Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact on school budgets of staff remaining on sickness absence during disciplinary proceedings while schools are required to fund replacement cover.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Management of disciplinary matters and related sickness absence is a matter for employers, rather than the department.
The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 set out the high-level procedures that governing bodies in maintained schools must establish for the regulation of the conduct and discipline of school staff. Schools are advised to use the Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance. This provides basic practical guidance for employers, employees and their representatives and sets out principles for handling disciplinary situations in the workplace. This guidance is available at: https://www.acas.org.uk/?articleid=2174.
The department has no responsibility for the management of sickness absence. This is part of the Burgundy Book and is an agreement between school employers and teaching unions.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many referrals were made to the Teaching Regulation Agency relating to safeguarding concerns involving teachers in each year since 2017; and how many of those referrals followed the use of a settlement agreement.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) considers allegations of serious misconduct by individuals undertaking teaching work, in accordance with The Teachers’ Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012. Upholding teaching standards and safeguarding children and young people within regulated establishments are core principles of TRA’s work and referrals made to TRA may have safeguarding implications.
TRA does not record the behaviour type of referrals received, unless it progresses to a formal investigation. The number of referrals received by TRA in each financial year since 2017/18 is set out in the table below:
Financial year | Referrals received |
2017/18 | 891 |
2018/19 | 606 |
2019/20 | 900 |
2020/21 | 628 |
2021/22 | 714 |
2022/23 | 1019 |
2023/24 | 1695 |
2024/25 | 1852 |
2025/26 | 1429 |
TRA does not collect data on settlement agreements that may have been reached between teachers and their employing establishments. The department is therefore unable to determine how many referrals to the TRA followed the use of a settlement agreement.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential safeguarding implications of settlement agreements which conclude disciplinary proceedings involving school staff before those proceedings are completed; and whether her Department plans to issue updated guidance on references in such cases.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
All schools and colleges must have regard to the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) statutory safeguarding guidance. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.
Part four provides clear guidance on how safeguarding concerns and allegations against staff should be managed, including reporting, investigations, referrals and record keeping.
KCSIE is clear that safeguarding responsibilities apply regardless of any settlement or compromise agreement. Paragraphs 492 to 497 state that such agreements should not be used where disciplinary proceedings relate to safeguarding concerns or allegations that may meet the harm threshold. They must not prevent employers from carrying out appropriate investigations, maintaining accurate records, providing factual references or fulfilling statutory duties, including referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service and, where appropriate, the Teaching Regulation Agency.
The department keeps KCSIE under review to see where clarification or strengthening is needed.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support, guidance and training her Department provides to school leaders and governing bodies on managing disciplinary proceedings involving school staff where there are safeguarding concerns.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
All schools and colleges must have regard to the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) statutory safeguarding guidance. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.
Part four provides clear guidance on how safeguarding concerns and allegations against staff should be managed, including reporting, investigations, referrals and record keeping.
KCSIE is clear that safeguarding responsibilities apply regardless of any settlement or compromise agreement. Paragraphs 492 to 497 state that such agreements should not be used where disciplinary proceedings relate to safeguarding concerns or allegations that may meet the harm threshold. They must not prevent employers from carrying out appropriate investigations, maintaining accurate records, providing factual references or fulfilling statutory duties, including referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service and, where appropriate, the Teaching Regulation Agency.
The department keeps KCSIE under review to see where clarification or strengthening is needed.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to review the use of compromise and settlement agreements in schools where disciplinary proceedings relate to safeguarding concerns, misconduct or professional standards.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
All schools and colleges must have regard to the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) statutory safeguarding guidance. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.
Part four provides clear guidance on how safeguarding concerns and allegations against staff should be managed, including reporting, investigations, referrals and record keeping.
KCSIE is clear that safeguarding responsibilities apply regardless of any settlement or compromise agreement. Paragraphs 492 to 497 state that such agreements should not be used where disciplinary proceedings relate to safeguarding concerns or allegations that may meet the harm threshold. They must not prevent employers from carrying out appropriate investigations, maintaining accurate records, providing factual references or fulfilling statutory duties, including referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service and, where appropriate, the Teaching Regulation Agency.
The department keeps KCSIE under review to see where clarification or strengthening is needed.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she will update guidance titled ‘BB101: Ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality 2018’ for the latest available technical standards.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
All new department-delivered schools are designed and constructed to the department’s own school building standards. These standards include ventilation, thermal comfort and air quality and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employers-requirements-part-b-generic-design-brief.
The standards are reviewed regularly and updated when necessary to meet industry best practice and any relevant legislation. An updated set of standards will be published in early 2026.
The department’s publication, ‘Building Bulletin 101: Guidelines on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools’ (BB101), provides non-statutory guidance, and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings.
The department reviews non-statutory guidance regularly and publishes updates only when necessary.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that pupils in rural schools have equal access to AI learning opportunities.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
The department is committed to leveraging technology to benefit all schools, including those in rural areas.
We are addressing barriers by connecting schools to fibre through the School Gigabit Programme and improving wireless networks through Connect the Classroom, which was expanded this year.
The Plan Technology for Your School service provides tailored support to help schools meet core digital and technology standards by 2030.
Our Generative AI Policy Position supports schools to implement AI safely and effectively.
We have also introduced the Generative AI Product Safety Expectations framework to ensure AI tools meet safeguards, and published online toolkits to help teachers and leaders use AI safely and effectively.
Alongside this, we are investing in our evidence-base via the EdTech Impact Testbed, which will evaluate AI tools’ impact on improving outcomes and reducing workload, so that schools will have confidence in products they select.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of exams on mental health.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Exams and other assessments are an essential part of ensuring that young people have acquired the knowledge and skills they need in order to succeed in further study and in later life.
We recognise that exams, like other things in life such as job interviews, have the potential to exacerbate feelings of stress amongst young people. But when pupils receive the right support, for many of them the level of stress from exams is manageable.
We encourage schools to provide safe, calm and supportive environments that help young people to understand and look after their mental health and wellbeing and develop healthy behaviours that can support them to stay well during stressful periods.
There is also a range of advice and guidance on how to beat exam stress. This includes guidance from the NHS, accessible at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/children-and-young-adults/advice-for-parents/help-your-child-beat-exam-stress/.
Additional guidance by Ofqual can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coping-with-exam-pressure-a-guide-for-students. The information provides some useful advice which pupils can use to help alleviate or lessen the anxiety they have about sitting exams.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of SAT exams on primary school students.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
End of key stage 2 tests and teacher assessments, often known as SATs, are an essential part of ensuring that primary school pupils master the basics of reading, writing and mathematics to prepare them to achieve and thrive at secondary school.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering key stages 1 to 5, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, an expert in education policy. The panel’s interim report, published on 18 March 2025, is clear that assessments in key stage 1 and 2 are an important part of assessing children’s progress throughout primary school, and that the system of primary assessment is generally working well. The review panel is now considering where there are challenges and how to make any necessary improvements to support the attainment of all children. The panel intend to deliver their final report in autumn 2025.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to consider introducing a range of alternative assessment methods to exams in schools.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE, an expert in education policy, including curriculum and social inequality. The Review is evaluating the existing national curriculum and statutory assessment system in England, to ensure they are fit for purpose.
The Review’s Interim Report, published in March 2025, is clear that traditional examined assessment should remain the primary means of assessment. The Review will take a subject-by-subject approach to consider assessment fitness for purpose and consider the impact of different assessment methods on teaching and learning.
The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, and the department will take decisions on what changes to make in light of these recommendations.