Department for Education

The government estimates that in the long term steady state, 37,000 pupils will leave or never enter the UK private school sector as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population. More information is available in HM Treasury’s ‘Private school fees – VAT measure’ policy paper, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees/ac8c20ce-4824-462d-b206-26a567724643.

Of those leaving or never entering the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 either being international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, or domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.

Children of compulsory school age, which is broadly those aged 5 to 16, living in England are required, by law, to receive a suitable full-time education. This includes foreign national children and, if they are resident in the UK, they will normally have the right to attend state-funded and independent schools in England.

This government is committed to harnessing the potential of technology to drive high and rising standards in education and deliver our Plan for Change. That includes breaking down the barriers to opportunity for all to ensure no one is left behind.

We will set out our initiatives to tackle the digital divide in due course, and in line with the multi-year spending review, which will conclude in late spring 2025.

The department will shortly be finalising business planning decisions on how we will allocate the budget for the next financial year. All decisions regarding the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund are being made as part of these discussions, and an announcement will be made as soon as possible.

All future funding decisions will be considered as part of the next spending review.

The government is committed to tackling abuse, exploitation, and homelessness through cross-departmental working. The Department for Education, with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Home Office, and the Department of Health and Social Care have a shared commitment through the opportunity mission to improve outcomes for children. From April, over £500 million will be made available to local authorities for Family Help, multi-agency child protection, and Family Network reforms, doubling investment in preventative services by 2025/26. Additionally, £15 million from the Shared Outcomes Fund will support multi-disciplinary teams providing holistic support to children at risk of violence and exploitation through the Support, Attain, Fulfil, Exceed (SAFE) and Alternative Provision taskforces.

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introduced on 17 December, aims to improve information sharing across agencies and strengthen the role of education in safeguarding. The Bill mandates the establishment of multi-agency child protection teams in every local area and includes measures for better planning and support for care leavers. Regulations will be amended to ensure care leavers cannot be found intentionally homeless. On 16 January, my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary also made a statement that before Easter, the government will announce a timetable for implementing recommendations from the final Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and their standalone report on grooming gangs, with updates to key departmental guidance on child sexual exploitation.

The government has a robust set of security policies in place to oversee how information is handled. We keep these policies under constant review to ensure they are applicable to new technologies.

The government's Generative artificial intelligence (AI) framework outlines that only corporately assured Generative AI tools should be used to process governmental information.

Everyone who works with government has a duty of confidentiality and a responsibility to safeguard any government information or data that they process, access or share, and all government departments are required to meet a range of mandatory security standards.

It is for educational bodies to make their own decisions on how to manage the use of Generative AI in their specific organisational and technology contexts.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has made no assessment of the impact of applying VAT to school fees on children who do not attend private schools but may utilise their facilities.

The 20% standard rate of VAT applies to all education services, vocational training and boarding services provided by private schools for a charge. The VAT treatment of services delivered by third-party providers at private schools, for instance, self-employed music teachers or organisations that rent out private schools’ facilities, are unaffected by this policy. These services will always have been subject to VAT, if the provider is VAT-registered, unless it is private tutoring of a subject ordinarily taught in schools, which is exempt from VAT.

However, any before or after school childcare, or childcare-based holiday clubs, that consists solely of childcare and does not fall within the definition of education will remain exempt from VAT by virtue of the fact that welfare services are exempt from VAT.

HM Revenue and Customs have published guidance on charging and/or reclaiming VAT on good and services related to private school fees, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charging-and-reclaiming-vat-on-goods-and-services-related-to-private-school-fees.

New section 436C(1) of the Education Act 1996 lists the information legally required to be provided by parents of children who are eligible for inclusion on a local authority’s ‘Children Not in School’ register. This information is their child’s name, date of birth and address, the name and address of each parent, the amount of time the child spends receiving education from each parent and information on any other person providing education to the child.

The Bill provides, in section 436C(2), a list of information that will be optional for parents to provide to their local authority for inclusion on the register. This includes information relating to their child’s protected characteristics, any special educational needs and details of any child protection issues such as ongoing enquiries and whether the child is looked-after or a child in need. Local authorities may also include the information listed in this section if they already hold it through other means.

The parental duty to provide information will apply when their child first becomes eligible for registration, such as when they first move into home education. The duty will also apply when there is a change to any of the information they are required to provide. This could include a change of address or a change in the providers of the child’s education.

New section 436C(1) of the Education Act 1996 lists the information legally required to be provided by parents of children who are eligible for inclusion on a local authority’s ‘Children Not in School’ register. This information is their child’s name, date of birth and address, the name and address of each parent, the amount of time the child spends receiving education from each parent and information on any other person providing education to the child.

The Bill provides, in section 436C(2), a list of information that will be optional for parents to provide to their local authority for inclusion on the register. This includes information relating to their child’s protected characteristics, any special educational needs and details of any child protection issues such as ongoing enquiries and whether the child is looked-after or a child in need. Local authorities may also include the information listed in this section if they already hold it through other means.

The parental duty to provide information will apply when their child first becomes eligible for registration, such as when they first move into home education. The duty will also apply when there is a change to any of the information they are required to provide. This could include a change of address or a change in the providers of the child’s education.

New section 436C(1) of the Education Act 1996 lists the information legally required to be provided by parents of children who are eligible for inclusion on a local authority’s ‘Children Not in School’ register. This information is their child’s name, date of birth and address, the name and address of each parent, the amount of time the child spends receiving education from each parent and information on any other person providing education to the child.

The Bill provides, in section 436C(2), a list of information that will be optional for parents to provide to their local authority for inclusion on the register. This includes information relating to their child’s protected characteristics, any special educational needs and details of any child protection issues such as ongoing enquiries and whether the child is looked-after or a child in need. Local authorities may also include the information listed in this section if they already hold it through other means.

The parental duty to provide information will apply when their child first becomes eligible for registration, such as when they first move into home education. The duty will also apply when there is a change to any of the information they are required to provide. This could include a change of address or a change in the providers of the child’s education.

Egglescliffe school is a member of the Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) and as a result of significant damage to the school roof during storm Éowyn the RPA team are working closely with the school to reinstate the damaged areas. Initial works to waterproof the affected buildings are underway and the permanent reinstatement plan is being developed.

Any RPA members impacted by storm Éowyn who have made claims within the rules of the scheme will be similarly supported in the restoration of the affected part of the estate.

Responsibility for ensuring the safety and condition of school buildings lies with the responsible bodies, such as local authorities, academy trusts and voluntary-aided bodies.

Where the department is alerted to significant safety issues with a building that cannot be managed with local resources, it will provide additional support on a case-by-case basis. The department will provide support and advice to responsible bodies to minimise impact on pupils and prioritise the continuity of face-to-face education.

All other schools that notified us of building related incidents due to Storm Éowyn have received advisory support and all pupils have returned to face-to-face education.

Local authorities and early years providers, including early years childminders, have duties via the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice, the Equality Act 2010, and the early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework to promote equality and inclusion for children with SEND, removing the barriers that prevent children from accessing early education.

In addition, local authorities are required by legislation to provide sufficient childcare places for children in their area for children aged 0 to 14 or up to 18 for children with SEND. The local authority statutory guidance on early education and childcare sets out a clear requirement that local authorities must report annually to elected council members on how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare, including for children with SEND, and make this report available and accessible to parents.

The National Wraparound Childcare Programme is helping local authorities discharge this duty with regard to after school clubs, by distributing funding on the basis of anticipated need. Local authorities across England can decide how best to use the funding to set up or expand wraparound childcare in their area to meet the needs of their local community, including children with SEND. Local authorities have been working in partnership with primary schools and private, voluntary and independent providers, including childminders. Since the programme began, the government has set clear expectations that all wraparound childcare delivered through the programme should be inclusive and accessible.

The holiday activities and food (HAF) programme funding is primarily for school aged children from reception to year 11 (inclusive) who receive benefits-related free school meals (FSM). Local authorities have discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places for children, who are not in receipt of benefits-related FSM, but who the local authority believe could benefit from HAF provision. The department encourages local authorities to engage with local and national organisations, including special schools with expertise in working with children with SEND or additional needs. Local authorities are obligated to include the numbers of children with SEND or additional needs who have participated in their programme in their post provision reporting to us.

The primary-secondary school transition is a significant milestone in a child’s life and the government recognises the importance of supporting the emotional wellbeing of children and young people during these transition periods. This is critical to high and rising standards and helping pupils to achieve and thrive in school.

In health education, part of mandatory relationships, sex and health education, there is already a strong focus on 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 issues in themselves and others and, when issues arise, how to seek support.

The department also encourages schools to embed an effective whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing, which includes considering stages during the academic year that provide opportunities for a specific curricular focus, such as learning skills for coping with transition periods. There are a number of approaches to do this, including those focused on in the Talking about School Transition report.

Beyond this, the government will expand Mental Health Support Teams (so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. We will also be putting in place new Young Futures hubs, including access to mental health support workers, and will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults.

The department has made no separate estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who have left the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees.

​The government predicts that, in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.

Of the expected 37,000 pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.

The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary between authorities. Every year many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors.

Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.

​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.

Surrey County Council has been allocated just below £43 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.

Hampshire County Council has been allocated just over £22.2 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.

The department has made no separate estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who have left the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees.

​The government predicts that, in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.

Of the expected 37,000 pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.

The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary between authorities. Every year many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors.

Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.

​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.

Surrey County Council has been allocated just below £43 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.

Hampshire County Council has been allocated just over £22.2 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.

The 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.

​At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced a £1 billion uplift in high needs funding in the 2025/26 financial year, providing additional support and improving outcomes for the more than a million children in the state sector with SEND.

​​Most children with special educational needs, including most with education, health and care (EHC) plans, are already educated in mainstream state-funded schools. All state-funded schools support children with SEND. All children of compulsory age are entitled to a state-funded school place that is free for parents. Where a private school place is necessary to support a child with SEND, the local authority will fund it through an EHC plan.

​​Local authorities have a statutory duty for ensuring sufficient state school places in their area. Local authorities routinely support children who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed or where pupils move between schools. The department does not collect data on in-year school applications or admissions, but where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children who need them, the department will offer support and advice.

​​The department expects all schools admitting new pupils in-year to provide them with appropriate support, including where they have SEND. Schools will need to work with their local authority where pupils have additional needs that cannot be met within the school.

Schools with charitable status are required to demonstrate public benefit to retain their charitable status and engaging in partnership activities with state-funded schools is one such way to do that. This may in some cases include the sharing of private school facilities, such as sporting facilities. The government does not expect the introduction of VAT to reduce a school's obligations to show public benefit or for partnership activity to decrease.

The department’s home-to-school travel policy aims to make sure that no child is prevented from accessing education due to a lack of transport. Local authorities must arrange free home-to-school travel for eligible children of compulsory school age, who attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or because the nature of the route means it would be unsafe for them to do so. Schools are not required to arrange home-to-school travel for their pupils, but some choose to do so. We do not expect the removal of the VAT exemption on independent school fees to have an impact on the provision of home-to-school travel for children with SEND.

The government has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, every state funded school in England with primary-aged pupils will offer a breakfast club. This includes special schools and alternative provision. Departmental officials are working closely with schools and sector experts to develop a breakfast club programme that meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

On 23 September 2024, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced that up to 750 state funded schools with primary aged pupils will begin delivering free breakfast clubs from summer term 2025. Special schools and alternative provision schools were invited to take part in the early adopter scheme. The selected schools will be announced in due course. The funding will allow these schools to run free breakfast clubs for their pupils, starting in the summer term as part of a ‘test and learn’ phase to inform delivery of a national rollout. This will include testing approaches to supporting children with SEND.

The department recognises that there will be barriers, such as staffing and transport, to opening breakfast clubs for some schools, including special schools and alternative provision. The early adopter programme will allow us to test and learn how best to overcome such barriers and refine the department’s support and advice to schools to ensure the programme works for these schools.

Data on the number pupils eligible for free school meals broken down by a schools’ single headline grade is not held by the department. Ofsted has, as of September 2024, ceased providing headline grades as part of the move to a comprehensive school report card to provide greater information for parents and proportionate accountability for schools. Subject to the ongoing consultation report, cards will include reporting on inclusion.

Information on the total number and percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals at school level, including the constituency of the school, is published in an additional supporting file as part of the statistical release. The release is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.

Early language skills are vital to enable children to thrive in the early years and later in life, including for all aspects of later attainment in school.

To support these vital skills, the department has funded settings to undertake evidence-based continuous professional development programmes as part of the Early Years Education Recovery Programme, including those focused on speech, language and communication, via a national network of Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs. The Early Years Professional Development Programme phase 3 (PDP3) provides early years educators with training on communication and language, early mathematics and personal, social and emotional development. The programme was designed to ensure early years educators have the skills they need to support young children’s development in the areas that can make a significant difference to long term development and attainment, helping to strengthen children’s foundations for learning and enable them to be school-ready by the time they reach reception.

We have also invested over £20 million on the Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI), improving the language skills of reception age children who need it most following the pandemic. NELI is an evidence-based programme targeting reception aged children needing extra support with their speech and language development.

The evaluation of NELI delivery and impact since 2020, which was published by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) in September 2023, shows outstanding results. The evaluation evidences the programme improved the development of oral language skills by four months’ progress for pupils receiving the intervention. Children eligible for free school meals (FSM) made seven months’ additional progress compared to children eligible for FSM that did not receive the intervention. The EEF evaluation can be found here:
https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/projects-and-evaluation/projects/nuffield-early-language-intervention-neli#:~:text=In%20September%202023%2C%20the%20impact,took%20part%20in%20the%20evaluation.

In addition to this work, and in partnership with NHS England, the department is funding the Early Language and Support for Every Child pathfinders within the Change Programme. The project funds Integrated Care Boards to trial new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in early years settings.

The department has made no estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who will leave the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees. With regard to England, the government predicts that in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.

​​Of the expected 37,000-pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over nine million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.

The impact on the state education system as a whole is expected to be very small. Ending tax breaks on private schools will help raise revenue to drive forward the change the government is committed to delivering for the 94% of pupils who attend state schools.

​The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary.

​Every year many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors. Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.

​​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. The department has already confirmed nearly £1.5 billion of allocations to support local authorities to create school places needed over the current, and next two, academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026, including just under £9.7 million for Leicester City Council.

​The government’s ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance supports schools on how to develop, implement and maintain a policy that prohibits the use of mobile phones throughout the school day including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime. Headteachers are responsible for implementation of guidance within their schools.

​Research suggests excessive screentime can be detrimental to children’s wellbeing. The Online Safety Act aims to protects children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content and to ensure that technology companies take more responsibility for the safety of their users, particularly children.

The department’s ‘Keeping children safe in education’ publication is the statutory safeguarding guidance that all school and colleges must have regard to.

This guidance provides schools and colleges with robust information on how to protect pupils and students online. The guidance has been significantly strengthened with regards to online safety in recent years. Online safety is now embedded throughout the guidance, making clear the importance of ensuring a whole school approach to keeping children safe both online and offline.

The guidance makes clear that schools and colleges should ensure appropriate filtering and monitoring systems are in place and that their effectiveness is regularly reviewed. This limits children’s exposure to harmful content while on school-managed computers

As part of the statutory relationships and health education (RHE) in primary schools and relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) in secondary schools, pupils are taught about online safety and harms.

This includes being taught about the effects of their online actions on others, how to recognise and display respectful behaviour online and where to get help and support for issues that occur online. In addition, pupils should have a strong understanding of how data is generated, collected, shared and used online, for example, how personal data is captured on social media or understanding the way that businesses may exploit the data available to them.

Statutory guidance for RHE can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education/relationships-education-primary. Statutory guidance for RSHE can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education/relationships-and-sex-education-rse-secondary.

Through the statutory national computing curriculum, from key stages 1 to 4 inclusive, there is progression in content to reflect the different and escalating risks that young people may encounter. The computing curriculum also provides pupils with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions whilst online or using other digital applications and technologies.

All schools are also required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour. Schools should be clear that even though the online space differs in many ways, the same standards of behaviour are expected online as apply offline and everyone should be treated with kindness, respect and dignity.

Finally, the Online Safety Act requires all services in scope to take steps to protect users, including children, from illegal content and criminal behaviour. Companies in scope of the Act will need to risk assess whether their service is likely to be accessed by children and if so, provide safety measures to protect children from harmful and age-inappropriate content.

Ofcom has a duty to promote media literacy to help the public understand the nature and impact of where harmful content and online behaviour affects certain groups.

Data on the number pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM) broken down by a schools’ single headline grade is not held by the department. Ofsted has, as of September 2024, ceased providing headline grades as part of the move to a comprehensive school report card to provide greater information for parents and proportionate accountability for schools. Subject to the ongoing consultation report, cards will include reporting on inclusion.

Information on the total number of pupils in year 3 who are eligible for FSM is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/d86ace7e-c9c0-4fd6-6cbc-08dd48e2728c.

Information on the number and percentage of pupils eligible for FSM by school, is published as part of the statistical release. The release is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.

The department’s consultation on franchising in higher education (HE) offers different alternatives to respond in order to meet the range of accessibility needs.

There is an option to respond via post by using a printed copy of the consultation document, for those who cannot respond online. A print-ready copy of the consultation document is also available to download on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/franchising-in-higher-education.

The consultation document also sets out that if anyone is having any difficultly responding online, they can contact the department using the contact details provided in the consultation document to request assistance or an alternative option to respond.

This government is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever. It is important that children eat nutritious food at school and the department encourages schools to have a whole school approach to healthy eating.

The School Food Standards (the Standards) regulate the food and drink provided at both lunchtime and at other times of the school day. They define the foods and drinks that must be provided, which foods are restricted and those which must not be provided.

Compliance with the Standards is mandatory for maintained schools, academies and free schools. Governing boards have a responsibility to ensure compliance and should appropriately challenge the headteacher and the senior leadership team to ensure the school is meeting its obligations.

The department’s aim is to deliver better life chances for all through a system which works for all. As part of this, as with all government programmes, we will keep our approach to the School Food Standards and compliance under continued review.

The government is committed to offering a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged pupils in England, beginning with the launch of an early adopter scheme in summer term 2025.

Schools were invited to express their interest in taking part by 20 December 2024. A list of participating schools will be published in due course.

The department is committed to improving our approach to accountability for all schools. We are working with Ofsted to ensure that schools are inspected against clear, rigorous expectations for the inclusivity of special educational needs and disabilities provision.

The consultation on improving the way Ofsted inspects education runs until 28 April 2025 and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-the-way-ofsted-inspects-education.

Since February 2023, eligible teachers who trained in an increased number of overseas countries, including Hong Kong, have been able to apply for qualified teacher status (QTS) through our new digital service if they meet the robust criteria.

This recognition process is designed to assess the qualifications, professional standing and experience of teachers who trained overseas, rather than those who have qualifications from institutions in England.

English teacher training courses that meet our quality requirements and are offered by an accredited provider lead to QTS. As the qualification your constituent presented did not lead to QTS and has not been gained overseas, it cannot be considered for recognition.

There are several other routes available for experienced teachers to gain QTS, including the assessment only route. This allows teachers to demonstrate that they already meet all the teachers‘ standards, without the need for any further training. Teachers need to present detailed evidence and their teaching is assessed in a school by an accredited and approved provider.

If my hon. Friend, the Member for Rushcliffe has further questions about the eligibility criteria, he may find it helpful to contact the Teaching Regulation Agency directly via QTS.enquiries@education.gov.uk.

Information on the number of education, health and care plans maintained by local authorities in England is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans.

The number maintained by each local authority as at January 2024 is shown here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/3d449b46-56a8-4404-6cee-08dd48e2728c.

The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools to break down barriers to education whilst ensuring that all specialist settings are equipped to support children with the most complex needs. We want to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to achieve and thrive in mainstream settings through early identification, effective support, high-quality teaching and effective allocation of resources.

Independent special schools are private enterprises. Local authorities have the discretion to make support, training and resources available to them. As private enterprises, the proprietor of the school is responsible for its financial viability.

Local authorities must ensure there are sufficient school places for all pupils, including those with SEND. The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities to keep the provision for children and young people with SEND under review, including its sufficiency, working with parents, young people and providers.

It is therefore for commissioning local authorities to determine how the provision offered by independent special schools fits into their range of SEND provision and which mix of schools will meet the needs of all children and young people.

The department recognises that independent special schools can play an important role in the SEND system, particularly in meeting low-incidence needs. However, independent special schools have higher costs than their maintained equivalent, and placements should be used appropriately. Independent special schools should therefore be part of the strategic planning of SEND provision.

The Holocaust is the only historic event which is compulsory within the current national curriculum for history at key stage 3. The government has made a commitment that the Holocaust will remain a compulsory topic in the reformed national curriculum, which will also be required teaching in academy schools when it is implemented.

The government supports the teaching of Holocaust education in schools and colleges, including those in Bromsgrove, by funding teachers’ professional development in this subject through University College London’s Centre for Holocaust Education, and the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz project, which gives students aged 16 to 18 the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau.

In addition, a further £2 million funding for Holocaust remembrance and education was committed at the Autumn Budget 2024. This will be used to support the ambition set by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister for all students to have the opportunity to hear a recorded survivor testimony. The department is currently exploring how it can support schools to fulfil this ambition.

High and rising school standards are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life. The government also recognises that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, such as chemistry, are vital for the UK’s future economic needs and to drive up productivity. Chemistry skills, in particular, are necessary for a range of careers within the green economy, including in growing sectors like carbon capture and hydrogen.

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 readies young people for life and work, building the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to thrive. The review group will publish an interim report in early spring setting out its interim findings and confirming the key areas for further work, and will publish its final report with recommendations this autumn. We will take decisions on what changes to make to the curriculum in light of these recommendations.

Oak National Academy, an independent arm’s length body which provides free, high-quality, optional and adaptable curriculum resources for schools, has recently published new curriculum sequences and associated lesson resources in science from key stages 1-4, including chemistry. Within Oak’s science curriculum, it provides a broad range of resources to support teachers to teach about green skills, climate change and sustainability. This year, Oak is also introducing a new curriculum thread entitled ‘How can we live sustainably to protect Earth for a better future?’. This will form part of its secondary science curriculum and will support the growing emphasis of green skills in chemistry. As well as this, Oak’s chemistry lessons include a variety of data analysis tools to strengthen pupils’ digital competency. Oak’s chemistry lessons include real-life applications of chemistry, such as industrial chemistry, environmental chemistry and material science to strengthen technical knowledge.

To improve education in STEM subjects, it is essential to ensure high-quality teaching by helping schools recruit and retain good teachers. The government has therefore announced an initial teacher training financial incentives package for the 2025/26 academic year worth £233 million, a £37 million increase on the last recruitment cycle. This includes a range of measures, including bursaries worth £29,000 tax-free and scholarships worth £31,000 tax-free, to encourage talented trainees in key STEM subjects such as chemistry.

For the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years, the government is also offering a targeted retention incentive worth up to £6,000 after tax for chemistry teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. This will support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in the subject in the schools and areas that need them most.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The department collects absence data for teachers and teaching assistants employed directly by state-funded schools via the school workforce census. This includes absences due to sickness but does not include the reason for the sickness absence. Each census collects data for absences from the previous academic year. The latest data available covers the 2022 /23 academic year and is published in the ‘School workforce in England’ statistical publication, which is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

The government has pledged to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade. Education has a crucial role to play in tackling harmful behaviour, helping children and young people to develop empathy, boundaries and respect for difference.

Through compulsory relationships education, all pupils will learn how to form positive and respectful relationships and develop an understanding of the concepts and laws around sexual harassment and sexual violence.

​​The department is currently reviewing the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) curriculum for primary and secondary pupils and as part of this review we are looking at how to ensure that the guidance equips pupils, including at primary, to form healthy and respectful relationships. We are analysing consultation responses, talking to stakeholders and considering relevant evidence to determine how this can fully complement our wider actions to tackle violence against women and girls.

Information on the number of pupils with education, health and care (EHC) plans attending schools in England is published in the statistical release, ‘Special Educational Needs in England, 2024’, which can be accessed here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england.

The number of pupils with EHC plans can be derived from the underlying school data which is available under the additional supporting files section of the above publication. This shows the number of pupils with an EHC plan attending schools in Bromsgrove constituency was 733 as of January 2024. This is the latest figure available. Figures from the January 2025 school census will be published in summer 2025.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

All teachers are teachers of pupils with SEND, and the department is committed to ensuring that all pupils receive excellent support from their teachers. To support all teachers, we are implementing a range of high-quality teacher development programmes, from initial teacher training and into early career teaching, through to the reformed suite of leadership and specialist national professional qualifications, to ensure that teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed.

The revised Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework and Early Career Framework, which all new entrants to the profession from September 2025 will benefit from, has been designed around how to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Alongside this, the department funds SEND-specific continuing professional development, which provides resources to promote high-quality teaching for pupils with SEND.

Pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education. In 2014, the government introduced a new duty on schools to support pupils with all medical conditions and has published statutory guidance intended to help governing bodies meet their legal responsibilities. This guidance sets out the arrangements they will be expected to make, based on good practice. Schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with medical conditions and should have policies and processes in place to ensure these can be well managed.

​The government recognises that foetal alcohol spectrum disorder can have a significant impact on the early years development of children and on their life chances. As a result, schools must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person gets the special educational provision they need, this includes monitoring the progress of pupils regularly and putting support in place where needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.

Research published by the department in 2021 on attainment by the end of key stage 4 found that a one-grade improvement in GCSE mathematics and English was associated with an increase of £14,579 and £7,266 in lifetime earnings respectively. The full report can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/993202/GCSE_Attainment_and_Lifetime_Earnings_PDF3A.pdf

That is why the department continues to ensure the highest standards of teaching to GCSE, requires 16- to 19-year-old students without level 2 in these subjects to continue studying them and fully funds adults through the adult skills fund statutory entitlement.

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.

Following the Autumn Budget 2024, the department is providing an increase of £1 billion for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to £11.9 billion in England. Of that total, Liverpool City Council is being allocated over £103 million through the high needs funding block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG), which is an increase of £10 million on this year’s DSG high needs block, calculated using the high needs national funding formula (NFF). This NFF allocation is an 10% increase per head of their 2 to 18-year-old population, on their equivalent 2024/25 NFF allocation.

In addition to the DSG, local authorities will also receive a separate core schools budget grant (CSBG), and funding in respect of the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions, in 2025/26. This CSBG continues the separate grants payable this year, which are to help special schools and alternative provision with the costs of teachers’ pay and pension increases, and other staff pay increases. Individual local authorities’ allocations for both grants for 2025/26 will be published in due course.

All mainstream schools, including academies and free schools, must have a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO). The SENCO must be a qualified teacher, or the head teacher, working at the school.

SENCOs play a vital role in setting the direction for their school and leading on the day-to-day special educational needs and disabilities provision. SENCOs will be most effective in this role if they are part of the school’s leadership team.

On 1 September 2024, the government introduced a new mandatory leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for SENCOs. The NPQ must be completed within three years of taking up a SENCO post. The NPQ ensures SENCOs receive high-quality, evidence-based training and equips them with the knowledge and skills to work with other leaders to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome, safe and they belong.

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.

All mainstream schools, including academies and free schools, must have a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO). The SENCO must be a qualified teacher, or the head teacher, working at the school.

SENCOs play a vital role in setting the direction for their school and leading on the day-to-day special educational needs and disabilities provision. SENCOs will be most effective in this role if they are part of the school’s leadership team.

On 1 September 2024, the government introduced a new mandatory leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for SENCOs. The NPQ must be completed within three years of taking up a SENCO post. The NPQ ensures SENCOs receive high-quality, evidence-based training and equips them with the knowledge and skills to work with other leaders to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome, safe and they belong.

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.

Criteria for evaluating inclusivity in mainstream, special and alternative provision schools are a key part of the proposals set out in the consultation ‘Improving the way Ofsted inspects education’, which runs until 28 April 2025.

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. All schools should apply the ‘graduated approach’ that is outlined in the special educational needs and disabilities (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.

The department is aware of the challenges in the SEND system, and we understand how urgently we need to address these. But these are complex issues which need a considered approach to deliver sustainable change.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

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 is also working closely with experts on reforms, who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families, as we consider the next steps for the future of SEND reform.

This government will expand mental health support teams so that every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. We will also be putting in place new Young Futures Hubs, including access to mental health support workers, and will recruit an additional 8,500 new mental health staff to treat children and adults.

The department has already provided a resource hub for mental health leads, which signposts practical resources and tools to embed effective whole-school approaches. To further help schools identify and embed the most effective targeted support options for their setting, we have also launched a targeted mental wellbeing toolkit. This practical guide and tool covers a range of evidence-based interventions.

On top of this, schools are also able to arrange their own mental health interventions that are best suited to their pupils using the core revenue funding they receive from the department.

Schools are also able to spend pupil premium funding on providing mental health support. Schools must use pupil premium in line with the department’s ‘menu of approaches’. The list of approaches was published in the 2024 policy document ‘Using pupil premium, guidance for school leaders’, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65cf69384239310011b7b91f/Using_Pupil_Premium_-_Guidance_for_School_Leaders.pdf.

The Autumn Budget 2024 confirmed an additional £2.3 billion for the core schools budget for the 2025/26 financial year compared to 2024/25. This means that overall core schools funding will reach over £63.9 billion in the 2025/26 financial year.

Successful transitions must be well-planned. Poor support for and around transitions was a clear theme in the issues raised when the previous government consulted on the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision Green Paper of March 2022.

All local authorities must set out the support available to help children and young people with SEND prepare for and transition to adulthood as part of their local offer. This includes support to help children and young people move between phases of education, for example from early years to school, and from primary to secondary.

As set out in the SEND code of practice, for pupils with an education, health and care plan, the plan must be reviewed and amended in sufficient time prior to a child or young person moving between key phases of education, to allow for planning for and, where necessary, commissioning of support and provision at the new institution.

The current national curriculum includes art and design, music, dance within physical education and drama within English.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review will seek to deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative, considering how best to support a young person to develop the knowledge and skills needed to thrive. The interim report will be published in early spring and the final report will be published this autumn.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The initial teacher training (ITT) criteria and supporting advice is statutory guidance for accredited ITT providers which sets out mandatory guidance on the criteria that organisations must meet to provide ITT for all courses leading to Qualified Teacher Status.

All accredited ITT providers must design a sequenced ITT curriculum that adequately covers all national curriculum subjects for primary trainees.

As a statutory subject, religious education should also be included.