stratford-on-Avon constituency.

The department’s home to school travel policy aims to make sure that no child is prevented from accessing education from a lack of transport. Local authorities must arrange free home to school travel for children of compulsory school age, 5 to 16, who attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or because the nature of the route means it would be unsafe for them to do so. There are extended rights to free travel for children from low-income families. Parents are responsible for making travel arrangements for children who are not eligible for free home to school travel. Good local bus services are an essential part of prosperous and sustainable communities, providing access to schools and other services. This government has set out an action plan to deliver better bus services, grow passenger numbers and drive opportunity to under-served regions. As announced in the King’s Speech, the government will pass the Better Buses Bill to put the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders to ensure networks can meet the needs of the communities who rely on them, including in rural areas. The government also plans to empower local transport authorities by reforming bus funding to give local leaders more control and flexibility over their funding so they can plan ahead to deliver their local transport priorities.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of teachers in Stratford-on-Avon constituency.

High-quality teaching is the factor that makes the biggest difference to a child’s education. There are now 468,693 full-time equivalent teachers in state-funded schools in England, but we must do more to ensure we have the workforce needed to provide the best possible education for every child in all parts of the country, which is why the government has set out the ambition to recruit 6,500 new expert teachers. The first crucial step towards achieving this is to ensure teaching is once again an attractive and respected profession and that teachers get the pay they deserve. This is why the department has accepted, in full, the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendation of a 5.5% pay award for teachers and leaders in maintained schools from this September. The department is providing schools with almost £1.1 billion in additional funding, in the 2024/25 financial year, to support schools with overall costs. 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, after accounting for the overall available headroom in schools’ existing budgets. Alongside teacher pay, financial incentives are one of the most effective ways to increase teacher supply, and the department is continuing to support teacher trainees with tax-free bursaries of up to £28,000 and scholarships of up to £30,000 in shortage subjects. To help with retention, new teachers of mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing, in the first five years of their careers, also receive retention payments if they are working in disadvantaged schools. In the 2023/24 academic year, two schools in the Stratford-on-Avon constituency were eligible for these retention payments. To further help teachers stay and thrive in the profession, the department is also addressing teacher workload and wellbeing and supporting schools to introduce flexible working practices. The department has also established Teaching School Hubs across the country, which provide approved high-quality professional development to teachers at all stages of their careers. Tudor Grange Teaching School Hub is a centre of excellence supporting teacher training and development across Bromsgrove, Redditch, Solihull and Stratford-on-Avon.

What steps she is taking to improve SEND provision in Stratford-on-Avon constituency.

Following the last Ofsted inspection, departmental officials have been working with Warwickshire County Council (WCC) to closely monitor progress against the areas for improvement identified by inspectors.The areas were:(i) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) waiting times, assessments and support following diagnosis.(ii) Co-production.(iii) Placement of children and young people with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan.(iv) Uptake of training for school staff working with children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).(v) And the quality of the online local offer.The department has appointed a SEND Advisor to support and work alongside WCC and the local area partnership.This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach in collaboration with local area partnerships, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

If she will make a comparative assessment of the adequacy of funding per pupil in (a) Stratford-on-Avon constituency, (b) Warwickshire and (c) nationally.

The overall core schools budget will total £61.8 billion in the 2024/25 financial year. The average per pupil funding in England, as allocated through the schools block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), is £5,957. In the 2024/25 financial year, the average per-pupil funding for Warwickshire, as allocated through the schools block of the DSG, is £5,634. The DSG is allocated at local authority level, and as such the equivalent figures are not available for the Stratford-on-Avon constituency. The allocations that schools within a constituency receive are determined by the local funding formula in their area. The figures provided include premises funding but exclude growth funding. The figures do not include the additional grant funding that schools across the country have received to support pay and pensions increases in 2024/25. One reason why the per pupil funding figure in Warwickshire is lower than the average in England is that schools in Warwickshire have a lower proportion of pupils who attract deprivation funding through the NFF than the national average. The department continues to consider the various funding formulae used at national and local levels to ensure that we have a fair education funding system that directs funding to where it is needed.