Question follow-through · 110548

Children's Play: School Day

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

answeredDepartment for Education

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
3 Feb 2026
Target answer date
5 Feb 2026
Answer
12 Feb 2026 · 9 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

Shared topic keywords suggest a connection; they do not establish a follow-up.

Recorded timeline

  1. 3 Feb 2026

    Question tabled

    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

  2. 5 Feb 2026

    Target answer date

    Date supplied by the official written-questions record.

  3. 12 Feb 2026

    Answer published

    Play is an essential part of children’s physical, social and cognitive development, as recognised in the ‘early years foundation stage’ statutory framework. It is for schools, governing bodies and academy trusts to ensure the school day includes opportuni...

Open official record

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

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.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

National Curriculum Tests

20 May 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the impact of SATS on students’ mental health and wellbeing.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Digital Technology and Media: Education

8 Jun 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that media and digital literacy education is accessible to children with additional needs.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Arts: Further Education

16 Jun 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of the Government’s proposed reforms to post-16 qualifications on (a) skills development in the creative industries, (b) access to music and creat

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Higher Education: Neurodiversity

28 Aug 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential barriers faced by neurodivergent academics in higher education institutions to progressing through academic career pathways.

Unreviewed candidateSame MP and department; topic relationship is unreviewed

Higher Education: Neurodiversity

28 Aug 2026 · To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to issue guidance to higher education providers on reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent academic staff throughout recruitment, promotion and disciplinary processes.