Tag: Lord Addington

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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-02-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times since 2006 government-commissioned reports have recommended that more teacher training is necessary in the field of special educational needs to satisfy the duty to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs.

Lord Nash

All initial teacher training (ITT) courses must ensure that trainee teachers can meet the teachers’ standards at the appropriate level. This includes having a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs (SEN). Teachers must also be able to adapt teaching to the needs of all pupils and have an understanding of the factors that can inhibit learning and how to overcome them.

An independent review of ITT, carried out by Sir Andrew Carter, and published in January 2015, found that there is considerable variability in ITT course content across the system, and cites SEN among areas where there are gaps in a range of courses.

In response to the Carter Review, the Government has commissioned an independent working group made up of expert representatives from the sector, including an SEN specialist, to develop a framework of core ITT content. The group is expected to report to Ministers in spring 2016.

Further guidance on teacher’s standards is available on GOV.UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-03-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the announced changes to the initial teacher training criteria, whether the Teacher Standards will also be changed to reflect the increased emphasis on issues such as special educational needs and child development.

Lord Nash

The Teachers’ Standards state that a teacher must adapt teaching to respond to strengths and needs of all pupils, including by having a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils including those with special educational needs; and by demonstrating an awareness of the physical, social and intellectual development of children, and knowing how to adapt teaching to support pupils’ education at different stages of development.

Following a review of the quality of initial teacher training (ITT) by Sir Andrew Carter, the Secretary of State last year commissioned an expert group, chaired by Stephen Munday CBE, to develop a framework of core content for ITT. This will help to ensure that key areas of training identified by Sir Andrew, including special educational needs, are appropriately addressed in the initial training period for new teachers. Stephen Munday’s expert group will report to Ministers shortly.

On Wednesday 16 March, The National College for Teaching and Leadership published an updated version of the ITT Criteria, which combined the statutory guidance and supporting advice into a single document to improve clarity. Some routine and minor amendments were made to the supporting advice to assist ITT providers. These related to safeguarding arrangements, middle years programmes, and secondary subjects that are typically offered in schools in only one Key Stage. NCTL also included advice for ITT providers on the Government’s Prevent strategy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-03-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the announced changes to the initial teacher training criteria run parallel to the proposed recommendations of the Department for Education’s independent expert group led by Stephen Munday.

Lord Nash

The initial teacher training (ITT) criteria and accompanying supporting advice do not prescribe the content of ITT. Providers must ensure that programmes are designed to enable trainee teachers to meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level.

The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) published an updated version of the ITT Criteria, which combined the statutory guidance and supporting advice into a single document to improve clarity. Some routine and minor amendments were made to the supporting advice to assist ITT providers. These related to safeguarding arrangements, middle years programmes, and secondary subjects that are typically offered in schools in only one Key Stage. NCTL also included advice for ITT providers on the Government’s Prevent strategy.

The Government is awaiting the report from Stephen Munday’s independent expert group which is due shortly and will consider how their recommendations will be taken forward.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2016-03-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the announced changes to the initial teacher training criteria, why the suggested content was not made compulsory.

Lord Nash

The initial teacher training (ITT) criteria document contains both statutory guidance and accompanying advice from the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL). Accredited ITT providers must have regard to the statutory guidance when carrying out their duties relating to ITT. The criteria are made under The Education (School Teachers’ Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/1662). They set out criteria which providers must ensure that candidates meet when they seek to gain a training place, and programme design, management and quality assurance criteria that must be met by those ITT providers in the design and delivery of their programmes. There are criteria specific to employment-based ITT routes.

The accompanying advice is designed to help training providers understand and interpret the statutory criteria. Ofsted uses the supporting advice when it inspects ITT providers under the relevant initial teacher education framework for inspection. The content of ITT is not specified by the criteria and supporting advice, except that providers must ensure that programmes are designed to enable trainee teachers to be assessed as meeting the relevant standards (the Teachers’ Standards). No changes have been made to the ITT criteria recently; the last change was made in June 2015 (Criterion C2.2). This removed the previously specified age ranges, allowing providers greater scope to work with schools to determine the age range that their programmes would be designed to cover, within the specified primary, middle, and secondary phases.

On 16 March, NCTL combined the statutory guidance and supporting advice into a single document to improve clarity. Some routine and minor amendments were made to the supporting advice to assist ITT providers. These related to safeguarding arrangements, middle years programmes, and secondary subjects that are typically offered in schools in only one Key Stage. NCTL also included advice for ITT providers on the Government’s Prevent strategy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2014-06-04.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of cost is normally allowed for computers and software in one individual allocation of the Disabled Students’ Allowance.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Computers and software are drawn from the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) specialist equipment allowance where a student has been assessed to receive these items. Other items that can be drawn from this allowance include certain items of specialist ergonomic equipment. For the 2013/14 academic year, the maximum amount available to a student from this allowance for the whole course is £5,212 for full time and part time students. There is one single DSA allowance of £10,362 for postgraduate students, from which computers and software can be drawn.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2014-05-07.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the changes to the Disabled Students Allowance, what criteria will be used for assessing complex needs in candidates with specific learning difficulties or dyslexia.

Viscount Younger of Leckie

Discussions are underway with experts in the sector. Disabled students whose needs cannot be met by the reasonable adjustments made by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) will continue to receive support through Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Addington on 2014-05-07.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the changes to the Disabled Students Allowance, what level of assistance institutes of higher education will be required to give to those with specific learning difficulties or dyslexia to enable them to complete their studies.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) will be expected to provide reasonable adjustments under the duties placed upon them by the Equality Act 2010. Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) will remain available where additional support is required to enable disabled students to access their studies successfully.