School closures can be influenced by a range of factors, not just the VAT policy. While VAT may have compounded pressure, school closures cannot be attributed to VAT alone. Factors such as school performance, financial viability and demographic shifts also play a role. In the 2025/26 academic year, more private schools opened than closed. The department monitors the private school sector via the ‘Get Information about Schools’ (GIAS) system, which shows that between 1 September 2025 and 31 July 2026, 108 private schools opened and 51 closed.

No such assessment has been made.

A new national procurement policy statement has been published which sets expectations for government contracts to favour products certified to high environmental standards that British producers are well-placed to meet.

The NHS Eatwell Guide recognises the valuable contribution of plant-based foods and drinks, illustrating that both plant-based products and animal-based products can be part of a healthy balanced diet.

We have appointed an independent panel of experts, led by education and health co-chairs, to advise on what approaches, strategies, and tools should be included in the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages.

The Standards will set out the provision that ordinarily should be in every setting across the 0 to 25 system. This is in addition to the evidence-based tools, strategies and approaches for educators to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Specialist Provision Packages describe the support available for children and young people with the most complex needs. These measures are designed to create a consistent, high-quality offer, wherever they live, thereby ending the post code lottery of support.

We will develop a national cost framework for these packages, and we expect to engage with stakeholders and consult on any new funding arrangements in due course.

The department recognises that the decision to close a school is difficult and sensitive and expects alternatives to closure to be explored before a decision is made. Where closure is considered the right option, the department expects proposers to minimise disruption to pupils’ education during the closure process and to support a smooth transition to alternative educational provision.

The evidence does not suggest a simple causal link between school closures and educational outcomes. However, we know that falling pupil numbers can create pressures on school finances, staffing and curriculum delivery, which may lead to closure being considered along with other options. The department is considering the impact of demographic change on educational outcomes, including for disadvantaged pupils, in line with recommendations made by the National Audit Office.

Proposers and local authorities should work together to ensure there are alternative places available for pupils, suitable transport arrangements and support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities as part of closure plans. Where the proposer is an academy trust, the department scrutinises these plans before agreeing to closure.

The department’s priority is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff during periods of extreme heat. Schools are supported through the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Met Office heat‑health alerts, alongside clear guidance on practical mitigations such as adapting the school day, improving ventilation, ensuring hydration and reducing strenuous activity.

The department’s position is that schools should remain open wherever it is safe to do so, as attendance supports pupils’ learning, wellbeing and safeguarding, and helps ensure children remain in a supervised environment. Decisions on whether to close or restrict attendance are taken locally by school leaders, who are best placed to assess safety in their setting.

Where it is not safe for all pupils to remain on site, schools may adapt their approach, including adjusting the school day or providing high quality remote education to support continuity of learning. Schools are expected to inform parents of any disruption and prioritise provision for vulnerable pupils and children of critical workers, in line with emergency planning guidance.

The department also provides clear public health messaging and encourages schools to share advice with families on staying safe in hot weather, including staying hydrated, avoiding peak heat, and keeping indoor environments cool.

The department published updated non-statutory guidance on school uniform last autumn, which encourages schools to ensure their policies are reasonable, inclusive and practical. This includes taking account of the needs and comfort of pupils, for example by allowing flexibility in uniform requirements during periods of very hot weather, particularly on occasions where the UK Health Security Agency has issued weather-health alerts. This could include allowing pupils to wear shorts or PE kit, or relaxing rules on blazers in very hot weather.

The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform/school-uniforms.

The department has published the ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ Schools White Paper, alongside a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) consultation, which set out our plans for reform, including those relating to funding. We have also published additional information on SEND Reform for those leading and working in mainstream schools, and a summary of what the SEND reforms mean for specialist provision, including special schools, which are available on GOV.UK.

In taking forward these plans, our aim is both to establish a fair mainstream school funding system that directs funding to where it is needed, enabling improved support for children with SEND, and to create a fair, transparent system that gives specialist schools stable, predictable funding to deliver high-quality education and integrated support for children with the most complex needs. We will consult on proposals for specific funding changes as these plans are further developed.

The government has not made any assessment of the financial sustainability of the private school sector. It is for private schools, as private businesses, to ensure their businesses remain viable.

The department’s reforms are designed to enable all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) including those with dyslexia to succeed.

We are providing £1.6 billion of additional funding to mainstream settings through an Inclusive Mainstream Fund to help settings identify commonly occurring needs and take meaningful steps to improve everyday support. Schools and colleges will also be able to direct funding to develop targeted support for those who need them, such as group interventions, without formal assessment or diagnosis.

Clear statutory duties for schools will also be introduced to identify and meet needs as early as possible and ensure the progress of children and young people is monitored to ensure timely and effective interventions.

To ensure teachers, teaching assistants, support staff and leaders across early years, schools and post-16 settings can be trained to support pupils with special educational needs, we are investing £200 million of new funding to upskill staff and promote an inclusive culture.

We have also introduced a range of measures to support high-quality teaching of reading and writing, including for pupils with SEND and dyslexia and those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme and the publication of both the reading and writing frameworks.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review considered how the curriculum and assessment system can better support the progress and attainment of all pupils, including those with SEND. In its response, the government committed to developing evidence-led resources to support curriculum adaptation, embedding high-quality adaptive teaching and formative assessment throughout teacher training, and working with Ofqual and exam boards to ensure accessibility is fully considered in the development of qualifications, including GCSEs.

We are carefully reviewing and considering all responses submitted to the SEND Reform consultation and continue to engage widely on our proposals. We will publish a response to the consultation in due course and bring forward legislation at the earliest opportunity.

The department’s reforms are designed to enable all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) including those with dyslexia to succeed.

We are providing £1.6 billion of additional funding to mainstream settings through an Inclusive Mainstream Fund to help settings identify commonly occurring needs and take meaningful steps to improve everyday support. Schools and colleges will also be able to direct funding to develop targeted support for those who need them, such as group interventions, without formal assessment or diagnosis.

Clear statutory duties for schools will also be introduced to identify and meet needs as early as possible and ensure the progress of children and young people is monitored to ensure timely and effective interventions.

To ensure teachers, teaching assistants, support staff and leaders across early years, schools and post-16 settings can be trained to support pupils with special educational needs, we are investing £200 million of new funding to upskill staff and promote an inclusive culture.

We have also introduced a range of measures to support high-quality teaching of reading and writing, including for pupils with SEND and dyslexia and those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme and the publication of both the reading and writing frameworks.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review considered how the curriculum and assessment system can better support the progress and attainment of all pupils, including those with SEND. In its response, the government committed to developing evidence-led resources to support curriculum adaptation, embedding high-quality adaptive teaching and formative assessment throughout teacher training, and working with Ofqual and exam boards to ensure accessibility is fully considered in the development of qualifications, including GCSEs.

We are carefully reviewing and considering all responses submitted to the SEND Reform consultation and continue to engage widely on our proposals. We will publish a response to the consultation in due course and bring forward legislation at the earliest opportunity.

The government will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every child and young person has access to early mental health support.

As of March 2026, 60% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England are covered by an MHST, including 79% of pupils in state-funded secondary schools. We estimate that MHST coverage will reach 66% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England by the end of the 2026/27 financial year.

We plan to accelerate the rollout of MHSTs in schools and colleges to reach full national coverage by 2029.

More information on MHSTs can be found at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/cyp/trailblazers/ and data for 2025/2026 can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-support-teams-coverage-and-school-and-college-experience.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The department’s Technology in Schools Survey collects information about whether schools meet the core technology standards, but does not provide a separate estimate for the cyber security core standard alone.

The department expects all schools and colleges to work towards meeting the six core standards, including cyber security, by 2030. To support this, the department has published guidance and expanded the Plan Technology for Your School service to include cyber security. We also continue to provide practical support to help settings assess risks and strengthen their resilience, for example, the Cyber Security Hub and cyber security services for colleges provided by Jisc.

We are currently reviewing the evidence base, including responses to the recent call for evidence on screen use, and this will inform our next steps in supporting schools and ensuring technology is used safely and effectively.

The government is also developing practical, evidence-based guidance on healthy screen use for parents of children aged 5 to 18. This will help parents and carers recognise that technology can bring benefits when used well, including for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The department recognises both the opportunities and risks presented by generative artificial intelligence in education. Evidence on the direct educational and health implications of pupils using generative AI is still emerging, and we continue to work with the education sector, experts and other government departments to build our understanding of safe and effective use. The department has set out its position on generative AI in education, which states that we see fewer risks from staff use of generative AI, as well as the need for schools to protect pupil and staff data, manage safeguarding and online safety risks, and ensure that AI use supports, rather than replaces, professional judgement. We have also published free support materials for schools and colleges to help staff and leaders use AI safely and effectively.

Improving the cost and availability of childcare is a priority for this government. Families can receive support with costs through Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit Childcare and the Flexible Support Fund.

The government has committed over £600 million to the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme from 2026/27, providing children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with free meals and enriching activities during school holidays. In a recent survey of 20,000 parents and carers, more that 90% said HAF helped them worry less about money during the holidays and made it easier for them to work.

The department has not assessed the cost of holiday childcare. This year, we are providing £12.9 million to support local authorities with school-age childcare. To monitor this, we are collecting termly data to provide us with a broad picture of the availability of holiday childcare.

The department is investing over £1 billion for PE and school sport over three years, including £530 million for a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network. Detailed design and funding allocations will be confirmed through the procurement process, but the approach will focus on ensuring support reaches those most in need.

Despite sustained investment through the PE and sport premium for over a decade, less than half of children are meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendation of 60 active minutes a day. In addition, persistent inequalities remain, with groups such as girls and those from disadvantaged and ethnically diverse backgrounds.

The department’s new approach, which is supported by the major sports governing bodies and the wider school sport sector, focuses on securing higher quality PE and school sport for all children and reducing inactivity amongst those who are currently least active.

It combines both a universal offer to all primary and secondary schools, which includes school requested intervention, plus targeted direct support for those schools and pupils who will benefit from it the most. This includes coaching, swimming provision and support to open facilities, as well as stronger links to extracurricular sport and local clubs. We will also provide targeted funding for schools to test and share effective practice, alongside more accessible programmes from National Governing Bodies and clearer pathways into community sport. Provision will be informed by baseline and ongoing needs assessments led by a national delivery partner.

To support schools with the transition to this new approach, the government has committed to a transitional premium payment of £150 million for the 2026/27 academic year.

In response to longstanding calls from schools, we are also investing almost £200 million in capital funding to go towards improving school sporting facilities.

The department publishes figures from the school census on pupil absence in England. The latest data covers the academic year 2024/25 and is available on GOV.UK.

Published data for the percentage of pupils classified as persistent absentees (defined as missing 10% or more of possible sessions) since the 2018/19 academic year is shown below.

Source: School Census

Full-year absence statistics for 2019/20 were not published due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tackling absence is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The pandemic had a significant impact on attendance across the country, with persistent absence rates roughly doubling. Attendance has been improving year on year, though persistent absence remains above pre-pandemic levels.

The causes of persistent absence are complex and often overlapping. They include physical and mental ill health, special educational needs and disabilities, disadvantage, insecure housing, transport difficulties and other practical barriers.

Persistent absence is substantially higher among disadvantaged pupils. In the 2024/25 academic year, 32.35% of pupils eligible for free school meals were persistently absent, compared with 12.10% for pupils who are not eligible.

Absence also has a significant effect on attainment. Departmental analysis found that pupils who miss just 10 days in Year 11 have around half the odds of achieving grade 5 in English and mathematics compared with otherwise similar pupils. However, measures taken by the government and the sector are having an effect. In 2024/25 pupils attended over 5 million more days than in the previous year, and around 150,000 fewer children were persistently absent.

Tackling absence is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The pandemic had a significant impact on attendance across the country, with persistent absence rates roughly doubling. Attendance has been improving year on year, though persistent absence remains above pre-pandemic levels.

The causes of persistent absence are complex and often overlapping. They include physical and mental ill health, special educational needs and disabilities, disadvantage, insecure housing, transport difficulties and other practical barriers.

Persistent absence is substantially higher among disadvantaged pupils. In the 2024/25 academic year, 32.35% of pupils eligible for free school meals were persistently absent, compared with 12.10% for pupils who are not eligible.

Absence also has a significant effect on attainment. Departmental analysis found that pupils who miss just 10 days in Year 11 have around half the odds of achieving grade 5 in English and mathematics compared with otherwise similar pupils. However, measures taken by the government and the sector are having an effect. In 2024/25 pupils attended over 5 million more days than in the previous year, and around 150,000 fewer children were persistently absent.

Tackling absence is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The pandemic had a significant impact on attendance across the country, with persistent absence rates roughly doubling. Attendance has been improving year on year, though persistent absence remains above pre-pandemic levels.

The causes of persistent absence are complex and often overlapping. They include physical and mental ill health, special educational needs and disabilities, disadvantage, insecure housing, transport difficulties and other practical barriers.

Persistent absence is substantially higher among disadvantaged pupils. In the 2024/25 academic year, 32.35% of pupils eligible for free school meals were persistently absent, compared with 12.10% for pupils who are not eligible.

Absence also has a significant effect on attainment. Departmental analysis found that pupils who miss just 10 days in Year 11 have around half the odds of achieving grade 5 in English and mathematics compared with otherwise similar pupils. However, measures taken by the government and the sector are having an effect. In 2024/25 pupils attended over 5 million more days than in the previous year, and around 150,000 fewer children were persistently absent.

Tackling absence is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The pandemic had a significant impact on attendance across the country, with persistent absence rates roughly doubling. Attendance has been improving year on year, though persistent absence remains above pre-pandemic levels.

The causes of persistent absence are complex and often overlapping. They include physical and mental ill health, special educational needs and disabilities, disadvantage, insecure housing, transport difficulties and other practical barriers.

Persistent absence is substantially higher among disadvantaged pupils. In the 2024/25 academic year, 32.35% of pupils eligible for free school meals were persistently absent, compared with 12.10% for pupils who are not eligible.

Absence also has a significant effect on attainment. Departmental analysis found that pupils who miss just 10 days in Year 11 have around half the odds of achieving grade 5 in English and mathematics compared with otherwise similar pupils. However, measures taken by the government and the sector are having an effect. In 2024/25 pupils attended over 5 million more days than in the previous year, and around 150,000 fewer children were persistently absent.

The government recognises that we must get the balance right when it comes to technology use for teaching and learning. The department’s expert advisory group on screen time is assessing a range of evidence and responses to the department’s call for evidence, which will inform guidance and policy on the use of technology in schools.

The department collects a wide range of information on technology use in schools through the biennial Technology in Schools Survey, which provides information on the availability and use of devices by pupils in primary and secondary schools. This does not include specific information about use of devices during lessons or for homework activities.

The government recognises that we must get the balance right when it comes to technology use. The department’s expert advisory group on screen time is assessing a range of evidence and responses to the department’s call for evidence, which will inform guidance and policy on the use of technology in schools.

This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member for Fylde directly and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The department will be seeking views from unions and employer representatives on whether it is beneficial to provide updated guidance for schools on trade union facility time, or whether it is adequately covered by other sources of guidance.

The department is seeking a meeting with Kent County Council officers to understand more about its Communities of Schools model.

The department supports schools to make evidence-informed decisions about technology and trends in technology use in schools and colleges through the Technology in Schools Survey.

To consider the effectiveness of these technologies the department has a series of programmes underway, including the £24 million EdTech Testbed programme, which will generate stronger evidence on the impact of educational technology in real-world school and college settings. A pilot EdTech Evidence Board has also been established and uses independent expert panels to review evidence of the quality and impact of EdTech tools. Finally, artificial intelligence benchmarks are being developed as an independent way to assess the effective development of generative AI tools for education.

The department also works with the Education Endowment Foundation to support independent evaluations of EdTech use. Decisions about one-to-one devices and specific applications remain for schools and trusts, based on their pupils’ needs, infrastructure and teaching priorities.

The department does not collect data on the number of diversity, equity and inclusion roles in state-funded schools, or the costs associated with such role. While the school workforce census collects data on broad staff categories, it does not capture information on specific functions or responsibilities undertaken by individual employees.

The department recognises the growing use of education technology in schools and the importance of understanding its impact on pupil outcomes. Through the Technology in Schools Survey, we track the types of devices made available to pupils and the extent to which these are used in lessons. The department is currently launching programmes such as the National EdTech Testbed programme to build the evidence base on the impact of technology. We announced in January 2026 that the Testbed Programme has expanded, and we have now partnered with the Education Endowment Foundation to deliver the £24 million multi-year programme which will build an evidence pipeline, evaluating the impact of education technology and artificial intelligence in schools and colleges, and how it can be used effectively to support teachers, improve inclusion and strengthen educational outcomes. The department will continue to support schools to make evidence-informed decisions about the use of technology.

Decisions about the use of digital devices in classrooms are for schools to make. However, the government’s guidance for younger children advises limiting screen time and prioritising sleep, play, physical activity and interaction with adults. The government is considering the evidence base, following a Call for Evidence, on screen use for children aged 5 to 18 and how to support schools and families to make informed, evidence-based decisions about technology use.

All schools and multi-academy trusts are responsible for selecting technology that meets their own educational needs, context and supports them in meeting statutory responsibilities.

Those choices should be informed, evidence-based decisions. To support schools, our EdTech Evidence Board programme set out a framework of advice and questions schools can ask EdTech suppliers to support evidence-based decisions. We are also in the process of setting up EdTech Testbed Programme to assess and generate evidence on the effectiveness and impact of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), in real education settings. Lastly, we are developing AI benchmarks as a way to test the effective product development of AI tools.

The department does not currently recommend, endorse or encourage any specific educational technology products for use in schools.

The department estimates the impact of changes to schools’ costs, including employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs), at a national level and does not estimate the costs incurred by individual schools, including schools in Castle Point constituency.

There is no increase in employers’ NICs in 2026/27, compared to 2025/26. The government agreed that public sector employers would receive support in recognition of the increase in their NICs from April 2025 and provided support to schools through the NICs Grant in 2025/26.

Funding allocated in 2025/26 through the NICs Grant was rolled into the schools National Funding Formula (NFF) in 2026/27, to help simplify the funding system and keep funding fair. The department’s NFF policy document is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69417d442d5e7e863253755a/The_national_funding_formula_for_schools_and_high_needs_-_2026_to_2027.pdf.

The government recognises outdoor opportunities as a valuable part of the childhood experiences we want all children and young people to have.

Participation in enrichment activities can be associated with a range of positive outcomes, including wellbeing, life satisfaction and better mental health.

Our enrichment framework, published on 15 June, sets an expectation that all schools and colleges should offer a broad and well-rounded enrichment offer. Access to nature, outdoors and adventure, including camps, is specifically identified as one of the five areas that offers should cover as a minimum and highlights examples of offers including residentials.

The department is supporting the provision of more opportunities through the £132 million ‘Every Child Can’ programme and will be supporting 400 schools in deprived areas to develop offers in line with the benchmarks through our £22.5 million Enrichment Enhancement Programme. We will also be working to grow provision in areas where access is limited, working with Baroness Grey-Thompson as enrichment ambassador for this area.

The department will strengthen media literacy education and skills for young people to critically engage with and assess information from a range of sources in the national curriculum, following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report. This will help pupils learn how to spot misinformation and disinformation, including AI-generated content, and to develop critical thinking skills.

The department is engaging with sector experts to determine how to reflect this in the updated curriculum and training requirements for teachers. Following public consultation from September, the new curriculum will be taught from September 2028.

Updated relationships, sex and health education guidance, to be implemented from September 2026, includes strengthened content on staying safe online and online wellbeing. Secondary pupils will learn how advertising and information is targeted at them and how to be a discerning consumer of information online, understanding the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation online, including conspiracy theories.

The department will strengthen media literacy education and skills for young people to critically engage with and assess information from a range of sources in the national curriculum, following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report. This will help pupils learn how to spot misinformation and disinformation, including AI-generated content, and to develop critical thinking skills.

The department is engaging with sector experts to determine how to reflect this in the updated curriculum and training requirements for teachers. Following public consultation from September, the new curriculum will be taught from September 2028.

Updated relationships, sex and health education guidance, to be implemented from September 2026, includes strengthened content on staying safe online and online wellbeing. Secondary pupils will learn how advertising and information is targeted at them and how to be a discerning consumer of information online, understanding the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation online, including conspiracy theories.

The department recognises the value of music and the arts in supporting wellbeing and engagement, and that participation in the arts can bring a range of benefits for children and young people. Furthermore, the Education Endowment Fund’s teaching and learning toolkit reports that it can have a positive impact on academic outcomes in other curriculum areas, as well as benefits to children’s wellbeing and attitudes to learning.

The government believes creative subjects like music, art and design, dance and drama are important elements of the rounded and enriching education every child deserves. We will revitalise arts education as part of the reformed national curriculum and through high-quality support for teachers of arts subjects.

For secondary schools, the reformed curriculum will strengthen pupils’ subject-specific skills, including critical thinking, creative thinking and problem solving. A strengthened key stage 3 curriculum, alongside a new secondary oracy, reading and writing framework and enrichment entitlement, will help pupils build confidence, develop communication skills and broaden their horizons.

The government's consultation on key stage 4 performance measures included proposals intended to increase recognition of creative subjects within the accountability system, reflecting the important contribution they make to a broad and balanced curriculum. The government is considering the consultation feedback and will publish its response in due course.

As part of the updated statutory relationships and health education guidance in primary schools and relationships, sex and health education guidance in secondary schools, pupils are taught about online safety and harms. This includes harmful content and the risks associated with social media trends. Teaching also includes content on the characteristics of social media and the importance of making responsible decisions about appropriate social media content.

Whilst animal welfare is not a compulsory part of the national curriculum, there are opportunities for it to be taught and schools have the autonomy to teach additional topics flexibly, based on local need and that are age appropriate.

Rugby remains an established part of school sport and there are clear inequalities among girls, disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs.

The department maintains regular engagement with sporting bodies, including the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League. These organisations report growing participation in schools and are investing in and are investing in formats such as T1 (non-contact) rugby, tag rugby and touch rugby, which can help schools introduce the sport more easily and safely.

We are investing over £1 billion in PE and school sport over the next three years, including £530 million for the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network. The Network will strengthen links between schools, governing bodies and local clubs, helping to identify and remove barriers to participation and ensuring that rugby, including contact rugby, and other sports are accessible to young people across the country.

Rugby remains an established part of school sport and there are clear inequalities among girls, disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs.

The department maintains regular engagement with sporting bodies, including the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League. These organisations report growing participation in schools and are investing in and are investing in formats such as T1 (non-contact) rugby, tag rugby and touch rugby, which can help schools introduce the sport more easily and safely.

We are investing over £1 billion in PE and school sport over the next three years, including £530 million for the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network. The Network will strengthen links between schools, governing bodies and local clubs, helping to identify and remove barriers to participation and ensuring that rugby, including contact rugby, and other sports are accessible to young people across the country.

Rugby remains an established part of school sport and there are clear inequalities among girls, disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs.

The department maintains regular engagement with sporting bodies, including the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League. These organisations report growing participation in schools and are investing in and are investing in formats such as T1 (non-contact) rugby, tag rugby and touch rugby, which can help schools introduce the sport more easily and safely.

We are investing over £1 billion in PE and school sport over the next three years, including £530 million for the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network. The Network will strengthen links between schools, governing bodies and local clubs, helping to identify and remove barriers to participation and ensuring that rugby, including contact rugby, and other sports are accessible to young people across the country.

Rugby remains an established part of school sport and there are clear inequalities among girls, disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs.

The department maintains regular engagement with sporting bodies, including the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League. These organisations report growing participation in schools and are investing in and are investing in formats such as T1 (non-contact) rugby, tag rugby and touch rugby, which can help schools introduce the sport more easily and safely.

We are investing over £1 billion in PE and school sport over the next three years, including £530 million for the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network. The Network will strengthen links between schools, governing bodies and local clubs, helping to identify and remove barriers to participation and ensuring that rugby, including contact rugby, and other sports are accessible to young people across the country.

Relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) is subject to statutory guidance, which schools must have regard to when developing and delivering their curriculum. Governing bodies, academy trusts and school proprietors are responsible for ensuring that RSHE is taught in accordance with legal requirements and the statutory guidance, including consultation with parents. Ofsted inspects schools’ safeguarding arrangements and wider personal development, which includes evaluating whether pupils receive a comprehensive and age-appropriate RSHE curriculum.

All schools must have an up-to-date written policy for relationships education or, where they teach sex education, for relationships and sex education (RSE). Statutory RSHE guidance requires schools to consult parents on their RSHE policy and provide examples of the resources they plan to use. The department is clear that parents should be able to view curriculum materials on request, and schools should not enter into arrangements that prevent them from sharing RSHE resources with parents.

Relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) is subject to statutory guidance, which schools must have regard to when developing and delivering their curriculum. Governing bodies, academy trusts and school proprietors are responsible for ensuring that RSHE is taught in accordance with legal requirements and the statutory guidance, including consultation with parents. Ofsted inspects schools’ safeguarding arrangements and wider personal development, which includes evaluating whether pupils receive a comprehensive and age-appropriate RSHE curriculum.

All schools must have an up-to-date written policy for relationships education or, where they teach sex education, for relationships and sex education (RSE). Statutory RSHE guidance requires schools to consult parents on their RSHE policy and provide examples of the resources they plan to use. The department is clear that parents should be able to view curriculum materials on request, and schools should not enter into arrangements that prevent them from sharing RSHE resources with parents.

The department is providing schools with £700 million in additional funding in the 2026/27 financial year to support them with overall costs, including the costs of the 3.5% schools teacher pay award and the local government services pay offer in respect of support staff in the 2026/27 financial year.

In the 2026/27 financial year, mainstream schools and special and alternative provision settings will receive additional funding through the Schools Budget Support Grant 2026, which will mirror the design and distribution of previous pay grants. Funding for eligible early years settings will be distributed through the Early Years Teacher Pay Grant 2026. Funding for 16 to 19 schools will be distributed via 16 to 19 allocations to support post-16 provision in schools and academies.

Further information for schools on the methodology, conditions of grant and rates, as well as a calculator tool has been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-budget-support-grant-2026-sbsg-26.

Allocations will be published in October.

This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth directly and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

All schools are required to have a school complaints procedure. Concerns about the content of relationships, sex and health education taught in a school should, in the first instance, be raised with the school through its complaints process. If a complainant has concerns about the way the school has handled their complaint, they may raise the matter with the department to consider whether the school has followed its published complaints procedure and complied with relevant legal and statutory requirements.

To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps, if any, they are taking to recruit more music teachers to bridge the gap caused by missed recruitment targets in past years.

We look at the subjects to be covered by the bursary on the basis of need and difficulty in recruitment. Given the encouraging improvements in music teacher recruitment over recent years, we have decided not to continue the bursary this year. My noble friend also made an important point about the curriculum, and we have already reformed the EBacc accountability measure and removed it, because it limited children’s choice of what they learned at school. Through the curriculum and assessment review, we will bring about further improvements in the music curriculum.

My Lords, under Conservative-led Governments, the EBacc and Progress 8 worked to squeeze music out of the curriculum. Recruitment targets for music teacher training were missed for 11 out of 12 years. In fact, the number of music teachers fell by 850 between 2011 and 2023. I am sure that the Labour Government’s reforms will strengthen provision, but the music curriculum is also constrained by music teacher workforce supply, which is fundamentally a question of unequal opportunity to choose music as a subject. Will my noble friend the Minister look again at teacher training incentives, such as the bursary, and at re-establishing ambitious recruitment targets?

Oh dear. We are definitely investing £76 million annually in music hubs, which of course means that the 43 music hubs can continue their important work to help children, regardless of background, to access musical education, by providing instruments and resources. In addition, we are investing up to £13 million in the national centre for arts and music education, which we intend to establish by September, to provide support for the revised national curriculum, improve the professional development of music teachers and make sure that extracurricular school enrichment and partnerships with music and arts organisations are strengthened.

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister, who is a brilliant Minister, for her reply. But she erred slightly in blaming the EBacc, which provides no constraint on choice. What supports choice, of course, is the provision of music hubs. Under the coalition Government, Darren Henley’s music review ensured that they are there to provide support for all schools, but sadly, under the latter years of the Conservative Government, and under this Government, there has been no real-terms increase in funding for music hubs. We know that the incoming Prime Minister is a great fan of music and a champion of the Hallé Orchestra. Will the Minister encourage him to show “true faith” in our music hubs, end the “definitely maybe” culture of funding and guarantee a “new order” with a “wonderwall” of funding for them?

Every year, we review the recruitment trajectory for different subjects. Given the need to safeguard public money and ensure we are spending it efficiently, and given that we have had a 55% increase in recruitment to initial music teacher training and the lowest leaving rate—8.7%—for music teachers at any point, apart from during the pandemic, I do not think it unreasonable to conclude that, at this point in time, the bursary is not required to bring about recruitment. As I said, we will of course review that every year. We will keep in mind the number of teachers needed to maintain the proportion of hours taught by specialist music teachers in our schools at above 90%, and we will, as we have already proved, pay more if necessary to get the teachers our children need.