Written questions by Hinds.

What estimate she has made of the proportion of independent school teachers who are in the teachers' pension scheme as of (i) the most recent date for which data are available and (ii) October 2021.

The scheme administrator maintains a record of the number of independent schools participating in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), as well as those that have elected for phased withdrawal. However, as participation is voluntary for this sector, the scheme administrator does not have a figure of the total number that could participate. Eligibility is only considered at the time that an independent school applies to join the TPS.Data from September 2024 shows that there are 601 independent schools that are fully participating in the TPS and a further 247 that have opted for phased withdrawal. A bespoke report would need to be obtained from the scheme administrator for the position in October 2021.The department does not have an estimate of the proportion of independent school teachers who are in the TPS. As not all independent schools participate in the TPS, the scheme administrator does not hold this information.The department maintains financial records via the Annual Report and Accounts, in addition to the scheme valuation, which is scheduled to take place every four years. However, the specific data on the revenue to the teachers’ pension scheme from independent schools’ employers’ contributions is not available as the TPS does not require it for the purposes of the administration of the scheme.The department does not hold projected revenue figures for the TPS specifically from independent school employer contributions for 2024/25 or 2025/26.

What estimate she has made of the revenue to the teachers’ pension scheme from independent schools’ employers’ contributions as of (a) the most recent date for which data are available and (b) October 2021.

The scheme administrator maintains a record of the number of independent schools participating in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), as well as those that have elected for phased withdrawal. However, as participation is voluntary for this sector, the scheme administrator does not have a figure of the total number that could participate. Eligibility is only considered at the time that an independent school applies to join the TPS.Data from September 2024 shows that there are 601 independent schools that are fully participating in the TPS and a further 247 that have opted for phased withdrawal. A bespoke report would need to be obtained from the scheme administrator for the position in October 2021.The department does not have an estimate of the proportion of independent school teachers who are in the TPS. As not all independent schools participate in the TPS, the scheme administrator does not hold this information.The department maintains financial records via the Annual Report and Accounts, in addition to the scheme valuation, which is scheduled to take place every four years. However, the specific data on the revenue to the teachers’ pension scheme from independent schools’ employers’ contributions is not available as the TPS does not require it for the purposes of the administration of the scheme.The department does not hold projected revenue figures for the TPS specifically from independent school employer contributions for 2024/25 or 2025/26.

What estimate she has made of the projected revenue to the teachers' pension scheme from independent schools’ employers’ contributions in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.

The scheme administrator maintains a record of the number of independent schools participating in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), as well as those that have elected for phased withdrawal. However, as participation is voluntary for this sector, the scheme administrator does not have a figure of the total number that could participate. Eligibility is only considered at the time that an independent school applies to join the TPS.Data from September 2024 shows that there are 601 independent schools that are fully participating in the TPS and a further 247 that have opted for phased withdrawal. A bespoke report would need to be obtained from the scheme administrator for the position in October 2021.The department does not have an estimate of the proportion of independent school teachers who are in the TPS. As not all independent schools participate in the TPS, the scheme administrator does not hold this information.The department maintains financial records via the Annual Report and Accounts, in addition to the scheme valuation, which is scheduled to take place every four years. However, the specific data on the revenue to the teachers’ pension scheme from independent schools’ employers’ contributions is not available as the TPS does not require it for the purposes of the administration of the scheme.The department does not hold projected revenue figures for the TPS specifically from independent school employer contributions for 2024/25 or 2025/26.

What her Department’s spending on breakfast club programmes was for (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools and (c) in total in 2023-24.

In 2023/2024, the department’s spending on the National School Breakfast Programme was a total of £7,819,102. Primary school total spending was £5,242,446 and secondary school total spending was £2,166,983. This is excluding special schools.

If she will make an estimate of the proportion of pupils in bands A-F of the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index that attend schools (a) eligible for and (b) participating in the national school breakfast club programme.

The National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP) currently supports up to 2,700 participating schools in disadvantaged areas. Around 80% of pupils living in Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) A to F areas attend a school eligible for the NSBP, with around 25% of pupils attending a school participating in the NSBP. There is no requirement for children attending a school participating in the NSBP to engage with the breakfast club.

What estimate she has made of the number of primary and secondary schools which (a) were offering a free breakfast club at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year and (b) are projected to be offering a free breakfast club at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year.

To date, the department has not regularly collected data on the total number of schools that operate breakfast clubs, and, as a result, the department is unable to project the anticipated numbers for this academic year.The National School Breakfast Club Programme currently supports up to 2,700 participating schools in disadvantaged areas, but this is not enough. The department understands the significant impact breakfast clubs can have in ensuring that children arrive at school ready to learn. Therefore, the department will be inviting 750 schools to participate in an early adopter scheme in April 2025, designed to test and identify effective strategies before a national rollout.The department is collaborating closely with the sector to ensure that appropriate support, including funding, guidance and resources, is established.

What estimate she has made of her Department's spending on (a) activities and (b) provision of food during school holidays in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2023-24.

All 153 local authorities are participating in the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme supported by over £200 million a year. The HAF programme provides free childcare places, enriching activities and heathy meals to children from low-income families, benefiting their heath, wellbeing and learning.The department knows that the longer school holidays can be particular pressure points for some families because of increased costs, in particular childcare, and reduced incomes. For some children that can lead to a holiday experience gap. Children from disadvantaged families are less likely to access organised out-of-school activities and are more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health, as well as increased likelihood of experiencing social isolation.The HAF programme can offer these children stability, structure and support alongside fun, food and physical activities during the longer school holidays, and can help children to return to school feeling engaged and ready to learn.

How many and what proportion of (a) primary, (b) secondary, (c) special schools and (d) alternative provision with 40% or more pupils in bands A-F of the income deprivation affecting children index took up the National School Breakfast Club programme in 2023-24.

The National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP) currently supports up to 2,700 participating schools in disadvantaged areas, meaning that thousands of children from low-income families are being offered free nutritious breakfasts to better support their attainment, wellbeing, and readiness to learn.Information on the number and types of schools, when accounting only for schools with 40% or more pupils in the income deprivation affecting children index (IDACI) A to F areas, will be available in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of charging VAT on independent schools on levels of usage of unregistered schools.

​Unregistered schools, by their nature, are unregistered and at risk of being unknown, therefore this is not possible to precisely ascertain. It is an offence under Section 96 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 for any person to conduct an unregistered independent school. Where the department finds evidence that a school is operating unlawfully, we will not hesitate to take action, working with the police, Ofsted and Crown Prosecution Service as necessary.Anyone with intelligence or concerns relating to a potential unregistered independent school should read the department's guidance on reporting an unregistered school. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-an-unregistered-school. Any information they have can be sent to unregisteredschoolreferrals@ofsted.gov.uk.The department has provided additional resources to Ofsted to inspect suspected unregistered independent schools. As a result, a team of dedicated inspectors has been working to identify settings and visit them to determine whether they are operating unlawfully as unregistered independent schools. Where schools are found to be operating unlawfully, Ofsted and DfE are taking action to ensure such settings cease operating unlawfully, working with other authorities as necessary.

Whether she plans to continue to report on the (a) outputs of the Teacher Workforce Model and (b) extent to which targets are met.

The department uses the Teacher Workforce Model to calculate postgraduate initial teacher trainee targets each year. These targets are published online each year as part of an official statistics publication, the department intends to publish the 2025/26 academic year targets as usual.Performance against the published initial teacher training (ITT) recruitment targets is reported within the ITT census official statistics publication. The next publication will be reporting against the 2024/25 academic year targets and has been pre-announced for December this year. The precise date of publication will be announced nearer the time. Being an established official statistics publication, the department intends to continue publication of performance against ITT recruitment targets.

Whether she is making additional resources available to accommodate changes in the number of Education Health and Care Plan applications (a) this and (b) next financial year.

The department is aware not only of the financial pressures that local authorities are facing due to the increasing cost of supporting children and young people with education, health and care (EHC) plans, but also the pressures that the government as a whole is facing because of the financial situation we have inherited. The department is acting as quickly as possible to respond to these cost pressures. The department is providing schools with almost £1.1 billion in the 2024/25 financial year through the new Core Schools Budget Grant (CSBG), to support with overall costs, including support for young people with EHC plans. Of this total, special schools and alternative provision settings will be receiving over £140 million through the CSBG. The additional funding through the CSBG comes alongside high needs funding for children and young people with complex needs, which totals over £10.75 billion in 2024/25. Decisions on future funding levels will be for the Spending Review.

What data on unfilled school capacity by 2024 parliamentary constituency she plans to publish before the Finance Bill is introduced.

The department publishes annual statistics on the capacity and pupils on roll in schools, including unfilled places, each spring. This is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity. Statistics publications are pre-announced on the GOV.UK website, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/search/research-and-statistics?content_store_document_type=upcoming_statistics&organisations%5B%5D=department-for-education&order=updated-newest. This is done in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics (the Code), which can be found here: https://code.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/. The department currently has no plan to change this publication schedule. The scheduling ensures that statistics are released as soon as they are ready while abiding by standards set by the Code in terms of trustworthiness, quality and value. Where statistics were published prior to the changes in parliamentary constituency boundaries, they will be updated to reflect the new boundaries in the next publication of statistics. This is expected to be in March 2025 for school capacity statistics. School capacity data is published at school level. This can be combined with information from ‘Get Information About Schools’ (GIAS) to identify parliamentary constituency. GIAS currently reflects the changes made following the general election parliamentary constituency changes, and can be accessed using the following link: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/. Updates to geographical data are made on a quarterly basis using data published by the Office for National Statistics.

How many children of secondary school age are (a) resident and (b) on the roll in (i) the North West, (ii) Salford Local Authority, (iii) secondary planning area 3550101, (iv) secondary planning area 3550102 and (v) secondary planning area 3550103; and how many school places are unfilled in state secondary schools in those areas.

The department does not hold information on all children and young people by residence.Information on unfilled state secondary school places, as at May 2023, is published in the School Capacity statistics publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity. This is available at region and local authority level here for the North West and Salford: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/fb3975cc-0ccd-4aee-b241-08dccd7b0275. School level information is also available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/5f26c269-bf72-41ab-8292-e17b58ed7c98 and can be aggregated to planning area level.This publication also contains information on the number of pupils on roll as at May 2023, to allow comparisons with data on unfilled places. However, this is not the latest data for numbers on roll. The latest published data on secondary age pupils on roll in state funded secondary schools is for January 2024 and is published in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics. This is available at a region and local authority level here for the North West and Salford: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/11b17d43-58a5-4ff9-e0d5-08dccd7b577b. School level information is also available here: https://content.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/api/releases/6a45c262-aaca-4bda-a548-cc9d1dc63137/files/6a137329-83ce-4e2e-8043-1f15ab5c7101 and can be aggregated to planning area level.For secondary planning area 3550101, there were 5,647 secondary pupils on roll in May 2023, with 343 secondary school places unfilled (5.8%). In January 2024, there were 5,609 pupils on roll.For secondary planning area 3550102, there were 3,316 secondary pupils on roll in May 2023, with 212 secondary school places unfilled (6.2%). In January 2024, there were 3,364 pupils on roll.For secondary planning area 3550103, there were 4,162 secondary pupils on roll in May 2023, with 189 secondary school places unfilled (4.4%). In January 2024, there were 4,235 pupils on roll.

How many children of secondary school age are (a) resident and (b) on roll at state secondary schools in (i) Yorkshire & the Humber; (ii) York Local Authority and (iii) secondary planning area 8169997; and how many places are unfilled in state secondary schools in those areas.

The department does not hold information on all children and young people by residence.Information on unfilled state secondary school places, as at May 2023, is published in the School Capacity statistics publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity. This is available at region and local authority level here for Yorkshire and the Humber and York: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/2e5181ea-f132-48f7-b23f-08dccd7b0275. School level information is also available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/5f26c269-bf72-41ab-8292-e17b58ed7c98 and can be aggregated to planning area level.This publication also contains information on the number of pupils on roll as at May 2023, to allow comparisons with data on unfilled places, however this is not the latest data for numbers on roll. The latest published data on secondary age pupils on roll in state funded secondary schools is for January 2024 and is published in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics. This is available at a region and local authority level here Yorkshire and the Humber and York: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/ebafa0ad-e0a7-44ee-e0d3-08dccd7b577b. School level information is also available here: https://content.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/api/releases/6a45c262-aaca-4bda-a548-cc9d1dc63137/files/6a137329-83ce-4e2e-8043-1f15ab5c7101 and can be aggregated to planning area level.For secondary planning area 8169997, there were 4,921 secondary pupils on roll in May 2023, with 259 secondary school places unfilled (5.9%). In January 2024, there were 4,370 pupils on roll.

How many (a) children of secondary school age are resident, (b) children are on roll at state secondary schools and (c) places are unfilled in state secondary schools in (i) the South West, (ii) the local authority area of Bristol City Council, (iii) secondary planning area 8010015, (iv) secondary planning area 8010016 and (v) secondary planning area 8010017.

The department does not hold information on all children and young people by residence.Information on unfilled state secondary school places, as at May 2023, is published in the School Capacity statistics publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity. This is available at region and local authority level here for the South West and City of Bristol: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/f8c9439a-21b9-4c4b-e0d7-08dccd7b577b. School level information is also available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/5f26c269-bf72-41ab-8292-e17b58ed7c98 and can be aggregated to planning area level.This publication also contains information on the number of pupils on roll as at May 2023 to allow comparisons with data on unfilled places. However, this is not the latest data for numbers on roll. The latest published data on secondary age pupils on roll in state-funded secondary schools is for January 2024 and is published in the Schools, pupils and their characteristics publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics. This is available at a region and local authority level here for the South West and City of Bristol: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/b2d9d5ee-2876-47a6-b242-08dccd7b0275. School level information is also available here: https://content.explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/api/releases/6a45c262-aaca-4bda-a548-cc9d1dc63137/files/6a137329-83ce-4e2e-8043-1f15ab5c7101 and can be aggregated to planning area level.For secondary planning area 8010015, there were 4,391 secondary pupils on roll in May 2023, with zero secondary school places unfilled. In January 2024, there were 4,342 pupils on roll.For secondary planning area 8010016, there were 12,960 secondary pupils on roll in May 2023, with 460 secondary school places unfilled (3.6%). In January 2024, there were 13,236 pupils on roll.For secondary planning area 8010017, there were 7,563 secondary pupils on roll in May 2023, with 760 secondary school places unfilled (10.2%). In January 2024, there were 7,754 pupils on roll.

When her Department plans to publish its response to the consultation entitled Guidance for Schools and Colleges: Gender Questioning Children which closed on 12 March 2024

The public consultation entitled ‘Guidance for Schools and Colleges: Gender Questioning Children’ received over 15,000 responses.The government is clear that it is vitally important that teachers have clear guidance, which is why the department will look carefully at the consultation responses over the autumn before responding formally and setting out the next steps to take the Gender Questioning guidance forward.

How many submissions her Department received to the consultation entitled Gender questioning children: draft schools and colleges guidance, open from 19 December 2023 to 12 March 2024.

The public consultation entitled ‘Guidance for Schools and Colleges: Gender Questioning Children’ received over 15,000 responses.The government is clear that it is vitally important that teachers have clear guidance, which is why the department will look carefully at the consultation responses over the autumn before responding formally and setting out the next steps to take the Gender Questioning guidance forward.

If she will make an estimate of the proportion of schools able to fully cover the incremental costs of the recommended pay increase using the funding announced.

The department is providing schools with almost £1.1 billion in 2024/25 through the Core Schools Budget Grant (CSBG) to support them with overall costs. This funding matches what the department has calculated is needed to fully fund, at a national level, the 5.5% teacher pay award and the support staff pay offer in the 2024/25 financial year, after accounting for the overall available headroom in schools’ existing budgets.The department’s judgement of affordability is based on national figures, which equates to the position of an “average” school. The funding system is not designed so that every school gets the same funding increase every year: it is designed so that schools seeing the largest pressures typically attract the largest funding increases. It does not match each individual school’s precise costs, as schools have autonomy over their own spending.

Pursuant to the Answers of 2 August 2024 to Question 1652 on Pupil Numbers and Question 1653 on Further Education: Students, if she will bring forward publication of data on the (a) available capacity in (i) state secondary schools and (ii) school sixth forms and (b) numbers of pupils in independent-sector schools at equivalent ages by parliamentary constituency using current boundaries.

The department publishes annual statistics on the capacity and pupils on roll in schools each spring at the following link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity and on the number of students enrolled in independent schools each summer, at the following link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics. In accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics, statistics publications are pre-announced on the GOV.UK website and can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/search/research-and-statistics?content_store_document_type=upcoming_statistics&organisations%5B%5D=department-for-education&order=updated-newest. Currently, the department has no plans to change this publication schedule. The scheduling ensures that statistics are released as soon as they are ready, while abiding by standards set by the Code of Practice for Statistics, in terms of trustworthiness, quality and value. The Code can be found at the following link: https://code.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/.Where statistics were published prior to the changes in parliamentary constituency boundaries, they will be updated to reflect the new boundaries in the next publication of statistics. This is expected to be in March 2025 for school capacity statistics and in June 2025 for statistics on schools and pupils, including independent schools.It may be useful to note that the data requested is published at school level. This can be combined with information from ‘Get Information About Schools’ (GIAS) to identify parliamentary constituency. GIAS currently reflects the changes made following the general election parliamentary constituency changes and is accessible here: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/. Updates to geographical data are made on a quarterly basis using data published by the Office for National Statistics.

What proportion of state school sixth forms are (a) at and (b) over capacity in (i) City of Bristol, (ii) Camden, (iii) Haringey, (iv) Kingston upon Thames, (v) Richmond upon Thames, (vi) Southwark, (vii) Stockport and (viii) Surrey.

Information on state-funded school places as at May 2023 is published at local authority level in the annual School Capacity statistics publication, which can be found at the following link: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-capacity. School level data for sixth form capacity and number on roll is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/ee325991-147a-4e4d-ba55-8dd5fdc8d160. This can be used to identify schools at, or over, capacity, and then the proportion of schools within a local authority can be calculated.The number of sixth form pupils on roll is higher than the reported capacity in: (i) five of the ten school sixth forms in the City of Bristol (50%), (ii) all ten of the school sixth forms in Camden (100%), (iii) three of the six school sixth forms in Haringey (50%), (iv) four of the ten school sixth forms in Kingston upon Thames (40%), (v) five of the ten school sixth forms in Richmond upon Thames (50%), (vi) six of the 15 school sixth forms in Southwark (40%), (vii) the only school sixth form in Stockport (100%) and (viii) 11 of the 28 school sixth forms in Surrey (39%).School sixth forms often have higher numbers on roll than reported capacity, due to the subjects offered and timetabling.