Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has she made of the performance of her Department's Behaviour and Attendance Ambassadors Programme, with reference to absence and exclusions of pupils with SEND or mental ill health.

The regional improvement for standards and excellence Attendance and Behaviour Hubs programme launched in September 2025. The department is appointing up to 90 lead schools with excellent attendance and behaviour practice who will work closely with other schools to help them improve.

The department has also appointed two new ambassadors to work with the sector to shape the programme, ensure that their views are captured and that the programme has maximum impact.

As part of the development of the Attendance and Behaviour Hubs programme, an Equalities Impact Assessment was conducted. The department does not routinely publish Equalities Impact Assessments and has no plans to do so in this case.

As part of the Invitation to Tender for the role of Attendance and Behaviour ambassador and for the school recruitment process, all bidders and applicants were required to declare any and all conflicts of interest prior to responding. The department is satisfied that this process was followed correctly.