Written questions by Hayes.

What steps her Department is taking to increase (a) the number of people being trained to be educational psychologists and (b) the number of assessments of children with undiagnosed SEND.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.The SEND code of practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with special educational needs (SEN) does not require a diagnostic label or test. It is the responsibility of teachers to monitor the progress of all pupils and put support in place where needed. This may include arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate. Where a child who has SEN requires more support than the school they are in can usually provide, parents or carers can ask the local authority to carry out an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment, irrespective of whether their child has a diagnosis or not.The department recognises the critical role of educational psychologists within the SEND system, including in their statutory contribution to EHC assessments. To support this, the department is investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from this year. This builds on the £10 million currently being invested in a cohort of over 200 trainees who began their training in September 2023. As these trainees complete their studies, they will join the workforce to support the capacity of local authority educational psychology services, including in delivering assessments.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) improve support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in mainstream settings and (b) develop new specialist provision for children with SEND in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), or who are in alternative provision, receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. This government is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need. This government wants to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with SEND through early identification, effective support, high quality teaching and effective allocation of resources. We will listen to and work with families and sector partners to fix this, which includes taking wider opportunities on accountability, the curriculum, workforce and more.The department will strengthen accountability on mainstream settings to be inclusive, including through Ofsted, support the mainstream workforce to increase their SEND expertise, and encourage schools to set up Resourced Provision or special educational needs (SEN) units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are part of the most recent competition to find trusts for 18 additional special schools that was launched by the previous government. The window for trusts to apply has now closed. The department is working through the next steps and will provide an update in due course.The department also continues to work very closely with the local authority and trust leaders on proposals to establish and expand high quality resource bases and SEN unit provision.

What steps her Department is taking to support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in mainstream settings.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (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 improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs, restoring parents’ trust that their child will get the support they need. We want to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with SEND through early identification, effective support, high quality teaching and effective allocation of resources. The department will listen to, and work with, families and sector partners to fix this, which includes taking wider opportunities on accountability, the curriculum, workforce and more.The department will strengthen accountability on mainstream settings to be inclusive including through Ofsted, support the mainstream workforce to increase their SEND expertise, and encourage schools to set up Resourced Provision or special educational needs (SEN) units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.

What steps her Department is taking to (a) increase and (b) improve training on SEND in the (i) teacher and (ii) classroom assistant training (A) curriculum and (B) classroom practice.

High quality teaching is the single most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for children and it is particularly important for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).The department’s recruitment and retention reforms will support all teachers and we are committed to ensuring that all pupils can achieve and receive excellent support from their teachers.The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities. The Teachers’ Standards include Standard 1, which requires teachers to set goals that stretch and challenge young people of all backgrounds and abilities, and Standard 5, which requires teachers to adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils.Consideration of SEND underpins both the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) and Early Career Framework (ECF) which have been designed around how to support all pupils to succeed, including those pupils identified within the four areas of need set out in the SEND Code of Practice.The department recently reviewed the mandatory ITT CCF alongside the ECF and particular attention was given to the needs of trainees and early career teachers when supporting pupils with SEND. The new framework includes significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting all pupils with SEND.The department has also launched a National Professional Qualification for Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (NPQ for SENCOs) where teachers develop the essential knowledge and skills needed to set the strategic direction of SEN policy in a school and the conditions in which pupils with SEND can thrive.The availability of training and career progression opportunities for teaching assistants helps ensure schools have the skilled staff they need to deliver high quality education. The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) has recently approved a new Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant apprenticeship, allowing teaching assistants to specialise in one of three areas, including: SEND, social and emotional wellbeing or curriculum provision. The apprenticeship will be available for candidates to undertake in 2025.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the availability of school places in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council area.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places sits with local authorities. The department engages with councils on a regular basis to review their plans for creating additional places and to consider alternatives where necessary. When local authorities are experiencing difficulties, the department supports them to find solutions as quickly as possible. Where local authorities are failing in their duty, the government will intervene. The department provides capital funding through the basic need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools and can work with any school in their local area, including academies and free schools. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council will receive just over £561,000 in the 2025/26 financial year to support the provision of new school places needed by September 2026.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of poor mental health on educational (a) attainment and (b) inequality.

The department has not made a formal assessment of the impact of poor mental health on educational attainment and inequality, but the department is aware of a wide range of evidence that identifies an association between mental health and educational outcomes and that educational inequality is likely to be exacerbated by poor mental health.A study published in British Medical Journal in 2019 suggested that, controlling for a range of other factors, mental health difficulties in Key Stage 3 were associated with lower attainment at GCSE. Pupils with previous atypical mental health scores were 2.7 times more likely to not achieve five A* to C grades than those measured in the normal range.The Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2021 survey published by NHS Digital shows that over half of children with special educational needs (SEN) have a probable mental health disorder (56.7%) compared to 12.5% of children with no identified SEN. Additionally, the 2022 follow up survey found that children and young people with a probable mental disorder are seven times as likely to have missed more than 15 days of school as those unlikely to have a mental disorder (12.6% and 3.9% respectively). The 2023 follow up survey also found that children aged 8 to 16 years with a probable mental disorder were more than twice as likely to live in a household that had fallen behind with rent, bills or mortgage (18.7%) than those unlikely to have a mental disorder (6.8%).This is why the government has set a bold ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children in history, giving mental health the same attention as physical health. The government is reforming NHS services and has committed to providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, removing barriers to opportunity and helping children to thrive.

What steps her Department has taken to deliver new Young Futures Hubs.

Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to help improve the way that children and young people can access opportunities and support in their local communities, in doing so, promoting their development, improving mental health, and preventing young people being drawn into crime.Expertise has been brought together from across government departments to deliver on this manifesto commitment, and the government will be engaging with national and local partners, local communities and children and young people to co-design and explore options for the design and delivery of the hubs.

What steps she is taking to improve mental health inclusion within the national curriculum.

In health education, part of mandatory relationships, sex and health education, there is a strong focus on mental wellbeing, including a recognition that mental wellbeing and physical health are linked. It is important pupils understand that good physical health, for both men and women, contributes to good mental wellbeing. The aim of teaching pupils about mental wellbeing and physical health is to give them the information they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing, recognise signs of poor health or wellbeing in themselves and others and, when issues arise, seek support as early as possible from appropriate sources. The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, an expert in education policy, including curriculum and social inequality. The review is looking at the whole of the curriculum and how it fits together to ensure that there is space for schools to provide a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the readiness of students to enter the workforce.

The department wants to expand access to high quality careers advice and work experience, helping to break down the barriers to opportunity and boosting economic growth. This government recognises that work readiness is a key part of school life. The department wants young people in all parts of the country to gain workplace skills and explore career opportunities.In 2024/25, the department is investing around £30 million through the Careers and Enterprise Company to support secondary schools and colleges to improve their careers programmes in line with the government’s careers framework, the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance. 92% of secondary schools and colleges, 400 leading employers and 4,000 business volunteers are part of a national network of Careers Hubs. They are working together to improve careers advice and inspire young people.The department wants to go further to make sure that young people in all parts of the country get the opportunities they deserve. According to a report from the Children’s Commissioner, more than one third of children report that they do not know enough about good jobs available to them as they get older and leave school.The department’s ambition is to offer a guarantee of two weeks’ worth of high quality work experience for all young people, irrespective of their background. This will open doors to a wider range of employers and businesses and give young people a greater insight into the labour market. The department has also committed to train 1,000 careers advisers so that young people can get the expert advice they need to reflect on their workplace experiences and set future career goals.These ambitions are vital to ensuring that young people are supported to make successful transitions from education and training into employment. The department wants to prepare all young people to make informed choices about their futures and support them into work they can be proud of.

What steps her Department is taking to improve the representation of people from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds within the national curriculum.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review will seek to deliver a curriculum that reflects the issues and diversities of our society, ensuring all children and young people are represented in their learning. The review group has recently launched a call for evidence, setting out a number of key questions and themes where it would particularly welcome evidence and input. Following the independent review, all schools will be required to teach the core national curriculum.Schools and colleges are free to decide which events to commemorate and what activities to put in place to support pupils’ understanding of significant events and particular months or days dedicated to specific communities, such as Black History Month. Schools also have the opportunity to promote such events though the curriculum, for example through subjects such as history and citizenship. The flexibility in the history curriculum means that schools can teach Black history in all three key stages, and within citizenship teaching at key stage 4, pupils should be taught about the diverse national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom and the need for mutual respect and understanding.

What steps her Department is taking to support (a) schools and (b) colleges to mark Black History Month.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The review will seek to deliver a curriculum that reflects the issues and diversities of our society, ensuring all children and young people are represented in their learning. The review group has recently launched a call for evidence, setting out a number of key questions and themes where it would particularly welcome evidence and input. Following the independent review, all schools will be required to teach the core national curriculum.Schools and colleges are free to decide which events to commemorate and what activities to put in place to support pupils’ understanding of significant events and particular months or days dedicated to specific communities, such as Black History Month. Schools also have the opportunity to promote such events though the curriculum, for example through subjects such as history and citizenship. The flexibility in the history curriculum means that schools can teach Black history in all three key stages, and within citizenship teaching at key stage 4, pupils should be taught about the diverse national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom and the need for mutual respect and understanding.

If her Department will bring forward legislative proposals to include employers’ running costs for providing visual effects and post-production placements in the Apprenticeship Levy.

This government is transforming the Apprenticeship Levy into a new Growth and Skills Levy. The new levy will build on the apprenticeships programme to create more opportunities for learners and give employers greater flexibility to address critical skill shortages in their workforce, which will help drive economic growth. Skills England will be responsible for identifying training that is eligible for the Growth and Skills Levy, ensuring that levy-funded training delivers value for money and meets the needs of businesses. The department is working across government to develop the design of the Growth and Skills Levy and will set out more detail in due course.

If her Department will provide additional support for the provision of AIM level 3 extended diploma in games, animation and visual effects skills in further education colleges.

This government recognises the importance of the creative industries sector and the need to ensure a skills pipeline into professions in that sector. Whilst the government publicly funds qualifications in a range of subject areas, it is for schools and colleges to determine what provision they deliver to their students based on their individual circumstances and when taking into consideration factors such as learner and employer demand. The department believes that qualifications must deliver on its two central missions of enhancing and spreading opportunity for everyone and growing the economy. The department will ensure there are a range of high-quality qualifications that provide young people and adults with the skills they need, and which deliver on its missions. It has been previously announced that the department will undertake a focused review of the post-16 qualifications reform and clarify the position by the end of the year. The qualifications that remain will allow the department to unlock opportunity for young people, harness their talents to drive growth and fulfil the government’s missions.

If her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing support for workplace exchange programmes in the visual effects and post-production sector; and whether she is taking steps to encourage industry experts in that sector to provide vocational training.

The creative industries play a vital role in our economy and our nation’s cultural life. Making sure that the UK can provide a workforce with the right skills and capabilities is key to capturing the huge growth potential of the creative industries. The department recognises the importance of getting the right expertise into the classroom and the role that industry exchange has in making that happen. Through the Local Skills Improvement Fund, the department has enabled further education (FE) providers to engage in two-way exchange with industry, building up long-lasting networks with employers. This could include, for example, employers hosting webinars, delivering guest seminars in their local FE provider, or inviting students and teachers to observe latest industry practice. Additionally, the Taking Teaching Further programme continues to support FE providers to recruit and provide early career support to those with the relevant knowledge and/or industry experience to retrain as FE teachers, aiming to boost the quality and industry-relevance of teaching. The national FE teacher recruitment campaign specifically targets industry professionals and encourages them to share their skills by considering a career in FE teaching. The department will continue to support the introduction of industry experts into vocational courses to share their skills and experience.