Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the proportion of children who experienced cyber bullying in 2025; and what steps her Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce this.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department monitors the prevalence of bullying among children and young people through the National Behaviour Survey (NBS).
The most recent NBS results, for the 2024/25 academic year, showed that 21% of secondary school aged pupils reported being bullied in the past 12 months. Of those pupils, 29% reported that at least some of the bullying occurred online.
The department is procuring an expert and evidence-led review into best practice on behaviour and preventing and tackling bullying, including cyber-bullying. The learning from this will support leaders to develop safe, supportive school cultures.
Through statutory relationships, sex and health education, pupils are taught about online relationships, the implications of sharing private or personal data (including images) online, harmful content, cyberbullying, what over-reliance on social media looks like and where to get help.
Asked by: Mark Sewards (Labour - Leeds South West and Morley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 23 December 2025 to Question 98631, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the mathematical sciences on delivering the Industrial Strategy and the Growth Mission; and whether the reviewed Strategic Priorities Grant budget for 2026-27 will include additional funding for those sciences.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises mathematical sciences as a valuable subject in higher education.
As outlined by my hon. Friend, the Member for Vale of Glamorgan, the 25/26 Guidance Letter from my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, to the Office for Students (OfS) sets out that the department will work with the OfS to review and reform the high-cost subject funding element of the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG). This ensures that the funding best aligns with the government’s Growth Mission and is targeted effectively towards high-cost provision that supports the Industrial Strategy and future skills needs. We are collaborating closely with the OfS to assess the impact of any changes to SPG funding.
Asked by: Mark Sewards (Labour - Leeds South West and Morley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2025 to Question 98630, if she will recognise mathematical sciences as a strategically important high-cost subject as part of the Strategic Priorities Grant funding for 2026-27.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises mathematical sciences as a valuable subject in higher education.
As outlined by my hon. Friend, the Member for Vale of Glamorgan, the 25/26 Guidance Letter from my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, to the Office for Students (OfS) sets out that the department will work with the OfS to review and reform the high-cost subject funding element of the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG). This ensures that the funding best aligns with the government’s Growth Mission and is targeted effectively towards high-cost provision that supports the Industrial Strategy and future skills needs. We are collaborating closely with the OfS to assess the impact of any changes to SPG funding.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps her Department has taken to educate children on the safe use of social media.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
As part of statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), pupils are taught about online safety and harms, including the implications of sharing private or personal data online, and the risks associated with over-reliance on social media.
The department published updated RSHE guidance in July 2025, including new content on artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and how social media can escalate conflicts. Pupils should be taught how to identify when social media is used as part of bullying, harassment and other forms of abusive and/or illegal behaviour, and how to recognise and manage peer influence on social media in relation to risk-taking behaviour and personal safety. The department’s guidance on teaching online safety covers how to teach about all aspects of internet safety.
In response to the recently published Curriculum and Assessment Review, we are committed to strengthening digital and media literacy in the updated national curriculum. Full details of the final report are accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-final-report.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to provide additional (a) guidance and (b) professional development for primary teachers on incorporating learning through play into classroom.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards and requirements that all early years settings must follow to ensure every child has the best start in life and is clear that play is essential for children’s development.
The department is committed to supporting settings to deliver the EYFS for the benefit of all children and provides a range of resources, including written and online guidance on curriculum and pedagogy, to assist early years teachers.
The department provides free guidance and training in delivering developmentally appropriate, play based learning. Our early years child development training, developed with sector experts, offers practical advice and materials for those working with Reception-aged children, including content about how play supports early learning and development.
It reflects an emphasis on active, exploratory, play based learning as the foundation for children’s cognitive, language, social and emotional development.
Finally, we have committed in our strategy for improving child development to a new training course for classroom teachers in reception and enhancing the National Professional Qualification for Headship with more content on effective Reception practice.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ending compulsory collective worship in schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Collective worship remains an important part of school life, supporting pupils to reflect on the concept of belief and the role it plays in our country’s traditions and values.
Schools in England already have flexibility in how they meet this requirement and can deliver collective worship or assemblies in ways that reflect the diverse needs of their pupils and local communities. Students over 16 and parents of younger pupils also retain the right of withdrawal from collective worship.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when updated guidance on electric car salary sacrifice schemes for multi-academy trusts will be published; and whether interim measures will be provided to allow trusts to implement schemes in the meantime.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
New electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes in the public sector are currently paused whilst a cross-government review on these schemes is undertaken by HMT. Academy trusts with existing schemes can keep them in place but not expand them by adding new members. The department will inform academy trusts when a decision has been made, and the Academy Trust Handbook will be updated accordingly.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support the financial sustainability of childminding roles in (a) East Sussex and (b) Lewes constituency.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life.
From April 2026, local authorities will be required to pass at least 97% of their funding directly to providers, an increase from 96%. We will work with local authorities and others to ensure that, where they want to, childminders and other early years providers are paid monthly for the funded hours they provide, making their income more stable. Childminders, who often care for children of different ages, can use the funding they receive to support costs across all the children they look after. We expect this will also bring increased demand for childminder places, providing new opportunities for growth.
From 1 November 2024, the government introduced new flexibilities to help childminders join and stay in the profession, supporting the government’s commitment to roll out expanded childcare entitlements and give children the best start in life.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to funding for schools on the development of young children.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The additional funding announced at the Spending Review will deliver an above real terms per pupil increase up to 2028/29. Core school funding is increasing by £1.7 billion in the 2026/27 financial year to a total of £67 billion.
This investment is a critical step forward in our mission to support all children and young people to achieve and thrive and will support teachers and leaders to deliver high and rising standards.
Asked by: James MacCleary (Liberal Democrat - Lewes)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve education on (a) sexual consent and (b) relationships.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department published updated relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance in July 2025. It focuses on building healthy relationships skills from the start of primary school. It sets out that secondary schools should cover how to recognise, respect and communicate consent and boundaries in both platonic and romantic relationships.
Pupils should be taught the law about the age of consent and that they have a choice about whether to have sex. Pupils should also be taught about their capacity to give, withhold or remove consent at any time, even if initially given.
This government, in December 2025, has published a new strategy to tackle violence against women and girls. We want to protect young people and drive forward education on healthy relationships and will be investing £11 million to pilot the best interventions in schools over the next three years.