Written questions by Maskell.

If she will make provision available for the (a) emotional and (b) mental health needs of children transferring from the independent to the state school sector before they transfer.

This government’s goal is to achieve better outcomes for all children. Where parents decide to move their child to a new school, local authorities and schools already have processes in place to support new pupils. This government is committed to removing barriers to learning and is taking steps to provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every state school.

Whether she plans to increase class sizes to accommodate children moving from the independent sector to the state sector.

The number of pupils who may switch schools as a result of changes in the independent sector is expected to represent a very small proportion of overall pupil numbers in the state sector. Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) research has estimated that up to 40,000 pupils may switch schools. Even this figure would represent less than 0.5% of the total UK state school pupil population, which is more than 9 million. It is therefore highly unlikely that school class sizes increase as a result of ending the VAT exemption for private schools.The IFS’s research is available here: https://ifs.org.uk/publications/tax-private-school-fees-and-state-school-spending and https://ifs.org.uk/news/removing-tax-exemptions-private-schools-likely-have-little-effect-numbers-private-sector.

Whether All Saints School in York will receive funding for (a) repairs and (b) development.

The department has confirmed that All Saints School is in the School Rebuilding Programme. The department currently expects feasibility and procurement, planning and design to start from April 2025.

What steps she is taking to ensure that the state school sector is able to accommodate children in the independent sector who will need to transfer due to the introduction of VAT on schools in (a) September 2024 and (b) January 2025.

The government understands that moving school can be challenging for parents and pupils. However, the department expects very few pupils to need to move within the academic year. Local authorities and schools have processes in place to support pupils moving between schools, and children move between private sector and the state sector every year. The number of pupils who may move schools as a result of these changes represents a very small proportion of overall pupil numbers in the state sector. Furthermore, the government expects any displacement to take place over several years, reducing immediate pressures. If the pupil displacement is somewhat above the Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated range of up to 40,000, this is likely to represent less than 1% of the more than 9 million total UK state school pupils. There is significant spare capacity in existing state schools. A technical note setting out the details of these two tax policies has been published and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees-removing-the-charitable-rates-relief-for-private-schools. Draft VAT legislation has also been published alongside this technical note.

If she will support food growing schemes in schools.

It is important that children eat nutritious food at school and the department encourages schools to have a whole school approach to healthy eating.Having a school garden or setting up a gardening club are some of the ways schools can achieve this approach. This is a decision for schools to make, dependent upon local circumstances. The department recognises a lot of schools find ways to collaborate between headteachers, school cooks, children, teachers, governors and parents to make this happen.All education settings are welcome to register as participants in the National Education Nature Park. This initiative inspires children and young people to learn about and connect with nature, spend time outdoors and develop valuable green skills.

If she will make an estimate of the number and proportion of (a) children and (b) young people not in school; and if she will commission a review into the reasons behind such absences.

The government is committed to taking steps to better understand how many children of compulsory school age in England are not in school. Beginning October 2022, aggregate data on children in elective home education (EHE) and children missing education (CME) was collected from local authorities for the first time. Recent data shows on census day in autumn 2023, local authorities reported an estimated 33,000 CME that are not registered at school or otherwise receiving suitable education. This is an increase of approximately 4,900 children from the summer 2023 census day. In the autumn 2023 term, where known by the local authority, primary reasons given for CME included the child having moved out of the country, the child having moved out of the local authority and the child is awaiting a school application outcome. As at the census date in autumn 2023, an estimated 92,000 children were in EHE. This includes adjustments made for non-response and is based on a figure of 87,700 reported by 95% of local authorities. This is an increase from an estimated 80,900 in the previous autumn term. The leading reasons provided for deciding to home educate were philosophical, mental health, lifestyle and school dissatisfaction. The government is committed to making it a statutory duty for local authorities to maintain children not in school registers and submit data returns to the department when requested to do so. Additionally, from autumn this year, the department is mandating the collection of aggregate data on EHE and CME from local authorities in the 2023/24 academic year. This will increase the amount and detail of information available to local authorities and government on local and national levels, allowing the department to identify outlying local data and improve understanding of the drivers. Alongside better data, the government will help to tackle drivers of children not being in school including via a requirement for school to cooperate with their local authority on school admissions, special educational needs and disabilities inclusion and place planning.

If she will commission a review into the funding of further education.

Further education (FE) plays a critical role in delivering the government’s missions and ensuring that everyone has access to the opportunities they need, breaking down the barriers to their success and boosting economic growth. FE funding in future years will be considered as part of the Spending Review.

What discussions she has had with Universities on the financial viability of the sector.

The Office for Students (OfS), as the independent regulator of higher education (HE) in England, is responsible for monitoring the financial sustainability of registered HE providers, and therefore undertakes regular engagement with the sector. The government recognises the financial strain that some providers are facing, and works closely with the OfS to monitor emerging risks and issues within the sector and to ensure there are robust mitigations in place to ensure the interests of students are protected. The department also undertakes regular engagement with sector representatives and providers to understand the risks and issues facing the sector and to discuss the overall climate for HE provider financial sustainability. The department is looking forward to speaking with providers in the coming weeks, months and years on a variety of matters, including financial sustainability.

If she will make it her policy to extend the Holiday Activities Fund.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life.The department will be providing over 3 million holiday clubs places this summer and these places will support children from disadvantaged backgrounds to access free healthy meals and enriching activities.The department will also be providing over 500,000 holiday places over Christmas to ensure children get access to food through the school holidays and to the activities benefiting their heath, wellbeing and learning that we know make such a difference.Funding beyond the end of March 2025 is subject to the forthcoming Spending Review.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the funding for children with SEND to help provide access to (a) activities and (b) childcare during school holidays.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. The holiday activities and food (HAF) programme funds free holiday club places for children in every local authority in England in the summer, Christmas, and Easter holidays. HAF clubs provide heathy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families. In addition, 15% of HAF funding is available to fund places for children who may not qualify on household income, but who may have additional needs or disadvantages that mean they would benefit from a place. Thousands of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will access inclusive and specialist HAF provision this summer. Local authorities are responsible for delivering the HAF programme in their area. Guidance clearly sets out that they must give specific consideration to the needs of children with SEND, or additional needs, and the department encourages local authorities to engage with local and national organisations, including special schools, to draw on their expertise in how best to support these children and their families during the school holidays.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Holiday Activities Fund on children living in poverty.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. This is why we have established a new cross-government taskforce to develop an ambitious strategy to tackle the child poverty crisis. During this summer, the government will be providing more than three million holiday club places through the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme, supporting children who are living in poverty to access free, healthy meals and enriching activities. An independent evaluation of HAF from 2021 showed that attending HAF clubs can have a positive impact on children and young people living in poverty. The evaluation highlights that HAF clubs work best when they provide consistent and easily accessible enrichment activities, when they offer healthy food, and when they involve children and parents in meal preparation. As part of the next spending review, the department will consider the impact of the programme and how the programme could continue to support children living in poverty.

If she will take steps to ensure that children with (a) SEND, (b) anxiety and (c) trauma can access (i) support and (ii) therapeutic services during the school holidays.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. The holiday activities and food (HAF) programme funds free holiday club places for children in every local authority in England in the summer, Christmas, and Easter holidays. HAF clubs provide heathy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families. In addition, 15% of HAF funding is available to fund places for children who may not qualify on household income, but who may have additional needs or disadvantages that mean they would benefit from a place. Thousands of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will access inclusive and specialist HAF provision this summer. Local authorities are responsible for delivering the HAF programme in their area. Guidance clearly sets out that they must give specific consideration to the needs of children with SEND, or additional needs, and the department encourages local authorities to engage with local and national organisations, including special schools, to draw on their expertise in how best to support these children and their families during the school holidays.

What steps she plans to take to ensure there is adequate provision for children with SEND to access activities during school holidays.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. The holiday activities and food (HAF) programme funds free holiday club places for children in every local authority in England in the summer, Christmas, and Easter holidays. HAF clubs provide heathy meals, enriching activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families. In addition, 15% of HAF funding is available to fund places for children who may not qualify on household income, but who may have additional needs or disadvantages that mean they would benefit from a place. Thousands of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will access inclusive and specialist HAF provision this summer. Local authorities are responsible for delivering the HAF programme in their area. Guidance clearly sets out that they must give specific consideration to the needs of children with SEND, or additional needs, and the department encourages local authorities to engage with local and national organisations, including special schools, to draw on their expertise in how best to support these children and their families during the school holidays.

What steps her Department is taking to introduce breakfast clubs in every school; and what her planned timescale is for the introduction of breakfast clubs in every school.

The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is well prepared for school and set-up to achieve by providing a supportive start to the day. The government has already taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school will offer a free breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work with schools to make sure the right support, including funding, is in place.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of broadening the eligibility criteria for children to receive free school meals.

This government has not made a formal assessment of the merits of broadening the free school meals (FSM) eligibility criteria.This adds to the department’s programmes which provide over 3 million children with free and nutritious meals. Such programmes include FSM, which 2.1 million disadvantaged pupils are registered to receive, and universal infant free school meals which benefit around 1.3 million pupils in reception, year 1 and year 2.Additionally, the government is committed to introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school, to set children up for the day and ensure they are ready to learn.

What steps she is taking to enable the state education system to provide alternative provision without recourse to the private sector.

The government is committed to meeting children's educational and social needs earlier, so that wherever possible they can remain in their mainstream school. Where alternative provision is required, it should be as part of a planned intervention delivered through local partnerships, with the right educational and welfare expertise to support the child's needs.

If she will review the (a) governance and (b) accountability structures of multi academy trusts.

This government has committed to remove barriers to opportunity and raise school standards to ensure the school system is enabling every child to thrive, no matter their background. The government is clear strong accountability is non-negotiable. That is why the government has committed to bring Multi-Academy Trusts into the inspection system, to make the system fairer and more transparent, and enable intervention when schools and trusts are not performing to the required standards.

If she will take steps to establish a fair funding formula for (a) SEND and (b) education.

The department will take time to consider the various funding formulae that the department and local authorities use to allocate funding for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. It is important that there is a fair education funding system, that directs funding to where it is needed. Budgets for the 2025/26 financial year have not yet been set which means that decisions on the high needs and schools national funding formulae as well as the publication of allocations for that year will not be to the usual timescales.

If she plans to implement the recommendations of the Independent Review of Children's Social Care.

The department is committed to helping children thrive and wants the best for every child and family.Reforming children’s social care (CSC) is critical to giving hundreds of thousands of children and young people the start in life they deserve. It is also necessary to achieve financial stability for local authorities.That is why the government commits to working in partnership with local government to continue the work to reform CSC. The department will build on the foundations already laid by dedicated social care professionals and go further to deliver a social care system that works for everyone.