Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the status is of RAAC roof repairs for Holcolmbe Grammar School, formerly Chatham Grammar School for Boys, in Chatham and Aylesford constituency.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department is working closely with the Thinking Schools Academy Trust to remove reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete at Holcombe Grammar School, formerly Chatham Grammar School for Boys.
The Trust confirmed in May that the first phase of works has been completed. Proposals for a second, more complex area have been submitted and will proceed shortly.
Departmental officials continue to support the Trust to progress the project as quickly as possible whilst minimising disruption to education.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to establish PE and School Sport Partnerships Networks in Medway following the abolition of the Sports Premium.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
On 21 May 2026, the government announced that it is investing over £1 billion in school sports over the next three years, including funding for the new Partnerships Network, improvements to school sports facilities and transitional support for primary schools while we move to the new approach.
The Network will provide practical, targeted support to help schools increase participation. This includes coaching, swimming provision and support to open facilities and stronger links to extra‑curricular sport and local clubs. Schools will also receive funding to test and share effective practice, alongside more accessible programmes from National Governing Bodies and clearer pathways into community sport.
Support will align more closely with wider programmes and include competitive sport opportunities and inclusive events for less‑active pupils. Detailed design and funding allocations will be confirmed through the procurement process.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking with schools to help reduce the number of minors being treated for drug use, including in Medway.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE), available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2, is the statutory guidance that all schools and colleges must have when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
The statutory curriculum for health education requires all pupils in state-maintained schools to be taught the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and the associated risks to physical and mental wellbeing, including smoking, alcohol use and drug-taking.
By the end of secondary school, pupils should know the facts about which drugs are illegal, the risks of taking illegal drugs, including the increased risk of potent synthetic drugs being added to illegal drugs, the risks of illicit vapes containing drugs, illicit drugs and counterfeit medicines, and the potential health harms, including the link to poor mental health.
This complements content about substances within the national curriculum for science.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a digital creativity GCSE on skills shortages in the digital sector.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
To help break down barriers to opportunity, this government will deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative, and ensures that all young people get the opportunity to learn digital and creative skills as part of their education, with digital skills becoming increasingly important to the economy and our growth mission.
To meet this ambition, the government commissioned the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review to advise on how to refresh the curriculum to ensure that young people leave compulsory education with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive, including digital skills. The Review is also looking at whether the current assessment system for young people aged 5 to 19, including qualification pathways, can be improved, while protecting the important role of examinations.
The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to support the introduction of a new digital creativity GCSE.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
To help break down barriers to opportunity, this government will deliver a curriculum which is rich and broad, inclusive and innovative, and ensures that all young people get the opportunity to learn digital and creative skills as part of their education, with digital skills becoming increasingly important to the economy and our growth mission.
To meet this ambition, the government commissioned the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review to advise on how to refresh the curriculum to ensure that young people leave compulsory education with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive, including digital skills. The Review is also looking at whether the current assessment system for young people aged 5 to 19, including qualification pathways, can be improved, while protecting the important role of examinations.
The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on the construction for two special free schools in Kent, at Swanley and Whitstable that were confirmed in 2023.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The process to agree the heads of terms for the site for the Leigh Academy Birchwood School in Swanley are ongoing. Work to progress the site for the proposed special free school at Whitstable is awaiting the outcome of a village green application (VGA). In addition to the VGA, local residents have applied to have the site registered as an asset of community value, which Kent County Council would also like to consider.
The government wants to make sure all children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need to achieve and thrive. That is why we set out a clear ambition to improve inclusivity in mainstream schools while ensuring that special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.
As with all government investment, special and alternative provision free-school projects will be subject to value for money consideration through their development, in line with the government’s vision for the special educational needs system.