Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve the number of extracurricular activities offered to pupils at state schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department has published a new enrichment framework with clear benchmarks against which schools and colleges can evaluate their own offer and improve provision. Ambassadors have been appointed as experts within their areas, using their expertise to help develop and expand opportunities for young people.
The £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme will work with approximately 400 schools in the most deprived areas of England to support them to meet the benchmarks set out in the enrichment framework. This is alongside a variety of governmental programmes, including upcoming PE and School Sport Partnerships and a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, as well as National Education Nature Parks, TechYouth, the Cadet Expansion Programme, Erasmus+ and Building Equal Access to Chess in Schools.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s ‘Every Child Can’ programme will deliver £132.5 million for new activities programmes structured around the framework categories, delivered through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) primary and (b) secondary school students do enough physical activity per week.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
In November 2025, the government responded to the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, in which we accepted the recommendations made on PE. As part of this, we will revisit the aims of compulsory PE across all key stages and make clear the purpose of PE for all pupils, to ensure that schools recognise the need to protect at least two hours of PE time for their pupils throughout their time at school.
The government wants all children to access the significant physical and mental health benefits being physically active provides. We are investing £1 billion to support this, including £580 million to establish a PE and School Sport Partnership Network, almost £200 million in capital funding to improve school sports facilities, and a further £150 million PE and sport premium payment to support eligible primary schools during the transition to the new approach. The Network will support access for all children in both primary and secondary schools, especially those who are currently less active, through improving PE provision and increasing enrichment opportunities related to physical activity and sport.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support schools with the costs of providing high quality PE.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the hon. Member for Ashfield to the answer of 21 August to Question 11573.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support private external companies that provide general curriculum PE lessons to schools.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the hon. Member for Ashfield to the answer of 14 August 2026 to Question 14416.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that children who didn’t reach the water safety section of national curriculum swimming lessons receive the required teaching on water safety.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The PE national curriculum makes specific reference to swimming and water safety, stating that all primary pupils must learn to swim competently and confidently over a distance of at least 25 metres, use a range of strokes effectively, and perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations. It is for schools to ensure that pupils are taught the nation curriculum. Data suggests that 73% of children can swim 25 metres before they leave primary school.
Our reforms to the PE curriculum will ensure there is a clear emphasis on swimming and water safety, and our new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will bring the expertise of national governing bodies including Swim England directly into schools.
In addition, we have made changes to statutory requirements for relationships, sex and health education in both primary and secondary to ensure all pupils are taught about the water safety code, supporting them to be safe in different types of water. This requirement comes into force from September.
Oak National Academy offers swimming and water safety units as part of its PE curriculum, developed in partnership with Swim England for all age groups. We also work closely with sector organisations like Swim England and the Royal Life Saving Society UK, supporting all schools to provide swimming and water safety lessons through teacher training and resources.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate the Government has made of the number of children who didn’t reach the water safety section of national curriculum swimming lessons.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The PE national curriculum makes specific reference to swimming and water safety, stating that all primary pupils must learn to swim competently and confidently over a distance of at least 25 metres, use a range of strokes effectively, and perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations. It is for schools to ensure that pupils are taught the nation curriculum. Data suggests that 73% of children can swim 25 metres before they leave primary school.
Our reforms to the PE curriculum will ensure there is a clear emphasis on swimming and water safety, and our new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will bring the expertise of national governing bodies including Swim England directly into schools.
In addition, we have made changes to statutory requirements for relationships, sex and health education in both primary and secondary to ensure all pupils are taught about the water safety code, supporting them to be safe in different types of water. This requirement comes into force from September.
Oak National Academy offers swimming and water safety units as part of its PE curriculum, developed in partnership with Swim England for all age groups. We also work closely with sector organisations like Swim England and the Royal Life Saving Society UK, supporting all schools to provide swimming and water safety lessons through teacher training and resources.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve support available to children in kinship care.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 now requires local authorities to publish a Kinship Local Offer, setting out available support and consulting relevant stakeholders before publication
In February 2026, the department launched seven Kinship Zones which will test the impact of providing kinship carers a weekly financial allowance. The pilot will run for three and a half years, with £126 million confirmed for the first two years
Family Network Support Packages will provide financial help to family members who support children remaining with their birth parents. These initiatives form part of a coherent support pathway from early family help to long-term kinship care.
Peer support for carers is expanding through the charity Kinship, which has supported over 180 groups across England.
Further reforms will extend Virtual School Head support to all children in kinship care from September 2027, while continued investment in the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund will help children access therapeutic support.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help support care leavers with the cost of housing.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Care leavers often face major challenges in securing and maintaining safe, affordable housing. To address this, funding for stable accommodation will continue in 2026/27. This includes support for the Staying Put programme, allowing young people to remain with foster families until age 21. Local authorities will also receive £21.1 million for the Staying Close programme, which provides practical and emotional help, including support to find and sustain accommodation, alongside an additional £3.2 million for those most at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping. Care leavers are further supported by a recommended minimum £3,000 Leaving Care Allowance to help furnish their first home.
Under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, Staying Close will become a national entitlement for eligible care leavers up to age 25. Local authorities will also be required to publish their local offer outlining how they will meet housing needs, work with housing services, and prevent homelessness among care leavers.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she has considered the potential merits of adding non level 4 (a) training, (b) adult education and (c) skills based courses to the eligibility for lifelong learning entitlement loans.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government offers support for a range of level 2 and 3 courses through existing funding streams such as the Adult Skills Fund, Advanced Learner Loans and Free Courses for Jobs. The Adult Skills Fund fully funds or co-funds education and skills training for eligible adults aged 19 or older from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. Individuals can also take out an Advanced Learner Loan for level 3 courses.
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will offer support for higher level courses. Subjects in scope for LLE modular funding are aligned to the priorities set out in the Industrial Strategy and informed by the work of Skills England.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she has considered the potential merits of including level 2 and 3 qualifications on the list of available courses for lifelong learning entitlement loans.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government offers support for a range of level 2 and 3 courses through existing funding streams such as the Adult Skills Fund, Advanced Learner Loans and Free Courses for Jobs. The Adult Skills Fund fully funds or co-funds education and skills training for eligible adults aged 19 or older from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. Individuals can also take out an Advanced Learner Loan for level 3 courses.
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) will offer support for higher level courses. Subjects in scope for LLE modular funding are aligned to the priorities set out in the Industrial Strategy and informed by the work of Skills England.