Written questions by McMurdock.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that students studying subjects with historically low graduate earning outcomes receive value for money from their degree.

​​The Post-16 education and skills white paper, published in October 2025, sets out plans to ensure the higher education system drives economic growth. This includes policies to incentivise delivery of courses that produce the skills needed for the economy and, therefore, employment.​The department is reforming the Strategic Priorities Grant from the 2026/27 academic year to ensure funding for courses aligns with the Industrial Strategy and future skills needs. We have also announced that we will introduce targeted maintenance grants to support students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the Industrial Strategy and our Missions before the end of this Parliament.​The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator for higher education in England. The regulatory system is designed to help ensure all courses lead to positive employment outcomes. The conditions of registration set minimum expectations for the percentage of students in professional employment or further study 15 months after graduating. Our proposals to ensure that large franchised providers are registered with the OfS will also help tackle the poor outcomes some students are getting from franchised courses.​The OfS is currently consulting on proposals to consider a wider range of employment outcomes when awarding quality ratings for student outcomes, including earnings data and data on whether graduates are utilising the skills they learned in higher education in future jobs. ​

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the alignment between degree subject provision and priority occupations identified by Skills England.

The Skills England report, ‘Assessment of Priority Skills to 2030’ sets out that in higher education (HE) over half (53%) of employed recent education leavers are in priority occupations (see table below).The HE sector is independent and individual institutions are responsible for deciding which courses to deliver. The government is not involved in these decisions but does support delivery of high-cost courses through the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG). We are reforming the SPG to ensure alignment of funding with the priority sectors which support the Industrial Strategy and the Plan for Change and future skills needs. In addition, Priority Additional Entitlement under the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will be available for courses that align with industrial strategy priorities. From January 2027, LLE funding will all also be available for level 4, 5 and 6 modules from full level qualifications in subject groups that address priority skills gaps and align with the government’s industrial strategy.Top 10 first degree (level 6) higher education subjects into priority occupations:SubjectShare of learners entering priority occupationsNursing and midwifery97%Medicine and dentistry96%Medical sciences81%Architecture, building and planning79%Pharmacology, toxicology and pharmacy78%Allied health73%Computing70%Engineering68%Economics65%Physics and astronomy60% Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/assessment-of-priority-skills-to-2030/assessment-of-priority-skills-to-2030#education-supply-for-priority-occupations.

Whether the Office for Students (a) collects and (b) publishes data on the (i) continuation, (ii) completion and (iii) attainment rates for international students by (A) provider and (B) ranking.

The Office for Students (OfS) publish information on continuation and completion rates for higher education (HE) providers for non-UK domiciled students studying at English HE providers. The information is available for the English HE sector and by provider here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/student-outcomes-data-dashboard/data-dashboard. This data is updated annually and was last published in August 2025.Information on attainment rates for non-UK students in HE is published by the OfS annually and was last updated in October 2025 here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/student-characteristics-data/outcomes-data-dashboard/As the independent regulator of HE, the OfS require HE providers to achieve minimum outcomes for their students. 80% of full-time undergraduate students studying a first degree, including international students, are expected to continue into a second year, and 75% are expected to complete their qualification. The OfS awards ratings of Gold, Silver, Bronze or Requires Improvement to providers based upon a range of evidence, including student outcomes. The Teaching Excellence Framework Dashboard’s ratings of providers can be found here: https://tef2023.officeforstudents.org.uk/.There is no official government ranking system.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential contribution of higher education institutions to reducing (a) national and (b) regional skills shortages.

Skills England analysis estimates that two thirds (66%) of the projected additional employment demand in priority occupations to 2030 will require workers with a qualification at level 4 or above. In higher education (HE), half (53%) of employed recent education leavers are working in priority occupations. Overall, HE accounts for over half (51%) of all recent education leavers entering priority occupations from the skills system in England.The government published plans for HE reform as part of the post 16 education and skills white paper on 20 October 2025. This set out a target of two-thirds of young people participating in higher level learning academic, technical or apprenticeships by age 25, and a sub target of at least 10% of young people participating higher technical education or apprenticeships by age 25 by 2040.The white paper sets out a number of policies to deliver this target, including reforming the strategic priorities grant to align with priority sectors and strengthened guidance on HE providers engaging with Local Skills and Improvement Partnerships.

What steps she is taking to improve (a) apprenticeships, (b) technical qualifications and (c) other alternative pathways for non-graduates.

The department has published the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, setting out reforms for a world-class system that breaks down barriers to opportunity and supports economic growth by giving young people the skills our economy needs.Alongside this, the department is strengthening technical and work-based training through foundation apprenticeships, high quality T Levels, and employer-backed Higher Technical Qualifications, ensuring young people gain the skills our economy needs.

With reference to her Department's statistics entitled LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes, published on 26 June 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of differences in earning outcomes between UK-domiciled and EU-domiciled graduates.

The department reviews the latest available data and evidence on graduate earning outcomes, including differences between UK-domiciled and EU-domiciled graduates, to inform and shape policy development where appropriate. The Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics show that in the 2022/23 financial year, EU-domiciled graduates working in the UK earned more than UK graduates on average. Higher median earnings for EU-domiciled graduates have likely been a result of the minimum salary requirements needed to obtain a UK visa.The department is working with the Office for Students (OfS) to explore how high-cost funding can be effectively targeted towards provision which supports future skills needs and the Industrial Strategy. The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics show that employment outcomes vary by subject, but in the 2022/23 financial year employment outcomes were generally high across all subjects. Veterinary sciences had the highest proportion of graduates in sustained employment and/or further study (94.2% of graduates), and combined and general studies had the lowest proportion (80.5%).The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics provide an estimate of the real-term change in median earnings over time, with the latest available year of data being the 2022/23 financial year. For the latest available data at five years after graduation, the statistics show that real terms earnings decreased between 2018/19 and 2022/23. For first degree graduates, real-term median earnings (in 2016/17 prices) at five years after graduation were £26,300 in 2018/19 and £25,400 in 2022/23. Real-term median earnings were rising slightly but have seen a decline in the latest two years of data.The department reviews the latest available data and evidence on graduate employment outcomes, including the variances in outcomes between graduates and postgraduates at different stages, to inform and shape policy development where appropriate. In the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the government announced its plans to work with the OfS to develop options for how we measure and compare progress in higher education, which will consider a range of data on student outcomes.The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics reports the proportion of graduates in sustained employment but does not distinguish ‘high-skilled employment’. Graduate Outcome survey data published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency does include statistics specifically for high-skilled employment and shows that 76% of 2022/23 graduates were in high-skilled employment fifteen months after graduation. This data was published in July 2025 and can be found in Table 12 here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb272/figure-12.The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/leo-graduate-and-postgraduate-outcomes/2022-23.

With reference to her Department's statistics entitled Graduate labour market statistics, published on 5 June 2025, what steps she is taking to improve levels of high-skilled employment among graduates aged 21-30.

The department publishes the ‘Graduate Labour Market Statistics’, which provides statistics on employment and earnings outcomes for post-graduates, graduates and non-graduates. The publication includes estimates for high-skilled employment for graduates aged 21-30 years. In 2024, 60.1% of young graduates (age 21-30) were in high-skilled employment, a 0.1 percentage point increase on 2023 at 60.0%. This data was published on 5 June 2025, and is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-labour-markets/2024.Higher education (HE) should be a pathway to opportunity for all students. Students and taxpayers deserve a good return on their significant investment in HE, and our economy needs graduates to go on to highly skilled and well-paid employment. We are supporting the Office for Students to implement a new expanded quality system that will include a specific focus on the needs and benefits of HE to employers.We published our Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper on 20 October 2025, which sets out our reforms to the skills system to support the development of the skilled workforce our economy needs, delivering on our Plan for Change and driving national renewal.

What steps she is taking to ensure that higher education delivers value for money.

The department remains determined that the higher education (HE) system should deliver for our economy, for universities, and for studentsHE should be a pathway to opportunity for all students. Our economy needs graduates to go on to highly skilled and well-paid employment, and both students and the taxpayer deserve a good return on their significant investment in HE.The government will continue to work with the Office for Students (OfS), empowering it to hold HE providers to account for the quality of students’ experiences and the outcomes they achieve. The department will support it to implement a new, more integrated approach to quality assessment, which will expand the existing Teaching Excellence Framework and focus on driving continuous improvement at every provider. Ensuring students from all backgrounds receive value for money is one of the OfS's four key regulatory objectives. In the future, HE providers will only be able to charge the maximum fee cap if they meet a higher quality threshold, as announced in the Post-16 Education and Skills strategy.

With reference to her Department's statistics entitled Graduate labour market statistics, published on 5 June 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the rate of improvement in high-skilled employment among graduates aged 21-30.

The department publishes the ‘Graduate Labour Market Statistics’, which provides statistics on employment and earnings outcomes for post-graduates, graduates and non-graduates. The publication includes estimates for high-skilled employment for graduates aged 21-30 years. In 2024, 60.1% of young graduates (age 21-30) were in high-skilled employment, a 0.1 percentage point increase on 2023 at 60.0%. This data was published on 5 June 2025, and is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/graduate-labour-markets/2024.Higher education (HE) should be a pathway to opportunity for all students. Students and taxpayers deserve a good return on their significant investment in HE, and our economy needs graduates to go on to highly skilled and well-paid employment. We are supporting the Office for Students to implement a new expanded quality system that will include a specific focus on the needs and benefits of HE to employers.We published our Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper on 20 October 2025, which sets out our reforms to the skills system to support the development of the skilled workforce our economy needs, delivering on our Plan for Change and driving national renewal.

With reference to her Department's statistics entitled LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes, published on 26 June 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the proportion of recent graduates working in high-skilled employment.

The department reviews the latest available data and evidence on graduate earning outcomes, including differences between UK-domiciled and EU-domiciled graduates, to inform and shape policy development where appropriate. The Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics show that in the 2022/23 financial year, EU-domiciled graduates working in the UK earned more than UK graduates on average. Higher median earnings for EU-domiciled graduates have likely been a result of the minimum salary requirements needed to obtain a UK visa.The department is working with the Office for Students (OfS) to explore how high-cost funding can be effectively targeted towards provision which supports future skills needs and the Industrial Strategy. The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics show that employment outcomes vary by subject, but in the 2022/23 financial year employment outcomes were generally high across all subjects. Veterinary sciences had the highest proportion of graduates in sustained employment and/or further study (94.2% of graduates), and combined and general studies had the lowest proportion (80.5%).The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics provide an estimate of the real-term change in median earnings over time, with the latest available year of data being the 2022/23 financial year. For the latest available data at five years after graduation, the statistics show that real terms earnings decreased between 2018/19 and 2022/23. For first degree graduates, real-term median earnings (in 2016/17 prices) at five years after graduation were £26,300 in 2018/19 and £25,400 in 2022/23. Real-term median earnings were rising slightly but have seen a decline in the latest two years of data.The department reviews the latest available data and evidence on graduate employment outcomes, including the variances in outcomes between graduates and postgraduates at different stages, to inform and shape policy development where appropriate. In the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the government announced its plans to work with the OfS to develop options for how we measure and compare progress in higher education, which will consider a range of data on student outcomes.The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics reports the proportion of graduates in sustained employment but does not distinguish ‘high-skilled employment’. Graduate Outcome survey data published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency does include statistics specifically for high-skilled employment and shows that 76% of 2022/23 graduates were in high-skilled employment fifteen months after graduation. This data was published in July 2025 and can be found in Table 12 here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb272/figure-12.The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/leo-graduate-and-postgraduate-outcomes/2022-23.

With reference to her Department's statistics entitled LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes, published on 26 June 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of similarities in sustained employment outcomes between Master’s and first degree graduates.

The department reviews the latest available data and evidence on graduate earning outcomes, including differences between UK-domiciled and EU-domiciled graduates, to inform and shape policy development where appropriate. The Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics show that in the 2022/23 financial year, EU-domiciled graduates working in the UK earned more than UK graduates on average. Higher median earnings for EU-domiciled graduates have likely been a result of the minimum salary requirements needed to obtain a UK visa.The department is working with the Office for Students (OfS) to explore how high-cost funding can be effectively targeted towards provision which supports future skills needs and the Industrial Strategy. The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics show that employment outcomes vary by subject, but in the 2022/23 financial year employment outcomes were generally high across all subjects. Veterinary sciences had the highest proportion of graduates in sustained employment and/or further study (94.2% of graduates), and combined and general studies had the lowest proportion (80.5%).The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics provide an estimate of the real-term change in median earnings over time, with the latest available year of data being the 2022/23 financial year. For the latest available data at five years after graduation, the statistics show that real terms earnings decreased between 2018/19 and 2022/23. For first degree graduates, real-term median earnings (in 2016/17 prices) at five years after graduation were £26,300 in 2018/19 and £25,400 in 2022/23. Real-term median earnings were rising slightly but have seen a decline in the latest two years of data.The department reviews the latest available data and evidence on graduate employment outcomes, including the variances in outcomes between graduates and postgraduates at different stages, to inform and shape policy development where appropriate. In the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the government announced its plans to work with the OfS to develop options for how we measure and compare progress in higher education, which will consider a range of data on student outcomes.The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics reports the proportion of graduates in sustained employment but does not distinguish ‘high-skilled employment’. Graduate Outcome survey data published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency does include statistics specifically for high-skilled employment and shows that 76% of 2022/23 graduates were in high-skilled employment fifteen months after graduation. This data was published in July 2025 and can be found in Table 12 here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb272/figure-12.The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/leo-graduate-and-postgraduate-outcomes/2022-23.

What estimate she has made of the real-term change in graduate earnings in the last five years.

The department reviews the latest available data and evidence on graduate earning outcomes, including differences between UK-domiciled and EU-domiciled graduates, to inform and shape policy development where appropriate. The Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics show that in the 2022/23 financial year, EU-domiciled graduates working in the UK earned more than UK graduates on average. Higher median earnings for EU-domiciled graduates have likely been a result of the minimum salary requirements needed to obtain a UK visa.The department is working with the Office for Students (OfS) to explore how high-cost funding can be effectively targeted towards provision which supports future skills needs and the Industrial Strategy. The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics show that employment outcomes vary by subject, but in the 2022/23 financial year employment outcomes were generally high across all subjects. Veterinary sciences had the highest proportion of graduates in sustained employment and/or further study (94.2% of graduates), and combined and general studies had the lowest proportion (80.5%).The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics provide an estimate of the real-term change in median earnings over time, with the latest available year of data being the 2022/23 financial year. For the latest available data at five years after graduation, the statistics show that real terms earnings decreased between 2018/19 and 2022/23. For first degree graduates, real-term median earnings (in 2016/17 prices) at five years after graduation were £26,300 in 2018/19 and £25,400 in 2022/23. Real-term median earnings were rising slightly but have seen a decline in the latest two years of data.The department reviews the latest available data and evidence on graduate employment outcomes, including the variances in outcomes between graduates and postgraduates at different stages, to inform and shape policy development where appropriate. In the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the government announced its plans to work with the OfS to develop options for how we measure and compare progress in higher education, which will consider a range of data on student outcomes.The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics reports the proportion of graduates in sustained employment but does not distinguish ‘high-skilled employment’. Graduate Outcome survey data published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency does include statistics specifically for high-skilled employment and shows that 76% of 2022/23 graduates were in high-skilled employment fifteen months after graduation. This data was published in July 2025 and can be found in Table 12 here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb272/figure-12.The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/leo-graduate-and-postgraduate-outcomes/2022-23.

Whether she plans to report metrics on the impact of regional improvement for standards and excellence on (a) progress, (b) attendance and (c) exclusion rates for pupils with SEND in mainstream schools.

Regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams are a key part of the government‘s work to drive up education standards in schools across England. Eligibility for RISE targeted intervention is identified through Ofsted inspections and as of September 2025 there are 367 schools in the programme. Data on headline outcomes for all pupils in targeted RISE intervention schools, including attainment, absence and suspension and permanent exclusion rates, were published in September 2025. An impact evaluation of the programme, measuring change over time in key success measures for schools in the targeted RISE intervention programme set against a suitable group of comparator schools, will be carried out in due course. This will include further breakdowns by characteristics, such as for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). There are no plans to report routinely on metrics specifically related to pupils with SEND ahead of this.

With reference to her Department's statistics entitled LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes, published on 26 June 2025, what recent discussions she has had with the Office for Students on low employment outcomes in certain degree subjects.

The department reviews the latest available data and evidence on graduate earning outcomes, including differences between UK-domiciled and EU-domiciled graduates, to inform and shape policy development where appropriate. The Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics show that in the 2022/23 financial year, EU-domiciled graduates working in the UK earned more than UK graduates on average. Higher median earnings for EU-domiciled graduates have likely been a result of the minimum salary requirements needed to obtain a UK visa.The department is working with the Office for Students (OfS) to explore how high-cost funding can be effectively targeted towards provision which supports future skills needs and the Industrial Strategy. The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics show that employment outcomes vary by subject, but in the 2022/23 financial year employment outcomes were generally high across all subjects. Veterinary sciences had the highest proportion of graduates in sustained employment and/or further study (94.2% of graduates), and combined and general studies had the lowest proportion (80.5%).The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics provide an estimate of the real-term change in median earnings over time, with the latest available year of data being the 2022/23 financial year. For the latest available data at five years after graduation, the statistics show that real terms earnings decreased between 2018/19 and 2022/23. For first degree graduates, real-term median earnings (in 2016/17 prices) at five years after graduation were £26,300 in 2018/19 and £25,400 in 2022/23. Real-term median earnings were rising slightly but have seen a decline in the latest two years of data.The department reviews the latest available data and evidence on graduate employment outcomes, including the variances in outcomes between graduates and postgraduates at different stages, to inform and shape policy development where appropriate. In the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper, the government announced its plans to work with the OfS to develop options for how we measure and compare progress in higher education, which will consider a range of data on student outcomes.The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics reports the proportion of graduates in sustained employment but does not distinguish ‘high-skilled employment’. Graduate Outcome survey data published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency does include statistics specifically for high-skilled employment and shows that 76% of 2022/23 graduates were in high-skilled employment fifteen months after graduation. This data was published in July 2025 and can be found in Table 12 here: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/sb272/figure-12.The LEO Graduate and Postgraduate Outcomes statistics can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/leo-graduate-and-postgraduate-outcomes/2022-23.

What representations she has received from teachers on the adequacy of support for pupils with SEND.

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. That is why we are continuing to engage closely with the teaching workforce, children, parents and experts including through regular Improving Education Together SEND subgroup meetings, which bring together employer representative organisations, unions and government, and the department’s teacher, headteacher and support staff reference groups as we develop plans to ensure all children get the outcomes and life chances they deserve.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of difference in exclusion rates between boys and girls.

Statistics on the suspensions and permanent exclusions rates for boys and girls up to the 2023/24 academic year can be found in the following publication: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/suspensions-and-permanent-exclusions-in-england/2023-24. This has been available since 10 July 2025.This government is clear schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour, and in the most serious cases, exclusion may be necessary to ensure every child can achieve and thrive.​We trust head teachers to use their professional judgement, based on the individual circumstances of each case, when considering excluding a pupil. Any decision to exclude must be lawful, reasonable, and fair. The statutory ‘Suspension and permanent exclusion’ guidance is clear that, in all cases, school leaders should consider early intervention strategies to address the underlying causes or contributing factors of a pupil’s disruptive behaviour before issuing an exclusion.As a part of our Plan for Change, we are committed to turning the tide on poor behaviour and rising exclusions.

What steps she is taking to support pupils with special educational needs excluded at higher rates.

This government is clear that schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour, and in the most serious cases, exclusion may be necessary to ensure that schools are calm and safe learning environments. Schools also have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 not to discriminate against pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).The statutory ‘Suspension and permanent exclusion’ guidance is clear that, in all cases, school leaders should consider early intervention strategies and multi-agency assessments to address the underlying causes or contributing factors towards a pupil’s disruptive behaviour before issuing an exclusion. This includes situations where a pupil has SEND. Schools should arrange such assessments when concerns arise, rather than waiting for a specific trigger.As part of our Plan for Change, the government is committed to tackling poor behaviour and rising exclusions. We have committed to providing access to mental health support in every school and ensuring earlier intervention for pupils with SEND. The new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs will target schools with the greatest need, while offering wider support nationally to help build strong, inclusive school cultures.

What steps she is taking to support schools to (a) improve behaviour management and (b) reduce exclusions.

This government is clear that schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour, and in the most serious cases, exclusion may be necessary to ensure that schools are calm and safe learning environments. Schools also have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 not to discriminate against pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).The statutory ‘Suspension and permanent exclusion’ guidance is clear that, in all cases, school leaders should consider early intervention strategies and multi-agency assessments to address the underlying causes or contributing factors towards a pupil’s disruptive behaviour before issuing an exclusion. This includes situations where a pupil has SEND. Schools should arrange such assessments when concerns arise, rather than waiting for a specific trigger.As part of our Plan for Change, the government is committed to tackling poor behaviour and rising exclusions. We have committed to providing access to mental health support in every school and ensuring earlier intervention for pupils with SEND. The new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs will target schools with the greatest need, while offering wider support nationally to help build strong, inclusive school cultures.

What steps she is taking to support children who miss substantial periods of school due to cancer treatment.

We recognise how important it is that children undergoing cancer treatment get the right support. This includes having continued access to high-quality education during periods when they are unable to attend school.Local authorities have a duty under section 19 of the Children's Act 1996 to provide suitable and (normally) full-time education for children of compulsory school age who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, would not receive suitable education.Where full-time education is not possible due to a child’s health needs, local authorities must arrange part-time education on whatever basis they consider to be in the child's best interests.Full and part-time education should still aim to be equivalent to the education the child would receive in their mainstream school. Any part-time education should be reviewed regularly, with the aim of eventually increasing the number of hours up to full-time as soon as the child’s health allows.

What steps she is taking to help improve consistency in the identification of special educational needs across genders.

Effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Many settings already have mechanisms in place to identify needs early and effectively.The department wants to build on best practice and use further research to develop and support settings with evidence-based approaches for identifying needs early, whenever those needs may emerge, from early years through to post-16, and across all genders.Recently published evidence reviews from University College London aim to help to drive inclusive practices by highlighting the most effective tools, strategies and approaches for teachers and other relevant staff to identify and support children and young people with different types of needs. In addition, the ‘What works in SEND’ research programme, led by a team from the University of Warwick, is researching tools that settings can use to identify the needs of neurodivergent children and young people.