Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure the Curriculum review includes a focus on practical financial skills.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Curriculum and Assessment Review's final report was published on 5 November. As part of its focus on preparing learners for a changing world, the Review has recommended updating or strengthening five areas of applied knowledge: financial literacy, media literacy, digital literacy, oracy and climate education.
The government’s response to the Review’s report was published on the same day. Through our reforms, children will be better prepared for the modern world.
Improved financial literacy, taught from an early age, will help children and young people master money skills. The department will do this by making citizenship compulsory in key stages 1 and 2. Additionally, references to financial education in the mathematics and citizenship programmes of study will be strengthened, and the relevant content sequenced appropriately, so that content can then be applied to practical situations, contexts, and problems. We will ensure that key concepts relevant to financial education, such as calculating interest, are first introduced in mathematics.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the ongoing Curriculum Review will include a focus on expanding or deepening the teaching of practical financial skills for pupils.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
On 5 November, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review published its final report which includes recommendations for a refreshed curriculum and assessment system in England. The government responded to this report. The response includes a commitment to strengthen pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship, with digital resources to support teaching.
Work is now underway to deliver a new curriculum and assessment system that is ambitious for every child, rich in knowledge and strong on skills.
The government is legislating so that academies will be required to teach the reformed national curriculum, alongside maintained schools. This will give parents certainty over the core of their child’s education.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to strengthen the enforcement and delivery of financial education across all types of schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
On 5 November, the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review published its final report which includes recommendations for a refreshed curriculum and assessment system in England. The government responded to this report. The response includes a commitment to strengthen pupils’ foundational understanding of financial education in mathematics and citizenship, with digital resources to support teaching.
Work is now underway to deliver a new curriculum and assessment system that is ambitious for every child, rich in knowledge and strong on skills.
The government is legislating so that academies will be required to teach the reformed national curriculum, alongside maintained schools. This will give parents certainty over the core of their child’s education.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that all primary schools are keeping children safe from the exposure to the sun during the school day.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Schools are responsible for safeguarding children in their care. We expect all schools to make sensible decisions about sun safety when temperatures are high.
The department’s Education Hub website signposts the UK Security Agency’s advice for teachers and other educational professionals on looking after children before and after hot weather, and the Health and Safety Executive’s advice for schools as employers.
We also expect schools to engage parents and pupils in discussions about what precautions are acceptable, including how schools adhere to the UK Security Agency’s advice around whether staff should administer sunscreen to younger pupils, whether children are allowed to carry their own sunscreen or cover up, wear sunglasses and a hat.
The department has no plans to introduce a national sun safe policy for primary schools. We believe schools are best placed to determine what measures are practical within the context of their school to minimise the risks arising from pupils being exposed to the sun during the school day.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy that all primary schools must adopt a national sun safe policy.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Schools are responsible for safeguarding children in their care. We expect all schools to make sensible decisions about sun safety when temperatures are high.
The department’s Education Hub website signposts the UK Security Agency’s advice for teachers and other educational professionals on looking after children before and after hot weather, and the Health and Safety Executive’s advice for schools as employers.
We also expect schools to engage parents and pupils in discussions about what precautions are acceptable, including how schools adhere to the UK Security Agency’s advice around whether staff should administer sunscreen to younger pupils, whether children are allowed to carry their own sunscreen or cover up, wear sunglasses and a hat.
The department has no plans to introduce a national sun safe policy for primary schools. We believe schools are best placed to determine what measures are practical within the context of their school to minimise the risks arising from pupils being exposed to the sun during the school day.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that specialist music and dance schools have enough funding to provide funded places for talented children from all socio-economic backgrounds; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing a multi-year grant settlement for those schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The government fully supports the arts and the development of a skills pipeline into the creative industries. The department is providing £36.5 million for the Music and Dance Scheme this academic year. Any introduction of multi-year funding agreements will be considered in due course.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help consistent teaching of (a) safe and unsafe exposure to the sun and (b) how to reduce the risk of sun damage as outlined in the mandatory PHSE curriculum for primary schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
As part of the revised relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance, published on 15 July, schools must now teach facts about safe and unsafe exposure to the sun, and how to reduce the risk of sun damage, including skin cancer. In secondary school, the curriculum builds on this, and in addition covers the importance of pupils taking responsibility for their own health.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to extend the teaching of sun safety to secondary schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
As part of the revised relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) statutory guidance, published on 15 July, schools must now teach facts about safe and unsafe exposure to the sun, and how to reduce the risk of sun damage, including skin cancer. In secondary school, the curriculum builds on this, and in addition covers the importance of pupils taking responsibility for their own health.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 8750 on Adoption, what recent progress her Department has made on providing support to people affected by historic forced adoption practices between the 1940 and 1970.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government remains committed to ensuring that individuals affected by historical adoption practices receive the support they need and deserve. The department continues to follow up on the 2022 Joint Committee on Human Rights report, including actions to improve access to adoption records, enhance intermediary services, and support the preservation of historical records.
The department continues to fund Adoption England, which has recently published new guidance to support consistent and legally compliant practice across all adoption services. Adoption England funds the pilot initiative FamilyConnect, a national advice line designed to support adopted adults, birth parents, relatives, and professionals by providing intermediary services and assistance with searching and accessing records.
The department is planning to introduce regulatory changes, subject to Parliamentary approval, that will mean adoption case records for those adopted before 30 December 2005 are preserved for a minimum of 100 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 assessment she has made of the effectiveness of financial education since it became part of the secondary curriculum in 2014.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the hon. Member for Farnham and Bordon to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.