Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage (a) retention and (b) recruitment of teachers in early years education settings.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The department wants early years careers to be respected, rewarding, and something people are proud to pursue. Our Best Start in Life Strategy sets out how we are strengthening career pathways and championing early years teachers , with a long-term ambition of an early years teacher in every nursery setting.
To boost recruitment and retention, we will introduce financial incentives for early years teachers working in areas of greatest need, offering up to £4,500 per year, with a trial launching this summer.
We are expanding funded places on early years Initial Teacher Training (EYITT) over three years, aiming to more than double capacity by 2028. A new early years Teacher degree apprenticeship provides a salaried undergraduate route, enabling early years leaders and teachers to earn while they learn, supported by an Employer Support Grant.
We will consult the sector on training routes, course content, and professional status, ensuring early years teachers are recognised through high-quality training built on strong evidence of effective teaching practice.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that early years education providers are not disadvantaged by restrictions on charging flexibility for funded childcare hours.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Through our Best Start in Life strategy, we are focused on reforming the childcare system, delivering on our plan for change.
Government funding is intended to deliver 15 or 30 hours a week of funded, high-quality, flexible childcare and the 15 or 30 hours must be able to be accessed free of charge to parents. There must not be any mandatory charges for parents in relation to the free hours. However, this does not prevent providers from charging for food and other consumables, as long as these charges are voluntary.
Charges applied by private childcare providers for non-funded provision are established independently by providers and are regarded as a private business matter between parents and providers.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what number of students eligible for the 16-19 large programme uplift funding in the last five academic years studied four or more A Levels and pursued STEM-related subjects.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The requested data can be found in the below table. Please note that the large programme uplift (LPU) is calculated using attainment data and as such operates on a three-year lag. Therefore, the latest LPU calculation was for 2025/26 academic year allocations based on 2022/23 attainment data. The department has announced that moving forward LPU funding will be focused on large programmes which include maths, further maths and other high value A-levels.
Time Period | Number of Students |
2022/23 | 7606 |
2021/22 | 7875 |
2020/21 | 9126 |
2019/20 | 8230 |
2018/19 | 6485 |
Notes about the data:
1. Includes state-funded students who ended 16-18 study in the reported year (e.g. 2022/23).
2. Includes students who entered for at least four STEM A levels and achieved at least a grade B in each A level, or a grade C in the case of further mathematics.
3. Discounting rules apply (i.e. where students have multiples entries in the same subject, the best result is included).
4. STEM subjects are defined by subject mapping codes as used in the A level and other 16 to 18 results statistical release.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what number students eligible for the 16-19 large programme uplift funding in the last five academic years studied the International Baccalaureate Level 3 programme and pursued STEM-related subjects.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The information requested is not held by the department. The department does not hold information on the constituent subjects that make up the International Baccalaureate as this information is not provided by awarding organisations.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in the last academic year, what (a) percentage and (b) number of pupils were eligible for the Pupil Premium and received the 16-19 large programme uplift funding for studying a T Level and at least one A Level alongside.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Pupil Premium is not available for post-16 students. Therefore, no students were eligible in the last academic year for the Pupil Premium and received the Large Programme Uplift for studying four or more A levels or a T Level and at least one A level alongside.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in the last academic year, what (a) percentage and (b) number of pupils were eligible for the Pupil Premium and received the 16-19 large programme uplift funding for studying four or more A Levels.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Pupil Premium is not available for post-16 students. Therefore, no students were eligible in the last academic year for the Pupil Premium and received the Large Programme Uplift for studying four or more A levels or a T Level and at least one A level alongside.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has considered the merits of introducing a statutory requirement for schools to screen children for dyslexia before the age of 7.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
I refer the hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage to the answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40829.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of children in England with undiagnosed dyslexia; and what steps she is taking to help reduce that number.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
I refer the hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage to the answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40829.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
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 early dyslexia screening on literacy outcomes in primary school children.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
I refer the hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage to the answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40829.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that teachers are adequately trained on identifying dyslexia in the early years of primary education.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
I refer the hon. Member for Didcot and Wantage to the answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40829.