Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
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 the increase to (a) employer National Insurance contributions and (b) the national living wage on trends in the level of fees paid by parents with children in early education and childcare.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
It is the department’s ambition that parents have access to high quality, affordable and flexible early education and childcare. This government has had to take some tough decisions to get our public finances back on track, but this government has increased investment in the early years to drive forward progress towards our plan for change target of a record number of children starting school ready to learn.
In the 2025/26 financial year alone, the department plans to provide over £8 billion for the early years entitlements, as we roll out the expansion of the entitlements, so eligible working parents of children aged from nine months can access 30 hours of funded childcare. This is an increase of more than 30% compared to the 2024/25 financial year.
This increase ensures funding for the entitlements, reflects forecasts of average earnings and inflation next year, and also reflects the National Living Wage announced at the Autumn Budget 2024.
The department also announced the largest ever uplift to the early years pupil premium, increasing the rate by over 45% compared to the 2024/25 financial year, equivalent to up to £570 per eligible child per year. On top of this, we are providing further supplementary funding of £75 million for the Early Years Expansion Grant.
We are additionally providing £25 million through the forthcoming National Insurance contributions grant for public sector employers in the early years.
From the start of September 2024, eligible working parents have been entitled to 15 hours a week of early education and care from the term after their child turns nine months. So far, over 320,000 additional parents are now accessing a place. Going further, from September 2025, eligible working parents will be able to access 30 hours of early education and childcare a week.
Parents may also be eligible for childcare support through Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit childcare.
The department also wants to ensure that parents are aware of and accessing all government funded childcare support they are eligible for. The department is raising awareness of the government-funded childcare support available via the Childcare Choices campaign to boost children’s life chances and parents’ work choices.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of universally expanding the 30 hours of government funded childcare scheme.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Accessible and high quality early education and childcare is a crucial part of giving every child the best start in life, boosting children’s life chances and giving parents work choices.
The government is committed to delivering the expansion of the 30 hours free childcare offer, so that from September 2025 eligible working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week, over 38 weeks of the year, from the term after their child turns nine months old to when they start school. However, this government has been clear that this will be tough to deliver as we inherited a pledge with no plan behind it. That is why the department is doing everything it can, working closely with childcare providers, to deliver the additional places the sector will need from September 2025.
All three and four year-old children are eligible for the universal 15 hours free early education entitlement from the term starting on or after 1 September, 1 January or 1 April following their third birthday.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to (a) assess the take-up levels of the (i) childcare element of Universal Credit and (ii) Flexible Support Fund to pay upfront childcare costs and (b) increase this number.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Universal Credit (UC) childcare element statistics are published quarterly. In the latest month for which data is available (November 2024), 177,000 UC households were paid the UC childcare cost element. In November 2024, 29% of households on Universal Credit with pre-school children and in which all claimants had earnings received the childcare element. For households with any child aged 16 or under, the figure is 13%. This proportion has remained broadly consistent for around two years. We will continue to monitor this closely.
Take-up of the upfront childcare offer is assessed from monthly data on the number of upfront childcare transactions and their value, compared to an estimated number eligible. This data is shared with operational leaders to support conversations on how to increase take-up.
Recent initiatives to increase take-up of upfront childcare costs awards through the Flexible Support Fund (FSF) include improved internal FSF guidance to work coaches. Imminent changes to Gov.uk and the Childcare Choices websites will highlight support for upfront childcare costs from DWP. We are also finalising the implementation schedule for UC Journal messages to customers with children, highlighting childcare support and the simplification of the application process.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding was allocated to the Opening School Facilities Fund for (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
In line with the contract agreed by the previous government, the department has allocated £19 million in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years to the Opening School Facilities fund. The contract is ending in March 2025, as agreed at the outset of the programme.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to extend the National Wraparound Childcare Programme beyond March 2026.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Any spending in future financial years will be subject to the multi-year spending review. The department will not be making spending commitments outside of that process.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to refer the proposed new Brighton and Hove City Council school admissions policy to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had discussions with Brighton and Hove City Council on its proposed new school admissions policy.
When changes are proposed to admission arrangements, paragraphs 1.45 – 1.48 of the school admissions code require admission authorities to consult for at least six weeks with relevant parties. Brighton and Hove City Council held their consultation between 6 December 2024 to 31 January 2025. The council are then required to determine (agree) the final admission arrangements by 28 February 2025. Once the council have determined their admission arrangements they must publish a copy of the determined admission arrangements on their website by 15 March 2025.
Once the admission arrangements have been determined anyone who considers them to be unfair may raise an objection to the Schools Adjudicator. Objections to admission arrangements must be referred to the Adjudicator by 15 May 2025.
The Adjudicator’s role is to consider whether the admission arrangements and consultation comply with the school admissions code and admissions law.
The Adjudicator can only act on an objection that they have received through the correct channels. Information on how to object to an admission authority’s admission arrangements can be found on the Office of the Schools Adjudicator’s website, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-admissions-arrangements.
As Brighton and Hove City Council’s admission arrangements have not yet been determined, an objection cannot be raised.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has received any (a) advice or (b) communication from the Office of the Schools Adjudicator on Brighton and Hove City Council’s proposed new school admissions policy.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had discussions with Brighton and Hove City Council on its proposed new school admissions policy.
When changes are proposed to admission arrangements, paragraphs 1.45 – 1.48 of the school admissions code require admission authorities to consult for at least six weeks with relevant parties. Brighton and Hove City Council held their consultation between 6 December 2024 to 31 January 2025. The council are then required to determine (agree) the final admission arrangements by 28 February 2025. Once the council have determined their admission arrangements they must publish a copy of the determined admission arrangements on their website by 15 March 2025.
Once the admission arrangements have been determined anyone who considers them to be unfair may raise an objection to the Schools Adjudicator. Objections to admission arrangements must be referred to the Adjudicator by 15 May 2025.
The Adjudicator’s role is to consider whether the admission arrangements and consultation comply with the school admissions code and admissions law.
The Adjudicator can only act on an objection that they have received through the correct channels. Information on how to object to an admission authority’s admission arrangements can be found on the Office of the Schools Adjudicator’s website, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-admissions-arrangements.
As Brighton and Hove City Council’s admission arrangements have not yet been determined, an objection cannot be raised.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with Brighton and Hove City Council on its proposed new school admissions policy.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education has not had discussions with Brighton and Hove City Council on its proposed new school admissions policy.
When changes are proposed to admission arrangements, paragraphs 1.45 – 1.48 of the school admissions code require admission authorities to consult for at least six weeks with relevant parties. Brighton and Hove City Council held their consultation between 6 December 2024 to 31 January 2025. The council are then required to determine (agree) the final admission arrangements by 28 February 2025. Once the council have determined their admission arrangements they must publish a copy of the determined admission arrangements on their website by 15 March 2025.
Once the admission arrangements have been determined anyone who considers them to be unfair may raise an objection to the Schools Adjudicator. Objections to admission arrangements must be referred to the Adjudicator by 15 May 2025.
The Adjudicator’s role is to consider whether the admission arrangements and consultation comply with the school admissions code and admissions law.
The Adjudicator can only act on an objection that they have received through the correct channels. Information on how to object to an admission authority’s admission arrangements can be found on the Office of the Schools Adjudicator’s website, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-admissions-arrangements.
As Brighton and Hove City Council’s admission arrangements have not yet been determined, an objection cannot be raised.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of potential impact of Brighton and Hove City Council new schools admission policy on school children.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
This government believes admissions arrangements should be fair, lawful and support good outcomes for all children.
School admission arrangements are set and applied locally by the admission authority for each school. After providing highest priority to looked after and previously looked after children, it is for the council, as the admission authority for the community and voluntary-controlled schools in its area, to decide what oversubscription criteria to apply for places at its secondary schools and in what order the criteria are applied. The purpose of consultation is to provide the local community the opportunity to express any concerns that they may have about the proposed admission arrangements.
Admission arrangements must be fair, clear and objective, and comply with the school admissions code. To ensure that a school’s admission arrangements meet the needs of their local community, the admission authority is required to consult on them locally when making a change.
The consultation for Brighton and Hove City Council went live on 6 December 2024 and closed on 31 January 2025. The council is required to determine the final admission arrangements for September 2026 by 28 February 2025.
Once the council has determined their admission arrangements, anyone who feels they are unlawful or unfair may raise an objection to the schools adjudicator. Objections to admission arrangements must be referred to the adjudicator by 15 May in the year they were determined. The adjudicator’s role is to consider whether the admission arrangements and consultation comply with the school admissions code and admissions law. The adjudicator’s decisions are binding and enforceable.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many staff her Department plans to recruit into the Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellent teams; and by what date the team will be fully operational.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department’s first 20 RISE advisers are now in post and work has begun with the first RISE schools. The advisers will work alongside the department to help support schools break down the barriers to opportunity and end the link between background and success. A full list of these advisers has been published on GOV.UK.
In addition to the RISE advisers in post, the department launched a recruitment campaign for a full cohort of advisers to start in the spring and summer term. We will be informing candidates of the outcome of this campaign shortly. Workforce allocations for 2025/26 have not yet been set.