Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has spent on special severance payments in each of the last three years.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The total value of severance payments is set out in the department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of requiring nurseries to use monitoring or recording equipment, including cameras; and whether her Department has issued guidance to early years providers on the use of such technology to support safeguarding.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The ‘Early years foundation stage’ statutory framework sets the standards and requirements early years providers must meet to ensure that children have the best start in life and are kept healthy and safe. Providers are required to have safeguarding policies addressing the use of mobile phones, cameras, and other electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities. Decisions about using monitoring and recording equipment are for individual providers, subject to safeguarding and data protection requirements.
As part of the department’s ongoing review of safeguarding requirements, an expert advisory panel has been appointed and is working at pace to inform guidance for the sector on the safe and effective use of CCTV and digital devices. This guidance will consider whether CCTV should be mandated and will set out best practice, technical advice and clear expectations. It will be published in summer 2026.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she will introduce a maximum 5 per cent threshold for ultra-processed foods (Nova Group 4) in the updated School Food Standards, in line with the successful 2025 implementation by the Isle of Man Government; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Chelsea and Fulham to the answer of 7 April 2026 to Question 121632.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what capital funding is available to increase the number of childcare places in settings that are already at capacity, including those operating within primary schools.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
High-quality early years education is central to our mission to break down barriers to opportunity, give every child the best possible start in life, and is essential to our Plan for Change. This government is boosting availability and access through the school-based nurseries programme, supporting school-led provision and private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers and childminders operating from school sites.
The department recently announced that we are investing £45 million to support 331 additional schools to establish or grow their nurseries as part of Phase 2 of the School-Based Nursery scheme, creating more than 6,000 further places. This includes a school-based nursery in North Northumberland. Phase 3 of the programme is backed by up to £325 million of additional funding and will invite local authorities to develop multi-year funding proposals that outline plans for new or expanded school-based nurseries in their area. This will enable eligible schools, including those working in partnership with PVIs and childminders operating from school sites, to increase the number of childcare places available or establish new nursery provision. Local authorities may also use the grant funding to expand or create provision for maintained nursery schools, or on Best Start Family Hub sites.
Asked by: Damien Egan (Labour - Bristol North East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what safeguards are in place to ensure that nurseries undertake adequate pre-employment checks to prevent people with a history of abusive behaviour from working with children; and what steps her Department is taking to help ensure ongoing monitoring and safeguarding compliance once staff are in post.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Safer recruitment is a core part of safeguarding in early years settings. The ‘Early Years Foundation Stage’ (EYFS) statutory framework requires providers to have clear and robust recruitment procedures in place to ensure that only suitable people work with children.
Since September 2025, the safeguarding and welfare requirements in the EYFS have been strengthened to clarify expectations, formalise best practice and improve consistency across the sector, including clearer requirements on safer recruitment, references, safeguarding training, paediatric first aid and whistleblowing.
Providers must obtain references for all staff, students and volunteers before recruitment. The EYFS sets out expectations when obtaining references including not relying on applicants to obtain their reference, references to be provided by a senior person with appropriate authority relating to recent and relevant employment, and to ensure any concerns must be resolved before appointment.
All staff must be subject to appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. Where checks are ongoing, individuals may only work under appropriate supervision and must never be left alone with children.
Safeguarding policies must set out safer recruitment procedures and be supported by effective induction, supervision, safeguarding training and whistleblowing arrangements to maintain a strong safeguarding culture.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of early years funding rates in helping to ensure the financial sustainability of pre-school and nursery settings.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The government expects to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements in 2026/27, more than doubling annual public investment in the early years sector compared to 2023/24, as a result of successfully rolling-out the expansion of government-funded childcare for working parents.
In 2026/27, we are delivering an above-inflation increase on 2025/26 entitlements funding rates. This increase allows the national average funding rate to continue reflecting forecast cost pressures on the early years sector, including the National Living Wage announced at Autumn Budget 2025, and goes further, taking into account the wider workforce pressures felt by the sector since April 2025.
In December 2025, we announced above inflation national average increases of 4.95% to the 3 to 4-year-old hourly funding rate, a 4.36% increase to the 2-year-old hourly funding rate, and a 4.28% increase to the 9 month to 2-years-old hourly funding rate.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how calculations of national funding rates by age group for nurseries are currently conducted.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department uses the early years national funding formulae (EYNFF) to distribute the early years entitlements budget to local authorities. The EYNFF determine local authority hourly funding rates by taking into consideration the different costs of delivering early years provision in different parts of the country.
The hourly funding rate for each entitlement varies to reflect the costs of delivering provision to different age groups. We know that the cost of delivery is highest for younger children due to higher staff costs, as staffing makes up the most significant proportion of provider costs.
Rates also vary between local authorities reflecting the different communities that local authorities serve. However, it is local authorities who are responsible for setting individual provider funding rates in consultation with their providers and schools forum, and fund providers using their own local funding formula.
The department will consult on changes to how early years funding is calculated and distributed, details of which will be published in 2026, to ensure funding is matched to need.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the percentage median salary increase for secondary school head teachers in England between 1996–97 and 2025–26 in (1) cash terms, and (2) real terms adjusted for inflation.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Median pay is published for classroom teachers, headteachers and ‘other leadership’ teachers. The percentage median salary increase is not published but can be calculated from the published median pay. Deputy heads are grouped into the ‘other leadership’ category, alongside assistant heads. Median pay is not published for deputy heads separately.
Statistics for median teacher pay extending back to 1996/97 are not readily available. The available time series goes back to 2010/11, the first year of the School Workforce Census. The most recent data currently available is for 2024/25 and the 2025/26 pay data will be published in June 2026.
Percentage Median Salary Increase Between 2010/11 and 2024/25 for Headteachers and Deputy Heads in Cash Terms
Deputy Head | Head teachers | ||
Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary |
39.5% | 38.2% | 41.6% | 36.2% |
Percentage Median Salary Increase Between 2010/11 and 2024/25 for Headteachers and Deputy Heads Adjusted for Inflation (indexed to 2024/25)
Deputy Head | Head teachers | ||
Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary |
-6.5% | -7.4% | -5.1% | -8.7% |
We have adjusted for inflation on a financial year basis using the Consumer Price Index from the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2026 Economic and Fiscal Outlook. To get the median pay figures adjusted for inflation, we have indexed to financial year 2024/25.
Headteacher pay in maintained schools is determined by a calculation set out in the ‘School teachers pay and conditions’ document. Once the school has been allocated to one of eight headteacher groups, largely based on size of school by pupil numbers, the individual salary range of the headteacher is determined by the governing body within the minimum and maximum of the respective headteacher group range. The salary range of any deputy or assistant headteachers is then determined in the context of the headteachers salary.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the percentage median salary increase for secondary school deputy head teachers in England between 1996–97 and 2025–26 in (1) cash terms, and (2) real terms adjusted for inflation.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Median pay is published for classroom teachers, headteachers and ‘other leadership’ teachers. The percentage median salary increase is not published but can be calculated from the published median pay. Deputy heads are grouped into the ‘other leadership’ category, alongside assistant heads. Median pay is not published for deputy heads separately.
Statistics for median teacher pay extending back to 1996/97 are not readily available. The available time series goes back to 2010/11, the first year of the School Workforce Census. The most recent data currently available is for 2024/25 and the 2025/26 pay data will be published in June 2026.
Percentage Median Salary Increase Between 2010/11 and 2024/25 for Headteachers and Deputy Heads in Cash Terms
Deputy Head | Head teachers | ||
Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary |
39.5% | 38.2% | 41.6% | 36.2% |
Percentage Median Salary Increase Between 2010/11 and 2024/25 for Headteachers and Deputy Heads Adjusted for Inflation (indexed to 2024/25)
Deputy Head | Head teachers | ||
Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary |
-6.5% | -7.4% | -5.1% | -8.7% |
We have adjusted for inflation on a financial year basis using the Consumer Price Index from the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2026 Economic and Fiscal Outlook. To get the median pay figures adjusted for inflation, we have indexed to financial year 2024/25.
Headteacher pay in maintained schools is determined by a calculation set out in the ‘School teachers pay and conditions’ document. Once the school has been allocated to one of eight headteacher groups, largely based on size of school by pupil numbers, the individual salary range of the headteacher is determined by the governing body within the minimum and maximum of the respective headteacher group range. The salary range of any deputy or assistant headteachers is then determined in the context of the headteachers salary.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Goss Moor (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the percentage median salary increase for primary school deputy head teachers in England between 1996–97 and 2025–26 in (1) cash terms, and (2) real terms adjusted for inflation.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Median pay is published for classroom teachers, headteachers and ‘other leadership’ teachers. The percentage median salary increase is not published but can be calculated from the published median pay. Deputy heads are grouped into the ‘other leadership’ category, alongside assistant heads. Median pay is not published for deputy heads separately.
Statistics for median teacher pay extending back to 1996/97 are not readily available. The available time series goes back to 2010/11, the first year of the School Workforce Census. The most recent data currently available is for 2024/25 and the 2025/26 pay data will be published in June 2026.
Percentage Median Salary Increase Between 2010/11 and 2024/25 for Headteachers and Deputy Heads in Cash Terms
Deputy Head | Head teachers | ||
Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary |
39.5% | 38.2% | 41.6% | 36.2% |
Percentage Median Salary Increase Between 2010/11 and 2024/25 for Headteachers and Deputy Heads Adjusted for Inflation (indexed to 2024/25)
Deputy Head | Head teachers | ||
Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary |
-6.5% | -7.4% | -5.1% | -8.7% |
We have adjusted for inflation on a financial year basis using the Consumer Price Index from the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2026 Economic and Fiscal Outlook. To get the median pay figures adjusted for inflation, we have indexed to financial year 2024/25.
Headteacher pay in maintained schools is determined by a calculation set out in the ‘School teachers pay and conditions’ document. Once the school has been allocated to one of eight headteacher groups, largely based on size of school by pupil numbers, the individual salary range of the headteacher is determined by the governing body within the minimum and maximum of the respective headteacher group range. The salary range of any deputy or assistant headteachers is then determined in the context of the headteachers salary.