The department’s reforms are designed to enable all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) including those with dyslexia to succeed.

We are providing £1.6 billion of additional funding to mainstream settings through an Inclusive Mainstream Fund to help settings identify commonly occurring needs and take meaningful steps to improve everyday support. Schools and colleges will also be able to direct funding to develop targeted support for those who need them, such as group interventions, without formal assessment or diagnosis.

Clear statutory duties for schools will also be introduced to identify and meet needs as early as possible and ensure the progress of children and young people is monitored to ensure timely and effective interventions.

To ensure teachers, teaching assistants, support staff and leaders across early years, schools and post-16 settings can be trained to support pupils with special educational needs, we are investing £200 million of new funding to upskill staff and promote an inclusive culture.

We have also introduced a range of measures to support high-quality teaching of reading and writing, including for pupils with SEND and dyslexia and those at risk of falling behind. This includes the English Hubs programme and the publication of both the reading and writing frameworks.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review considered how the curriculum and assessment system can better support the progress and attainment of all pupils, including those with SEND. In its response, the government committed to developing evidence-led resources to support curriculum adaptation, embedding high-quality adaptive teaching and formative assessment throughout teacher training, and working with Ofqual and exam boards to ensure accessibility is fully considered in the development of qualifications, including GCSEs.

We are carefully reviewing and considering all responses submitted to the SEND Reform consultation and continue to engage widely on our proposals. We will publish a response to the consultation in due course and bring forward legislation at the earliest opportunity.

Tackling absence is at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity. The pandemic had a significant impact on attendance across the country, with persistent absence rates roughly doubling. Attendance has been improving year on year, though persistent absence remains above pre-pandemic levels.

The causes of persistent absence are complex and often overlapping. They include physical and mental ill health, special educational needs and disabilities, disadvantage, insecure housing, transport difficulties and other practical barriers.

Persistent absence is substantially higher among disadvantaged pupils. In the 2024/25 academic year, 32.35% of pupils eligible for free school meals were persistently absent, compared with 12.10% for pupils who are not eligible.

Absence also has a significant effect on attainment. Departmental analysis found that pupils who miss just 10 days in Year 11 have around half the odds of achieving grade 5 in English and mathematics compared with otherwise similar pupils. However, measures taken by the government and the sector are having an effect. In 2024/25 pupils attended over 5 million more days than in the previous year, and around 150,000 fewer children were persistently absent.

The department does not set GCSE grade requirements for progression to post-16 education. Decisions about entry requirements are made by schools and colleges.

We are creating coherent post-16 pathways, with V levels, T Levels and A levels at level 3, and new occupational and further study pathways at level 2.

The further study pathway is aimed at supporting progression to level 3 for those who might not have the prior attainment and study skills necessary for what they want to do.

The 16 to 19 maths and English Condition of Funding requires institutions to continue teaching students who have not yet achieved GCSE grade 4 or above in English and/or maths (or equivalent), helping them to work towards these important qualifications. We have also just consulted on introducing new Level 1 qualifications in English and maths to support progression towards GCSE grade 4.

The number of schools with entries in the two subjects requested are provided below. The department does not hold data on the subjects that institutions offer.

Number of schools with GCSE and A level entries in Film Studies and Media/Film/TV Studies in 2024/25, by school type:

Media Studies is referred to in the department’s attainment data ‘Media/Film/TV Studies’ and is a separate qualification to ‘Film Studies’.

A high-quality curriculum equips children and young people with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a changing world. This includes providing children and young people with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to understand and develop a connection to the natural world, access green careers, and thrive in life and work in a world with a changing climate. The natural history GCSE is intended to support progression into further academic and vocational study, training or employment, including pathways such as environmental science A level and relevant V Levels and T Levels. The department routinely collects data on key stage 4 subject-level entries, and post-16 data at subject level.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. We are seeking views from a range stakeholders on the proposed subject content, including from employers and organisations in environmental sectors.

A high-quality curriculum equips children and young people with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a changing world. This includes providing children and young people with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to understand and develop a connection to the natural world, access green careers, and thrive in life and work in a world with a changing climate. The natural history GCSE is intended to support progression into further academic and vocational study, training or employment, including pathways such as environmental science A level and relevant V Levels and T Levels. The department routinely collects data on key stage 4 subject-level entries, and post-16 data at subject level.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. We are seeking views from a range stakeholders on the proposed subject content, including from employers and organisations in environmental sectors.

A high-quality curriculum equips children and young people with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a changing world. This includes providing children and young people with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to understand and develop a connection to the natural world, access green careers, and thrive in life and work in a world with a changing climate. The natural history GCSE is intended to support progression into further academic and vocational study, training or employment, including pathways such as environmental science A level and relevant V Levels and T Levels. The department routinely collects data on key stage 4 subject-level entries, and post-16 data at subject level.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. We are seeking views from a range stakeholders on the proposed subject content, including from employers and organisations in environmental sectors.

A high-quality curriculum equips children and young people with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a changing world. This includes providing children and young people with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to understand and develop a connection to the natural world, access green careers, and thrive in life and work in a world with a changing climate. The natural history GCSE is intended to support progression into further academic and vocational study, training or employment, including pathways such as environmental science A level and relevant V Levels and T Levels. The department routinely collects data on key stage 4 subject-level entries, and post-16 data at subject level.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. We are seeking views from a range stakeholders on the proposed subject content, including from employers and organisations in environmental sectors.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. We are seeking views on the proposed content, including our proposed fieldwork requirement of 20 hours.

Fieldwork is an essential element of the study of natural history and our intention is that it can be delivered flexibly, adapted to the diverse contexts in which schools operate. While schools may consider locations in their local areas and further afield, we also encourage schools to consider using school grounds for fieldwork study.

We have worked closely with subject experts and stakeholders to refine the subject content, which aims to complement the study of existing science GCSEs and GCSE geography. We will consider all consultation feedback carefully before finalising the subject content.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. The consultation is open from 12 June to 4 September, and we will consider feedback carefully before finalising the subject content.

It is for schools to choose the qualifications they offer at key stage 4, and for pupils to choose the qualifications they take. We have worked with stakeholders to develop content which is high-quality, rigorous, and which represents a worthwhile course of study. As the GCSE is finalised, the department will consider the delivery of the GCSE.

It is for schools to employ the best qualified teachers for any particular posts, taking into account relevant skills and experience as well as formal training and qualifications. As with other GCSEs, we will not set additional requirements for natural history teaching.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. The consultation is open from 12 June to 4 September, and we will consider feedback carefully before finalising the subject content.

It is for schools to choose the qualifications they offer at key stage 4, and for pupils to choose the qualifications they take. We have worked with stakeholders to develop content which is high-quality, rigorous, and which represents a worthwhile course of study. As the GCSE is finalised, the department will consider the delivery of the GCSE.

It is for schools to employ the best qualified teachers for any particular posts, taking into account relevant skills and experience as well as formal training and qualifications. As with other GCSEs, we will not set additional requirements for natural history teaching.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. The consultation is open from 12 June to 4 September, and we will consider feedback carefully before finalising the subject content.

It is for schools to choose the qualifications they offer at key stage 4, and for pupils to choose the qualifications they take. We have worked with stakeholders to develop content which is high-quality, rigorous, and which represents a worthwhile course of study. As the GCSE is finalised, the department will consider the delivery of the GCSE.

It is for schools to employ the best qualified teachers for any particular posts, taking into account relevant skills and experience as well as formal training and qualifications. As with other GCSEs, we will not set additional requirements for natural history teaching.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. The consultation is open from 12 June to 4 September, and we will consider feedback carefully before finalising the subject content.

It is for schools to choose the qualifications they offer at key stage 4, and for pupils to choose the qualifications they take. We have worked with stakeholders to develop content which is high-quality, rigorous, and which represents a worthwhile course of study. As the GCSE is finalised, the department will consider the delivery of the GCSE.

It is for schools to employ the best qualified teachers for any particular posts, taking into account relevant skills and experience as well as formal training and qualifications. As with other GCSEs, we will not set additional requirements for natural history teaching.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. The consultation is open from 12 June to 4 September, and we will consider feedback carefully before finalising the subject content.

It is for schools to choose the qualifications they offer at key stage 4, and for pupils to choose the qualifications they take. We have worked with stakeholders to develop content which is high-quality, rigorous, and which represents a worthwhile course of study. As the GCSE is finalised, the department will consider the delivery of the GCSE.

It is for schools to employ the best qualified teachers for any particular posts, taking into account relevant skills and experience as well as formal training and qualifications. As with other GCSEs, we will not set additional requirements for natural history teaching.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. We are seeking views on the proposed content, including our proposed fieldwork requirement of 20 hours.

Fieldwork is an essential element of the study of natural history and our intention is that it can be delivered flexibly, adapted to the diverse contexts in which schools operate. While schools may consider locations in their local areas and further afield, we also encourage schools to consider using school grounds for fieldwork study.

We have worked closely with subject experts and stakeholders to refine the subject content, which aims to complement the study of existing science GCSEs and GCSE geography. We will consider all consultation feedback carefully before finalising the subject content.

On 12 June, the department launched a public consultation on proposed subject content for a new natural history GCSE. We are seeking views on the proposed content, including our proposed fieldwork requirement of 20 hours.

Fieldwork is an essential element of the study of natural history and our intention is that it can be delivered flexibly, adapted to the diverse contexts in which schools operate. While schools may consider locations in their local areas and further afield, we also encourage schools to consider using school grounds for fieldwork study.

We have worked closely with subject experts and stakeholders to refine the subject content, which aims to complement the study of existing science GCSEs and GCSE geography. We will consider all consultation feedback carefully before finalising the subject content.