Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support supply teachers in (a) Leigh and Atherton constituency and (b) nationally.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Supply teachers make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools across the country by filling posts on a temporary basis and covering teacher absences.
Schools and local authorities are currently responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers. There are various approaches to providing supply teachers, such as using private supply teacher agencies.
The department, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, has established the agency supply deal, which supports schools to obtain value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to monitor private supply teacher agencies.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Supply teachers make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools across the country by filling posts on a temporary basis and covering teacher absences.
Schools and local authorities are currently responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers. There are various approaches to providing supply teachers, such as using private supply teacher agencies.
The department, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, has established the agency supply deal, which supports schools to obtain value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a new Pupil Premium subcategory for persistently disadvantaged pupils.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department recognises that there are disparities in outcomes for children attracting pupil premium and we are committed to doing more to improve the life chances of our most disadvantaged children, breaking the link between background and future success.
The department is reviewing how we allocate pupil premium and related funding to schools and local authorities to ensure it is targeted to those who need it most, and we will provide more information in due course.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increases in numbers of pupils with SEND on (a) budgets, (b) teacher workloads and (c) quality of provision for schools serving disadvantaged communities.
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) 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. We will strengthen accountability and inclusivity through Ofsted, support the mainstream workforce to increase their SEND expertise, and encourage schools to set up resourced provision or special educational needs units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.
The department’s mainstream schools funding formula, and the formula that allocates funding for children and young people with complex needs, both include disadvantage factors that provide higher levels of funding to help schools support their pupils with SEND. Overall school funding is £64.8 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, of which over £12 billion is being allocated for young people with complex needs, including those with SEND.
Supporting our expert teachers is critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every child, as the in-school factor that makes the biggest difference to a young person’s educational outcomes is high-quality teaching, particularly for those with SEND and who are from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. All trainees who achieve qualified teacher status must demonstrate that they can adapt teaching to respond to the needs of all pupils.
For 2024/25 and 2025/26, we have doubled the targeted retention incentive, now worth up to £6,000 after tax for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. This will support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in these subjects and in the schools and areas that need them most.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trends in levels of teacher shortages on SEND provision in schools serving communities with higher levels of disadvantage.
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) 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. We will strengthen accountability and inclusivity through Ofsted, support the mainstream workforce to increase their SEND expertise, and encourage schools to set up resourced provision or special educational needs units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.
The department’s mainstream schools funding formula, and the formula that allocates funding for children and young people with complex needs, both include disadvantage factors that provide higher levels of funding to help schools support their pupils with SEND. Overall school funding is £64.8 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, of which over £12 billion is being allocated for young people with complex needs, including those with SEND.
Supporting our expert teachers is critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every child, as the in-school factor that makes the biggest difference to a young person’s educational outcomes is high-quality teaching, particularly for those with SEND and who are from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. All trainees who achieve qualified teacher status must demonstrate that they can adapt teaching to respond to the needs of all pupils.
For 2024/25 and 2025/26, we have doubled the targeted retention incentive, now worth up to £6,000 after tax for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. This will support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in these subjects and in the schools and areas that need them most.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that schools serving communities with higher levels of disadvantage are adequately supported to provide for the needs of SEND pupils.
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) 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. We will strengthen accountability and inclusivity through Ofsted, support the mainstream workforce to increase their SEND expertise, and encourage schools to set up resourced provision or special educational needs units to increase capacity in mainstream schools.
The department’s mainstream schools funding formula, and the formula that allocates funding for children and young people with complex needs, both include disadvantage factors that provide higher levels of funding to help schools support their pupils with SEND. Overall school funding is £64.8 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, of which over £12 billion is being allocated for young people with complex needs, including those with SEND.
Supporting our expert teachers is critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every child, as the in-school factor that makes the biggest difference to a young person’s educational outcomes is high-quality teaching, particularly for those with SEND and who are from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Teachers’ Standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. All trainees who achieve qualified teacher status must demonstrate that they can adapt teaching to respond to the needs of all pupils.
For 2024/25 and 2025/26, we have doubled the targeted retention incentive, now worth up to £6,000 after tax for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who choose to work in disadvantaged schools. This will support recruitment and retention of specialist teachers in these subjects and in the schools and areas that need them most.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) including training on (i) dyslexia and (ii) neurodiversity in mandatory Continuing Professional Development requirements for teachers and (b) requiring Ofsted to consider that training in school inspections.
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 dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions. The government is focusing on improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and is working with families and education and care experts to deliver this in the best interests of all children and to restore parents’ trust
The teachers’ standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with dyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions. All initial teacher training (ITT) providers must ensure that their courses enable trainee teachers to meet the teachers’ standards, to be recommended for the award of qualified teacher status
The ITT core content framework (CCF) and early career framework (ECF), set out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching and cover the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career. They will be superseded by the combined initial teacher training and early career framework (ITTECF) from September 2025.
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 SEND. There is now significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, some of which has been adapted from the new National Professional Qualification for special educational needs co-ordinators to be relevant for trainees and ECTs.
The ITTECF deliberately does not detail approaches specific to particular additional needs but sets out what makes the most effective teaching for all pupils, including those with SEND. When reviewing the CCF and the ECF in 2023, the department tested this approach with SEND educational experts from the ITT sector and beyond, with consensus that the needs of most children can be met through high-quality teaching.
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.
Beyond the ITTECF, decisions relating to teachers’ professional development rest with schools, headteachers and teachers themselves, as they are in the best position to judge their own requirements. The ‘School teacher pay and conditions’ document, which applies to maintained schools, confirms that all teachers should have access to advice, training and developmental opportunities appropriate to their needs.
The focus of Ofsted inspections is on schools and how all the individuals within them work together to make sure that children receive the highest possible quality of education. The focus is not on inspecting the specific individuals that work in schools. Ofsted therefore does not require schools to provide any evidence of teachers’ professional development. However, as part of their leadership and management judgement, inspectors will consider whether continuing professional development for teachers and staff is aligned with the curriculum.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities training provided in Initial Teacher Training programmes; and what steps she is taking to improve that training.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
High quality teaching is the most important in-school factor for improving outcomes for all children, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or from disadvantaged backgrounds, and we are committed to ensuring that all pupils receive excellent support from their teachers. The teachers’ standards set clear expectations that teachers must understand the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. All initial teacher training (ITT) providers must ensure that their courses enable trainee teachers to meet the teachers’ standards, to be recommended for the award of qualified teacher status. Early career teachers (ECTs) are also assessed against the teachers’ standards in order to pass their statutory teacher induction.
The ITT core content framework and early career framework, for trainee and ECTs respectively, cover the first three years or more at the start of a teacher’s career. They set out the core body of knowledge, skills and behaviours that define great teaching. From September 2025, they will be superseded by the combined initial teacher training and early career framework (ITTECF), which sets out a minimum entitlement to training and must be used by providers of ITT 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 ECTs when supporting pupils with SEND. There is now significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and supporting pupils with SEND, some of which has been adapted from the new National Professional Qualification for special educational needs co-ordinators to be relevant for trainees and ECTs. We have edited existing statements to improve inclusivity for SEND throughout the framework including, for example, developing an understanding of different pupil needs, and learning how to provide opportunities for success for all pupils. From September 2025, the department has also enhanced the requirement on providers of ECT training to develop SEND training materials. 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 ITTECF and Early Career Teacher Entitlement in 2027 to ensure it continues to provide the best possible support for trainees and ECTs. This review will focus on the support we provide new teachers in teaching pupils with SEND.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether schools will be able to refer demand for breakfast clubs to existing out-of-school clubs.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is committed to delivering free breakfast clubs across England. Schools can work with private, voluntary and independent providers such as existing out-of-school club providers to deliver this commitment.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh and Atherton)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to expand the statutory definition of Children Missing Education to include children with special educational needs not receiving adequate education.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department conducted a call for evidence from 18 May to 20 July 2023 on ‘Improving support for children missing education’, to understand the sector’s current approach to identifying and supporting children missing education (CME). The department’s response was published in December 2024 and noted inconsistency in the application of the existing definition. We are cautious about adding further complication or making changes that would confuse clear obligations towards CME and children with SEND. The department therefore has no current plans to expand the definition of CME to include children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) not receiving adequate education.
The department recognises that barriers to attendance are wide and complex, and this is particularly true for pupils with SEND. Addressing these barriers requires a support-first approach and strong relationships between families, schools, local authorities and other relevant local services.
This is why the department has published the ’Working together to improve school attendance’ guidance, which became statutory in August 2024. The guidance promotes a 'support-first' approach and provides detail on additional support for pupils with SEND. Where a pupil is not attending due to unmet or additional needs, this guidance sets out clear expectations on how schools, local authorities and wider services work together to access and provide the right support to improve attendance.
The department is working closely with schools and local authorities to ensure that education settings are able to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND including announcing £1 billion investment in high needs at the Autumn Budget 2024, to help ensure all children can access the high quality education that should be their right.