Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their definition of a "stuck" school; when this definition was adopted; and how it differs from previous definitions.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government has defined a stuck school in its consultation on school accountability reform, which was published on 3 February 2025, as a school which was graded ‘requires improvement’ or equivalent at its most recent graded Ofsted inspection and was also graded below ‘good’ at its previous inspection. The consultation also proposes how to define stuck schools in future, subject to the outcome of Ofsted’s separate consultation on improving the way it inspects education.
As at 1 March 2025, there are a total of 566 academy schools, including free schools, which meet the definition of ‘stuck’ schools (5% of all academies) of which 207 are converter academies (2.7% of all convertor academies). Additionally, there are 91 local authority maintained schools meeting the ‘stuck’ schools definition (0.9% of all local authority maintained schools), of which 48 are community schools (0.8% of all community schools) and 43 are voluntary or foundation schools (1.0% of all voluntary or foundation schools). It should be noted that some stuck schools that are now academies were local authority maintained schools at the time of their most recent inspection and subsequently converted as a result of intervention.
The government is committed to high and rising standards for all children, regardless of the type of school they attend. We are already deploying regional improvement for standards and excellence teams to both maintained schools and academies which meet the current definition of stuck and have not had a change of responsible body since their most recent inspection.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many "stuck" schools as of 28 February were (1) academy schools, or (2) local authority maintained schools.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government has defined a stuck school in its consultation on school accountability reform, which was published on 3 February 2025, as a school which was graded ‘requires improvement’ or equivalent at its most recent graded Ofsted inspection and was also graded below ‘good’ at its previous inspection. The consultation also proposes how to define stuck schools in future, subject to the outcome of Ofsted’s separate consultation on improving the way it inspects education.
As at 1 March 2025, there are a total of 566 academy schools, including free schools, which meet the definition of ‘stuck’ schools (5% of all academies) of which 207 are converter academies (2.7% of all convertor academies). Additionally, there are 91 local authority maintained schools meeting the ‘stuck’ schools definition (0.9% of all local authority maintained schools), of which 48 are community schools (0.8% of all community schools) and 43 are voluntary or foundation schools (1.0% of all voluntary or foundation schools). It should be noted that some stuck schools that are now academies were local authority maintained schools at the time of their most recent inspection and subsequently converted as a result of intervention.
The government is committed to high and rising standards for all children, regardless of the type of school they attend. We are already deploying regional improvement for standards and excellence teams to both maintained schools and academies which meet the current definition of stuck and have not had a change of responsible body since their most recent inspection.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools which are currently Ofsted graded “Requires Improvement” or equivalent but were graded “Good” or “Outstanding” at their last inspection; and what plans they have at national level to provide school improvement support to these schools.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of this government’s plan to deliver a better accountability system that sets clear expectations, encourages improvement and spreads excellence, the use of single headline grades was stopped in September 2024, and it is our intention to introduce school report cards from the next academic year. As of 28 February 2025, there are 924 schools graded ‘requires improvement’, which were graded ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ in their previous inspection.
The department is strengthening its tools for faster and more effective school improvement. These schools will be eligible for our new Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) universal service to drive high and rising standards. RISE teams will signpost schools to effective practice, encourage peer-to-peer support, and bring schools together to share their knowledge and innovation. This includes organising regional events, conferences and networking opportunities, aligned to our four national priorities of attainment, attendance, mainstream inclusion and reception year quality.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on English students from under-represented backgrounds of the planned closure by Cardiff University of its School of Music.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government believes that access to higher education should be based on ability and attainment, not background.
As education is a devolved matter, impacts following the closure of provision at a Welsh university are a matter for the Welsh government.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to announce funding for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund beyond March.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department will shortly be finalising business planning decisions on how its budget will be allocated for the next financial year. All decisions regarding the adoption and special guardianship support fund are being considered as part of these discussions. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for reviewing the National Adoption Strategy, which was last updated in July 2021.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Adoption England published a three-year strategy in 2024 that the government supports. This sets out a wide range of work to build on its work to develop adoption services across the country in partnership with those with lived experience. The full publication can be found here: https://adoptionengland.co.uk/sites/default/files/2024-04/Adoption%20England%20Strategy.pdf.
The department has provided funding of £9 million in 2024/25 for Adoption England to help develop national approaches for adoption services.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase funding for the Connect the Classroom programme.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government is committed to harnessing the potential of technology to drive high and rising standards in education and deliver our Plan for Change. That includes breaking down the barriers to opportunity for all to ensure no one is left behind.
We will set out our initiatives to tackle the digital divide in due course, and in line with the multi-year spending review, which will conclude in late spring 2025.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to issue guidance under sections 10(8), 10(10) and 12B(4) of the Children Act 2004.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department has no plans to issue guidance under sections 10(8), 10(10) and 12B(4) of the Children Act 2004.
Safeguarding partners (police, health, local authorities) are under a duty to make arrangements to work together and with other partners locally, including education providers and childcare settings, to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in their area. These responsibilities are set out in the 2023 statutory guidance ‘Working together to safeguard children’. The department will review this guidance regularly to ensure that it continues to reflect evidence, learns from children’s social care reform and aligns with legislative changes.
In November, the department published its ambitious, wide-ranging plans for children’s social care reform in ‘Keeping children safe, helping families thrive’, setting the wheels in motion to break the cycle of crisis intervention and rebalance the system back towards earlier help for families. In December, the department introduced the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This is a landmark piece of legislation, introducing a series of measures with a focus on delivering a joined-up system to stop vulnerable children falling through cracks in services.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the proposed power in clause 43 (Academies: power to secure performance of proprietor’s duties etc) of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill includes the duty of proprietors of academies, under section 10(5) of the Children Act 2004, to co-operate with the local authority in making arrangements to improve the wellbeing of children.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Clause 43 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill proposes a power for my right hon. Friend, Secretary of State for Education to issue a direction to secure the proper performance of a relevant duty or power by the proprietor of an academy trust. A ‘relevant duty’ is defined as ‘any duty, whether or not imposed by or under enactment, to which the proprietor of an academy trust is subject’. This includes the duty, under Section 10(5) of the Children Act 2004, to co-operate with the local authority in making arrangements to promote co-operation with a view to improving the wellbeing of children.
Asked by: Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government when regulations will next be made under sections 17 (Children and young people’s plans) and 66 (Regulations and Orders) of the Children Act 2004.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department has no immediate plans to update regulations under sections 17 and 66 of the Children Act 2004. Safeguarding partners (police, health, local authorities) are under a duty to make arrangements to work together, and with other partners locally, including education providers and childcare settings, to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in their area. These responsibilities are set out in the 2023 statutory guidance ‘Working together to safeguard children’. The department will review the statutory guidance regularly to ensure that it continues to reflect evidence and learning from children’s social care reform and aligns with legislative changes.
In November, the department published its ambitious, wide-ranging plans for children’s social care in ‘Keeping children safe, helping families thrive’, setting the wheels in motion to break the cycle of crisis intervention and rebalance the system back towards earlier help for families. In December, the department introduced the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This is a landmark piece of legislation, introducing a series of measures with a focus on delivering a joined-up system to stop vulnerable children falling through cracks in services.