Dawn Butler – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Dawn Butler on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what provision her Department has put in place for SEND pupils who will not be able to pass selective school admission policies.

Nick Gibb

This Government is committed to ensuring all children, including those with Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND), have the opportunity to achieve their potential and make a successful transition to adult life.

In the Children and Families Act 2014, we legislated to make fundamental changes to improve the SEND support system for the benefit of the 14.4% of children with SEND. These are the biggest reforms to the SEND system in a generation. To support local authorities and others to make these changes successfully, we have invested heavily in practical and financial support, including an extra £90 million of support for 2016/17.

Following Sir Andrew Carter’s report on Initial Teacher Training (ITT), the Government published a new framework of core content in July 2016. This includes specific content on SEND, so that teachers have a clear understanding and early awareness of pupils with SEND. This will help to ensure that pupils with SEND have the opportunity to fully realise their potential.