Lord Bishop of Sheffield

This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we are committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. That is why this Government has launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which will be co-produced together with young people at the centre.

The DCMS Youth Participation Pilot Survey found that in the previous year, for young people aged 10-19 in Yorkshire and the Humber, 67% reported they had taken part in out of school activities (compared to 66% nationally), 39% reported they had been on an overnight stay (compared to 40% nationally), and 45% reported they had volunteered (compared to 44% nationally).

We do not hold the broken down data requested for Sheffield.

The department will support the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university, regardless of their background, where they live and their personal circumstances.

Too many people across our country do not get the chance to succeed. The department will act to address the persistent gaps for different student groups and to break down the barriers to opportunity. Opportunity should be available to all and it is the department’s aspiration that no groups are left behind.

The data cited in the Joseph Rowntree report is sobering. The department’s data shows that the progression rate to higher education (HE) for pupils who received free school meals at age 15 fell for the first time in nearly two decades, falling from 29.2% in the 2021/22 academic year to 29% in 2022/23.

The department expects universities to strengthen efforts to improve access and outcomes for disadvantaged students. There are already many examples of great practice throughout the sector which show a real commitment to social justice. These include targeting outreach support to those who are least likely to enter HE and working with local colleges to develop study pathways. However, the department wants HE providers to play a stronger role in expanding access and improving outcomes for disadvantaged students, making sure they are delivering strong and ambitious access and participation plans.

As part of this, the department is exploring how it can best support disadvantaged pupils at every stage of the student journey, from prior attainment to access, progression and outcomes. The department will consider the right level of transparency for students, the support available for different groups and ensure that providers commit to, and are held to account for, an ambitious approach to access and participation.

For the 2025/26 academic year, the department will be increasing loans for living costs by 3.1%. This approach ensures that the most support is targeted at students from the lowest income families, while keeping the student finance system financially sustainable.

The government continues to provide means-tested non-repayable grants to low-income students with children and/or adults who are financially dependent on them.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The terms of reference were published in July and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-review.

The review will seek to address the key problems and hard barriers to achievement in curriculum and assessment, including post-16 education. It will look at ensuring all young people aged 16 to 19 have access to rigorous and high-value qualifications and training that will give them the skills they need to ensure they are ready for the changing workplace.

Professor Francis is supported by an expert group of individuals with experience throughout the education system. Primary, secondary and post-16 sectors are represented to give due authority and respect to the expertise of education professionals in shaping the curriculum and outcomes they deliver.

The review will be undertaken in close consultation with education professionals and other experts, parents, children and young people, and stakeholders such as employers, colleges, universities and trade unions.

The Review Group has recently launched a call for evidence, which sets out key questions and themes where it would particularly welcome input, closing on 22 November. The review will also include a range of engagement activity across every region during the autumn term, including visits to schools and colleges, as well as Q&A events and discussions with young people.

The Review Group will publish an interim report in the new year setting out their interim findings and confirming the key areas for further work. The final review with recommendations will be published in autumn 2025.

The Government’s plan to Get Britain Working includes a new Youth Guarantee for all young people in England aged 18-21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. More detail on the Youth Guarantee will be set out in the upcoming Get Britain Working White Paper.

In the recent budget, the Chancellor announced funding for eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazer areas to test new ways of supporting young people into employment or training, by bringing together and enhancing existing programmes in partnership with local areas. Decisions on the locations of the trailblazers will be announced in due course.