Written questions by Wrigley.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37398 on Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, if she will hold discussions with Adoption UK on funding for the adoption and special guardianship support fund.

I meet regularly with key adoption stakeholders including Adoption UK and will continue to do so to discuss a wider variety of adoption issues, including the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund. Departmental officials also have regular meetings with Adoption UK to discuss issues relating to adoption.

Whether her Department plans to enforce statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms.

The guidance on the cost of school uniforms is statutory and schools must have regard to it when designing and implementing their uniform policies. We expect all schools to now be compliant.If parents are concerned about the cost of their child’s school uniform, they should raise this with the school, including through the school’s published complaints process where necessary.If a parent is unhappy with the outcome of their complaint, they can raise this with the department. We will consider whether the uniform policy meets the requirements of the guidance.

Whether her Department plans to introduce a £30 cap on school uniform items.

Too many families still tell us that the cost of school uniform remains a financial burden. ​This is why the department has introduced legislation to limit the number of branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require to bring down costs for parents and remove barriers from children accessing sport and other school activities.The department has no plans to introduce a £30 cap on school uniform items. For schools this would mean having to review uniform policies regularly to ensure the uniform items were still within the cost cap and so lead to more frequent uniform changes. For parents this could increase the overall number of items they have to buy whilst their child is at school, limit the ability to pass items down to siblings or to buy second hand uniform, and reduce choice by increasing reliance on specific suppliers.The department wants to ensure that any action we take to reduce the cost of uniform provides schools and parents with clarity and offers parents choice in how to manage the cost of school uniform. Ensuring parents can buy more items from a range of retailers gives them that flexibility.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question 41244 on Special Educational Needs: Schools, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of local authorities not complying with that advice.

The ‘Special educational needs and disabilities code of practice’ is statutory guidance issued by the department. Where a local authority does not comply with a statutory duty, such as reviewing a child or young person’s education, health and care (EHC) plan at least every 12 months, parents can complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) after following the local authority’s formal complaints procedure. The LGSCO is able to look at how the local authority has carried out its statutory duties in relation to EHC plans. The department holds local authorities to account for delivery of their special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services through joint inspections by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission. These inspections place a greater emphasis on the outcomes being achieved for children and young people. They are the primary tool to maintain a focus on high standards in the SEND system across all partners.

If she will make it her policy that the existing level of funding for Education and Health Care Plans will be provided in Newton Abbot constituency in 2025-26.

I refer the hon. Member for Newton Abbot to the answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 35870.

What guidance her Department has issued to (a) local authorities and (b) schools on (i) annual reviews for EHC plans and (ii) the responsibilities of all parties involved.

Education, health and care (EHC) plans should be used to monitor children and young people’s progress towards their outcomes and longer term aspirations. Local authorities have a statutory duty to review EHC plans every 12 months as a minimum.The local authority should provide a list of children and young people who will require a review of their EHC plan that term to all headteachers and principals of schools, colleges and other institutions attended by children or young people with EHC plans, at least two weeks before the start of each term. This will enable professionals to plan attendance at review meetings and/or provide timely advice or information about the child or young person where necessary.The department has issued guidance on EHC plan reviews in the special educational needs and disabilities Code of Practice which explains the roles and responsibilities of local authorities and schools in the review process, as well as other relevant professionals.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on local authorities' ability to meet special educational needs because of delays by local authorities in reviewing schools' funding requests for Education, Health and Care Plans.

Mainstream schools are funded through the formula set by their local authority. The funding formula is decided by each local authority in consultation with its schools and often uses factors such as low prior attainment and free school meals to give an estimate of the number of children with special educational needs (SEN) a school is likely to have. Local authorities are required to delegate funds to a level that enables schools to meet the additional cost of pupils with SEN up to £6,000 per annum.When a school can demonstrate that the costs of additional support required for a pupil with SEN exceed £6,000, the local authority should allocate additional funding to cover the excess costs. This may follow an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment and the creation of an EHC plan, though local authorities have discretion to provide top-up funding to pupils without an EHC plan.If a local authority issues an EHC plan, it is statutorily required to secure the special educational provision specified in the plan. Disagreements over the provision required and the associated costs should not stand in the way of a child or young person’s education.The department is clear that we expect commissioning local authorities and all types of schools/colleges to work together so that agreement can be reached on the level of top-up funding required to enable suitable provision to be made for individual pupils and students. More information is available in the GOV.UK guidance ‘High needs funding: 2024 to 2025 operational guide’, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-funding-arrangements-2024-to-2025/high-needs-funding-2024-to-2025-operational-guide#top-up-funding.As the statutory responsible body, the local authority is responsible for the final decision about the level of funding required to secure the necessary provision. In determining the funding level, the local authority should have consulted with the school or college and should ensure their decision is evidence-based and reasonable. However, even where provision is specified in an EHC plan, there is no statutory requirement that a local authority must pay top-up funding at a particular rate requested by a school or college.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of schools being unable to challenge placement decisions made by local authorities on children with special educational needs.

Where a local authority has issued an education, health and care (EHC) plan for a child or young person, they must consult a school or college before naming it in the plan and the school or college can express concerns about being named.When responding to a local authority on a consultation about being named in an EHC plan, the school can make representations in relation to its total pupil population and its capacity, where it feels that admitting the pupil might have an impact on the efficient education of other pupils already in the school. This is a matter that the local authority would need to carefully consider in reaching its decision about whether to proceed to name the school. If the local authority goes ahead and names it in the plan, then the school or college is under a statutory duty to admit the child or young person.A school can make a complaint to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education if it feels that a local authority has not carried out its statutory duties appropriately, such as where the school suspects the local authority did not follow due processes in reaching a decision to name it on an EHC plan. However, whilst that complaint is being resolved, because the school is named in the EHC plan, it must admit the child with immediate effect.The department knows that many children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) struggle to find a suitable school placement that is close to their home and meets their needs. This government is committed to addressing this by improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.We work with the sector as valued partners to ensure that every child or young person with SEND can access a school placement that meets their needs, including in mainstream where appropriate. In doing so, we want to improve pupil outcomes and experiences and restore parents’ trust.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the time spent by schools in requesting assessments for EHC plans on the provision of SEND services.

Schools are required to identify and address the special educational needs (SEN) of the pupils they support and, in the case of mainstream settings, to use their best endeavours to make sure that a child or young person who has SEN gets the support they need. This includes asking local authorities to carry out an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment, if necessary.All schools should apply the ‘graduated approach’ that is outlined in the SEND Code of Practice, which means identifying a child’s needs, planning appropriate support, implementing that support and reviewing it regularly to ensure it continues to meet the identified needs. Through this, schools should develop personalised approaches to supporting the unique needs of individual pupils. If necessary, the local authority can be asked to carry out an EHC needs assessment.In addition, all mainstream schools and maintained academy schools, including free schools, must have a qualified teacher, or the headteacher, designated as the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO).SENCOs have day-to-day responsibility for the operation of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) policy and co-ordination of specific provision made to support individual pupils with SEND, including those who have EHC plans.Schools should ensure that the SENCO has sufficient time and resources to carry out these functions. This should include providing SENCOs with sufficient administrative support and time away from teaching to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities in a similar way to other important strategic roles within a school.

What guidance her Department has issued on the use of third-party consultants by local authorities to (a) assess and (b) re-assess EHC plans.

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that there is effective coordination of education, health and care (EHC) needs assessments and the development process for an EHC plan.Practitioners in all services involved in the assessment and planning process need to be skilled in working with children, parents and young people who help them make informed decisions.The department has not issued specific guidance regarding the use of third-party consultants by local authorities to assess and re-assess EHC plans. This is because it is the responsibility of the local authority to determine the most appropriate way to obtain the relevant and required information and expertise for an EHC needs assessment whilst ensuring that they still adhere to criteria set out in existing legislation and guidance, such as the special educational needs and disability code of practice and in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014. The code of practice can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25. The Regulations can be accessed at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1530/contents.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37398 on Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, will if she will respond to the email from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot on the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund after the spending review.

A response to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Newton Abbot on the adoption and special guardianship support fund was sent on 10 March 2025.

What guidance her Department issues to local authorities on determining the level of funding allocated for each EHC plan.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.If a pupil’s education, health and care plan requires a school to make provision that goes beyond the support that the school is expected to make available ordinarily from its core funding, the local authority provides the school with top-up funding from its high needs budget for the excess costs. The department provides operational guidance to local authorities on the arrangements for administering such high needs funding. The guidance for the 2025/26 financial year can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-needs-funding-arrangements-2025-to-2026.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 February 2025 to Question 30796 on Childcare: Finance, if she will collect data from councils on (a) how childcare providers deliver entitlements and (b) how many and what proportion of childcare providers allow parents to stretch the 38 weeks of paid childcare to cover 52 weeks.

The department collects data directly from childcare providers on how many deliver early years entitlements, and how these can be used by families.For example, Table 7.5 of the most recent survey report, published in 2024, shows the proportion of providers where parents can use funded hours throughout the year, by entitlement. This can be found in the additional supporting files section at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/childcare-and-early-years-provider-survey/2024.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of mandatory SATs on pupil wellbeing and teacher workload; and whether her Department has considered adopting moderated teacher assessments as an alternative.

Key stage 2 assessments are essential to check all pupils’ progress in mastering the basics of reading, writing and mathematics. They are also essential to identify any children who may need extra support and prepare them to achieve and thrive at secondary school. The assessments help teachers identify where pupils need more support in comparison to national expectations. They also allow the department to hold schools to account to ensure they support all pupils, regardless of background or prior attainment, to achieve sufficient progress and attainment, helping secure high and rising standards.It is important that schools encourage their pupils to do their best in the tests, however, the department does not recommend that pupils in primary school devote excessive preparation time for the assessment and not at the expense of their mental health and wellbeing.Our independent Curriculum and Assessment Review panel have been clear that SATs assessments are an important part of assessing children’s progress throughout primary school, and that the system of primary assessment is currently working well. As the Review moves into its second phase, it will consider how to build on effective systems to support the attainment of all children.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of including (a) pupil wellbeing and (b) staff retention data in school performance tables.

The department currently publishes school and college performance data on its compare school and college performance service. This service can be accessed at: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/.The department continues to keep the performance measures published on compare school and college performance under review. We draw on a range of data, including school censuses and Individualised Learner Records, and data submitted directly by Awarding Organisations. We carry out extensive validation and quality assurance checks on the data as well as the resulting performance measures.The department is currently consulting on school accountability reform. This includes a proposal to introduce school profiles, an accessible one-stop shop for information on schools, incorporating new Ofsted report cards but also presenting a range of up-to-date performance data and other information that matters to parents, all in one place. We are inviting views on which information we should include on school profiles, which could include, for example, school workforce information or information about pupil wellbeing. The consultation on school accountability reform is inviting responses until 28 April 2025 and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/school-accountability-reform.

What research her Department has conducted on the effectiveness of lighter-touch testing compared to mandatory SATs in assessing pupil progress.

Key stage 2 assessments are essential to check all pupils’ progress in mastering the basics of reading, writing and mathematics. They are also essential to identify any children who may need extra support and prepare them to achieve and thrive at secondary school. The assessments help teachers identify where pupils need more support in comparison to national expectations. They also allow the department to hold schools to account to ensure they support all pupils, regardless of background or prior attainment, to achieve sufficient progress and attainment, helping secure high and rising standards.It is important that schools encourage their pupils to do their best in the tests, however, the department does not recommend that pupils in primary school devote excessive preparation time for the assessment and not at the expense of their mental health and wellbeing.Our independent Curriculum and Assessment Review panel have been clear that SATs assessments are an important part of assessing children’s progress throughout primary school, and that the system of primary assessment is currently working well. As the Review moves into its second phase, it will consider how to build on effective systems to support the attainment of all children.

What steps her Department is taking to reduce teaching to the test in primary schools to improve pupils' (a) engagement and (b) learning outcomes.

Key stage 2 assessments are essential to check all pupils’ progress in mastering the basics of reading, writing and mathematics. They are also essential to identify any children who may need extra support and prepare them to achieve and thrive at secondary school. The assessments help teachers identify where pupils need more support in comparison to national expectations. They also allow the department to hold schools to account to ensure they support all pupils, regardless of background or prior attainment, to achieve sufficient progress and attainment, helping secure high and rising standards.It is important that schools encourage their pupils to do their best in the tests, however, the department does not recommend that pupils in primary school devote excessive preparation time for the assessment and not at the expense of their mental health and wellbeing.Our independent Curriculum and Assessment Review panel have been clear that SATs assessments are an important part of assessing children’s progress throughout primary school, and that the system of primary assessment is currently working well. As the Review moves into its second phase, it will consider how to build on effective systems to support the attainment of all children.

Whether her Department has considered replacing Ofsted with a new HM Inspector of Schools with a (a) revised inspection framework and (b) assessments of (i) staff and (ii) pupil wellbeing.

In 2024, Ofsted conducted its Big Listen, which was the largest consultation in its history, receiving more than 20,000 responses. It listened to the views of a wide range of parents, teachers, school leaders and others about the impact of inspection and where change was needed. Ofsted published its ‘Big Listen action monitoring report’ in December 2024 to show what progress it has made in responding to feedback from parents, pupils and education staff and an updated report was published earlier this month. It can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/big-listen-action-monitoring-reports.In February 2025, the department and Ofsted launched public consultations on proposals for a better accountability system. Ofsted’s consultation includes proposals for a revised school inspection framework, with the outcomes of inspection presented in a report card. The report card will cover key areas, including the school’s curriculum and pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. Ofsted has proposed a new role of ‘Nominee’, a member of staff who works closely with the inspection team, with the intention of making the inspection event more of a professional dialogue.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the \(a) accuracy and (b) breadth of school performance indicators to ensure they reflect (i) pupil wellbeing and (ii) teacher satisfaction alongside academic outcomes.

The department currently publishes school and college performance data on its compare school and college performance service. This service can be accessed at: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/.The department continues to keep the performance measures published on compare school and college performance under review. We draw on a range of data, including school censuses and Individualised Learner Records, and data submitted directly by Awarding Organisations. We carry out extensive validation and quality assurance checks on the data as well as the resulting performance measures.The department is currently consulting on school accountability reform. This includes a proposal to introduce school profiles, an accessible one-stop shop for information on schools, incorporating new Ofsted report cards but also presenting a range of up-to-date performance data and other information that matters to parents, all in one place. We are inviting views on which information we should include on school profiles, which could include, for example, school workforce information or information about pupil wellbeing. The consultation on school accountability reform is inviting responses until 28 April 2025 and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/school-accountability-reform.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the impact of Ofsted inspections on teacher (a) wellbeing and (b) retention in the past five years.

In 2024, Ofsted conducted its Big Listen, which was the largest consultation in its history, receiving more than 20,000 responses. It listened to the views of a wide range of parents, teachers, school leaders and others about the impact of inspection and where change was needed. Ofsted published its ‘Big Listen action monitoring report’ in December 2024 to show what progress it has made in responding to feedback from parents, pupils and education staff and an updated report was published earlier this month. It can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/big-listen-action-monitoring-reports.In February 2025, the department and Ofsted launched public consultations on proposals for a better accountability system. Ofsted’s consultation includes proposals for a revised school inspection framework, with the outcomes of inspection presented in a report card. The report card will cover key areas, including the school’s curriculum and pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. Ofsted has proposed a new role of ‘Nominee’, a member of staff who works closely with the inspection team, with the intention of making the inspection event more of a professional dialogue.