The department continues to monitor the situation and is participating in cross-government contingency planning on the basis of Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) scenarios.

The department provided additional financial support to schools facing the most extreme challenges through the COVID-19 school workforce fund in the 2021 autumn term and again in the 2022 spring term. The department regularly assesses and monitors the workforce pressures on schools and our mitigations to support them and will continue to review workforce absence in the 2022 autumn term.

The department has frontloaded funding increases to rapidly get money to schools, so that in the 2022/23 financial year, the total core schools budget is increasing by £4 billion compared to the 2021/22 financial year. This is a 7% cash terms per pupil boost and will help schools meet the cost pressures they are facing.

The department has published guidance, Building Bulletin 101 (BB101), which provides guidelines on indoor and outdoor air quality in new and refurbished schools.

BB101 promotes best practice in controlling pollutants and setting maximum standards for levels of pollutants in indoors. More information on BB101 can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings.

As part of the department’s response to COVID-19, state-funded education and childcare providers in England were supplied with carbon dioxide monitors to help manage the need for ventilation and thermal comfort.

Schools have found the monitors helpful to manage ventilation and, in the majority of education providers, existing ventilation measures are sufficient.

Where an area of poor ventilation has been identified that cannot be resolved through simple measures such as opening doors and windows, schools are advised to explore what remedial works may be required to improve ventilation. Where it was not possible to maintain adequate ventilation, providers were advised to consider the use of an air cleaning unit to reduce the risk of aerosol pathogens, including COVID-19 transmission, while the underlying ventilation issue is addressed.

To support education providers, the department provided over 8,000 air cleaning units with HEPA filters as a temporary measure whilst the underlying ventilation issue was addressed. More information can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/delivery-of-air-cleaning-units.

The findings of a survey of education providers using carbon dioxide monitors found that 97% of providers could achieve good ventilation.

Indoor air pollutants can be managed using mechanical or natural ventilation systems. Air cleaning units do not reduce carbon dioxide levels. They are not a substitute for ventilation and should never be used as a reason to reduce ventilation. They are not necessary in spaces that are adequately ventilated.

Identifying priority groups for vaccinations are clinical decisions taken by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), informed by advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI). JCVI advised that the primary objective of the 2022 autumn booster programme is to augment immunity in those at higher risk from COVID-19 and thereby optimise protection against severe COVID-19, specifically hospitalisation and death, over winter 2022 to 2023.

Other school staff are currently not eligible to receive an autumn booster as part of this programme. However, staff who meet the central eligibility criteria are entitled to a free flu vaccination through the NHS, and schools can choose to provide flu vaccines for their staff through their occupational health services.

The department has made no recent direct assessment on the effect of inflation on the cost of uniforms, but we know expensive uniforms can create a financial burden for parents. The government is clear that school uniform should be affordable. No school uniform should be so expensive that pupils or their families feel unable to apply to or attend a school of their choice.

In November 2021, the department issued new statutory guidance on the cost of school uniforms, to ensure their cost is reasonable and secures the best value for money for parents. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms/cost-of-school-uniforms.

The department understands that many people are worried about the impact of rising prices, with many households struggling to make their income stretch to cover the basics. It is therefore even more important that schools give careful consideration to the cost of their uniform and follow the guidance to ensure best value for money for parents.

The data collected through the survey will be published shortly.

The department is aware that schools are facing cost pressures, especially around energy costs. We pay close attention to the financial health of the sector, and we are constantly considering what further support we can provide schools to reduce their costs.

The department also recognises that schools will be tackling other inflationary pressures. However, this should be seen in the wider context of funding for schools. Increases in funding have been frontloaded to rapidly get money to schools, so that in the 2022/23 financial year alone, core schools’ funding will increase by £4 billion compared to the 2021/22 financial year. This includes an additional £1.2 billion for schools in the new schools’ supplementary grant for the 2022/23 financial year, to meet the costs of the Health and Social Care Levy, and wider cost pressures. Overall, there will be a £7 billion cash increase in core schools funding by the 2024/25 financial year, compared to the 2021/22 financial year.

Any additional support will sit alongside our range of School Resource Management tools. These help schools get the best value from their resources, to direct funding towards improving outcomes for their pupils. These include recommended deals for energy costs and ancillary services relating to energy. The department is updating and strengthening guidance on a regular basis to inform schools of the market and commercial position, with practical advice on exiting existing and entering new contracts.

The Get Help Buying for Schools service will also be able to offer support to schools in switching and entering new contracts. It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-buying-for-schools. The department knows that every school’s circumstances are different, and where schools are in serious financial difficulty, they should contact their local authority or the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the department worked closely with partners, including the UK Health Security Agency, to ensure our policy on ventilation was in line with the latest public health and scientific advice.

In the 2021/22 academic year, the department provided over 386,000 CO₂ monitors to state-funded education providers, including early years, schools, and further education providers backed by £25 million in government funding. The monitors enable staff to identify areas where ventilation needs to be improved and provide reassurance that existing ventilation measures are working. This helps to balance the need for good ventilation with keeping classrooms warm. Research indicates that the monitors are helping schools to manage ventilation and, in most cases, existing ventilation measures were found to be sufficient.

The department has provided air cleaning units to eligible schools. All eligible applications received have now been fulfilled, with over 8,000 air cleaning units delivered. The delivery figures can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/delivery-of-air-cleaning-units. Schools can also purchase air cleaning units at a suitable specification and competitive price directly from suppliers at an online marketplace set up by the department. Further information can be found here: https://s107t01-webapp-v2-01.azurewebsites.net/list/air-cleaning.

In 2018, the department published Building Bulletin 101 (BB101), which provides guidance for school design on ventilation, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality. This guidance sets out the World Health Organisation’s air quality guidelines and Air Quality Standards Regulation 2010 for indoor air quality.

The department recognises the cost pressures that some schools and suppliers may be facing. We continue to hold regular meetings with other government departments and food industry representatives, covering a variety of issues, including public sector food supplies.

Schools fund benefit-related free school meals (FSM) from their core funding which they receive through the school’s block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and is derived from the National Funding Formula (NFF). For the 2022/23 financial year, the funding schools attract through the ‘FSM factor’ in the NFF is increasing to £470 per eligible pupil.

In recognition of cost pressures, after the NFF rates were set, the department received additional funding from HM Treasury for core schools funding in the 2022/23 financial year, which we distributed through the schools supplementary grant. As a result of this, core schools funding for mainstream schools is increasing by £2.5 billion in the 2022/23 financial year, compared to last year. The department has also given schools the autonomy to agree individual contracts with school food suppliers and caterers, using their increased core funding.​

The department recognises that children have missed out on opportunities to learn to swim due to COVID-19 restrictions. To mitigate the impact of this, through the Oak National Academy, the government has provided new virtual water safety lessons to ensure that despite pool closures pupils had some access to water safety tuition. The department is working closely with Swim England and other swimming and water safety organisations to support pupils returning safely to swimming and promote water safety education. Sport England’s annual Active Lives Children and Young People’s Survey reports that in the 2020/21 academic year, 76% of children in year 7 were able to swim at least 25 meters, this represents no change in comparison to the 2019/20 academic year.

During phase 2 of the Opening School Facilities programme (March 2021 to March 2022), 115 schools used funding to extend their swimming offer with many using funding to assist with cleaning and water testing, and minor investments such as extending lifeguard time or providing CPD for school staff to train as lifeguards.

On 2 October 2021, the government confirmed nearly £30 million a year for improving and opening up school sports facilities and improving the teaching of Physical Education at primary school. This further funding provides scope to provide funding, advice, and guidance to schools to make better use of their pools.

The government continues to monitor the cost pressures that schools are facing. Future increases in funding have been frontloaded to rapidly get money to schools so that in the 2022/23 academic year alone core schools funding will increase by £4 billion compared to the 2021/22 academic year.

The department recognises the impact rising energy prices may have. Ofgem and the government are in regular contact with business groups and suppliers to understand the challenges they face and explore ways to protect consumers and businesses.

The department recognises that children have missed out on opportunities to learn to swim due to COVID-19 restrictions. To mitigate the impact of this, through the Oak National Academy, the government has provided new virtual water safety lessons to ensure that despite pool closures pupils had some access to water safety tuition. The department is working closely with Swim England and other swimming and water safety organisations to support pupils returning safely to swimming and promote water safety education. Sport England’s annual Active Lives Children and Young People’s Survey reports that in the 2020/21 academic year, 76% of children in year 7 were able to swim at least 25 meters, this represents no change in comparison to the 2019/20 academic year.

During phase 2 of the Opening School Facilities programme (March 2021 to March 2022), 115 schools used funding to extend their swimming offer with many using funding to assist with cleaning and water testing, and minor investments such as extending lifeguard time or providing CPD for school staff to train as lifeguards.

On 2 October 2021, the government confirmed nearly £30 million a year for improving and opening up school sports facilities and improving the teaching of Physical Education at primary school. This further funding provides scope to provide funding, advice, and guidance to schools to make better use of their pools.

The government continues to monitor the cost pressures that schools are facing. Future increases in funding have been frontloaded to rapidly get money to schools so that in the 2022/23 academic year alone core schools funding will increase by £4 billion compared to the 2021/22 academic year.

The department recognises the impact rising energy prices may have. Ofgem and the government are in regular contact with business groups and suppliers to understand the challenges they face and explore ways to protect consumers and businesses.

The department spends around £600 million per year ensuring around 1.3 million infants enjoy a free, healthy, and nutritious meal at lunchtime following the introduction of the universal infant free school meal policy in 2014. The per meal rate of £2.34 per child was increased in the 2020/21 financial year. The funding rate for the 2022/23 financial year will be published with the funding allocations in June.

The department holds regular meetings with other government departments and with food industry representatives, covering a variety of issues including public sector food supplies. Schools are responsible for the provision of school meals and may enter individual contracts with suppliers and caterers to meet this duty. We are confident that schools will continue providing pupils with nutritious school meals as required by the school food standards.

We routinely consider contingency arrangements and expect schools and catering companies supplying them to do the same.

Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges is a priority for the government. The department works closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England/Improvement to introduce Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), to work closely with schools and colleges. MHSTs are intended to provide early intervention on mild to moderate mental health issues, as well as helping staff within a school or college setting to provide a ‘whole school approach’ to mental health and wellbeing.

There are now over 280 MHSTs set up or in training. 183 teams are operational and ready to support children and young people in around 3,000 schools and colleges, covering 15% of pupils in England. A further 104 teams are in development with more to be commissioned this year, which will deliver the NHS Long Term Plan commitment to reach 20-25% of pupils a year early (2022). In March 2021, DHSC announced £79 million to significantly expand children’s mental health services. Part of this will be spent on speeding up and expanding the provision of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in schools and colleges. By 2023, we plan to have a total of around 400 MHSTs, covering an estimated 3 million children and young people (around 35% of pupils in England).

A high-level MHST breakdown by year, region and area can be found here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/cyp/trailblazers/.