Lord Addington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

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.