Al Pinkerton

The national curriculum sets out the subjects and programmes of study that schools are required to teach to children of compulsory school age in English maintained schools. Physical education (PE) is compulsory at all four key stages of the national curriculum.

Data collected in the ‘School and college voice: December 2023’ survey indicated that the median scheduled PE time was 120 minutes for key stage 1 to key stage 3 and 60 minutes for key stage 4. The data can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-and-college-voice-omnibus-surveys-for-2023-to-2024/school-and-college-voice-december-2023.

The government established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE The interim report can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report.

In the next phase, the Review will consider subject issues, working closely with the sector. The government has committed to protect time for PE and will respond to the Review’s final recommendations in the autumn.

I refer the hon. Member for Surrey Heath to the answer of 19 November 2024 to Question 13396.

Apprenticeships give employers the skills they need to grow, helping them to fill their vacancies and train their workforce to address industry skills gaps. Apprenticeships are a great way for individuals to begin, or progress in, a successful career.

The department continues to promote apprenticeships to young people, adults and employers through the Skills for Life campaign. The department is also transforming career opportunities and advice to increase awareness of the range of high quality options available to young people, including apprenticeships.

The government has committed to improve careers advice and guarantee two weeks’ worth of work experience for every young person, as well as establish a national jobs and careers service to support people into work and help them succeed.

The department also supports the apprenticeship ambassador network, a network of over 2,000 volunteer employers and former and current apprentices, all of whom volunteer their time to inform and inspire the next generation of apprentices and apprentice employers.

Universities are autonomous and responsible for promoting their own programs.

No teacher should feel unsafe or face violence or abuse in the workplace. The department will always support teachers to ensure they can work in safe and calm classrooms. All school employers, including trusts, have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees.

While the department expects schools to take immediate and robust action if incidents of violence occur, any decision on how to sanction the pupil involved is a matter for the school.

In the most serious cases, suspension or permanent exclusion may be necessary to ensure that teachers and pupils are protected from disruption and to maintain safe, calm environments. Should the incident constitute a criminal offence, the school should report it to the police.

All children and young people should have every opportunity to achieve and thrive, no matter who they are or where they are from. However, the pandemic harmed the attainment of all children, particularly those that are disadvantaged, and too many children and young people continue to face barriers to learning.

This is not acceptable, which is why the Opportunity Mission will break down barriers and raise standards across education, ensuring a better future for all children and young people in all areas of the country, including Surrey Heath.

High and rising standards across every school and for every child are at the heart of this mission, delivered through excellent teaching and leadership, a high-quality curriculum, robust accountability and faster school improvement and a system which removes additional barriers to learning.

The quality of teaching is the single most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for all children which is why we are committed to recruiting 6,500 new expert teachers. We have also launched an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, which is closely examining the key challenges to attainment for young people and the barriers that hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve.

To strengthen school improvement, the new regional improvement for standards and excellence teams will provide both mandatory targeted intervention for schools identified by Ofsted as needing to improve and a universal service, acting as a catalyst for a self-improving system for all schools.

Independent research has found that COVID-19 led to increased depressive symptoms among teenagers and decreased life satisfaction, with girls being particularly affected.

The department is committed to improving mental health support for all children and young people. We will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school through expanding Mental Health Support Teams, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate, and open new Young Futures Hubs with access to mental health support workers.

Schools are required to identify and address the special educational needs (SEN) of the pupils they support and, in the case of mainstream settings, to use their best endeavours to make sure that a child or young person who has SEN gets the support they need. All schools should apply the ‘graduated approach’ that is outlined in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice, which means identifying a child’s needs, planning appropriate support, implementing that support and reviewing it regularly to ensure it continues to meet the identified needs.

We want to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with SEND through early identification, effective support, high quality teaching and effective allocation of resources. The department is also working closely with experts on reforms who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families, as we consider the next steps for the future of SEND reform.

Alongside this, the government is committed to improving mental health support for all children and young people. This is critical to breaking down barriers to opportunity and helping pupils to achieve and thrive in education.

The department will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. Further information on the support (as at 31 March 2024) for pupil's provided by NHS funded Mental Health Support Teams in Surrey schools is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision.

Too many children and young people do not have access to the same enrichment opportunities as their peers, suffer from poor mental health and, in some cases, end up being drawn into crime rather than going on to achieve and thrive.

The government has committed to the creation of the new Young Futures programme, which will establish a network of Young Futures Hubs and Young Futures Prevention Partnerships, to intervene earlier to ensure this cohort is identified and offered support in a more systematic way.

Young Futures Hubs will bring together services to improve access to opportunities and support for children and young people at community level, promoting positive outcomes and enabling them to thrive. Prevention Partnerships will identify children and young people who are vulnerable to being drawn into crime, including anti-social behaviour, and divert them by offering them suitable support in a more systematic way.

The Young Futures programme is one part of delivering support within a much wider youth landscape. They will be designed to complement core services and wider initiatives spanning youth, education, employment, social care, mental health, youth justice and policing.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this government and is a key part of our Safer Streets Mission. Anti-social behaviour causes great harm and misery to communities and, if left unchecked, can lead to more serious offending. Effective youth anti-social behaviour intervention is crucial in disrupting this pipeline. In many cases, informal and early intervention can be successful in changing behaviour and protecting communities.

As part of the wider youth landscape, this government has launched the co-production of an ambitious National Youth Strategy to set out a new vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

​All schools are required, by law, to have a behaviour policy which outlines measures to encourage good behaviour and prevent all forms of bullying amongst pupils. This should be communicated to all pupils, school staff and parents.

In addition, the government’s ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance supports schools on how to develop, implement and maintain a policy that prohibits the use of mobile phones throughout the school day including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime. Headteachers are responsible for implementation of guidance within their schools.

Whilst the department has not directly assessed these measures in Surrey Health constituency, the department’s National Behaviour Survey (NBS) reports can be used to monitor national perceptions of behaviour in schools over time. These can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-behaviour-survey-reports. The NBS asks panels of pupils, parents, school leaders and teachers about their perceptions on a range of topics relating to pupil behaviour, including frequency, impacts and bullying, and responses to misbehaviour.

Universities are independent and autonomous bodies responsible for decisions such as admissions, diversity of provision, course content, teaching and assessment. As such, they are responsible for designing their own policies regarding the use of artificial intelligence and for taking steps to prevent academic misconduct, as set out in the Office for Students’ regulatory framework.

Academic integrity is crucial to protecting the reputation of the UK’s world-class higher education sector.

From September 2025 the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF) will set out a minimum entitlement to training for new teachers and must be used by providers of Initial Teacher Training and those delivering provider-led early career training to create their curricula.

The department’s review of content for the ITTECF paid particular attention to the needs of trainees and Early Career Teachers (ECTs) when supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). There is now significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND. The content includes, for example, developing an understanding of different pupil needs, and learning how to provide opportunities for success for all pupils. The department tested this approach with SEND educational experts with consensus that the approach of ‘quality-first teaching’ would be the best way to improve outcomes for all children, particularly those with SEND.

The department recognises that continuous improvement is essential and have recently committed to a full review of the Early Career Teacher Entitlement in 2027 to ensure it continues to provide the best possible support for ECTs. This review will focus on the support we provide new teachers in teaching pupils with SEND.

Ofsted inspect all teacher training that leads to qualified teacher status, as well as department-funded lead providers of training for ECTs. Their inspections give an independent, external evaluation of a provider’s effectiveness and, where appropriate, highlight areas for improvement.

On 1 September 2024, the government introduced a new mandatory leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs). The NPQ must be completed within three years of taking up a SENCO post. The new NPQ will play a key role improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND by ensuring SENCOs consistently receive high-quality, evidence-based training.

The £12 million Universal Services programme also helps the school and further education workforce to identify and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND earlier and more effectively. The programme offers online training, professional development groups, bespoke school and college improvement projects, sector-led research, autism awareness training and an embedded focus on preparation for adulthood, including employer-led webinars for college staff.

Political and media literacy are currently taught through the national curriculum for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4, which covers parliamentary democracy, the power of government, and how citizens and Parliament hold government to account. It also equips young people to distinguish between fact and opinion and understand the role of a free press. Primary schools can choose to teach citizenship, using non-statutory programmes of study at key stages 1 and 2. Complementary aspects of media literacy are also taught through relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) and computing, which together equip pupils to evaluate and apply information technology and to be a discerning consumer of information online.

Support for curriculum delivery is available through optional, free and adaptable resources from Oak National Academy (Oak). Oak launched its new curriculum sequences for secondary citizenship earlier this academic year, with the full package of curriculum resources expected to be available by this autumn. Oak resources are available here: https://www.thenational.academy/.

The Educate against Hate website also hosts a series of online media literacy resources, which seek to help young people evaluate the validity of information. These resources can be accessed here: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, conducted by a group of education leaders (the Review group) and chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The terms of reference were published last July and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-review.

The Review will seek to deliver a curriculum that is rich and broad, which ensures children and young people are equipped with the essential knowledge and skills to enable them to adapt and thrive in the world and workplace of the future. The Review will consider the skills needed to ensure that children are resilient to misinformation and can distinguish fact from fiction.

The role of the Review group is to consider the evidence, the responses to the call for evidence and widespread engagement with the sector, and then make recommendations for the government to consider. The Review group will publish an interim report in early spring setting out its interim findings and confirming the key areas for further work, and will publish its final report with recommendations this autumn. The department will take decisions on what changes to make in light of these recommendations.

Political and media literacy are currently taught through the national curriculum for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4, which covers parliamentary democracy, the power of government, and how citizens and Parliament hold government to account. It also equips young people to distinguish between fact and opinion and understand the role of a free press. Primary schools can choose to teach citizenship, using non-statutory programmes of study at key stages 1 and 2. Complementary aspects of media literacy are also taught through relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) and computing, which together equip pupils to evaluate and apply information technology and to be a discerning consumer of information online.

Support for curriculum delivery is available through optional, free and adaptable resources from Oak National Academy (Oak). Oak launched its new curriculum sequences for secondary citizenship earlier this academic year, with the full package of curriculum resources expected to be available by this autumn. Oak resources are available here: https://www.thenational.academy/.

The Educate against Hate website also hosts a series of online media literacy resources, which seek to help young people evaluate the validity of information. These resources can be accessed here: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, conducted by a group of education leaders (the Review group) and chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The terms of reference were published last July and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-review.

The Review will seek to deliver a curriculum that is rich and broad, which ensures children and young people are equipped with the essential knowledge and skills to enable them to adapt and thrive in the world and workplace of the future. The Review will consider the skills needed to ensure that children are resilient to misinformation and can distinguish fact from fiction.

The role of the Review group is to consider the evidence, the responses to the call for evidence and widespread engagement with the sector, and then make recommendations for the government to consider. The Review group will publish an interim report in early spring setting out its interim findings and confirming the key areas for further work, and will publish its final report with recommendations this autumn. The department will take decisions on what changes to make in light of these recommendations.

All mainstream schools (including academies and free schools) must have a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO). The SENCO must be a qualified teacher, or the headteacher, working at the school. SENCOs play a vital role in setting the direction for their school and leading on the day-to-day special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision.

Schools should ensure that the SENCO has sufficient time and resources to carry out these functions. This should include providing SENCOs with sufficient administrative support and time away from teaching to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities in a similar way to other important strategic roles within a school.

On 1 September 2024, the government introduced a new mandatory leadership level National Professional Qualification (NPQ) for SENCOs. The NPQ must be completed within three years of taking up a SENCO post. The new NPQ will play a key role improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND by ensuring SENCOs consistently receive high-quality, evidence-based training.

The £12 million Universal Services programme also helps the school and further education workforce to identify and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND earlier and more effectively.

The programme offers online training, professional development groups, bespoke school and college improvement projects, sector-led research, autism awareness training and an embedded focus on preparation for adulthood, including employer-led webinars for college staff.

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

Educational psychologists play a critical role in the support available to children and young people, providing statutory input into education, health and care assessments and advising the school workforce on how to support children and young people with SEND.

As the employers of educational psychology services, it is the responsibility of local authorities to ensure that their services are adequately staffed. The department is however taking measures to support local authorities by investing in building the pipeline.

The department is investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from 2024. This builds on the £10 million currently being invested in the training of over 200 educational psychologists who began their training in September 2023.

To support retention, following graduation, trainees who have had their training funded by the department are required to remain in local authority employment for a minimum period. For trainees beginning their course in September 2024, this requirement has increased to three years.

This government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and ensuring every child has access to high-quality education. The 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 succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. We are committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to children and young people with the most complex needs.

At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced a £1 billion uplift in high needs funding in financial year 2025/26, providing additional support and improving outcomes for the more than a million children in the state sector with SEND.

Most children with special educational needs, including most with education, health and care (EHC) plans, are already educated in mainstream state-funded schools. All state-funded schools support children with SEND. All children of compulsory age are entitled to a state-funded school place that is free for parents. Where a private school place is necessary to support a child with SEND, the local authority will fund it through an EHC plan.

Local authorities have a statutory duty for ensuring sufficient state school places in their area. Local authorities routinely support parents that need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed or where pupils move between schools. The department does not collect data on in-year school applications or admissions, but where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.

The department expects all schools admitting new pupils in-year to provide them with appropriate support, including where they have SEND. Schools will need to work with their local authority where pupils have additional needs that cannot be met within the school.

Digital literacy is currently taught through the compulsory curriculum subjects of computing, relationships, sex and health education and, at key stage 3 and 4, citizenship.

Last summer, the government established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis. The review’s aim is for every child and young person to access a cutting-edge curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative. The terms of reference set out that the review will seek to deliver a curriculum that ensures children and young people leave compulsory education ready for life and work. This includes embedding digital skills in their learning.

The review’s terms of reference can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-review.

The last local area special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) inspection by Ofsted and Care Quality Commission for Surrey was in September 2023. The department’s regional team has put in place systems to track outcomes against the areas for improvement found by inspectors and the progress made by children and young people with SEND. Surrey County Council are committed to working closely with the department to improve services.

Surrey County Council also entered into a Safety Valve agreement with the department in March 2022. Safety Valve agreements aim to improve the effectiveness of local authority high needs systems and ensure their long-term financial sustainability.

A new special school, Hopescourt School, will open in Walton-on-Thames in September 2024, delivered by Surrey County Council, with support from the department. The school will provide high quality specialist education for both autistic children and children who have communication and interaction needs. It will create up to 77 school places in its first year of opening, increasing to 200 at full capacity, as an 'all through-school'.

All children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receiving the support to succeed is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

From 1 January 2025, water companies will be required to publish data related to discharges from all storm overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning (under section 141DA of the Water Industry Act 1991 as inserted by section 81 of the Environment Act 2021).

In addition to this, the Water (Special Measures) Bill will introduce a duty for water companies to publish data related to discharges from all emergency overflows within one hour of the discharge beginning.

This will create an unprecedented level of transparency, enabling the public and regulators to see where, and how often, overflows are discharging, and hold water companies to account. This will meet the Government commitment to ensure monitoring of every outlet.

The Water (Special Measures) Bill will also introduce a statutory duty for all water companies in England and Wales to publish annual Pollution Incident Reduction Plans.

The measures in this Bill will provide the most significant increase in enforcement powers for the regulators in a decade, giving them the teeth they need to take tougher action against water companies in the next investment period, which is due to start in April next year.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

The Government is committed to effectively protecting 30% of our land and sea by 2030. There are 181 Marine Protected Areas, including three Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), covering over 40% of English waters.

We are currently focusing on implementing management measures to ensure these three HPMAs receive the high level of protection needed and will consider next steps on HPMAs in due course.

It is essential to manage bottom trawling in our Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) appropriately due to the significant damage it can have on protected seabed habitats. 60% of England’s MPAs have bottom trawling restrictions already. The department is considering next steps in the context of our domestic and international nature conservation obligations and how we consider, and work with, the fishing industry as part of this.