Written questions by Thomas.

Whether her Department has considered commissioning an audit of late tribunal concessions and the length of time SEN children were left without appropriate educational provision.

Awaiting answer.

What discussions she has had with trade unions involved in sustained strike activity at educational bodies.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of sustained strike activity at educational bodies on pupils and students.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to ensure whistleblowers, families, and other stakeholders are able to submit evidence in relation to SEND practices.

Awaiting answer.

Whether her Department has considered commissioning an independent investigation into how local authorities are handling SEND practices.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to ensure local authorities maintain clear written records of meetings, telephone calls and key decisions with regards to SEND practices.

Awaiting answer.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the system of EHCP reviews on the mental health of children and families.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to facilitate special consideration by exam boards for pupils and students affected by sustained strike activity at educational bodies.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to provide mitigation in examination results for pupils and students affected by sustained strike activity.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to ensure local authorities follow the appropriate procedures for SEND practices and EHCP reviews.

Awaiting answer.

What steps she is taking to minimise the impact upon pupils and students of sustained strike activity at educational bodies.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies of parents home educating their children.

Parents have a right to home educate and those parents who choose to do so must provide an efficient, suitable full-time education if the child is of compulsory school age. Through the Children Not in School measures of the Children’s Wellbeing and School...

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of kinaesthetic learning.

We support teachers to use evidence-based approaches and their professional judgement to choose the teaching methods that will best support their pupils to learn and progress, including active and hands-on approaches where appropriate.Work is now underway...

What assessment has her Department made of the potential merits of increasing financial support for parents who home educate.

Parents have a right to home educate and those parents who choose to do so must provide an efficient, suitable full-time education if the child is of compulsory school age. Through the Children Not in School measures of the Children’s Wellbeing and School...

What steps her Department is taking to diversify teaching styles within traditional school settings.

Schools and teachers have the professional autonomy to decide their approach to teaching, provided they demonstrate the Teachers’ Standards.The in-school factor which makes the biggest difference to pupil outcomes is the quality of teaching. Therefore, th...

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on social mobility of priority given for student placements to Russell Group universities.

Universities are autonomous bodies, independent from government and responsible for their own admissions decisions. The department knows that higher education (HE) is a vital engine of economic growth and opportunity and we are committed to helping every ...

What steps she is taking to ensure access to musical instruments and instruction for children from vulnerable and marginalised children.

The government has committed £76 million per year for the Music Hubs programme, including the 2025/26 academic year. The 43 Music Hubs partnerships across England offer a range of services, including musical instrument tuition, instrument loaning, and whole-class ensemble teaching. To widen access to musical instruments, the government is invested £25 million in capital funding for musical instruments, equipment, and technology across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years. The grant can be used predominantly to purchase instruments and equipment, including where they have been adapted or developed to meet the needs of those with special educational needs or disabilities. In addition, all hubs are required to have a named inclusion lead and a published inclusion strategy. Most music hubs provide remissions or targeted provision aimed at supporting pupils who are from disadvantaged backgrounds. The independent interim evaluation report into Music Hubs, published in February 2026, reported that 77% of teachers expected increased access to instruments, and 68% an increase in disadvantaged pupil participation under the new model. The report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/music-hubs-evaluation-interim-report.

What steps she is taking to support access to education for children from vulnerable and marginalised families.

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity so that all children can achieve and thrive.The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper sets out steps to improve school readiness through family support, strengthen teacher recruitment and retention, and broaden curriculum and enrichment opportunities, ensuring funding is targeted where it’s needed most.The guidance ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ recognises that vulnerable pupils, including those with special educational needs or mental health challenges, may face greater barriers. The guidance is clear that schools should take a support-first approach. Wider attendance barriers are also being addressed through breakfast clubs, improved mental health support, and strengthened guidance on identifying and supporting Children Missing Education.The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will also support access to education by improving the identification of children not in school and introducing new duties on local authorities to support home education, including providing information on access to GCSE examinations when requested by families.

What steps she is taking to ensure SEN children have access to suitable educational provision.

We are investing £4 billion in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) reform programmes over the next three years to strengthen inclusive provision. This includes £1.6 billion to help expand readily available support in schools, early years settings, and colleges so that needs are met earlier and more effectively. This is in addition to £1.8 billion to increase access to specialist expertise, and over £200 million to train the education workforce. We will develop National Inclusion Standards that set out evidence-informed tools, strategies and approaches for educators to draw on to identify and support children and young people with additional needs.We are also investing at least £3.7 billion in high needs capital between 2025/26 and 2029/30 to support local authorities to provide suitable places for children and young people with SEND, or those requiring alternative provision. Gloucestershire County Council was allocated just under £6.9 million and just over £9.4 million in 2025/26 and 2026/27, respectively. This funding can be used to improve SEND provision across the county, including in Tewkesbury, by expanding inclusion bases, improving accessibility in mainstream settings, or creating additional special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

What steps she is taking to streamline the process of safeguarding referrals from schools to local authorities.

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, we are strengthening the role of education and childcare in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements to better protect children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.All schools must also have regard to the ‘Keeping children safe in education’ statutory guidance when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Part one of this guidance sets out what all staff need to know and do if they have any concerns about a child, including the process for making referrals to local authority children’s social care and for statutory assessments.