Every parliamentary written question tabled by Pippa Heylings this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 47 · Department for Education
What assessment her Department has made of the potential benefits of introducing Romanian as an approved subject within the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE); and whether it has plans to support the development and accreditation of a Romanian GCSE qualification.
Awaiting answer.
What (a) safeguards and (b) limitations will apply to home visits conducted by local authorities under the proposed registration provisions in the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
The power for local authorities to request to visit a child in their home is intended to help the authority decide whether education is suitable for the child or, in the case of children subject to child protection processes, that it is in the best interests of the child to receive their education in or outside of school. The findings of a home visit, or the refusal to allow one, must be considered in deciding whether to commence the school attendance order process, but will not be the only factor determining that decision.The requirement in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill for local authorities to consider a child’s home and other learning environments, and the power to request a home visit, addresses recommendations in the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review into the death of Sara Sharif.Local authorities must always act reasonably when carrying out their duties. We will consult on statutory guidance, which helps local authorities conduct visits sensitively, and will develop training to help local authorities implement their new duties. A full new burdens assessment will be undertaken to determine the costs and resources required for local authorities to undertake these new duties, and additional funding will be provided.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure that home-visit requirements under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill are applied proportionately, particularly in cases where families have no prior history of safeguarding concerns.
The power for local authorities to request to visit a child in their home is intended to help the authority decide whether education is suitable for the child or, in the case of children subject to child protection processes, that it is in the best interests of the child to receive their education in or outside of school. The findings of a home visit, or the refusal to allow one, must be considered in deciding whether to commence the school attendance order process, but will not be the only factor determining that decision.The requirement in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill for local authorities to consider a child’s home and other learning environments, and the power to request a home visit, addresses recommendations in the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review into the death of Sara Sharif.Local authorities must always act reasonably when carrying out their duties. We will consult on statutory guidance, which helps local authorities conduct visits sensitively, and will develop training to help local authorities implement their new duties. A full new burdens assessment will be undertaken to determine the costs and resources required for local authorities to undertake these new duties, and additional funding will be provided.
What evidence base underpins the proposal that a family's refusal of a home visit may lead a local authority to consider issuing a School Attendance Order under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
The power for local authorities to request to visit a child in their home is intended to help the authority decide whether education is suitable for the child or, in the case of children subject to child protection processes, that it is in the best interests of the child to receive their education in or outside of school. The findings of a home visit, or the refusal to allow one, must be considered in deciding whether to commence the school attendance order process, but will not be the only factor determining that decision.The requirement in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill for local authorities to consider a child’s home and other learning environments, and the power to request a home visit, addresses recommendations in the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review into the death of Sara Sharif.Local authorities must always act reasonably when carrying out their duties. We will consult on statutory guidance, which helps local authorities conduct visits sensitively, and will develop training to help local authorities implement their new duties. A full new burdens assessment will be undertaken to determine the costs and resources required for local authorities to undertake these new duties, and additional funding will be provided.
What additional funding, guidance, and training her Department plans to provide to local authorities to support the consistent and fair implementation of home-visit duties from the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
The power for local authorities to request to visit a child in their home is intended to help the authority decide whether education is suitable for the child or, in the case of children subject to child protection processes, that it is in the best interests of the child to receive their education in or outside of school. The findings of a home visit, or the refusal to allow one, must be considered in deciding whether to commence the school attendance order process, but will not be the only factor determining that decision.The requirement in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill for local authorities to consider a child’s home and other learning environments, and the power to request a home visit, addresses recommendations in the Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review into the death of Sara Sharif.Local authorities must always act reasonably when carrying out their duties. We will consult on statutory guidance, which helps local authorities conduct visits sensitively, and will develop training to help local authorities implement their new duties. A full new burdens assessment will be undertaken to determine the costs and resources required for local authorities to undertake these new duties, and additional funding will be provided.
If her Department has made any assessment of the merits of introducing national tracking of looked-after children and previously looked-after children on health waiting lists.
There is currently no national tracking of looked-after children or previously looked-after children on health waiting lists and the department has not assessed the merits of such a measure.All local authorities and healthcare partners have a responsibility to promote the health and wellbeing of all looked-after children. This is outlined within the ‘Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children’ statutory guidance.The local authority must ensure that every child whom it looks after has an up to date individual health plan. Health plans are based on individual health assessments carried out by a registered medical practitioner. They describe how identified needs will be addressed to improve health outcomes. Health assessments should take place at least every six months for children under five and at least every 12 months for children five and over.
What evidence the Government has considered on whether the absence of a statutory duty of care contributes to inconsistent responses by universities to students at risk of harm.
The department has considered a wide range of evidence in assessing the factors that contribute to variation in how higher education (HE) providers support students at risk of harm. This includes official statistics, coroners’ Prevention of Future Deaths reports, and other case reviews that highlight issues with processes, communication and access to services relevant to consistency of support.Our assessment has further drawn on extensive engagement with providers, students, bereaved families, mental health experts and sector leaders, including through provider surveys and the HE mental health implementation taskforce, where those with lived experience have shaped priorities and workstrands.Last year, we also published the first ever national review of HE student suicide deaths, which analysed more than 160 serious incident reviews and identified operational issues such as information sharing, case management and staff training as key drivers of inconsistency. We are now working with the taskforce and the sector to embed the review’s recommendations and to strengthen monitoring and institutional accountability.
What steps her Department is taking to help coordinate services between higher education institutions and NHS mental health services for students.
Improving coordination between universities and NHS mental health services is a key priority. The Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce recently published Improving Student Mental Health through Higher Education-NHS Partnerships, which sets out evidenced models of effective collaboration and provides case studies showing how stronger partnerships working together can transform outcomes for students while delivering efficiencies for local health services. The government encourages any university not already involved in such a partnership to draw on these models and to work with their local integrated care board to identify an approach that meets local needs.
What mechanisms are in place to ensure that universities share learning from reviews of student deaths by suicide.
Universities are expected to carry out serious incident reviews after a suspected student suicide, following sector‑developed postvention guidance produced by Universities UK, PAPYRUS and Samaritans, which sets clear expectations for reviewing incidents and identifying lessons for improvement. To support sector‑wide learning, the department last year published the first National Review of Higher Education Student Suicide Deaths, drawing on more than 160 such reviews to provide a shared evidence base and recommendations for improvement across the sector. These recommendations are now being taken forward through the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce, which is working with providers to embed consistent practice and strengthen postvention approaches. The Taskforce is also exploring how to improve data and evidence collection so that learning from future cases can be captured more consistently and used to drive further continuous improvement across the sector.
How students and bereaved families are being involved in the work of the Implementation Taskforce on student mental health and suicide prevention.
Students and bereaved families are directly shaping the work of the higher education mental health implementation taskforce. Representatives of the LEARN network sit on the taskforce and have played a key role in agreeing its priorities and work strands, ensuring lived experience insight informs all outputs. The taskforce also includes formal student representation via the National Union of Students, and other members such as Student Minds also ensure that student voice and sector expertise underpin their programme of work.
What plans she has to ask the Office for Students to introduce a regulatory condition on student mental health and wellbeing.
The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator, and any decision to introduce a new regulatory condition would be for the OfS to determine. The Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Taskforce and department are working closely with the OfS as part of our work to improve consistency and raise standards in how providers support student mental health. This includes considering regulatory options alongside other levers such as governance, assurance and strengthened good practice frameworks. We will set out our position following advice from the taskforce, which is helping identify what a clear, strong and proportionate framework should look like.
What recent estimate she has made of the number of children in South Cambridgeshire constituency waiting more than 20 weeks for an EHCP assessment.
The department does not hold information on the length of time that children and young people wait for an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment to be carried out.The department does publish information on the number of EHC plans that are issued within the statutory 20-week timeframe. The number and percentage of plans issued within this timeframe (excluding cases where exceptions apply) for both Cambridgeshire and England are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/b46a4968-aafd-4bd6-948a-08de4155ee12.Information at constituency level is not available.Information on EHC plans maintained by local authorities, including requests for an EHC needs assessment, the number of assessments carried out, the number where a decision is made to assess, and the number of plans issued within 20 weeks, are included in the annual statistical release. The latest January 2025 statistics were published in June 2025 here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2025.
What recent estimate she has made of the number of children waiting more than 20 weeks for an EHCP assessment.
The department does not hold information on the length of time that children and young people wait for an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment to be carried out.The department does publish information on the number of EHC plans that are issued within the statutory 20-week timeframe. The number and percentage of plans issued within this timeframe (excluding cases where exceptions apply) for both Cambridgeshire and England are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/b46a4968-aafd-4bd6-948a-08de4155ee12.Information at constituency level is not available.Information on EHC plans maintained by local authorities, including requests for an EHC needs assessment, the number of assessments carried out, the number where a decision is made to assess, and the number of plans issued within 20 weeks, are included in the annual statistical release. The latest January 2025 statistics were published in June 2025 here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2025.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Government's SEND reforms on children and young people in South Cambridgeshire.
The department will set out the full Schools White Paper later in the new year, building on the work we have already done to create a system that is rooted in inclusion, where children receive high quality support early on and can thrive at their local school. Impact assessments will be produced alongside final reform proposals when published in the Schools White Paper.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of administrative and bureaucratic barriers within local authorities on the timeliness of EHCP assessments.
The department understands that some families face challenges with securing education, health and care (EHC) plans in a timely way. We are committed to restoring confidence in the system of support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) so that they all get the opportunities they need to achieve and thrive in their education.The department publishes annual SEN2 data on EHC plans and assessments, including timeliness. This informs performance monitoring and targeted support. Local authorities performing poorly receive additional oversight and specialist advice.The department continues to monitor and work closely with local authorities that have issues with EHC plans timeliness. This includes, where needed, providing specialist SEND Adviser support to help identify the barriers to carrying out the EHC plan process in a timely way and to put in place practical plans for recovery.A new SEND inspection framework launched in January 2023, with all local areas to be inspected by 2027, to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
What steps she is taking to ensure that schools are not required to subsidise EHCP provision from their core budgets.
Since 2014, local authorities are have been required to allocate funding to their local mainstream schools according to a formula that includes factors relating to the likely incidence of special educational needs (SEN) amongst their pupils, and to identify an amount within each school’s overall budget as a guide to what they might need to spend on supporting those pupils, including those with education, health and care plans. Schools are then expected to cover additional costs in respect of SEN pupils up to £6,000 per pupil. For annual costs in excess of £6,000, the local authority should allocate top-up funding from their high needs budgets. The government is providing over £12 billion high needs funding to local authorities in the 2025/26 financial year.Mainstream school funding is increasing by 2.6% per pupil in the 2026/27 financial year compared to 2025/26. This will support mainstream schools with ongoing costs, including the costs of SEN support. When the Schools White Paper is published later this year, it will set out additional funding for both schools and local authorities to drive forward much needed reform of the SEN and disability system.
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of school funding settlements in meeting pupil need and demographic growth.
Spending per pupil was at its highest ever level in the 2024/25 financial year, in real terms, and there has been further real terms growth in spending in 2025/26. The school funding settlement announced at the Spending Review more than protects per pupil funding in real terms, with a further £1.7 billion increase in 2026/27. Every year, the department uses the schools national funding formula to distribute core funding for 5 to 16-year-old pupils, in mainstream state-funded schools in England. This ensures that funding is distributed based on a fair and consistent assessment of need, based first and foremost on pupil numbers. We recognise the pressures caused by demographic changes in some areas. The lagged funding system helps to give schools more certainty over funding levels. This aids their planning and is particularly important in giving schools with falling rolls time to re-organise their staffing and costs. The department also provides local authorities with growth funding, which they use to support schools whose pupil numbers are rising.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of requiring schools to fund extended periods of education following exclusion on safeguarding.
It is for local authorities, under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996, to arrange and fund suitable education for children of compulsory school age who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, may otherwise not receive suitable education. Local authorities are required to arrange alternative provision for a permanently excluded child as soon as possible, and at the latest by the sixth school day of the child’s absence.
When schools will be reimbursed for the increase in National Insurance contributions.
We have provided schools with over £1.1 billion to support them with the increases to employer National Insurance contributions from April 2025.We published schools’ allocations in May 2025, and payments were made in September and October 2025.
What measures the government is taking to develop a culture of reading for pleasure in schools as part of the new curriculum.
I refer to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire to the answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 88744.