Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) training and (b) support will be given to (i) teachers and (ii) education staff to support the delivery of stronger literacy in schools.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government has committed £27.7 million this financial year to support and drive high and rising standards in reading. This includes supporting the teaching of phonics, early language and reading for pleasure via the English Hubs programme.
We will also build secondary schools' capacity to support students with reading needs by providing new training from January 2026. This training should reach 75% of secondary schools this academic year.
Following the recommendations of the Curriculum and Assessment Review published on 5 November 2025, we will also introduce new frameworks on primary oracy and combined secondary oracy, reading and writing.
Additionally, on 7 July 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced that 2026 will be the National Year of Reading. The National Year of Reading is a UK-wide campaign to address the steep decline in reading enjoyment amongst children, young people, and adults.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of home educated children with SEND in Poole constituency.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department does not hold information on the number of home-educated children at constituency level.
The latest statistics on elective home education (EHE) in England are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/elective-home-education/2024-25-autumn-term.
For the 2024/25 autumn term,16% of EHE children were recorded as receiving special educational needs support, whilst 6% of EHE children had an education, health and care plan. This compares with 14% and 5% of the overall school population.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how she plans to support disabled students following the implementation of changes to Disabled Students' Allowance funding.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) continues to be available to help disabled students with the additional costs that they may face in higher education as a result of their disability. DSA can fund a range of support, including specialist equipment, non-medical help (human support such as specialist one-to-one study skills support or British Sign Language interpreters), and additional disability-related travel and accommodation costs.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to develop reading for pleasure in schools.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department knows that reading for pleasure is hugely important and brings a range of benefits.
That is why we are launching the National Year of Reading 2026, in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust. It aims to address long-term declines in reading enjoyment through engaging new audiences, reshaping public attitudes and building the systems needed to embed lasting, meaningful change.
On 29 September, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, committed over £10 million of funding to guarantee a library for every primary school by the end of this parliament. The government will set out further details of the scheme in due course.
The government has also committed £27.7 million this financial year to support and drive high and rising standards in reading. This includes supporting the teaching of phonics, early language and reading for pleasure via the English Hubs programme.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to (a) issue national guidance and (b) set consistent reporting requirements on the use of (i) isolation and (ii) internal exclusion in schools.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour. This government is clear schools can use sanctions as a measure to improve behaviour.
The ‘Behaviour in Schools’ guidance outlines expectations around the use of removal from the classroom, which some schools refer to as isolation or informal internal suspension. Schools should ensure that removal is used consistently, proportionately, and in a way that supports the pupil’s reintegration into the classroom. The department trusts headteachers to use their professional judgement, when issuing a sanction.
The ‘Behaviour in Schools’ guidance makes clear schools should collect, monitor and analyse removal data internally to interrogate the effectiveness of the use of removal and any additional support individual pupils may require.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the use (a) isolation or (b) internal exclusion rooms by (a) SEND status, (b) gender, (c) ethnicity and (d) free school meal eligibility.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department does not hold data on the use of isolation or internal exclusion rooms, sometimes referred to as removal.
The department trusts headteachers to use their professional judgement, based on the individual circumstances, when issuing a sanction.
Schools should consider any underlying causes behind a pupil’s misbehaviour before issuing any form of sanction, including where a pupil has special educational needs or disabilities, or an unmet need.
The ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance outlines expectations around the use of removal from the classroom. Schools should also ensure that removal is used consistently, proportionately, and in a way that supports the pupil’s reintegration into the classroom.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department holds information on the number of schools which use (a) isolation and (b) internal exclusion rooms and the frequency of their use in Poole constituency.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department does not hold data on the use of isolation or internal exclusion rooms, sometimes referred to as removal.
The department trusts headteachers to use their professional judgement, based on the individual circumstances, when issuing a sanction.
Schools should consider any underlying causes behind a pupil’s misbehaviour before issuing any form of sanction, including where a pupil has special educational needs or disabilities, or an unmet need.
The ‘Behaviour in schools’ guidance outlines expectations around the use of removal from the classroom. Schools should also ensure that removal is used consistently, proportionately, and in a way that supports the pupil’s reintegration into the classroom.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what lessons her Department has learned from the experience of the Strengthening Chess in Primary Schools grant made in the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has announced £1.5 million in funding from 2026 to support participation in chess, which includes funding for chess in schools. The department will reflect upon insights gathered from the strengthening chess in primary schools grant in developing arrangements for use of the new funding. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to distribute funds to support chess in schools during 2025-26.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The core funding schools receive is not ringfenced, and it is for headteachers to decide how best to manage their budgets.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will consider adding bicycle training onto the national curriculum.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Schools are best placed and have the flexibility to decide on the activities they provide to deliver a rounded and enriching education to suit their pupils’ needs. This includes cycling training programmes such as Bikeability. Physical education is a foundation subject in the national curriculum and compulsory at all four key stages.
The department welcomes the opportunity for continued collaboration with Bikeability to create sustainable improvements in physical activity for young people. For example, through active travel and promoting the overall wellbeing benefits of physical activity, including through cycling.