Department for Education

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Overall schools funding is increasing by £3.2 billion in the 2025/26 financial year and will total over £64.8 billion, compared to almost £61.6 billion in 2024/25. Most schools’ funding is not allocated or ring-fenced for specific purposes. Schools decide how to spend their budgets to meet their legal duties and other responsibilities, including support for their pupils with SEND.

Of the increase in total schools funding, £1 billion will be for high needs budgets in England in the 2025/26 financial year, bringing total high needs funding for children and young people with complex SEND to over £12 billion.

Decisions on schools funding for the years beyond 2025/26 will be taken following the forthcoming spending review.

The most recent statistics on apprenticeship starts by industry characteristics cover the 2021/22 academic year and are published on Explore Education Statistics at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-in-england-by-industry-characteristics. Data for the 2022/23 academic year will be published in June 2025.

These statistics report on new apprenticeship starts in a given academic year and will not include those that are part-way through their apprenticeship. Therefore, they do not show a full count of apprentices in the workforce at that time.

Gender is not collected within the Individualised Learner Record, so this data is based on sex.

Data on apprenticeship starts below level 6 and at level 6+, by sex, in the aerospace industry is provided below.

Apprenticeship starts by level and sex in the aerospace industry:

This government inherited a challenging fiscal context which means tough decisions are needed across the public sector. However, the department is investing over £7.5 billion in 16-19 study programmes during the 2024/25 academic year to help to ensure that all young people have access to high quality education and training that meets their needs and provides them with opportunities to thrive.

In the guidance ‘16 to 19 funding: information for 2025 to 2026’, published March 2025, the department announced an additional £100 million investment in 16-19 education in the 2025/26 financial year on top of the £300 million announced at the Budget. This means we will now be spending over £400 million to ensure enough funding is available given the very significant increase in student numbers and other pressures on the system. In addition, we are providing funding to compensate colleges and schools for increased employer National Insurance contributions, which will add a further £155 million to funding for post-16 education in the 2025/26 financial year.

Where the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) has been confirmed, the government is funding the removal of RAAC from schools and colleges in England. The department has committed to resolving this problem as quickly as possible, permanently removing RAAC either through grant funding or the School Rebuilding Programme (SRP). Permanently removing RAAC may involve refurbishment of existing buildings or rebuilding affected buildings. All schools and colleges with confirmed RAAC are providing full time face-to-face education for all pupils and have suitable mitigations in place.

For schools and colleges receiving grants, it is for responsible bodies to develop project plans that suit their individual circumstances, drawing on the department’s support as needed. The scope and cost of each project will vary depending on the extent of the issue and nature and design of the buildings. Grants are agreed with responsible bodies and we support them as they take this forward. The department is encouraging responsible bodies to plan their projects for completion as soon as realistically possible. Responsible bodies and settings might use time in school holidays for works to take place.

As of 1 April 2025, 39 schools where works are being delivered by responsible bodies via grant funding have informed us they have permanently removed RAAC.

It is our ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life. This is key to the government’s Plan for Change, which starts with reaching the milestone of a record number of children being ready for school. That also means ensuring the sector is financially sustainable and confident as it continues to deliver entitlements and high quality early years provision going forward.

That is why, despite tough decisions to get public finances back on track, the government is continuing to prioritise and invest in supporting early education and childcare providers, including social enterprise nurseries, with the costs they face.

In the 2025/26 financial year alone, the department plans to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements. We have also announced the largest ever uplift to the early years pupil premium, increasing the rate by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year.

On top of this, the department is providing a further £75 million through the early years expansion grant to support the sector as it prepares to deliver the final phase of expanded childcare entitlements from September 2025, recognising the significant level of expansion needed and the effort and planning this will require.

Early years childcare providers, including social enterprise nurseries, may also benefit from the Employment Allowance. The Allowance is being increased to protect businesses and provides them with relief of up to £10,500 per annum on their employer Class 1 National Insurance contributions liabilities from 6 April. Early years childcare providers are entitled to claim the Allowance if they are private businesses or charities, and the department expects the vast majority will be eligible to do so.

The government has a central mission to break down barriers to opportunity for every child, having inherited a trend of rising child poverty. That is why the government is committed to delivering an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty, tackling the root causes and giving every child the best start at life. 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, while supporting parents and carers to work.

The department spends around £1.5 billion annually on free lunches for 2.1 million school pupils under benefits-based free school meals, over 90,000 disadvantaged students in further education, and around 1.3 million infants under universal infant free school meals. On the Isle of Wight, 24.7% benefit from free school meals.

Supporting physical education and sport at school is essential and further information on budgets for the 2025/26 academic year will be provided shortly.

Records of school closures are publicly available on the Get Information about Schools website at: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.

Data on Sure Start children’s centres is supplied by local authorities via the department’s Get Information about Schools database portal at: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.

Based on information supplied by local authorities in the East Midlands, 41 children’s centres have closed since 2010. Local authorities in the East Midlands have converted a further 44 children’s centres into children’s centre linked sites. ‘Children’s centre linked sites’ are formerly children's centres in their own right, but they no longer meet the statutory definition of a children’s centre. They offer some early childhood services on behalf of another children's centre.

The information on children’s centres closed since 2010 is based on data supplied by the local authorities in the East Midlands as of 8 April 2025. These figures could change again in future, since local authorities may update the database at any time.

The government has committed £1.4 billion to continue the current School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) in 2025/26, reconfirming the department’s commitment to rebuild or refurbish 518 schools and sixth form colleges across England, prioritising delivery based on need. All schools within the programme are prioritised for delivery according to the condition of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. Expected delivery timeframes have been communicated to all responsible bodies.

Just over half of SRP projects have started various stages of delivery activity and, so far, the department has handed over 28 projects, including refurbished or rebuilt schools. We plan to increase the number of existing school rebuilding projects that we will start delivery on in this financial year to 100, so work can start more quickly, and more children and teachers will ultimately benefit from new school buildings sooner.

I refer the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston to the answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 34817.

The government has committed £1.4 billion to continue the current School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) in 2025/26, reconfirming our commitment to rebuild or refurbish 518 schools and sixth form colleges across England, prioritising delivery based on need. We have handed over 28 projects, refurbished or rebuilt, in the SRP. All schools within the programme are prioritised for delivery according to the condition of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. Expected delivery timeframes have been communicated to all responsible bodies.

Just under half of SRP projects have started various stages of delivery activity. In the next financial year, we plan to increase the number of existing school rebuilding projects on which we will start delivery to 100, from 50 in the 2023/24 financial year and 75 in the 2024/25 financial year, so work can start more quickly.

​The government recognises that the misuse of reasonable force and restrictive interventions can have a significant and long-lasting effect on pupils, staff members and parents.

The department is currently consulting on revisions to the ‘Use of reasonable force’ guidance, published in 2013. The consultation is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/use-of-reasonable-force-and-other-restrictive-interventions-guidance-proposed-amendments. The revised guidance will provide advice for schools on creating environments that minimise the use of reasonable force and restrictive interventions, and, where necessary, support staff to use reasonable force and restrictive interventions safely, appropriately and within the law.

The revised draft guidance defines reasonable force and other restrictive interventions, and outlines the general risks associated with their use. This approach ensures that the guidance can be applied regardless of specific terminology that a school may use and allows school staff to confidently apply the advice in order to minimise the use of restrictive practices.

The department recognises the importance of recording and reporting the use of force. This is why we will be enacting Section 93a of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, making recording and reporting incidents of reasonable force to parents a legal duty. This will be enacted to coincide with the publication of the updated ‘Use of reasonable force’ guidance, to ensure that schools have adequate advice on how they should be recording and reporting any incidents where reasonable force, including restrictive interventions, is used.

​The government recognises that the misuse of reasonable force and restrictive interventions can have a significant and long-lasting effect on pupils, staff members and parents.

The department is currently consulting on revisions to the ‘Use of reasonable force’ guidance, published in 2013. The consultation is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/use-of-reasonable-force-and-other-restrictive-interventions-guidance-proposed-amendments. The revised guidance will provide advice for schools on creating environments that minimise the use of reasonable force and restrictive interventions, and, where necessary, support staff to use reasonable force and restrictive interventions safely, appropriately and within the law.

The revised draft guidance defines reasonable force and other restrictive interventions, and outlines the general risks associated with their use. This approach ensures that the guidance can be applied regardless of specific terminology that a school may use and allows school staff to confidently apply the advice in order to minimise the use of restrictive practices.

The department recognises the importance of recording and reporting the use of force. This is why we will be enacting Section 93a of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, making recording and reporting incidents of reasonable force to parents a legal duty. This will be enacted to coincide with the publication of the updated ‘Use of reasonable force’ guidance, to ensure that schools have adequate advice on how they should be recording and reporting any incidents where reasonable force, including restrictive interventions, is used.

The holiday activities and food (HAF) programme supports disadvantaged children and their families with enriching activities, providing them with healthy food, helping them to learn new things, improving socialisation and benefiting their health and wellbeing during school holidays.

The HAF programme, although aimed at those children in receipt of benefits related free school meals (FSM) is not exclusively for them. As set out in the HAF guidance, while the majority of funding that local authorities receive should be used for holiday club places for children in receipt of FSM, local authorities have discretion to use up to 15% of their funding to provide free or subsidised holiday club places for children who are not in receipt of benefits-related FSM, but who the local authority believe could benefit from HAF provision.

Tackling absence, including persistent absence, is a critical priority for the government, and is at the heart of our mission is to break down the barriers to opportunity. If children are not in school, it does not matter how effective or well-supported teaching and learning is, they will not benefit. Whilst rates of overall and persistent absence are reducing year on year, they remain too high both overall and for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Evidence is clear that being absent from school is strongly linked to pupils’ attainment and later life chances and can significantly affect families, for example, limiting parental ability to work. Further, for pupils with SEND in particular, schools provide vital services including specialised teaching, therapy, and counselling, that absent students are unable to access. The department’s statutory guidance to schools, trusts, and local authorities recognises that pupils with additional needs may face more complex barriers to school attendance. Schools should take a sensitive, ‘support first’ approach to ensuring pupils’ attendance. This includes working with the child and their family to remove any barriers to attendance, additional support from wider services and external partners and, where appropriate, providing adjustments such as individual healthcare plans and greater pastoral support. While some pupils may face additional challenges, we expect schools to have the same attendance ambitions for all pupils, and to put support in place to facilitate their attendance.

The department engages regularly with teachers and headteachers and their representative bodies on a range of issues, including mobile phone use in schools and the impact of social media on young people. This includes engagement through the department’s teacher and headteacher reference groups.

The department’s ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance is clear that schools should prohibit the use of devices with smart technology throughout the school day, including during lessons, transitions and breaks.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.

The department has now published allocations for £740 million in High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) for the 2025/26 financial year, to support local authorities to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings, and to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings.

The funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible for children with SEND, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

Central Bedfordshire Council has been allocated £4.4 million for 2025/26 and it is up to the local authority to make decisions about the places they create and to prioritise this funding to meet local needs.

School buildings are integral to high and rising standards and need to be fit for the future. The department therefore also supports local authorities, academy trusts and voluntary-aided school bodies, which are responsible for keeping buildings safe and well-maintained by providing, capital funding, delivering major rebuilding programmes and offering guidance and support.

The department is increasing capital funding to improve the condition of school buildings to £2.1 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, up from £1.8 billion for the 2024/25 financial year.

As part of this, for the 2025/26 financial year, Central Bedfordshire Council has been provisionally allocated a school condition allocation (SCA) of £3.3 million to decide how to allocate across its maintained schools based on local knowledge of condition need, prioritising keeping schools safe and operational. Local authority schools in Central Bedfordshire have also been provisionally allocated a total of £0.4 million in devolved formula capital (DFC) in 2025/26 to spend on their own capital priorities.

Large multi-academy trusts and large voluntary aided school bodies, such as dioceses, will also have been provisionally allocated SCA, but allocations typically span across local authority boundaries. Smaller multi-academy and single academy trusts and sixth form colleges were instead eligible to apply to the Condition Improvement Fund, with outcomes due to be published later in the spring. All eligible non-maintained schools in Bedfordshire have also been provisionally allocated DFC.

Provisional capital condition allocations for 2025/26 are published on GOV.UK, with final allocations to follow later in the spring.

The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision sits with local authorities.

The department has now published allocations for £740 million in High Needs Provision Capital Allocations (HNPCA) for the 2025/26 financial year, to support local authorities to deliver new places in mainstream and special schools, as well as other specialist settings, and to improve the suitability and accessibility of existing buildings.

The funding can be used to adapt schools to be more accessible for children with SEND, to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.

Central Bedfordshire Council has been allocated £4.4 million for 2025/26 and it is up to the local authority to make decisions about the places they create and to prioritise this funding to meet local needs.

School buildings are integral to high and rising standards and need to be fit for the future. The department therefore also supports local authorities, academy trusts and voluntary-aided school bodies, which are responsible for keeping buildings safe and well-maintained by providing, capital funding, delivering major rebuilding programmes and offering guidance and support.

The department is increasing capital funding to improve the condition of school buildings to £2.1 billion for the 2025/26 financial year, up from £1.8 billion for the 2024/25 financial year.

As part of this, for the 2025/26 financial year, Central Bedfordshire Council has been provisionally allocated a school condition allocation (SCA) of £3.3 million to decide how to allocate across its maintained schools based on local knowledge of condition need, prioritising keeping schools safe and operational. Local authority schools in Central Bedfordshire have also been provisionally allocated a total of £0.4 million in devolved formula capital (DFC) in 2025/26 to spend on their own capital priorities.

Large multi-academy trusts and large voluntary aided school bodies, such as dioceses, will also have been provisionally allocated SCA, but allocations typically span across local authority boundaries. Smaller multi-academy and single academy trusts and sixth form colleges were instead eligible to apply to the Condition Improvement Fund, with outcomes due to be published later in the spring. All eligible non-maintained schools in Bedfordshire have also been provisionally allocated DFC.

Provisional capital condition allocations for 2025/26 are published on GOV.UK, with final allocations to follow later in the spring.

Children’s early years are crucial to their development, health and life chances. That is why the Plan for Change set out the government’s ambition for a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn in the classroom. The department will measure our progress through 75% of children reaching a good level of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile assessment by 2028.

We are clear that in driving progress towards our milestone we must deliver better early education experiences and outcomes for children from low-income families and children with special educational needs and disabilities. The department will set out further plans in due course.

Children’s early years are crucial to their development, health and life chances. That is why the Plan for Change set out the government’s ambition for a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn in the classroom. The department will measure our progress through 75% of children reaching a good level of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile assessment by 2028.

We are clear that in driving progress towards our milestone we must deliver better early education experiences and outcomes for children from low-income families and children with special educational needs and disabilities. The department will set out further plans in due course.

Free school meal support is available to households receiving Universal Credit, and with an annual earned income of £7,400 or less.

This government’s ambition is to drive down poverty through our Child Poverty Strategy and cross-government work to support more parents into employment and to increase their working hours.

The free school meals (FSM) scheme provides nutritious school lunches to children who could otherwise not afford them. To support take-up, the department provides an Eligibility Checking System so that eligibility can be checked as quickly and straightforwardly as possible. The department is pressing ahead with an upgraded Eligibility Checking System which will allow parents to check their own eligibility, making it quicker and easier for both families and local authorities to register eligible children for FSM.

The department is aware of locally led approaches to boost take-up of free lunches. To support these approaches, we are working with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to explore options on data sharing that will make it easier to identify families who are eligible to make a claim. We expect to have these in place from spring next year, well ahead of the 2026 academic year.

Officials are also working with the Department for Work and Pensions to consider how enrolment may be supported through the Universal Credit claims process.

The department will monitor the impact of these policies and engage with local authorities to assess the impact that these changes are having on uptake of FSM.

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

The department is committed to supporting the UK net-zero carbon targets. Since 2021, our own building standards require that all new school buildings we deliver are net-zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change​.

The department is providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help for buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high quality and value to the sector. More information can be found at: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.

​Details of other government funding available to public bodies for sustainability, prepared by the Crown Commercial Service can be found at: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/social-value/carbon-net-zero/funding-and-grants.

Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational.

The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is £300 million more than the previous year.

In addition, the department is working with Great British Energy, as part of their solar programme, and investing a total of £80 million to install solar and other related interventions in 200 schools and colleges. This is targeting areas of deprivation, to reduce emissions and energy bills, whilst also combining it with a behaviour change and skills programme that seeks to inspire young people to take up career and training opportunities in clean energy and construction.

As of February 2025, 341 (21%) of primary schools taking part in the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP) are in the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. Around 22% of primary schools in the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England were taking part in the NSBP as at February 2025.

The department has selected the schools of the breakfast club early adopter scheme to ensure there is a representative sample of primary schools nationally.

This government’s new breakfast clubs are about more than the food. They provide opportunities for children to play and socialise before the start of the school day, supporting children’s attendance and attainment, enabling them to thrive academically and socially.

This is why the department is committed to introducing free breakfast clubs in every school with primary aged children, with schools receiving funding to cover food, delivery and staffing costs. This goes far beyond the reach of the NSBP in all, and importantly, the most disadvantaged areas.

On average, schools on the breakfast club early adopter scheme will get over £21,000 more than schools on the current NSBP.

An average primary school, with 50% take-up, would receive over £23,000 for a full year for an early adopter breakfast club. The amount each school will receive will be based on the number of pupils who accessed the club and the characteristics of pupils.

The department has used existing programmes and costs to determine the funding rates, and this has been tested and refined with a number of schools. One function of the early adopters is to test how schools utilise the funding and understand what support schools need.

As of February 2025, 341 (21%) of primary schools taking part in the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP) are in the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. Around 22% of primary schools in the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England were taking part in the NSBP as at February 2025.

The department has selected the schools of the breakfast club early adopter scheme to ensure there is a representative sample of primary schools nationally.

This government’s new breakfast clubs are about more than the food. They provide opportunities for children to play and socialise before the start of the school day, supporting children’s attendance and attainment, enabling them to thrive academically and socially.

This is why the department is committed to introducing free breakfast clubs in every school with primary aged children, with schools receiving funding to cover food, delivery and staffing costs. This goes far beyond the reach of the NSBP in all, and importantly, the most disadvantaged areas.

On average, schools on the breakfast club early adopter scheme will get over £21,000 more than schools on the current NSBP.

An average primary school, with 50% take-up, would receive over £23,000 for a full year for an early adopter breakfast club. The amount each school will receive will be based on the number of pupils who accessed the club and the characteristics of pupils.

The department has used existing programmes and costs to determine the funding rates, and this has been tested and refined with a number of schools. One function of the early adopters is to test how schools utilise the funding and understand what support schools need.

As of February 2025, 341 (21%) of primary schools taking part in the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP) are in the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. Around 22% of primary schools in the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England were taking part in the NSBP as at February 2025.

The department has selected the schools of the breakfast club early adopter scheme to ensure there is a representative sample of primary schools nationally.

This government’s new breakfast clubs are about more than the food. They provide opportunities for children to play and socialise before the start of the school day, supporting children’s attendance and attainment, enabling them to thrive academically and socially.

This is why the department is committed to introducing free breakfast clubs in every school with primary aged children, with schools receiving funding to cover food, delivery and staffing costs. This goes far beyond the reach of the NSBP in all, and importantly, the most disadvantaged areas.

On average, schools on the breakfast club early adopter scheme will get over £21,000 more than schools on the current NSBP.

An average primary school, with 50% take-up, would receive over £23,000 for a full year for an early adopter breakfast club. The amount each school will receive will be based on the number of pupils who accessed the club and the characteristics of pupils.

The department has used existing programmes and costs to determine the funding rates, and this has been tested and refined with a number of schools. One function of the early adopters is to test how schools utilise the funding and understand what support schools need.

As of February 2025, 341 (21%) of primary schools taking part in the National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP) are in the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. Around 22% of primary schools in the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England were taking part in the NSBP as at February 2025.

The department has selected the schools of the breakfast club early adopter scheme to ensure there is a representative sample of primary schools nationally.

This government’s new breakfast clubs are about more than the food. They provide opportunities for children to play and socialise before the start of the school day, supporting children’s attendance and attainment, enabling them to thrive academically and socially.

This is why the department is committed to introducing free breakfast clubs in every school with primary aged children, with schools receiving funding to cover food, delivery and staffing costs. This goes far beyond the reach of the NSBP in all, and importantly, the most disadvantaged areas.

On average, schools on the breakfast club early adopter scheme will get over £21,000 more than schools on the current NSBP.

An average primary school, with 50% take-up, would receive over £23,000 for a full year for an early adopter breakfast club. The amount each school will receive will be based on the number of pupils who accessed the club and the characteristics of pupils.

The department has used existing programmes and costs to determine the funding rates, and this has been tested and refined with a number of schools. One function of the early adopters is to test how schools utilise the funding and understand what support schools need.

The Online Safety Act introduces new responsibilities for social media companies and search services to ensure the safety of their users on their platforms. All relevant services must have systems and processes in place to allow users and others to report harmful content that the services are responsible for under the Act.

All school employers have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees.

No school staff should feel unsafe or face violence or abuse in the workplace. The department will always support school staff to ensure they can work in a safe and calm environment.

Schools should have their own clear processes in place for dealing with issues of bullying or harassment, including online hate aimed towards school staff. All incidences of bullying or harassment should be reported immediately to the designated lead and headteacher or governing body or proprietor. Should an incident constitute a potential criminal offence, it would be for the school to consider involving the police.

The department does not currently have plans to reclassify absences for religious observance.

The law recognises that absences for a small number of circumstances, including for religious observance, are allowable. Where parents choose not to send their child to school on a day that is exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body that they belong to, they will not be taken to have failed to secure their child’s regular attendance, and enforcement action cannot be taken. Schools must record such absences in the attendance register using code R, which is classified for statistical purposes as authorised absence. Other forms of authorised absence include illness or suspension from school.

Sessions recorded as ‘unable to attend because of unavoidable cause’ relate to issues that make attendance genuinely impossible, such as unexpected school closure, widespread travel disruption caused by emergencies, or a pupil being in youth detention. It would not be appropriate to classify absence for religious observance, or other types of authorised absence, under the ‘unavoidable cause’ category.

The government is committed to the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme and the impact it has on children, young people and families. The department is very pleased that the overall funding for the HAF programme in 2025/26 will again be more than £200 million, with delivery across England taking place at Easter, summer and Christmas.

Funding beyond March 2026 is subject to the multi-year spending review and any decisions will be made as part of the spending review taking place later this year.

The department publishes figures from the school census on pupil absence in state-funded schools. The latest data, including breakdowns by characteristic, covers the 2023/24 academic year and is published here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england.

The following table provides the number of pupils who were persistently absent, by special educational needs provision: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/b158c055-7dcf-49ad-938b-08dd6ba01329.

Information on closures of state-funded schools, sixth form colleges, vocational colleges and nursery schools is available on the Get Information about Schools (GIAS) website, which can be found here:
https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Search?SelectedTab=Establishments.

GIAS records a number of different reasons for closure, including closure as a result of amalgamation, closure where a school has been replaced by a successor institution (including academy conversions), as well as outright closure of provision.

The department is committed to supporting the UK net zero carbon targets. Since 2021, our own building standards require that all new school buildings we deliver are net zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change.

The department is providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help for buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high quality and value to the sector. More information can be found at: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.

Additionally, the department recently announced the £80 million Great British Energy Solar Accelerator Programme in partnership with GB Energy that will install solar and other technologies such as electric vehicle chargers in 200 targeted schools and colleges, prioritising those in areas of deprivation, to start in the 2025/26 financial year.

Details of other government funding available to public bodies for sustainability, prepared by the Crown Commercial Service can be found at: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/social-value/carbon-net-zero/funding-and-grants.

Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational.

The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is £300 million more than the previous year.

The department expects local authorities to consider free school meal (FSM) provision for children and young people receiving education otherwise than at school (EOTAS) in accordance with Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014.  This is set out in our published guidance.

The department has not made a formal assessment of the proportion of children EOTAS who would be eligible for free meals and are receiving FSM or vouchers in place of FSM. We are clear, however, that local authorities should be considering food provision in line with our FSM guidance.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education is the principal regulator for academies. All academies are required to have a complaints process which adheres to Part 7 of the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. This sets out that it is the academy’s responsibility to handle and resolve any complaints against them. If a complainant has concerns that an academy did not handle a complaint in line with the regulations, they can then escalate to the department, whose role it is to consider whether the academy followed the correct process.

Anyone can object to the Schools Adjudicator if they have concerns about a school’s admission arrangements. The Schools Adjudicator considers objections to the admission arrangements of all mainstream state-funded schools, including mainstream academy and free schools. The Adjudicator’s decision is binding.

The department also considers complaints about maladministration in independent appeal panels in relation to school admissions and complaints about maladministration in independent review panels in relation to permanent exclusions. Decisions taken by panels in both circumstances are legally binding and the department is unable to overturn decisions taken. However, parents can contact the department if they have concerns that the appeal or review panel was not held in compliance with relevant legislation or statutory guidance. If the department upholds a complaint, then a fresh appeal may be requested. If a complainant wishes to take their complaint further following the department’s consideration, they are advised to seek independent legal advice.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) can investigate complaints about maintained schools in certain circumstances. The department is considering the LGSCO’s Triennial Review, including their recommendations around school complaints, and will respond in due course.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education is the principal regulator for academies. All academies are required to have a complaints process which adheres to Part 7 of the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014. This sets out that it is the academy’s responsibility to handle and resolve any complaints against them. If a complainant has concerns that an academy did not handle a complaint in line with the regulations, they can then escalate to the department, whose role it is to consider whether the academy followed the correct process.

Anyone can object to the Schools Adjudicator if they have concerns about a school’s admission arrangements. The Schools Adjudicator considers objections to the admission arrangements of all mainstream state-funded schools, including mainstream academy and free schools. The Adjudicator’s decision is binding.

The department also considers complaints about maladministration in independent appeal panels in relation to school admissions and complaints about maladministration in independent review panels in relation to permanent exclusions. Decisions taken by panels in both circumstances are legally binding and the department is unable to overturn decisions taken. However, parents can contact the department if they have concerns that the appeal or review panel was not held in compliance with relevant legislation or statutory guidance. If the department upholds a complaint, then a fresh appeal may be requested. If a complainant wishes to take their complaint further following the department’s consideration, they are advised to seek independent legal advice.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) can investigate complaints about maintained schools in certain circumstances. The department is considering the LGSCO’s Triennial Review, including their recommendations around school complaints, and will respond in due course.

The government has agreed that public sector employers will receive support in recognition of the increase in their National Insurance contributions (NICs) from April 2025. The department is providing schools and high needs settings with over £930 million in the 2025/26 financial year to support them with their increased NICs costs. This support is additional to the £2.3 billion increase to core school funding announced at the Autumn Budget 2024. This means that the core schools budget, which includes the core revenue funding for schools and high needs, will total over £64.8 billion in the 2025/26 financial year. The amount of public sector support is based on HM Treasury analysis of the proportion of employer NICs receipts paid by public sector organisations, and allocated between departments based on headcount and wage/salary data.

The NICs grant will allocate funding to schools according to their pupil numbers, and the numbers of pupils with additional needs, along with a lump sum component for every school regardless of pupil numbers. The department’s funding system is not designed so that every school receives funding that fully matches their precise spending as that, including the NICs costs, varies between institutions because of the decisions that each school takes on its staffing.

The department has distributed this funding in proportion to the needs of the different sectors and phases of education. The department will continue to monitor cost pressures, as it usually does.

The government has agreed that public sector employers will receive support in recognition of the increase in their National Insurance contributions (NICs) from April 2025. The department is providing schools and high needs settings with over £930 million in the 2025/26 financial year to support them with their increased NICs costs. This support is additional to the £2.3 billion increase to core school funding announced at the Autumn Budget 2024. This means that the core schools budget, which includes the core revenue funding for schools and high needs, will total over £64.8 billion in the 2025/26 financial year. The amount of public sector support is based on HM Treasury analysis of the proportion of employer NICs receipts paid by public sector organisations, and allocated between departments based on headcount and wage/salary data.

The NICs grant will allocate funding to schools according to their pupil numbers, and the numbers of pupils with additional needs, along with a lump sum component for every school regardless of pupil numbers. The department’s funding system is not designed so that every school receives funding that fully matches their precise spending as that, including the NICs costs, varies between institutions because of the decisions that each school takes on its staffing.

The department has distributed this funding in proportion to the needs of the different sectors and phases of education. The department will continue to monitor cost pressures, as it usually does.

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 thrive and succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Most pupils with special educational needs (SEN), including most with an education, health and care plan, already attend mainstream state-funded schools, and the department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in these settings so that children with SEN can achieve with their peers, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

The department is providing £1 billion more for high needs budgets in 2025/26, bringing total high needs revenue funding to over £12 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND. We have also published local authority allocations for £740 million of high needs capital funding for 2025/26 to invest in places for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision.

The department recognises that special schools, including independent schools, play a critical role in the SEND system, providing expertise and particularly supporting pupils with low incidence or complex needs. We also want more children and young people to receive the support they need to achieve and thrive in their local mainstream school, alongside their friends and peers.

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 thrive and succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Most pupils with special educational needs (SEN), including most with an education, health and care plan, already attend mainstream state-funded schools, and the department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in these settings so that children with SEN can achieve with their peers, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

The department is providing £1 billion more for high needs budgets in 2025/26, bringing total high needs revenue funding to over £12 billion. This funding will help local authorities and schools with the increasing costs of supporting children and young people with complex SEND. We have also published local authority allocations for £740 million of high needs capital funding for 2025/26 to invest in places for children and young people with SEND or who require alternative provision.

The department recognises that special schools, including independent schools, play a critical role in the SEND system, providing expertise and particularly supporting pupils with low incidence or complex needs. We also want more children and young people to receive the support they need to achieve and thrive in their local mainstream school, alongside their friends and peers.

The government announced a £40 million package to trial a new kinship allowance. The pilot will begin in autumn 2025 and the department will evaluate the pilot to build an evidence base on how best to deliver financial support for kinship families. We will confirm the process for selecting local authorities taking part in the pilot in due course.

The Autumn Budget 2024 gave an additional £22.6 billion of resource spending for the day-to-day health budget for last year and this year.

It is the responsibility of the Isle of Wight Council and Isle of Wight NHS Trust to ensure there are adequate therapeutic services to meet the needs of local kinship families.

The adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) provides funding for therapies and specialist assessments for eligible kinship children. Local authorities apply for funding on behalf of these children, and source therapists in their area. The funding may cover travel costs for therapists to reach families, as well as necessary single-use materials. The department also offers therapists information designed to support them in their activity as ASGSF providers, including an ASGSF Knowledge Hub and regular updates on the fund.

The department remains committed to supporting adoptive and kinship families, who play an essential role in providing stable and loving homes for children in need. On 1 April, it was announced that the adoption and special guardianship support fund would continue into 2025/26, with a budget of £50 million. This funding will enable eligible families to receive support in the coming year.

All decisions regarding the future of the fund past March 2026 will be made as part of the next spending review.