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Written question asked by Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 24 February 2016, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 9 March 2016. It was answered by Lord Nash (Conservative) on Tuesday, 1 March 2016 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Special Educational Needs

Question

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.

Answer

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.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL6407
Session
2015-16
Subjects
Teachers Special educational needs Training
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk