Question follow-through · 106681
Primary Education: Children's Play
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) plans to commission research into the effectiveness of formal versus play based learning approaches for children aged 5 to 7.
About this written question
A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.
- Answering body
- Department for Education
- Tabled
- 19 Jan 2026
- Target answer date
- 21 Jan 2026
- Answer
- 27 Jan 2026 · 8 calendar days after tabling
Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.
More questions by this MP on Education and skills
- Furniture Poverty: Children · 22 Jan 2026
- Furniture Poverty · 22 Jan 2026
- GCE A-level: Special Educational Needs · 27 Jan 2026
- Children's Play · 3 Feb 2026
- Children's Play: School Day · 3 Feb 2026
Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.
Recorded timeline
19 Jan 2026
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) plans to commission research into the effectiveness of formal versus play based learning approaches for children aged 5 to 7.
21 Jan 2026
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
27 Jan 2026
Answer published
The Curriculum and Assessment Review examined whether England’s curriculum and assessment system is fit for purpose and meets the needs of children and young people. The government’s response set out key national curriculum reforms the department will tak...
Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.
Later records
Possible follow-up questions
Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.
Furniture Poverty: Children
22 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce child bed poverty and it's potential impact on education.
Furniture Poverty
22 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps schools are expected to take to help ensure that pupils and families experiencing (a) furniture or (b) appliance poverty are directed to sources of support.
GCE A-level: Special Educational Needs
27 Jan 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the cumulative burden of A-level examination timetable compression on students with exam access arrangements.
Children's Play
3 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the recommendations from The University of Manchester article entitled The right to play: making play a policy and practice priority published in September 2025.
Children's Play: School Day
3 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the University of Manchester article entitled The right to play: making play a policy and practice priority, what steps her Department is taking to safeguard (a) break and (b) lunchtimes in sc
School Milk
20 Feb 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government plans to extend free school milk provision in 2026 to the additional 500,000 children newly eligible for free school meals.
Schools: Restraint Techniques
6 Mar 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of the use of (i) physical restraint and (ii) isolation practices in schools; what steps her Department
Great Alne Primary School
20 Apr 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the status is of Warwickshire County Council's request to her Department, submitted on 25 February 2026, for revocation of the Direct Academy Order on Great Alne Primary School; and when her Department pla
Schools: Closures
20 Apr 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance exists for local authorities making permanent school closure decisions during the period before Local Government Reorganisation.
Great Alne Primary School
14 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the status is of Warwickshire County Council's request to her Department, submitted on 25 February 2026, for revocation of the Direct Academy Order on Great Alne Primary School; and when her Department pla
Schools: Closures
14 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance exists for local authorities making permanent school closure decisions during the period before Local Government Reorganisation.
National Curriculum Tests: Mental Health
14 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of SATs on Y6 pupils’ mental health and wellbeing.