Written questions by Franklin.

For what reason eligibility dates for free childcare provision are set from 1 April rather than aligning with the tax year ending on 5 April; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the eligibility date on families.

The entitlements work on a termly basis, so children become eligible from the term after they reach the relevant age and/or after they or their parents meet the eligibility criteria. Terms begin on 1 September, 1 January or 1 April. Therefore, depending on when a child is born and when the eligibility criteria are met, there will be differing periods to wait until the relevant termly date.Termly deadlines enable local authorities and childcare providers to better plan and ensure sufficient early years places are available for parents each term by delineating when children are likely to enter into a place.

If she will take steps to increase access to audio-based learning resources in schools.

The department respects the autonomy of teachers in terms of what resources they choose to use or recommend to their individual pupils, based on individual need in their own educational context and circumstances.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of (a) suspensions and (b) exclusions among pupils with SEND.

Every pupil deserves to learn in a safe, calm classroom, and the department will always support our hardworking and dedicated teachers to make this happen. Schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour and, in the most serious cases, exclusion may be necessary to protect other pupils from disruption and restore a safe environment.This government is determined to address the causes of poor behaviour. The statutory ‘Suspension and permanent exclusion’ guidance is clear that, in all cases, school leaders should consider early intervention strategies to address the underlying causes or contributing factors of a pupil’s disruptive behaviour before issuing an exclusion. This includes situations where a pupil has special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Schools should also consider using a multi-agency assessment for pupils who display persistent disruptive behaviour, which could include those with unidentified SEND. Schools should arrange such assessments when concerns arise, rather than waiting for a specific trigger.This government is absolutely committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs. The department will also 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 units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.