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Education and Inspections Bill

Before the noble Baroness, Lady Buscombe, speaks finally, I thank the Minister for his response, on which I should like to say something more. Perhaps I may first pick up the point made by the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, about the importance of the money following the specific child and his or her needs when in a mainstream school. We think that that is a very important matter. The noble Earl, Lord Listowel, was concerned about teaching assistants being put in charge of children with special educational needs. I do not think that that happens too much now, but I suggest that, where it happens, it is an indication of the lack of confidence of the teacher in the classroom to deal with that child. That is the result of a feeling that they have not been adequately trained, which brings me to Amendment No. 183 on training. I accept what the Minister said about the fact that we do not really need to be so specific in the Bill and that this sort of thing should be in regulations and guidance. Our amendment of course was probingin order to put some upward pressure on the Government on training. I was pleased to hear about the review of standards and course content for initial teacher training and right through the spectrum up to what the National College for School Leadership is doing for head teachers. There is no doubt that, although the individual skills and understanding of classroom teachers are very important, the leadership of head teachers in a school and an understandingof what children with special needs need are also important, if they are not specialist schools. They should also understand the additional training that their teaching staff will need in the form of CPD in order to build up their skills to the right level. School leaders who have that commitment find themselves in charge of the schools that are the most successful in including special educational needs children and seeing them thrive comfortably and happily in that environment. I thank the Minister for his comments because the thing seems to be moving in the right direction.