The department issued an update on 08 July, confirming that academy trusts can enter electric vehicle salary sacrifice schemes without seeking prior department approval from September 2026. Detailed guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electric-vehicle-salary-sacrifice-guidance-for-academy-trusts-and-colleges/electric-vehicle-salary-sacrifice-guidance-for-academy-trusts-and-colleges.

Academy trusts should have reserved places for parents, carers or other individuals with parental responsibility within their governance structure. Single academy trusts should have at least two such places on the trust board. Multi-academy trusts should have at least two such places on the board or on each local committee, where they are established. Trusts should hold elections to fill these places as appropriate.

The department has not issued guidance allowing for the removal of parents from trust governance arrangements where a school is underperforming. Trusts are expected to maintain the governance arrangements that are set out in their articles of association, funding agreement and the Academy Trust Handbook.

Expectations for high-quality governance are set out in the Trust Quality Descriptions, which identify effective engagement with parents, carers and local communities as a feature of high-quality trusts. These expectations will be renewed through new Trust Standards. In addition, the department has committed to publishing minimum expectations on parental engagement for schools, which trust boards will oversee.

As set out in the Schools White Paper, the government intends to consult on requiring academy trusts to have local governance structures covering all their schools, helping to ensure that trust boards hear directly from parents and school communities. We will also be introducing Ofsted inspection of trusts.

Academy trusts should have reserved places for parents, carers or other individuals with parental responsibility within their governance structure. Single academy trusts should have at least two such places on the trust board. Multi-academy trusts should have at least two such places on the board or on each local committee, where they are established. Trusts should hold elections to fill these places as appropriate.

The department has not issued guidance allowing for the removal of parents from trust governance arrangements where a school is underperforming. Trusts are expected to maintain the governance arrangements that are set out in their articles of association, funding agreement and the Academy Trust Handbook.

Expectations for high-quality governance are set out in the Trust Quality Descriptions, which identify effective engagement with parents, carers and local communities as a feature of high-quality trusts. These expectations will be renewed through new Trust Standards. In addition, the department has committed to publishing minimum expectations on parental engagement for schools, which trust boards will oversee.

As set out in the Schools White Paper, the government intends to consult on requiring academy trusts to have local governance structures covering all their schools, helping to ensure that trust boards hear directly from parents and school communities. We will also be introducing Ofsted inspection of trusts.

Academy trusts should have reserved places for parents, carers or other individuals with parental responsibility within their governance structure. Single academy trusts should have at least two such places on the trust board. Multi-academy trusts should have at least two such places on the board or on each local committee, where they are established. Trusts should hold elections to fill these places as appropriate.

The department has not issued guidance allowing for the removal of parents from trust governance arrangements where a school is underperforming. Trusts are expected to maintain the governance arrangements that are set out in their articles of association, funding agreement and the Academy Trust Handbook.

Expectations for high-quality governance are set out in the Trust Quality Descriptions, which identify effective engagement with parents, carers and local communities as a feature of high-quality trusts. These expectations will be renewed through new Trust Standards. In addition, the department has committed to publishing minimum expectations on parental engagement for schools, which trust boards will oversee.

As set out in the Schools White Paper, the government intends to consult on requiring academy trusts to have local governance structures covering all their schools, helping to ensure that trust boards hear directly from parents and school communities. We will also be introducing Ofsted inspection of trusts.

Many colleagues in the region with local schools served by the trust have raised similar concerns, and I would be more than happy to ensure that my hon. Friend and any other interested Members of Parliament can meet to discuss the issue further. It is clear that, across the system, there have been a number of failings in respect of financial oversight and accountability, which is why we are taking action on MAT-level inspection and will take further action to ensure that public money that is intended to benefit children in their schools and in their education is not wasted in some of the shocking ways in which we have sadly seen it wasted by the Conservative party.

The St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which runs a number of schools in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, is facing extreme financial difficulties despite the considerable extra support that it has received from the Department for Education. We east midlands MPs have written to the Department, but perhaps Ministers could find out whether there is anything else that we can do, and also look at the academy funding model more generally, because the built-in financial risk undermines the education of our children at times.

The department has been in discussions with the Connaught School for Girls about strike action and has not discussed facility time spending.

Currently academies, which make up over half of state schools, are not required to teach the national curriculum. Through powers the department has taken in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, we will require academies to follow the national curriculum.

We are developing a refreshed national curriculum in response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s recommendations, which will provide pupils with a broad range of knowledge and skills that prepares them for adult life.

The refreshed curriculum will be taught from September 2028, meaning that pupils in academy schools will benefit from a curriculum that is ambitious for every child, enabling them to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

The curriculum will be published in 2027, giving schools time to prepare. There will be a public consultation in 2026 on the proposed reforms. As part of wider implementation, we will be considering how to support both academies and maintained schools to deliver the reformed national curriculum.

The department safeguards students at academy schools by setting statutory requirements through the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance. Academy trusts must comply with these standards and have effective safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

The department also monitors compliance by seeking assurances from academy trusts and reviewing safeguarding arrangements but works closely with local authorities. Ofsted inspects safeguarding arrangements to keep children safe.

Whilst the department’s role is to assure itself that academy trusts are fulfilling their statutory responsibilities, local authorities are responsible for investigating individual complaints, reflecting their overarching duty for child protection within their area. It is essential that such investigations are conducted by individuals with the appropriate expertise and experience. Established procedures must be followed to ensure that all schools are treated fairly, consistently and proportionately.

A formal decision letter confirming that the Academy order for Great Alne Primary School has been revoked was issued on 16 April 2026, following a request from Warwickshire County Council submitted on 25 February 2026.

New Electrical Vehicle Salary Schemes (EVSS) in the school sector, including adding employees to schemes with existing providers, have been paused whilst a cross-government review on these schemes has been undertaken by HM Treasury.

The department has been working closely alongside HM Treasury to conclude the review into EVSS schemes. We will update the academy trust sector before the end of the summer term to provide certainty on these schemes for the new academic year.

The department reviews each whistleblowing disclosure about academy trusts individually and assigns it to teams with relevant expertise. Related disclosures about the same trust are cross‑referenced, and systems track previous cases. A single regional team usually leads, based on the trust’s headquarters, with specialist input where needed to maintain a full understanding of the trust context.

Where there is evidence of non‑compliance with legal requirements, particularly the Academy Trust Handbook, action is taken. This includes addressing repeated issues or governance failures, including safeguarding and financial concerns. Extra scrutiny applies to trusts recently subject to intervention, and unusually high case volumes relative to trust size may trigger further review.

Actions aim to secure compliance with regulations, funding agreements, and statutory guidance. Breaches can lead to intervention, such as a published Notice to Improve with required actions and deadlines. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education may also direct trusts to remedy breaches or bar unsuitable individuals from management roles.

The Government is open to considering all lawful means of achieving its ambition that half of all food purchased across the public sector should be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards. Approximately half the £4.9bn annual spend on public sector food and catering in England is attributable to education settings, which represents a significant opportunity to deliver healthy outcomes for the public, contribute to sustainability goals and support domestic growth.

Defra has published a new national procurement policy statement. It sets expectations for Government contracts to favour products certified to high environmental standards that we think high-quality British producers are well-placed to meet.

Further, the Government is currently assessing what food the public sector buys and where it comes from. This will help inform our future approach on public sector food procurement, including for state-funded education settings.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Parents can raise concerns about behaviour management in academies through the academy’s complaints process.

Where parents believe that an academy has not followed proper procedures or has acted unlawfully, and they have fully exhausted the academy’s complaints process, they can raise a complaint with the department. Parents may also pursue legal remedies where appropriate, including judicial review, and may bring claims to the First‑tier Tribunal where a decision is alleged to involve disability discrimination.

The Schools White Paper sets out the government’s proposals for ensuring the school complaints process works better for all involved.

Parents can raise concerns about behaviour management in academies through the academy’s complaints process.

Where parents believe that an academy has not followed proper procedures or has acted unlawfully, and they have fully exhausted the academy’s complaints process, they can raise a complaint with the department. Parents may also pursue legal remedies where appropriate, including judicial review, and may bring claims to the First‑tier Tribunal where a decision is alleged to involve disability discrimination.

The Schools White Paper sets out the government’s proposals for ensuring the school complaints process works better for all involved.