Tag: Department for Education

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 6 July 2026.

From September, 1,400 more schools get free breakfast clubs, branded uniform costs are capped, saving families up to £1,000 a year on school costs.

Families will see the cost of going to school slashed even further from September, as guidance confirming caps on branded uniforms is issued to schools and more free breakfast clubs are confirmed.

Parents at 1,400 more schools will find out if they can save up to £450 through free breakfast clubs from September, when more than 2,700 will be up and running. It means the government has smashed its target of adding 2,000 schools to the programme this year.  Over 680,000 children will attend them after the summer holidays – up from 300,000 today.

The clubs are already delivering cumulative savings of nearly £25million to families by serving up over 10 million free breakfasts and five million hours of childcare unlocked. For a family using their club every day that’s worth up to £450 and 95 hours a year, or nearly two working weeks back on the morning juggle. Children arrive more settled, fed and ready to learn from the moment the school day begins.

From September schools must comply with the new legal limits on the number of branded uniform items they can require. It means parents can buy more of the everyday basics, like trousers and shirts, from any shop or supermarket rather than one pricey supplier.

After polling found a third of parents still worry about uniform costs the government is also publishing strengthened statutory guidance today telling schools to take more steps to bring down the cost of individual items, especially for more expensive items like blazers and jumpers, in time for the 2027 school year.

Taken together, heading back to school is now set to be almost £1,000 cheaper for many families. A child could benefit from up to £450 a year through a free breakfast club and up to £500 a year through the expansion of free school meals to every household on Universal Credit – on top of cheaper uniform as the new branded-item limit bites.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

No parent should have to choose between a summer day out to the beach and kitting their child out for school. 

From September, families will feel the difference at the school gates: free breakfast clubs at 1,400 more schools, an end to expensive lists of branded uniform, and more free lunches for those who need them. 

That’s the British childhood this government believes in – and why we’ll always fight to give every child the very best start in life.

Today’s announcement builds on the biggest ever expansion of funded childcare, now saving families using their full 30 hours an average of £8,000 a year per child – with more than 548,000 codes validated by parents for the working parent entitlement in spring 2026.

Ahead of the new school year, the government is making it easier for all families to enjoy the weekend treats, days out and day trips over the summer with the government’s Great British Summer Saving scheme. From 25 June to 1 September, VAT has been cut on children’s meals in restaurants, children’s and family tickets for theatres and cinemas, and tickets for family attractions, alongside free bus travel for children aged five to 15 in England throughout August. This is part of the government’s work to ease the cost of living, including action to take £117 off household energy bills, freezing rail fares and prescription charges and increases the national minimum and living wage.

A consultation on early years funding, published today, will also set out plans to tackle the postcode lottery holding some children back.

Government is setting out proposals that will mean councils pass more funding for disadvantaged two-year-olds directly to nurseries and childminders.

Families will also feel the difference at their local Best Start Family Hub – the one-stop shops where parents can find everything from stay-and-play sessions to health visitors and parenting advice. Backed by over £900 million, more than 200 are already open, on the way to up to 1,000 by 2028.

To drive that ambition forward, the government is today launching the Best Start Improvement Coalition – bringing together business, charities and social investors to ensure every hub delivers for the families who need it most.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 2 July 2026.

Apology comes with £4 million package of support which includes easier access to adoption records.

People affected by the injustice of forced adoption have today received the formal apology they deserve, as the government acknowledged the role of the state in the appalling practice and unveiled a package of practical support worth £4 million over three years.

The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, delivered the apology in Parliament as campaigners watched on, ahead of a reception for them in Westminster.

In a speech, the Prime Minister reflected on the harm caused to an estimated 185,000 mothers, adopted people and their wider families by practices that took place primarily between 1949 and 1976.

The apology recognises that many women were denied genuine choice, made to feel ashamed or unworthy, and that children were taken from their birth families, their identity and their history. Fathers and wider families were also affected, with harm lasting across lifetimes and, in some cases, generations.

The £4 million support fund will go towards helping people access their adoption records via the Coram BAAF charity, fund intermediary services like Family Connect that helps people reconnect with family members, and research and testimonial projects to document the long-term impact on people’s lives.

Speaking directly to campaigners watching from the House gallery, the Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said:

The shame is not yours. The shame was never yours. The shame is ours.

And I say that on behalf of the whole country, I say it to every single person impacted, we are deeply and profoundly sorry.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

The pain carried by mothers, adopted children and their families who suffered this appalling injustice is unimaginable. They were cruelly denied irreplaceable moments, shared experiences and relationships which should have been theirs, and were made to feel ashamed.

Today, on behalf of the British state, we say with one voice: this was wrong, and we are sorry. An apology cannot undo what happened, but it can be the start of real change, alongside providing the practical action, care and support that people need.

Governments funded, enabled and relied on systems that were not consistently or effectively overseen. In some cases, records were lost, altered, or not made fully accessible to those seeking answers. The state did not do enough to protect mothers, children and families and it failed to prevent harm from continuing. It bears responsibility for the systems it funded and legitimised, which enabled these practices to take place.

The Government recognises that an apology alone is not enough. Alongside today’s statement, ministers are setting out practical steps to improve support for those affected, including:

• improving access to adoption records;
• expanding services which support family reconnection;
• working with NHS England to improve access to appropriate health support, including with mental health challenges;
• developing peer support;
• strengthening awareness across public services;
• establishing a lived experience reference group to review progress; and
• commissioning a testimonials project to capture the stories of those with experience of historical forced adoption.

To ensure that lessons are learned and continue to make improvements, the government will also work to gather data on how the support announced today is working over time, keeping the need for further research under review.

This package reflects what those affected have said matters most: being able to understand their past, access records, reconnect with family where possible and receive support that recognises what they have lived through.

The apology relates to historical adoption practices in England. Scotland and Wales have each issued their own formal apologies, which the UK Government supports, while in Northern Ireland work is underway to establish a statutory public inquiry into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses, led by the Northern Ireland Executive.

The Government recognises that some people’s experiences extend beyond the 1949 to 1976 period, and that it is deeply upsetting to hear examples where coercive practices continued. Today’s adoption system is fundamentally different, with strong legal safeguards, clear consent requirements and independent judicial oversight.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 2 July 2026.

New data reveals 32,100 “Phantom NEETS” are being left to drift without help, with up to half of 16 and 17-year-olds unaccounted for in one area.

Thousands of vulnerable teenagers risk missing out on support because local authorities do not always have complete information about whether young people are in education, employment, or training.

Building on the Milburn Review, the government is providing additional support and tools to help councils identify those at risk earlier and intervene more effectively.

New data reported by councils reveals a stark postcode lottery in the data on youngsters who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), with 32,100 so-called “Phantom NEETS” going unaccounted for.  

Data varies across councils, with North Lincolnshire Council reporting that it is missing information for nearly half of its 16- and 17-year-olds. In comparison, four councils report knowing the whereabouts of all of them.

Overall, official statistics published in March show that an estimated 57,000 16-and 17-year-olds are NEET.

The Education Secretary is today writing to all councils setting out expectations for improving the identification and support of young people at risk of becoming NEET. A separate letter will also be sent to 26 councils facing the greatest challenges, who do not know the activities of 3% or more of their teenagers, with improvement plans agreed over the next six months supported by new tools and guidance being made available.

This includes a new Risk of NEET Indicator (RONI) tool that is being rolled out to councils. It brings together factors like poor attendance, special educational needs, and care experience to help identify young people at risk sooner. 

Meanwhile, new guidance for schools and colleges is being published today that will also help staff identify and support those most likely to drop out.  

Existing data shows that participation in education and apprenticeships ranges massively across the country, from 71.8% to 94.2%, highlighting the need for targeted support to keep kids learning. 

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 

This is one of the defining challenges of this government. Fixing it is crucial to the prosperity of our country: we cannot afford to let a generation of young people drift away from opportunity and more fulfilled lives.   

Accurate, timely tracking is not a box-ticking exercise, it’s the difference between a young person getting support early or falling through the cracks entirely. While local authorities do incredibly difficult work, often against real constraints, it’s not consistent enough.

We’re supporting councils to intervene early to help, as part of our new deal for young people, to ensure they realise their potential through worthwhile training and stable careers.

As part of the government’s drive to boost youth employment, the Department for Work and Pensions has commissioned a major investigation spearheaded by Alan Milburn to determine the barriers preventing the young from accessing work. 

To tackle the over one million young people currently NEET, the government is delivering the biggest youth employment reforms in a generation – backed by £2.5 billion – to support almost one million young people and help deliver up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. A new £2,000 incentive for small businesses taking on a 16-24 year old apprentice will help remove the barriers to accessing lifechanging courses. 

From the Autumn 2026, we are expanding the Jobs Guarantee to all eligible 18- to 24-year-olds who are on Universal Credit and have been looking for work for 18 months. They will benefit from 25 hours/week of fully subsidised six-month paid work. Young people on the scheme will be paid at the relevant minimum wage and also receive fully funded wrap around support. The government is also piloting automatic enrolment into further education for those without a confirmed place. 

Meanwhile, reforms to vocational and technical education, including by introducing V Levels and expanding T Levels, will break down barriers to education by helping to end the snobbery around hands-on learning. 

This action forms part of the government’s wider mission to make sure every young person, regardless of where they grow up, has the chance to get on in life.   

RONI tools draw together risk factors such as poor school attendance, mental health needs, special educational needs and care experience, enabling a risk score to be assigned to individual young people and targeted support to be provided. This could be securing a college place, arranging mental health support, or organising taster sessions to draw young people back into education and training. 

For young people held back by health conditions, a further £3.5 billion is being invested by the end of the decade to help them into work. 

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 1 July 2026.

School teachers to see pay boosted over the next 2 years, as part of 17% increase since the general election, backed by significant additional investment.

School teachers and leaders will see their pay increase by 6.5% over the next 2 years, after the Education Secretary accepted the School Teachers Review Body’s pay recommendations in full today (1 July 2026).

Teachers will receive an increase of 3.5% from September 2026, followed by 3% from September 2027, delivering a cumulative 17% rise since the general election.

In further evidence of this government’s continued investment in public services, additional funding of £1.8 billion will be provided to schools over 2 years, supporting pay rises for hard working teachers and support staff.

Schools, like the rest of the public sector, will need to continue to play their part and will be expected to find the first 1% of each pay award through continued efforts to maximise value from their budgets.

An additional £485 million will be provided to colleges and other further education providers over 2 years so they can continue to recruit and retain more excellent teachers and deliver high quality vocational, academic and technical courses.

To ensure taxpayers’ money is being invested where it is needed most, the government will also put curbs on academy trust executive pay.

From September, trusts will need to seek government approval before advertising roles over £174,000, bringing the sector in line with other public sector workforces including the NHS and colleges. Annual increases for executives will also be brought in line with the wider school workforce, meaning executives will not be able to receive pay rises higher than those set for classroom teachers.

Education Secretary Bridget Philipson said:

Our brilliant school and college teachers go above and beyond every day, and I’m determined that dedication is not just recognised, but rewarded.

This multi-year deal, backed by significant additional investment, shows the immense value we place in our teachers, while giving schools and colleges certainty over pay and their budgets.

It’s also right that classroom teachers are not seeing executive pay rise faster than their own – or set at excessive levels in the first place – so tighter controls will mean unjustifiable exec salaries become a thing of the past, helping level the playing field for school staff and drive every pound towards classrooms.

The announcement today means school teachers will see an increase in their pay of 17% since this government took power – equating to almost £7,900 over 4 years – with the average school teacher salary rising to over £52,800 from September 2026 and over £54,400 from September 2027.

It builds on significantly improved recruitment and retention figures, with over 4,500 more teachers in secondary schools, special schools and colleges since 2024 reaching over 70% of the government’s commitment to recruit 6,500 new teachers with three years to go.

And beyond those figures, fewer schoolteachers are leaving the profession and there has been a 13% rise in the number of people choosing to train to teach this year – a post-pandemic record – signalling a strong pipeline for the future.

The government’s Maximising value for pupils programme will play a vital role in supporting schools to get the best value from their budgets, by offering better deals on areas like energy, recruitment, and banking. Schools across the country are already reaping the rewards, including – Bishop Hogarth Catholic Education Trust – which increased its annual interest income from £16,000 to over £1.1 million by reviewing its banking arrangements.

The government’s work to tackle child poverty, in particular lifting the 2-child benefit limit, is also widely recognised as supporting teachers and easing pressure on school finances, with schools increasingly going above and beyond to support young people in their day-to-day lives over the past decade. Over 1.5 million children in Great Britain will benefit from the removal of the 2-child limit, and 450,000 children will be lifted out of poverty.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 25 June 2026.

Graduates earn on average around £100,000 more over their lifetime than non-graduate counterparts, but returns vary by degree subject.

Students’ choice of degree subject has a hugely significant impact on their lifetime earnings, according to new research from the IFS.

Graduates earn on average around £100,000 more over their lifetime than someone of the same background and attainment who did not attend university, even after taxes and student loan repayments. 

But the returns vary sharply by subject. Medicine and economics are the highest-earning degrees, and offer up to £400,000 in increased salary over a graduate’s lifetime, while other subjects can offer little to negative financial return, compared to what someone similar without a degree earns.   

The government has this week outlined plans to draw up options for legislation to limit the growth of some courses at some providers, where there are consistently poor returns for students. 

Drastic action to tackle poor-quality degrees and crackdown on the rapid expansion of franchised, and often poor-quality, provision is also ensuring the system prioritises student outcomes over volume or profits. 

A new consultation in the Autumn will look at options for a minimum English language requirement for prospective under-grads to access student finance, to ensure students taking on debt to earn a degree are equipped to succeed in their studies. 

Minister for Skills, Jacqui Smith said:

Going to university and getting a degree is one of the most transformational things a young person can do. But it is not a universal guarantee of success and not all degrees are equal. 

As well as the variation by subject, too many franchised and poor-quality courses do not offer a good deal to young people – selling the dream then leaving students in the lurch.

We’re making the system work better but my message to those thinking about university: choose carefully. Don’t walk into a degree by default.

The data also comes as the government publishes its Pathways to Priority Occupations measure, highlighting that medicine, nursing, architecture and computing are among the top degree subjects to access jobs in the priority sectors in the UK’s Industrial Strategy, Construction, and Health and Social Care.

Collectively an estimated 1.8 million additional skilled workers will be needed in these sectors by 2035.

This measure provides a crucial first step in helping us identify which subjects will be eligible as part of our new targeted maintenance grant offer. It will be used alongside other data and stakeholder feedback to best assess how to target this funding for students in Academic Year 2028 to 2029.

The government is also working closely with UCAS to ensure earnings and employment outcomes from different courses are clear and accessible to prospective under-grads.

The government is also ensuring university is not the only choice for young people to succeed, with a record £3.3bn investment in apprenticeships this year, to help deliver the ambition of 50,000 more apprenticeship starts for young people by 2029.

This will start to reverse nearly half of the 40% decline in 16–24 apprenticeship starts over the past decade which has left young people locked out of the first rung on the career ladder.

This also builds on wider action through the government’s Youth Guarantee which will ensure every young person has the opportunity to earn and learn. This includes financial incentives for businesses to hire young people who have been out of work, providing guaranteed subsidised jobs — helping deliver up to 500,000 opportunities.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 24 June 2026.

Government launches first of its kind guidance on creating dedicated teaching and support spaces for children with SEND.

Children and young people with SEND across the country will be able to attend their local school, early years and college and know they belong there, as the government delivers a first of its kind package of advice to guarantee inclusion for all.

For years families have faced a postcode lottery that has left hundreds of thousands fighting for the right support, travelling miles to access it or waiting months or years to receive it.

Today, the government is taking an important step to end this lottery through clear expectations on how settings can design their SEND provision so children and young people can thrive.

For the first time, new guidance sets out what families can expect to see on the ground, building on the commitment that every secondary school will, in time, have an inclusion base – a dedicated space providing targeted teaching and specialist support those who need it.

Inclusion bases will be run by a qualified teacher, never used as a sanction, and allow access to an adapted, broad, ambitious curriculum to meet the needs of every child, serving as a bridge to school life rather than a barrier to it.

That means more time for children in mainstream classes alongside their friends and will put a stop to inconsistent and patchy provision where children feel excluded from the wider school – being left out of lessons, trips or activities.

The bases go hand in hand with an overhaul on physical spaces including classrooms, with landmark guidance for schools, early years and post-16, setting out a roadmap for how settings can adapt buildings that are shaped around the real experience of a child or young person with SEND.

Whether that’s starting their day through an alternative entrance or taking time out in a calmer space, every child will be able to navigate the day with confidence.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

Every child and young person deserves to feel included, without fighting for the support they need to succeed.

We are giving schools a clear, practical blueprint to become truly inclusive, from calmer classrooms and sensory-friendly spaces, to specialist support embedded right in the heart of the school, so children can learn alongside their peers rather than miles from home.

Every child deserves to attend a school where they belong, where the environment works for them, and where the right support is simply part of the school day. That’s what we’re building.

The results where high-quality inclusion bases already exist are striking. Eight in ten parents (80%) who want their child to attend a base report a positive experience, and nationwide they are delivering strong outcomes.

In Sheffield, autistic pupils access up to 100% of mainstream lessons with tailored support and every single pupil from the base has entered education, employment or training after leaving, in Nottinghamshire 80% of pupils accessing a base achieve strong passes in GCSE Maths and English and in Oxfordshire, pupils who previously struggled to attend school at all are now averaging 93% attendance.

To make sure the whole site meets the needs of children, the Inclusive Estates guidance suggests tools for understanding the daily experience of a child or young person with SEND, such as structured walkthroughs or “Day in the Life” approaches to identify challenges in navigating the physical space.

It will include tangible improvements including adapting acoustics and light, introducing quiet and calm spaces like sensory gardens or installing ramps or handrails.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 22 June 2026.

Government promises to deliver a “new deal for young people” with real opportunities to work and renewed social contract where hard work pays off.

Ministers will unveil plans to crack down on poor‑quality university courses and shift investment further towards youth apprenticeships, as part of a ‘new deal for young people’. 

The deal delivers a renewed social contract with better opportunities to give young people real choices and real chances to get on, whether through university or high‑quality apprenticeships that lead to decent pay and long‑term careers.

It comes as too many young people feel university is the only route to success and are working hard for degrees that don’t deliver the future they were promised, as they miss out on better opportunities while amassing thousands in debt.

While university was once a clear route to social mobility, particularly for working class people, the reality for today’s generation of young people has significantly changed.

Many students hugely benefit from a degree, and the UK’s university sector is rightly world leading.  But the outdated belief that university is the only path to success has led to a ‘degree by default’ mindset – resulting in too many young people working tirelessly for degrees that don’t unlock the best opportunities to make the most of their talent and hard work.

Meanwhile poor-quality courses have been profiting from students’ earnest aspirations to achieve a degree and unlock life-changing opportunities.

Ministers will argue that the needs of this generation of young people have been ignored by successive governments, while the world of work evolved around them and left them behind without the skills they need to succeed.  

As Alan Milburn’s report outlined, around 1 in 7 young people who are currently not in employment, education or training have a university degree – underlining the need to reform the higher education system so it delivers better outcomes for young people. 

This government is delivering a decisive break from that past and stepping in to fix a system that has held too many young people back. At the heart of the government’s new deal for working people is further action to tackle poor-quality degrees, helping young people find and access the prestigious alternatives to build strong foundations for their working lives. 

A major shift in skills funding towards apprenticeships for young people will help ensure students don’t drift into university courses that aren’t right for them. This will help reverse the long‑term decline in starts and refocusing the system on giving young people their first step on the career ladder.

It is part of a wider drive to tackle youth unemployment and will drive forward the government’s ambition for two-thirds of young people to participate in higher-level learning – whether academic, technical or through apprenticeships.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

Young people making choices about their future deserve to know that the investment they are making will lead to real opportunities and stable careers. For some that will mean going to university, and we are making this more accessible regardless of background, but for others it will mean technical or vocational routes.

By raising standards and cracking down on abuse of student loans we’ll ensure our world-leading universities deliver real value for students and the taxpayer.

For these who choose to pursue a degree, the government is clear that courses must offer strong outcomes and real value for students, and university should remain a route to opportunity but only where it delivers.

Abuse of the system will not be tolerated, particularly where courses — often delivered through franchising — do not provide good value for students or the taxpayer. 

As part of this, the government is drawing up options for legislation to limit the growth of some courses with consistently poor returns for students at some providers, making clear that the system must prioritise student outcomes over volume.

The government is working with the Office for Students (OfS), UCAS and sector partners to make it easier for students to access the information on course outcomes and wage returns. The government will also support people from low-income households to study courses in priority areas through reintroducing targeted maintenance grants from 28/29.  

New rules will also mean franchised providers with 300 or more franchised students must register with the Office for Students or face losing access to student loan funding, ensuring proper oversight and accountability.

This action comes after decades where many students have been sold courses with poor outcomes, while some institutions have continued to expand provision that does not lead to better jobs or higher pay, and leaving graduates and taxpayers to pick up the tab.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: 

The decline in youth apprenticeship starts under the last government has kicked the ladder away from too many young people.  

We are reversing that, and expanding opportunities for young people, by tilting funding towards the apprenticeships which will enable them to access high-quality training and those first jobs on the career ladder. 

From the autumn we will also be offering small and medium-sized businesses £2000 for every young apprentice they take on who is under 25 and paying the full training cost – directing money towards where the opportunities are needed most.

Alongside action to reform higher education, the government will shift further apprenticeships funding into opportunities for young people, reversing the decline in starts and prioritising support for those at the start of their working lives.

The government is making a record £3.3bn investment in apprenticeships this year with an ambition to see 50,000 more apprenticeship starts for young people by 2029. This would reverse nearly half of the 40% decline in 16–24 apprenticeship starts over the past decade which has left young people locked out of the first rung on the career ladder.

The government has already tilted funding towards apprenticeships for young people by de-funding some of the courses used largely by older employees well established in their careers to free up more funding for young people, and short courses in key growth areas. 

New foundation apprenticeships, exclusively for young people, are expanding into sectors like hospitality and retail, opening up more entry‑level routes into work, and helping young people move from education into lasting employment.

As part of this push, the government has directed Skills England to review funding rates for the apprenticeship standards used mostly by young people, to better prioritise how this funding is used. It will report in the autumn on whether the rates need to be changed to further shift provision towards young people and rebuild the apprenticeship ladder for the next generation.

This also builds on wider action through the government’s Youth Guarantee which will ensure every young person has the opportunity to earn and learn. This includes financial incentives for businesses to hire young people who have been out of work, providing guaranteed subsidised jobs and reforming the Growth and Skills Levy — helping deliver up to 500,000 opportunities.

From ending a one size fits all education system and reforming SEND provision in schools, to tackling the harmful impact of social media, the government is stepping in at every stage of a young person’s life to make sure they are supported to learn, grow and to succeed. That means getting the foundations right early on, backing young people through education and training, and opening up real routes into work so no one is left behind.

Taken together, this will ensure more young people can get a decent job, earn a good wage, and build a secure future — no matter where they come from.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 17 June 2026.

Local areas to begin increasing access to speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and educational psychologists from September 2026.

More children and young people with SEND will get specialist support without needing a diagnosis, as the government begins rolling out a new Experts at Hand service across England backed by new £1.8 billion investment.

Every local area will now begin expanding access to speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, specialist teachers and educational psychologists who will work directly alongside mainstream schools, early years settings and colleges, helping staff identify needs earlier and put support in place more quickly.

The new Experts at Hand teams will bring specialist expertise out of waiting lists and into the communities where children learn, ensuring families can access support closer to home rather than having to navigate a complex system before help becomes available.

The move marks the start of the government’s plans to transform support for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), ending a postcode lottery that has left too many families fighting for support and waiting months or years to receive it.

Today, the government is kickstarting that rollout by publishing guidance for local areas and appointing a national panel of experts to help shape the future system to ensure better support for children and young people with SEND in every classroom.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 

I’ve heard from families who spent years fighting for support their child should simply have received. We are taking decisive action to tackle this issue.

From September, every local area will start to increase access to speech therapists, educational psychologists, occupational therapists and specialist teachers working directly in mainstream schools. 

Our new expert panel will help set a new national standard for SEND support, shaped by the people who work with children every day. This is about rolling out the right help, in the right place, without having to fight for it.

Health Minister Preet Kaur Gill said:

Every child deserves the right support to learn and thrive – and they deserve that from day one.

The Experts at Hand service will bring expert health and education professionals into our schools, colleges and early years settings so they can work directly with children and the staff who know them best.

This is a fundamental shift in how we support children and young people with SEND, and I’m proud that our joint work across government is already beginning to improve things for families across England.

Jessie Roux, who appeared on The Traitors this year, said:

Early childhood is a key stage where confidence, communication and self-belief are formed, so early support really matters. I want children to feel seen, included and supported, because every child has different needs and it’s so important that we make reasonable adjustments to support them properly.

When I was growing up, there wasn’t much understanding or representation around stammering, and I do wish there had been more support like this in schools. I really believe it’s important that both children and parents feel supported, rather than isolated.

I recently visited a school with the Education Secretary – it was amazing to meet the children. They were so brave and inspiring. It was really lovely to see how much the teachers care.

The panel brings together leading figures from mainstream and specialist education, health, academia and parental engagement to oversee the development of National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages.

Co-chaired by Tom Rees and Dr Anne Gordon, it will ensure reforms are informed by the best available evidence and expertise from across education, health and care.

The panel will also engage with stakeholders to make sure their recommendations are informed by a wide range of views and lived experience. A parental engagement group to support the panel’s work will also be established immediately.

The National Inclusion Standards will set out what good support looks like across the country, giving schools and colleges clearer expectations and helping ensure children receive consistent support regardless of where they live.

For children and young people with the most complex needs, we are proposing Specialist Provision Packages that will underpin education, health and care plans (EHCPs), setting out clearly the support they should expect to receive, from specialist teaching and therapies to communication aids and assistive technology.

The wider reforms will be taken forward through the Education for All Bill, subject to the outcome of our consultation on the proposed reforms, including proposals for a new legal duty to put an Individual Support Plan in place for every child and young person with SEND, ensuring they have a clear route to support and access to high-quality education, health and care wherever they live.

Tom Rees, CEO of Ormiston Academies Trust, said: 

I’m delighted to be co-chairing this panel alongside colleagues who bring such deep experience and expertise from across the education and health sectors. 

We want to build better, more evidence-informed approaches to support children and young people, and to give confidence to parents and practitioners. The panel’s work will help to make this a reality.

Anne Gordon, Head of Clinical Innovation Research, New Hospital Programme, NHS England, said: 

I look forward to working with expert colleagues to support children and young people get the support they need to thrive.  Bringing health and education closer together, and working in partnership around what works, is a really exciting opportunity to lay the groundwork for continuing to build best evidenced services.

Ben Bastin, Chair of Natspec and Head of Treloar College, said: 

I am excited to join the panel at such a pivotal time for SEND reform. I look forward to bringing both my personal and professional experience of specialist provision and the transition to adulthood to ensure these changes support children and young people in a more inclusive 0 to 25 system.

Alison Stewart, Deputy Director of Children’s Services, Merton and Wandsworth, said: 

I am really excited to be part of the Expert Panel and look forward to be part of this important work considering specialist provision packages and national inclusion standards.

Katherine Walsh, Director of Inclusion at River Learning Trust, said: 

It is a privilege to join the panel and bring my experience in SEND and inclusive school leadership to help shape an ambitious, equitable system for all learners.

I look forward to working collaboratively with colleagues to determine and champion evidence-informed strategies, ensuring every child and young person with SEND has access to the high-quality provision and opportunities they deserve to thrive.

Mark Vickers MBE, CEO of Olive Academies Trust, said: 

It is a privilege to join the expert panel. The development of the National Inclusion Standards and the Specialist Provision Packages mark an important step forward, and I welcome the opportunity to help shape recommendations that will improve the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND.  

Building on my work with DfE’s Expert Advisory Group for Inclusion, I look forward to supporting the transition toward a single, unified school system that is focused on meeting the needs of every child and young person. 

James Waller, Headteacher of Sunningdale School in Sunderland, said: 

I’m really pleased to be contributing to the panel at such an important time for our sector, bringing frontline experience into the discussion.

There is a clear opportunity here to bring together evidence, practice and lived experience to shape approaches that work in practice and make a real difference for children and young people with SEND right across the country.

Professor Courtenay Norbury, Vice Dean for Research, Faculty of Brain Sciences and Professor of Developmental Disorders of Language and Communication at University College London, said: 

I’m looking forward to working with colleagues on developing evidence-based support programmes for young people with special educational needs so they can develop the skills they need for school success, wellbeing and future participation in society.

Dr Karen Guldberg, Professor of Autism Studies and Head of the School of Education at the University of Birmingham said: 

I am excited to contribute to the National Inclusion Standards and Specialist Provision Packages, which will be key in empowering schools and staff to create inclusive, supportive learning environments where all children and young people can thrive.

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 11 June 2026.

New push to get qualified nursery teachers into England’s most deprived communities so nurseries can offer more childcare places, helping families save money.

More qualified nursery teachers will be attracted to England’s most deprived communities with £4,500 bonuses – ensuring tens of thousands more children get the best start in life.

The move will also help more families access their funded childcare entitlement, worth up to £8,000 a year, by giving nurseries the qualified staff they need to open more places.

Fewer than one in ten nursery staff currently hold a graduate teaching qualification – yet evidence shows that the more highly qualified the staff, the better the outcomes for children.

The extra cash bonus will help recruit and retain the best teachers in the communities that need them most, raising the quality of teaching for every child who walks through the door.

The first wave launches today in 10 areas – including Sandwell, Middlesbrough and Rochdale – with expansion to 30 communities later this year. Areas were selected based on deprivation, teacher shortages and school readiness levels.

Just 58% of children in the most deprived communities reach the desired level of development by the end of reception, compared to 77% in the least deprived areas. This targeted scheme puts more qualified staff into the communities that have been left behind – levelling the playing field for every child.

Today’s announcement exceeds the government’s initial pledge – backing nursery teachers across 30 communities, up from the 20 areas first announced last July – delivering on the Education Secretary’s core belief that background should never mean destiny

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

It shouldn’t matter if you’re born in Sandwell or Middlesbrough, in Rochdale or Rotherham – every child deserves the best teachers, with the best tools at their disposal, to give them the very best start in life.

These measures will help nurseries attract and keep more qualified staff — so they can deliver the funded childcare that saves families up to £8,000 a year in the communities that need it most.

Alongside the bonus, new partnership grants will for the first time fund nurseries, childminders, and schools to formally work together. Staff will be able to visit each other’s settings, share teaching approaches and build stronger links with families so children arrive at school confident and ready.

18 new hubs of excellent nursery teaching have also been confirmed today – doubling the network to 36 across England. The Early Years Stronger Practice Hub programme is designed to bring the best nurseries and childminders together to share what works and will host specialist advisors and leads in early language, maths and personal, social and emotional development, delivering tailored training to early years educators so the highest quality teaching and practices reach more children in more communities.

Further work will follow, including a consultation on how to raise the status and recognition of early years teachers, removing barriers to increased pay in relevant settings.

This work is part of the mission to get tens of thousands more children school-ready by 2028, combining efforts to upskill the workforce through the Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship and attract new nursery staff via the Do Something Big campaign.

It will also help families with 30 hours of funded childcare, worth up to £8,000 a year, helping with the cost of living while expanding places through new school-based nurseries in the communities that need them most.

ENDS

Additional quotes

Executive Director of the Early Education and Childcare Coalition Sarah Ronan said:

When disadvantaged children start school 4.7 months behind their better off peers, it’s right that we do everything we can to close that gap as early as possible. Research shows us that graduate teachers can have a positive impact on child development particularly for those at risk of being left behind.

We welcome this incentive to attract more graduates to work in communities where they can make a difference and change lives and we are particularly pleased to see the Government offer this bonus in even more areas. The expansion of Stronger Practice Hubs is also welcome. A well-trained and supported workforce is the most important lever we have in driving outcomes for children. An investment in early years professionals is an investment in our children.