Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to introduce mandatory training on (a) ADHD and (b) other neurodevelopmental conditions within initial teacher training and ongoing professional development frameworks; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of training gaps on pupil outcomes.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with ADHD and other neurodiverse conditions.
From September 2025, the new initial teacher training and early career framework (ITTECF) will set out a minimum entitlement to training for all new teachers. The ITTECF contains significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and SEND which was tested with SEND educational experts to ensure new teachers are equipped to support pupils with a range of additional learning needs.
The department recognises that continuous improvement is essential and has committed to review the ITTECF in 2027 to ensure it continues to provide the best possible support. This review will include a focus on teaching pupils with SEND.
The department also offers the Universal Services programme which helps the school workforce identify and meet the needs of children and young people with SEND, including those with neurodiversity. This includes a range of continuing profession development such as bespoke professional development groups and autism training. Alongside this, the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme is a national programme, backed by £13 million of investment. PINS deploys specialists from health and education workforces to build teacher and staff capacity to identify and better meet the needs of neurodivergent children in mainstream primary schools.
In November 2024, the department established a neurodivergence task and finish group, which includes a range of experts from clinicians, scientists and academics, as well as education experts and third sector organisations. This group is chaired by Professor Karen Guldberg from the University of Birmingham and aims to work closely with the department to help improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream settings in a way that works for neurodivergent children and young people.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps her Department has taken to assess the consistency of SEND policy implementation in secondary schools; and what mechanisms exist to hold schools accountable where legal duties towards neurodivergent pupils are not being met.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department’s expectations for high quality, inclusive education are enforced through inspection by Ofsted. Ofsted’s proposed new framework for inspection of education settings will be informed by their public consultation, which closed on 28 April and includes a stronger focus on children with additional needs including neurodiverse children. We will continue to work with Ofsted to consider how their framework can best ensure continuous improvement in outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision. The framework is scheduled for implementation from autumn 2025.
There are several routes of redress available to parents, or children and young people with SEND, who disagree with a decision made by a school. First, they can complain informally or formally to the school. If they remain unhappy, they can complain to their local authority or multi-academy trust. They can also request to use their local authority’s dispute resolution service or lodge an appeal with the First Tier SEND Tribunal, if they feel that their child has been discriminated against on grounds of their disability.
We continue to ensure that local and regional delivery includes the voice of children and young people, parents/carers and the SEND sector. We are funding 153 local authority Parent Carer Forums, helping families to navigate the SEND system through the Contact national helpline support and advice service, and funding the training and support of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information and Advice Support Service (SENDIASS) staff.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of declining birth rates on (a) the financial sustainability and (b) capacity of nurseries in England; and what steps she is taking to support early years providers impacted by these trends.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It is the department’s ambition that all families have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and care, giving every child the best start in life and delivering on our Plan for Change.
We use the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) population estimates (to 2023) and ONS population projections (2022-based ‘principal’ scenario) to inform our internal national level early years funding forecasts. ONS population estimates suggest that the 0 to 4-year-old population in England decreased by 6% in the five years to 2023, driven by falling birth rates. The ONS principal projections assume that fertility rates decrease slightly in the short-term, remain stable in the medium term and increase slightly in the longer term.
These projections are used to ascertain funding and capacity needs and to support the sector as they prepare to deliver the final phase of expanded childcare entitlements from September 2025. From this year, we plan to provide over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, a more than 30% increase compared to 2024/25. The early years pupil premium rate has increased by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year. We are also providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the early years expansion grant and £25 million through the forthcoming National Insurance contributions grant for public sector employers in early years.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps her Department has taken to provide a remedy to the Teachers' Pension Scheme following the McCloud judgement.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Approximately 596,000 members of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme require Remediable Service Statements (RSSs) setting out their choices as part of the transitional protection (McCloud) remedy. Of those, approximately 532,000 RSSs were issued by 31 March 2025.
The remaining RSSs for members who retired before the relevant legislation was in place, are those that cannot be automated due to their complexity. The department is continuing to work with the scheme administrator to identify ways to increase capacity to complete this work.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of the rate of (a) fixed-term and (b) permanent exclusions for pupils with ADHD in mainstream secondary schools; and whether her Department monitors compliance with statutory duties to consider a pupil’s disability before exclusion decisions are made.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Information of pupils’ primary type of special educational need broken down by suspension and permanent exclusion can be viewed via a detailed table at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/e604c2a7-ce18-4fb3-d9d8-08dd800922cb. This table includes social, emotional and mental health which encompasses a range of conditions affecting emotional regulation, behaviour, and mental health, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Schools have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 not to discriminate against pupils with a special educational need or disability. This government is clear that schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour, and in the most serious cases, exclusion may be necessary to ensure that schools are calm and safe learning environments.
The department trusts headteachers to use their professional judgement based on the individual circumstances of each case when considering excluding a pupil. All such decisions must be lawful, reasonable, and fair. The ‘Suspension and permanent exclusion’ statutory guidance is clear that, in all cases, school leaders should consider early intervention strategies to address the underlying causes or contributing factors of a pupil’s disruptive behaviour before issuing an exclusion.
This can include where a pupil has any neurodiversity or unmet additional needs.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the extent to which standardised behaviour policies in schools reflect evidence on (a) executive dysfunction and (b) other traits associated with ADHD.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour and the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour.
Any policy must be lawful, proportionate and reasonable, and comply with the school’s duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006. This includes taking account of pupils’ special educational needs and disabilities.
The ’Behaviour in schools’ guidance provides support for schools on developing and implementing a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour. This guidance is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-in-schools--2.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on developing a cross-departmental strategy to improve outcomes for children with ADHD in education settings.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This 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.
The department is working closely with other government departments and with external experts on reforms. In November 2024, we established the Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group, which includes clinicians, scientists and academics, as well as education experts and third sector organisations. This group is chaired by Professor Karen Guldberg from Birmingham University and aims to provide an expert view and make recommendations on the best ways to support and meet the needs of neurodivergent children and young people in mainstream education settings, including consideration of the types of support that should be readily available without the need for a diagnosis.
The Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group includes the chair of the independent ADHD Taskforce, convened by NHS England, which provides vital co-ordination across government. My right hon. Friends, the Secretary of State for Education and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, have met on several occasions, including to discuss support for children with SEND.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to ensure that information and communications technology literacy forms part of the national curriculum following the Curriculum and Assessment Review.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s interim report notes the rise of artificial intelligence and trends in digital information and that it is necessary that the curriculum keep pace with these changes, including a renewed focus on digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills. The interim report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn with the government’s response.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to provide additional (a) resources, (b) teacher training and (c) curriculum support to improve media literacy education in schools.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Media literacy is covered in the citizenship, relationships, sex and health education and computing curriculums.
The department funds the National Centre for Computing Education, which provides teachers with continuing professional development and resources to support the teaching of computing. This includes units on messaging in digital media, the credibility of sources, and identifying ‘fake’ news and edited images, supporting the teaching of artificial intelligence (AI) and media literacy.
In 2024, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) provided £0.5 million to scale up two programmes, to provide media literacy support to teachers, children aged 11 to 16, parents/carers and other professionals working with families.
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. This can be accessed at: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/.
The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review’s interim report notes the rise of AI and trends in digital information and that it is necessary that the curriculum keep pace with these changes, including a renewed focus on digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills. The interim report is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-interim-report. The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in autumn with the government’s response.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) improve alternative provision arrangements for children with SEND during the process of waiting for a tribunal.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Alternative provision (AP) schools contribute to a more inclusive whole-school system by working with mainstream schools to identify children’s special educational needs at the earliest stage. They can help devise interventions and provide additional support, enabling children to remain in a mainstream classroom or successfully transition into specialist provision.
In future, the department’s focus will be on providing early intervention and support to mainstream schools to equip all their children with the skills and confidence needed to thrive in education and reduce the need for AP placements. This early intervention will help children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) awaiting their Tribunal hearing, to get back on track quickly and have the skills to achieve and thrive.
If a local authority has issued an education, health and care plan naming a school or college, the plan carries statutory force until it is reviewed and amended, including when a plan is being appealed at the First Tier SEND Tribunal. This means the local authority must secure the specific special educational provision set out in the plan and that the setting must admit the child or young person, including those in AP, even whilst an appeal is ongoing.
The department monitors and holds local authorities to account for delivery of their SEND services through joint inspections by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission. These inspections place greater emphasis on the outcomes being achieved by children and young people and are the primary tool to maintain a focus on high standards in the SEND system across all partners.