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Written question asked by Lord Touhig (Labour) on Thursday, 21 May 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Friday, 5 June 2026. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Monday, 8 June 2026 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Special Educational Needs: Primary Education

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to assess unmet needs among children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities as part of their planned reforms set out in their primary schools white paper,  Every Child Achieving and Thriving, published on 23 February.

Answer

The early identification of special educational needs and disabilities is critical to improving outcomes for children and young people.

Our consultation proposed that we will introduce clear statutory duties on schools to identify and meet needs as early as possible, enabling timely and effective intervention for pupils with special educational needs (SEN).

To support delivery, we are strengthening the evidence base on what works in early identification and assessment across education settings.

We will also introduce National Inclusion Standards, equipping educators with evidence informed tools and strategies to identify, assess and support pupils with SEN, while sharing best practice nationally. This is backed by £1.8 billion of investment to expand capacity and expertise, ensuring every community can access Experts at Hand.

In parallel, government backed research led by UK Research and Innovation will develop and scale new approaches to early identification, strengths‑and‑needs assessment, and support, for integration into education settings by 2028.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL402
Session
2026-27
Related items
Subjects
Primary education Special educational needs
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk