The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Education (School Teacher Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003, and in particular Schedule 2, remain in force; and if not, when they were amended, and by what Act or statutory instrument.
Lord Nash
The Education (School Teacher Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003, including Schedule 2, remain in force.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government where the criteria for standards in initial teacher training can be found, and whether there are any specific legislative instruments enforcing those criteria.
Lord Nash
The Teachers’ Standards were published in 2011 and apply to all teachers. They define the minimum level of practice expected of teachers. The document can be found on the GOV.UK website, and has been attached to this answer.
The standards refer to:
Schedule 2 of The Education (School Teachers’ Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003
The Education (School Teachers’ Appraisal) (England) Regulations 2012
As such, the Teachers’ Standards apply to:
Trainees working towards Qualified Teacher Status;
All teachers completing their statutory induction period (newly qualified teachers [NQTs]); and
Teachers in maintained schools, including maintained special schools, who are covered by the 2012 appraisal regulations.
The National College for Teaching and Leadership will use Part Two of the Teachers’ Standards, which relates to personal and professional conduct, when assessing cases of serious misconduct, regardless of the education sector in which the teacher works.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-03.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role the National College for Teaching and Learning has in formulating the criteria for qualified teacher status.
Lord Nash
The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) had no role in the formulation of the Teachers’ Standards. The Teachers’ Standards were published by the Secretary of State in 2011.
The National College for Teaching and Leadership publishes the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Criteria. These set out entry, training, management and quality assurance criteria with which all accredited providers of ITT must comply. Ofsted uses these criteria when it inspects ITT providers.
The Criteria are attached, and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/434608/ITT_criteria.pdf
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the timetable for the publication of the recommendations of the Department for Education’s independent expert group, led by Stephen Munday CBE, on improving the quality of initial teacher training courses in England.
Lord Nash
Ministers of the Department for Education are awaiting the report from Stephen Munday’s independent expert group on the content of initial teacher training, which is expected this spring. The Government will consider the group’s recommendations carefully and determine how they should be taken forward.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to enact in full the recommendations from the Department for Education’s independent expert group, led by Stephen Munday CBE.
Lord Nash
Ministers of the Department for Education are awaiting the report from Stephen Munday’s independent expert group on the content of initial teacher training, which is expected this spring. The Government will consider the group’s recommendations carefully and determine how they should be taken forward.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are aware of any evidence that being taught by teachers trained in inclusive pedagogy is of benefit to pupils both with and without special educational needs.
Lord Nash
In order to be awarded qualified teacher status (QTS), trainees must satisfy the Teachers’ Standards, which include a requirement that they have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEN, and are able to use and evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them. The most important factor, as recognised by Ofsted, in supporting the best outcomes for all pupils with and without SEND, is the quality of teaching. All students benefit from high quality teaching supported by rigorous monitoring and good assessment, with specialist teachers where required.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are aware of any evidence that being taught by teachers specifically trained in support and identification of special educational needs has a negative impact on pupils who do not have a special educational need.
Lord Nash
In order to be awarded qualified teacher status (QTS), trainees must satisfy the Teachers’ Standards, which include a requirement that they have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEN, and are able to use and evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them. The most important factor, as recognised by Ofsted, in supporting the best outcomes for all pupils with and without SEND, is the quality of teaching. All students benefit from high quality teaching supported by rigorous monitoring and good assessment, with specialist teachers where required.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the most commonly occurring learning difficulties with which a teacher is expected to deal in the classroom.
Lord Nash
The Department uses the School Census to assess the prevalence and type of special educational need (SEN) in schools. In January 2015, moderate learning difficulty was the most common type of SEN recorded by schools. Autistic spectrum disorder was the most common need for those with a statement or Education Health and Care (EHC) plan.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of pupils in an average class who will have some form of special educational need.
Lord Nash
The percentage of children with special educational needs is collected in the January schools census.
In January 2015, 14.4% of pupils attending state funded primary schools and 14.3% attending state funded secondary schools were identified as having some form of special educational need. These figures include pupils with a statement of special educational needs, an Education, Health and Care plan, or children who receive SEN support. This figure does not include pupils who attend special schools or pupils who attend independent schools. Nationally, 15.4% of all pupils were identified as having special educational needs in January 2015.
There has been a decline in the proportion of children with SEN since 2010 when 21.1% of pupils had SEN. This has occurred because the number of pupils with SEN without statements/ EHC plans has declined, due to more accurate identification of those with SEN following implementation of the SEND reforms.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the minimum required number of trained special educational needs support staff within a school.
Lord Nash
In order to be awarded qualified teacher status (QTS), all teacher trainees must satisfy the Teachers’ Standards, which include a requirement that they have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEN, and are able to use and evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them.
Schools are responsible for deciding what external support to seek and for setting their own priorities for the continuous professional development of their staff. The SEN and Disability code of practice makes it clear that high quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEN. Schools should review, and, where necessary, improve teachers’ understanding of strategies to identify and support vulnerable pupils and their knowledge of the SEN more frequently encountered.
The SEN and disability local offer, published by each local authority, must include arrangements in schools for securing expertise among teachers and other professionals to support pupils with SEN or disabilities. This should include professional development to secure that expertise.
All mainstream schools, including Academies and free schools, and mainstream nursery schools are required to designate a member of staff, a SENCO, to co-ordinate provision for pupils with special educational needs. That person must be a qualified teacher. If that person has been a SENCO for less than twelve months, he or she must achieve a National Award in Special Educational Needs Co-ordination within three years of appointment.