Department for Education

Ofsted has seen increasing application volumes across children's social care. As of 31 March 2026, there were 370 ongoing applications from supported accommodation providers, down from 616 in the previous year. The registered supported accommodation sector grew by 37% in the year to 31 March 2026 with available capacity at 24,700 places, far exceeding the 7,520 looked after children living in supported accommodation. Published data does not indicate a lack of registered accommodation in the South West. In March 2026, places in registered providers in this region totalled 1,970.

Ofsted’s updated registration policy makes clear that, due to high demand, it is likely to take several months to reach a decision, with timescales affected by some factors outside Ofsted's control, such as incomplete applications. While Ofsted has introduced a prioritisation policy for new children's home applications, no such policy currently applies to supported accommodation, although this remains under review.

Ofsted registration is essential to ensure the appropriate safeguards and support are in place to keep children safe. Regulations do not require care leavers over the age of 18 to be accommodated in Ofsted regulated provision, though some care leavers will benefit from being in regulated provision. The government recently published a review of early deaths of care experienced young people and are working to deliver a programme of improved support for care leavers.

Ofsted has seen increasing application volumes across children's social care. As of 31 March 2026, there were 370 ongoing applications from supported accommodation providers, down from 616 in the previous year. The registered supported accommodation sector grew by 37% in the year to 31 March 2026 with available capacity at 24,700 places, far exceeding the 7,520 looked after children living in supported accommodation. Published data does not indicate a lack of registered accommodation in the South West. In March 2026, places in registered providers in this region totalled 1,970.

Ofsted’s updated registration policy makes clear that, due to high demand, it is likely to take several months to reach a decision, with timescales affected by some factors outside Ofsted's control, such as incomplete applications. While Ofsted has introduced a prioritisation policy for new children's home applications, no such policy currently applies to supported accommodation, although this remains under review.

Ofsted registration is essential to ensure the appropriate safeguards and support are in place to keep children safe. Regulations do not require care leavers over the age of 18 to be accommodated in Ofsted regulated provision, though some care leavers will benefit from being in regulated provision. The government recently published a review of early deaths of care experienced young people and are working to deliver a programme of improved support for care leavers.

Ofsted has seen increasing application volumes across children's social care. As of 31 March 2026, there were 370 ongoing applications from supported accommodation providers, down from 616 in the previous year. The registered supported accommodation sector grew by 37% in the year to 31 March 2026 with available capacity at 24,700 places, far exceeding the 7,520 looked after children living in supported accommodation. Published data does not indicate a lack of registered accommodation in the South West. In March 2026, places in registered providers in this region totalled 1,970.

Ofsted’s updated registration policy makes clear that, due to high demand, it is likely to take several months to reach a decision, with timescales affected by some factors outside Ofsted's control, such as incomplete applications. While Ofsted has introduced a prioritisation policy for new children's home applications, no such policy currently applies to supported accommodation, although this remains under review.

Ofsted registration is essential to ensure the appropriate safeguards and support are in place to keep children safe. Regulations do not require care leavers over the age of 18 to be accommodated in Ofsted regulated provision, though some care leavers will benefit from being in regulated provision. The government recently published a review of early deaths of care experienced young people and are working to deliver a programme of improved support for care leavers.

The Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) continues to provide targeted funding in areas of strategic importance, helping to align higher education (HE) investment with skills needs set out in the Industrial Strategy.

For the 2026/27 academic year, we have asked the Office for Students (OfS) to prioritise funding which supports the highest cost strategically important subjects. Over two-thirds of the £1,252 million SPG recurrent (programme) budget for the 2026/27 academic year has been allocated to providers to support the provision of high-cost subjects.

We are also working together with the OfS to review and reform the SPG to ensure that high-cost subject funding is more effectively targeted towards subjects that support future skills needs and the Industrial Strategy. This includes the priority subjects set out in the ‘Pathways to Priority Occupations’ policy paper and underpinned within the Skills Needs analysis published by Skills England.

HE providers are autonomous bodies and are therefore responsible for decisions about the courses they offer.

One of the fundamental principles of student loans is that repayments are income contingent and only due when the borrower is earning over the relevant repayment threshold. Outstanding debt, including interest accrued, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower. These protections exceed what discounted settlement schemes typically offer to borrowers.

Borrowers already have the ability to make additional, voluntary repayments towards their student loan, with no penalty, if they wish to do so.

All state funded schools are required to teach first aid as part of the health education set out in the relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance. Independent schools are required to cover health education as part of their responsibility to provide personal, social, health and economic education.

The statutory RSHE guidance includes basic first aid for primary school children, for example dealing with common injuries, such as head injuries. Pupils in secondary schools are taught further first aid, for example how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the purpose of defibrillators and how to use them.

Schools have autonomy to work with external providers, including the British Heart Foundation, and to use teaching resources from Oak National Academy, to deliver specific first aid teaching, if they think it is topical or there is particular local relevance.

In November 2025, the government responded to the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, in which we accepted the recommendations made on PE. As part of this, we will revisit the aims of compulsory PE across all key stages and make clear the purpose of PE for all pupils, to ensure that schools recognise the need to protect at least two hours of PE time for their pupils throughout their time at school.​

​The government wants all children to access the significant physical and mental health benefits being physically active provides. We are investing £1 billion to support this, including £580 million to establish a PE and School Sport Partnership Network, almost £200 million in capital funding to improve school sports facilities, and a further £150 million PE and sport premium payment to support eligible primary schools during the transition to the new approach. The Network will support access for all children in both primary and secondary schools, especially those who are currently less active, through improving PE provision and increasing enrichment opportunities related to physical activity and sport.

The department is aware that some providers are making difficult decisions around staffing to safeguard their financial sustainability. Higher education (HE) providers are autonomous institutions, and the government therefore cannot intervene in pay and workforce matters, unlike in other sectors. Nevertheless, we expect providers to work with their staff to develop sustainable models that retain talent and expertise and provide stability for the workforce and the institution.

The department remains committed to creating a secure future for our HE sector so it can continue to deliver for students, taxpayers, staff and the economy. Our decision to increase tuition fees annually in line with inflation, demonstrates this commitment.

Data on graduate earnings broken down by prior attainment at A-level and BTEC have been published in previous releases of the graduate labour market outcomes (LEO) statistical release series.

These breakdowns have not been included in the latest release of the series (published 25 June 2026), as the latest release shifted to using key stage 4 (GCSE) results as the primary measure of prior attainment by which to group outcomes and earnings. Providing multiple different prior attainment measures risked confusing users. This shift was implemented after discussion with various sector experts and stakeholders, who generally advised that key stage 4 attainment was the more robust measure of prior attainment for comparing graduate and non-graduate outcomes, since it is the final attainment measure in compulsory education and the qualification landscape is less fragmented than at key stage 5.

The department has recently consulted on proposed reforms to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, including proposals to support improve transitions between settings. We are carefully reviewing and considering all responses and will set out our response in due course.

We have set out proposals for children and young people with SEND to have Individual Support Plans (ISP) that outline their needs and support. Our ambition is that ISPs will be interactive, easy to use and available in a digital format, supporting consistency across the system and smoother transitions for children moving between settings.

Subject to the outcome of consultation, the National Inclusion Standards will set out, for the first time, what ordinarily available provision should be in every setting across the 0 to 25 system. This will serve to improve the consistency of practice across settings and support transitions between setting types.

The National Inclusion Standards will support the effective use of inclusion funding and the development of inclusion strategies, providing evidence-based tools, strategies and approaches for educators to draw on to identify and support children and young people with SEND including neurodivergent children.

The department has published guidance about hot weather and heatwaves and is available at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2026/06/hot-weather-and-heatwaves-guidance-for-schools-and-other-education-settings/. The guidance is based on UK Health Security Agency advice to support education settings. In most cases, schools remain the safest place for children during hot weather, as staff can monitor pupils, encourage hydration and take steps to keep them comfortable. Schools and colleges are expected to take reasonable steps to provide suitable conditions for students taking exams.

The exam timetable is designed to support the fair and efficient delivery of exams for students across England, and the timing of exams ensures that results are provided to pupils on time in August to support them to progress to further and higher education, employment and training.

Responsibility for the administration of GCSE, AS and A level qualifications, including arrangements for exam timetables and special consideration, rests with the independent awarding organisations. The department does, however, continue to work with Ofqual, awarding organisations, schools and colleges to support the safe and effective delivery of exams and to consider lessons learned from recent periods of extreme weather.

I refer the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire to the answer of 1 July 2026 to Question 9013.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information about the number of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Tribunal cases disposed of as well as outcomes, including the number of cases conceded, in the SEND Tribunal Tables.

In the department’s recent ‘SEND Reform: Putting children and young people first’ consultation, we set out proposals to ensure that the new system supports families to resolve any disagreements as early and collaboratively as possible, so children and young people can access the right provision quickly. This includes improving complaints processes and strengthening mediation, reducing the need for an appeal to the Tribunal.

To improve transparency around tribunal outcomes, we also propose to publish an annual SEND tribunal outcomes dashboard, providing anonymised information on the outcomes of tribunal cases by local authority. The department is currently considering all consultation feedback and will publish final proposals in due course.

The department works closely with the Student Loans Company (SLC), which delivers Student Finance England (SFE), to ensure that prospective and current students receive the information and financial support they need to access and participate in higher education (HE).

The department monitors SLC's performance and works with the company to maintain and improve customer service and digital services, helping students access funding and obtain support when needed.

SLC engages directly with students through advisory groups to improve communications and customer services. SLC also works closely with higher and further education providers to ensure that accurate information about student finance is available to prospective students and their families.

Through this ongoing partnership, the department and SLC seek to ensure that student finance support remains accessible and effective for those considering HE.

The nomination window for the School Rebuilding Programme is now closed. Responsible bodies were invited to nominate schools and sixth form colleges that met the criteria set out on GOV.UK by midday on Thursday 23 April 2026.

Assessment is now underway. The department will select 250 schools to join the programme by early 2027. Places will be prioritised for schools and sixth forms in poorer condition which are in areas of current and future high demand.

Earlier this year, the government set out its vision for Regional Care Cooperatives (RCCs) in a published policy statement, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regional-care-co-operatives-pathfinder-areas/regional-care-cooperatives-policy-statement.

On 26 March 2026, the department launched an Expression of Interest (EoI) inviting prospective areas to come forward and bid for grant to set up a new RCC. New guidance was published alongside the EoI outlining the minimum requirements for all RCCs going forward, along with the RCC’s role in sufficiency planning in their area. Placement shortages are a key driver of children being placed in homes far from where they live. RCCs look to improve this by increasing local and regional sufficiency and making more places available locally for children who need them.

The department is working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on planning reforms, and with Ofsted on strengthening its regulatory powers, to ensure new children’s homes are established only where there is a clear local need and children’s needs can be fully met.

The department engages regularly with Halton Borough Council, Riverside College and other local partners on post-16 education and skills provision in the Halton area, including the Runcorn and Helsby constituency. Discussions have included the availability and accessibility of education and training opportunities for young people and adults, as well as options for delivering provision across the area, including satellite provision and the opening of WELL Runcorn, a joint venture with the NHS, which will offer education and health services to residents. Officials have discussed how the college’s provision in the town centre with Power in Partnership supports the most vulnerable students. Decisions relating to local transport arrangements are the responsibility of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and local partners. Riverside College provide free transportation to all Runcorn and Helsby learners.

The department keeps post-16 education and training provision under review and works closely with local authorities, colleges and other providers to ensure sufficient capacity is available to meet learner demand. Departmental officials have held discussions with Halton Borough Council and Riverside College regarding current and future post-16 provision in the Halton area, including the Runcorn and Helsby constituency. These discussions have considered learner participation, demographic changes and local capacity to ensure provision continues to meet the needs of young people and employers.

The department engages regularly with Halton Borough Council, Riverside College and other local partners on post-16 education and skills provision in the Halton area, including the Runcorn and Helsby constituency. Discussions have included the availability and accessibility of education and training opportunities for young people and adults, as well as options for delivering provision across the area, including satellite provision and the opening of WELL Runcorn, a joint venture with the NHS, which will offer education and health services to residents. Officials have discussed how the college’s provision in the town centre with Power in Partnership supports the most vulnerable students. Decisions relating to local transport arrangements are the responsibility of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and local partners. Riverside College provide free transportation to all Runcorn and Helsby learners.

The department keeps post-16 education and training provision under review and works closely with local authorities, colleges and other providers to ensure sufficient capacity is available to meet learner demand. Departmental officials have held discussions with Halton Borough Council and Riverside College regarding current and future post-16 provision in the Halton area, including the Runcorn and Helsby constituency. These discussions have considered learner participation, demographic changes and local capacity to ensure provision continues to meet the needs of young people and employers.

As set out in the government press release on 28 July 2026, entitled “Government invests in young people with more opportunities close to home,” we are introducing a new bursary to support more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. This will support the small number of households that are financially worse off when a young person starts an apprenticeship, so that no young person is discouraged from undertaking one.

The government is also investing £375 million to expand post‑16 capacity, ensuring sufficient local further education (FE) and skills places for young people.

The department publishes a variety of evidence showing the economic benefits from investment in post-16 education and training, including analysis on the economic returns from FE, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/measuring-the-net-present-value-of-further-education-in-england.

Additional data on the outcomes of FE learners are published annually and are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/further-education-outcomes/2022-23.

Through the department’s Careers Hub programme, The Careers and Enterprise Company and the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority are working in partnership with Goldman Sachs and Sir Richard Harpin to pilot the type of public-private partnership called for in the Maple Review, which recommended the establishment of a National Business Skills Guarantee. We welcome this pilot and will be monitoring it closely to assess the lessons that can be learned and whether the model could be rolled out nationally.

This public-private partnership pilot will:

• Connect more local entrepreneurs and start-ups with young people to help develop creativity, resilience and entrepreneurial skills.

• Support teachers through targeted professional development to increase their confidence and understanding of enterprise education.

• Offer a place-based model to connect local schools into priority growth sectors where the small business economy is needed and can thrive.

• Bring schools closer to the industries and businesses driving local economic growth, helping young people build relevant skills and aspirations.

I refer the hon. Member for South Cotswolds to the answer of 22 June 2026 to Question 5520.

High-quality teaching is the in-school factor that has the biggest positive impact on a child’s outcomes. Which is why we committed to recruiting 6,500 additional secondary, special school and further education (FE) teachers over the course of this parliament.

In February, we published our delivery plan, focussing on three key themes; attracting, retaining and developing teachers. To ensure we have enough highly-skilled teachers in our schools and colleges to allow every child to achieve and thrive.

We have now achieved 71.6% of the 6,500 additional teachers target. There are 4,654 more teachers, 3,008 more teachers in secondary and special schools in 2025/26 and 1,646 more teachers in FE, than in 2024/25.

Initial teacher training (ITT) bursaries are offered to incentivise more applications to ITT courses. As such, the department reviews bursaries annually to take account of several factors, including recruitment to date, forecast economic conditions and teacher need in each subject. The purpose of the scheme is to target resources where the evidence shows need is highest.

Between the 2023/24 and 2025/26 academic years, postgraduate ITT recruitment increased by 71% in religious education (RE), amongst the largest increases across all subjects. Partly due to this improved recruitment and higher retention of existing teachers, the need for new postgraduate RE trainee teachers in the 2026/27 academic year has also reduced.

The department will continue to assess the need for trainee teachers across all subjects and will review the bursaries on offer accordingly, prior to announcing the bursary offer for the 2027/28 academic year this autumn.

This government is committed to expanding high-quality pathways into work and training for young people, particularly those at risk of disengagement from education.

Our wider vocational reforms will strengthen technical education and skills pathways, giving young people clearer routes into high-quality training and employment that meet local and national skills needs.

To expand apprenticeship opportunities for young people, the government is now fully funding apprenticeships for eligible young people under 25 and introducing a £2000 hiring payment for non-levy paying employers, typically small and medium-sized enterprises, that recruit apprentices under 25 from October. We have also introduced foundation apprenticeships to provide entry level opportunities in sectors, such as construction, hospitality and retail.

Alongside this, our Youth Guarantee will ensure that every young person can access education, training, an apprenticeship, or support to find work. We are also working with employers, colleges, local authorities and strategic authorities to improve access to careers advice, work experience and local apprenticeship opportunities for young people.

Higher education (HE) providers are autonomous institutions, therefore the government cannot intervene in pay, and workforce matters unlike in other sectors. However, we remain committed to creating a secure future for our HE sector so it can continue to deliver for students, taxpayers, workers and the economy. Our decision to increase tuition fees annually in line with inflation, demonstrates this commitment.

We expect providers to work with their staff to develop sustainable models that retain talent, expertise and provide stability for the workforce and the institution.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, published in November 2025, recommended that all pupils are taught citizenship content at primary as a statutory part of the curriculum, and that a new programme of study should ensure that pupils develop an understanding of rules and laws, why they are important, who makes them and the consequences of not following them.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, is considering the recommendations of the Curriculum and Assessment Review in line with the government’s ambition to transform technical education from age 14 to 16.

The department expects there will be a public consultation on the proposals for the curriculum and assessment system in due course.

Through the existing national curriculum for citizenship, pupils are taught about the nature of rules and laws and the justice and legal systems, as well as different sources of law and how the law helps society deal with complex problems.

TUNDRA Tracking Underrepresentation by Area (TUNDRA) uses linked individual-level data on state-funded mainstream school pupils in England to identify areas with lower rates of progression to higher education (HE). It does not contain information on whether an individual has received an offer of admission to HE or on the academic requirements associated with an offer.

Information on TUNDRA and other area-based measures of HE participation is publicly available on the Office for Students website: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/young-participation-by-area/about-tundra/.

The entry requirements needed to access a course and individual admissions decisions are matters for autonomous HE providers.

Information on grant reductions is set out in EU documents, including the Erasmus+ Programme Guide, available at: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-programme-guide. An example of the relevant model grant agreement is available at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/agr-contr/ls-mga_en.pdf.

As the Granting Authority, the National Agency will direct grant awardees to all relevant European Commission guidance on grant reductions under EU funding programmes as part of the grant management process.

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There is no place for antisemitism in our society.

The department has asked Sir David Bell to undertake an independent review into antisemitism in schools and colleges, which will include a consideration of learning in schools and colleges. This review is due to be published later this autumn.

We have committed £7 million to support schools, colleges and universities, including £1 million for an innovation fund, to help young people identify and challenge antisemitism, misinformation and harmful narratives. We are committed to evaluating each of these programmes.

The department supports teachers through our Educate Against Hate website, which provides a range of free, quality-assured resources on building resilience to antisemitism, teaching about tolerance and rejecting discrimination.

There is no place for antisemitism in our society.

There are opportunities in school to learn about contemporary antisemitism in lessons such as citizenship. It is also covered in a historical context as part of Holocaust education, which is an important mandatory part of the national curriculum.

The department supports teachers through our Educate Against Hate website, which provides teachers with a range of free, quality-assured resources, including on building resilience to antisemitism, teaching about tolerance and rejecting discrimination.

The department has asked Sir David Bell to undertake an independent review into antisemitism in schools and colleges, which will include a consideration of learning in schools. This review is due to be published later this autumn.

We have also committed £7 million to fund projects and programmes to improve confidence and resilience in tackling antisemitism in education.

Specialist provision packages are descriptions of support for children and young people with the most complex needs, who require long-term specialist provision. This includes children and young people with hearing impairments where appropriate, with packages covering the full range of support required to meet their needs.

An independent expert panel has been appointed to oversee the development of the specialist provision packages. The panel will engage with stakeholders to make sure its work is informed by a wide range of views and lived experience.

The packages will be published prior to the special educational needs and disabilities reform implementation and will be subject to regular review.

T Levels are the key technical qualification route for 16 to 19 year olds that include a placement in industry. Attainment is the key performance indicator. In February 2027, we will publish a T Level attainment measure which captures overall attainment alongside existing performance measures for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

All T Levels include a mandatory placement with industry. 97.2%, almost all students who received results this year, completed their industry placement. We are clear that providers remain responsible for delivering high-quality industry placements that support their T Level students to progress. Our updated delivery framework allows providers greater scope in designing a high-quality placement experience and reporting completion to the department. The updated framework is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/t-level-industry-placements-guidance-for-providers?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications-topic&utm_source=8778e04e-cac7-4014-b419-d65b31d27f2b&utm_content=immediately.

As part of this, students will continue to be set stretching learning goals linked to curriculum content and be subject to regular review meetings, employer appraisals and evidence-based completion decisions.

The department engages regularly with colleagues across government on a range of matters, including Local Government Reorganisation. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not routinely disclosed.

The Erasmus+ programme is much broader than the Turing Scheme and includes mobility opportunities for more sectors, including adult education, youth and sport, as well as funding staff mobility across the sectors, supporting professional development. It also funds a wide range of partnership and policy development opportunities. The increased funding available through Erasmus+ will enable many more participants to benefit from the programme.

The 91,030 increase in 16 to 24-year-olds classed as not in education, employment or training (NEET) between April to June 2024 and January to March 2026 is a UK estimate from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish these seasonally adjusted figures for the UK on a quarterly basis. Regional breakdowns are not published by the ONS for the UK.

Annual estimates from the LFS of young people aged 16 to 24 and NEET in England are published annually, and the latest release can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2025. This release includes estimates of the numbers NEET in England by region. Regional estimates for October-December 2023 to 2025 can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/1abd4d38-a12a-436e-e5e0-08df06afb6ab.

In recent years the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have faced challenges around the falling number of responses to the LFS which has led to increased sampling variability and we would advise caution when interpreting short-term changes. All estimates should be viewed alongside associated 95% confidence intervals as shown in the table.

The department is investing £55 million in 2026/2027, a 10% increase, in the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, which provides support to address mental health challenges.

We are considering responses to our consultation ‘Adoption Support that Works for All’, which closed on 5 May and asks what works to improve adopted children’s mental health.

The consultation explains that we are funding Regional Adoption Agencies to pilot multi-disciplinary teams that bring together social care, health and educational partners to deliver assessment and support to adopted children and families, including access to mental health services.

We are working with the Department of Health and Social Care to pilot mental health support, including support for adoptive families. This will test a fully integrated model of mental health support for all children and families involved with children’s social care when they need it. Expressions of interest were invited from Integrated Care Boards by 1 September.

Ofqual, as the independent qualifications regulator, is responsible for regulating GCSEs and A levels and for ensuring that qualifications are designed and delivered in a way that promotes accessibility and minimises unnecessary barriers for students, including those with dyslexia.

Under the Equality Act 2010, awarding organisations are required to make reasonable adjustments where a disabled student would otherwise be placed at a substantial disadvantage when taking an assessment. Ofqual requires awarding organisations to have arrangements in place to meet these obligations and to ensure that disabled students are not disadvantaged when taking qualifications.

Access arrangements, including reasonable adjustments, are intended to ensure that students can be validly assessed and are not unfairly disadvantaged. A range of access arrangements and reasonable adjustments is available for eligible students, including extra time, the use of a computer, a reader, a scribe, and other appropriate support.

National Agencies receive a financial contribution from the European Commission towards the costs of managing the implementation of the Erasmus+ programme. National Authorities are responsible for ensuring that National Agencies have the resources they need to fulfil their functions, including through national co-financing where required.

Schools and other education providers are responsible for considering their obligations under data protection law where camera enabled smart glasses or other wearable recording devices are used. Such devices may raise issues around transparency, privacy and the recording of personal data, particularly where children are involved.

The department already provides data protection guidance on the taking, using and storing of images such as photographs, video and CCTV in schools and, while not specific to wearable technologies, the underlying principles are technology neutral and remain relevant.

The existing data protection guidance can apply to these technologies, and provides future proofing advice that settings may wish to refer to when considering whether emerging recording capabilities give rise to any additional risks as part of their wider data protection and safeguarding arrangements. This guidance provides advice for settings on producing a policy not just for setting staff, but also for dealing with parents, carers and visitors within the school boundaries.

In our recent ‘SEND Reform: Putting children and young people first’ consultation, we set out proposals to strengthen accountability and improve parental confidence that local authorities will act on tribunal judgments, and to ensure that improvements are made to future decision-making. This includes publishing an annual special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) tribunal outcomes dashboard, providing anonymised outcomes of SEND Tribunals by local authority. We are carefully considering feedback from the consultation and will be responding in due course.

All local areas are due to receive a full inspection under the current Ofsted/Care Quality Commission Area SEND inspection framework by the end of 2027. We will update the framework to align to the clarified statutory roles that local authorities and Integrated Care Boards will have in relation to children and young people with SEND.

The department also publishes annual data on education, health and care (EHC) plans and assessments, including timeliness. This informs performance monitoring and targeted support. Where serious concerns arise, the department may intervene directly, using statutory powers and improvement partners to support recovery and improve services for families.

In terms of maintaining records, keeping accurate and proportionate records of decisions and why decisions were taken is a principle of good administrative practice and something we expect of all local authorities.

Parents and carers also have the right to contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if they believe their child’s EHC Plan has been delayed, not been issued within the legal timeframe, or if the council fails to provide the specified provision.

In our recent ‘SEND Reform: Putting children and young people first’ consultation, we set out proposals to strengthen accountability and improve parental confidence that local authorities will act on tribunal judgments, and to ensure that improvements are made to future decision-making. This includes publishing an annual special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) tribunal outcomes dashboard, providing anonymised outcomes of SEND Tribunals by local authority. We are carefully considering feedback from the consultation and will be responding in due course.

All local areas are due to receive a full inspection under the current Ofsted/Care Quality Commission Area SEND inspection framework by the end of 2027. We will update the framework to align to the clarified statutory roles that local authorities and Integrated Care Boards will have in relation to children and young people with SEND.

The department also publishes annual data on education, health and care (EHC) plans and assessments, including timeliness. This informs performance monitoring and targeted support. Where serious concerns arise, the department may intervene directly, using statutory powers and improvement partners to support recovery and improve services for families.

In terms of maintaining records, keeping accurate and proportionate records of decisions and why decisions were taken is a principle of good administrative practice and something we expect of all local authorities.

Parents and carers also have the right to contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if they believe their child’s EHC Plan has been delayed, not been issued within the legal timeframe, or if the council fails to provide the specified provision.

In our recent ‘SEND Reform: Putting children and young people first’ consultation, we set out proposals to strengthen accountability and improve parental confidence that local authorities will act on tribunal judgments, and to ensure that improvements are made to future decision-making. This includes publishing an annual special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) tribunal outcomes dashboard, providing anonymised outcomes of SEND Tribunals by local authority. We are carefully considering feedback from the consultation and will be responding in due course.

All local areas are due to receive a full inspection under the current Ofsted/Care Quality Commission Area SEND inspection framework by the end of 2027. We will update the framework to align to the clarified statutory roles that local authorities and Integrated Care Boards will have in relation to children and young people with SEND.

The department also publishes annual data on education, health and care (EHC) plans and assessments, including timeliness. This informs performance monitoring and targeted support. Where serious concerns arise, the department may intervene directly, using statutory powers and improvement partners to support recovery and improve services for families.

In terms of maintaining records, keeping accurate and proportionate records of decisions and why decisions were taken is a principle of good administrative practice and something we expect of all local authorities.

Parents and carers also have the right to contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if they believe their child’s EHC Plan has been delayed, not been issued within the legal timeframe, or if the council fails to provide the specified provision.

In our recent ‘SEND Reform: Putting children and young people first’ consultation, we set out proposals to strengthen accountability and improve parental confidence that local authorities will act on tribunal judgments, and to ensure that improvements are made to future decision-making. This includes publishing an annual special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) tribunal outcomes dashboard, providing anonymised outcomes of SEND Tribunals by local authority. We are carefully considering feedback from the consultation and will be responding in due course.

All local areas are due to receive a full inspection under the current Ofsted/Care Quality Commission Area SEND inspection framework by the end of 2027. We will update the framework to align to the clarified statutory roles that local authorities and Integrated Care Boards will have in relation to children and young people with SEND.

The department also publishes annual data on education, health and care (EHC) plans and assessments, including timeliness. This informs performance monitoring and targeted support. Where serious concerns arise, the department may intervene directly, using statutory powers and improvement partners to support recovery and improve services for families.

In terms of maintaining records, keeping accurate and proportionate records of decisions and why decisions were taken is a principle of good administrative practice and something we expect of all local authorities.

Parents and carers also have the right to contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if they believe their child’s EHC Plan has been delayed, not been issued within the legal timeframe, or if the council fails to provide the specified provision.

As confirmed in the government’s technical consultation response, the International Student Levy is due to be legislated for in the Finance Bill this autumn. The consultation is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/international-student-levy-technical-detail.

The draft primary legislation was published on 13 July 2026.

The levy will come in from the 2028/29 academic year, raising revenue to be reinvested into the higher education and skills system.