Written questions by Morrison.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of directing Ofsted to ensure that one third of inspections are carried out without notice.

Ofsted typically gives a short period of notice of its inspections, to support the effective conduct of the inspection visit. It retains the ability to inspect without notice where it has concerns about a provider. For example, in early years inspections, notice normally takes place at around midday on the day before the inspection. Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, there were 1,400 unannounced inspections (16%) in early years settings.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2025 to Question 66737 on Pre-school Education: Inspections, how much funding his Department plans on allocating to Ofsted to increase the frequency and quality of Early Years Register inspections.

Further funding is expected to be provided across the next three financial years by the department to Ofsted to increase the frequency and quality of Early Years Register inspections. This is to be agreed between the department and Ofsted.

If she will take steps to produce educational videos to aid early years staff in (a) reading and (b) learning the Early years foundation stage statutory framework.

The department is committed to supporting early years practitioners and teachers to deliver the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework well for the benefit of all children, and already provides a range of educational video content.Our online service ‘Help for Early Years Providers’ includes videos designed to help practitioners understand and implement the EYFS framework.The ‘Foundation Years’ service provides subscribers with the latest EYFS news, information and resources including vodcasts.The ‘Early years child development training’ resource provides online training, including video content, to build practitioners’ understanding of child development and the EYFS framework. This can be accessed here: https://child-development-training.education.gov.uk/.The Education Endowment Foundation’s ‘Early Years Evidence Store’ is regularly updated with evidence-based research to help educators to understand and reflect on their practice, including video content.The department is producing a package of support for teachers completing the EYFS profile assessment, to build their confidence in their role as assessors. This new support will include online resources and videos.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2025 to Question 67189 on Pre-school Education: Accidents and Death, whether official communication channel exists to communicate early years foundation stage updates to every early years setting.

When changes are made to the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, the department ensures there is a comprehensive programme of communications and engagement with the sector to support understanding of the changes. The framework can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.Updates are communicated through a range of mechanisms, including emails sent to local authorities for dissemination to all early years settings and, where appropriate, through webinars and vodcasts hosted on the Foundation Years website, which can be accessed here: https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/. These are promoted through multiple channels, including local authorities, stronger practice hubs and sector representatives.​

If she will take steps to ensure that early years staff in all settings read (a) the relevant Early years foundation stage statutory framework, last updated on 1 September 2025, in full and (b) NHS guidance on Sudden infant death syndrome, last updated on 21 October 2021.

Early years providers are legally required to adhere to the requirements with the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which can be read in full here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2. It is therefore providers’ responsibility to ensure they and their staff are following the current version of the framework and that they understand the requirements within.Within the framework there is a requirement for providers to ensure that babies are placed down to sleep safely in line with the latest NHS guidance on reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Further information can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome-sids/.The department promotes EYFS framework updates and relevant health and safeguarding guidance through a range of communication channels, including emails sent to local authorities for dissemination to all early years settings, and, where appropriate, through webinars and vodcasts hosted on the Foundation Years website, which can be accessed here: https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the absence of a formal central email channel for early years foundation stage updates for early years settings on the safety of children in those settings.

When changes are made to the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework, the department ensures that there is a programme of communications and engagement with the sector to ensure they understand the changes being made. This includes emails sent to local authorities to disseminate to all early years settings.In addition, where appropriate, the department produces webinars and vodcasts on the Foundation Years website, which we promote to the sector via numerous channels, including local authorities, stronger practice hubs and sector representatives. The Foundation Years website is available here: https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/.

What steps she is taking to ensure that Ofsted inspections are (a) standardised and (b) include safe sleep practice.

Ofsted will receive additional funding as part of the Best Start in Life Strategy to enhance the quality and consistency of early years inspections, and we will fund Ofsted to move towards inspecting all providers at least once every four years, in parity with schools.Ofsted’s inspectors for early years inspections are early years professionals with relevant knowledge of safer sleep practice and are capable of assessing a provider’s adherence to the relevant suitability and safer sleeping requirements in the early years foundation stage (EYFS). In September 2025 we strengthened the safeguarding requirements in the EYFS statutory framework, including:Amendments to promote safer recruitment.Creation of new requirements for providers to follow up if a child is absent for a prolonged period of time.A new safer eating section.A safeguarding training annex and a requirement for safeguarding training to be repeated every two years.New requirements to support whistleblowing.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2025 to Question 67189Pre-school Education: Accidents and Death, what steps she is taking to ensure that early years foundation stage safeguarding requirements are (a) implemented within early years settings, (b) read by staff on a mandatory basis and (c) communicated (i) consistently and (ii) coherently when changed.

The early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements all early years providers must legally follow to ensure that children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe. The framework is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.Ofsted is responsible for the registration, regulation and inspection of childcare provision in England. Ofsted, as a regulator, has a responsibility to check that providers meet the EYFS requirements.The EYFS framework states that early years providers must ensure that practitioners are supported and confident to implement the setting’s safeguarding policy and procedures on an ongoing basis.The safeguarding changes to the EYFS framework in September 2025 were supported by a programme of communications and engagement, including webinars and vodcasts via the Foundation Years website. We worked with the sector and local authorities to ensure they understood the changes being made and how to implement them. The Foundation Years website is available here: https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/2025/07/early-years-foundation-stage-eyfs-safeguarding-reforms-2025/.

How many and what proportion of requests for an EHCP assessment which are not decided within the 6 week deadline are subsequently approved in (a) each of the ten districts of Greater Manchester and (b) England.

The total number of requests for an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment which were not decided within six weeks can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2025. This has been available since 26 June 2025.A further breakdown of these figures showing the outcomes of requests for an EHC needs assessment, which were not decided within six weeks, is shown in the attached table.

What measures are in place to ensure that allegations of racial bias in (a) schools and (b) academy trusts are adequately (i) investigated and (ii) monitored.

All public bodies, including maintained schools and academies, are subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), which requires them to take steps to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations across all protected characteristics, including between people of different ethnic backgrounds. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has published technical guidance for schools on the Equality Act, including the requirements of the PSED: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/equality/equality-act-2010/technical-guidance-schools-england.Schools should address any intolerant, racist or discriminatory views, expressed by pupils, through their wider anti-bullying and safeguarding policies. All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines measures to encourage good behaviour and prevent all forms of bullying amongst pupils.Should there be any concerns about a school meeting their duties under the Equality Act, complaints can be made to the governing body of the school or the Chair of the Academy Trust and progressed through the setting’s published complaints process.If following the complaint, there are still concerns, then a complaint can be made to the Secretary of State for Education to be investigated further.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential financial impact of the proposed International Tuition Fee Levy on English Universities.

The immigration White Paper sets out a series of measures that will achieve a reduction in net migration, while maintaining the UK’s globally competitive offer to international students and making a significant contribution to growth by boosting our skills base.This includes the commitment to explore the introduction of a levy on higher education provider income from international students, with proceeds to be reinvested in the domestic higher education (HE) and skills system. The department will engage with the HE sector on the design of the international student levy and wants to understand providers’ views on this work.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed International Tuition Fee Levy on the global competitiveness of higher education and research in England.

The immigration White Paper sets out a series of measures that will achieve a reduction in net migration, while maintaining the UK’s globally competitive offer to international students and making a significant contribution to growth by boosting our skills base.This includes the commitment to explore the introduction of a levy on higher education provider income from international students, with proceeds to be reinvested in the domestic higher education (HE) and skills system. The department will engage with the HE sector on the design of the international student levy and wants to understand providers’ views on this work.

Whether her Department has a planned timeline for consultation on the proposed International Tuition Fee Levy; and which higher education institutions she has (a) met with and (b) plans to meet with in the future in relation to that proposal.

The immigration White Paper sets out a series of measures that will achieve a reduction in net migration, while maintaining the UK’s globally competitive offer to international students and making a significant contribution to growth by boosting our skills base.This includes the commitment to explore the introduction of a levy on higher education provider income from international students, with proceeds to be reinvested in the domestic higher education (HE) and skills system. The department will engage with the HE sector on the design of the international student levy and wants to understand providers’ views on this work.

Whether her Department collects data on (a) internal and (b) fixed-term exclusions in primary schools, broken down by race.

The department does not collect data on circumstances where schools remove a pupil from the classroom, for serious disciplinary reasons, and where they are required to spend a limited time out of the classroom. Some schools call this internal suspension.The department publishes data on suspensions and permanent exclusions in state-funded schools in England. The most recent full academic year release, covering 2023/24, can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england/2023-24. This has been available since 10 July 2025.Published data includes numbers and rates of suspensions, by ethnicity, in state-funded primary schools and is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/f3a89f3f-b18e-46c3-a167-08dde2cf2374.

What steps the Department is taking to intervene when a multi-academy trust does not investigate serious safeguarding complaints adequately.

Academy trusts must comply with their statutory safeguarding responsibilities set out in the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. The regulations require trusts to have regard to the ‘Keeping children safe in education’ and ‘Working together to safeguard children’ statutory guidance. This includes having robust procedures for managing safeguarding concerns. Each academy within a trust must have a designated safeguarding lead responsible for managing referrals and working with external agencies. Failure to act appropriately can trigger external review or intervention.The department follows up safeguarding issues, where appropriate, to obtain assurance that trusts are meeting their statutory responsibilities to safeguard all children in its schools. The department can enforce compliance through the trust’s funding agreement and the Academy Trust Handbook, which includes safeguarding obligations. Breaches may lead to formal intervention and regulatory action such as issuing a notice to improve or terminating the agreement.

How many and what proportion of requests for an Education Health and Care Plan assessment are decided within the 6 week deadline in (a) each of the ten districts of Greater Manchester and (b) England; and how many and what proportion of these requests are approved.

The total number of requests for an education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment which were decided within six weeks can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2025. This has been available since 26 June 2025.A further breakdown of these figures showing the outcome of requests for an EHC needs assessment, which were decided within six weeks, is shown in the attached table.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of levels of consistency of safeguarding protocols in multi-academy trusts in relation to unauthorised adult access to school premises.

The safety and wellbeing of children in our schools is the department’s highest priority. We recognise the importance of robust safeguarding measures and take concerns about unauthorised adult access to school premises very seriously. The produced non-statutory guidance for schools and colleges in respect of developing a security policy. The department expects security in schools to be considered alongside statutory safeguarding responsibilities and the legal obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. The department also issues the statutory ‘Keeping children safe in education’ guidance, including guidance on the use of school premises for non-school activities. When the department has concerns regarding the safeguarding policies of any MATs, they can then enforce compliance through the MAT’s funding agreement, in line with our published statutory guidance.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of disallowing mainstream school students from being given EHCPs on (a) autistic children in mainstream schools and (b) their families.

The government is determined to restore confidence in the system of support for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and ensure they get the chance to achieve and thrive in their education and beyond.We are working with organisations who represent parents, local authorities, SEND organisations, education settings and others on how best we can strengthen the system and deliver better support for children and their parents, and we are committed to getting this right. We will set out our proposals for SEND reform in a Schools White Paper in the autumn.The Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group has brought together experts to make recommendations on how to best meet the needs of neurodivergent children within mainstream education settings. ​We have made no decisions at the moment on the future of education, health and care plans. There will, however, always be a legal right to additional support for those with SEND.

Whether her Department plans to provide additional support to adoptee children in schools with learning disabilities.

I refer the hon, Member for Cheadle to the answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62189.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of reducing the individual limit for the Adoption Support Fund for therapy on (a) adoptees and (b) their families.

The new criteria for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund will enable as many children and families as possible to access the available funding. The department always assesses the impact of changes on vulnerable children and their families. This includes reviewing the equalities impact assessment, which will be made available in the House Libraries shortly.