Preface
1. In 2005 around 18% of all pupils in school in
England were categorised as having some sort of special educational
need (SEN) (1.5 million children). Around 3% of all children
(250,000) had a statement of SEN and around 1% of all children
were in special schools (90,000)—which represents approximately
one third of children with statements. With such a large number
of children involved, it is important to recognise that many children
are receiving the education they need in an appropriate setting.
It is equally important, however, to highlight the difficulties
faced by a large number of parents for whom the system is failing
to meet the needs of their children. This inquiry gives careful
consideration to where the SEN system is failing and considers
how the Government can improve outcomes for all children with
SEN and disabilities.
2. This inquiry has been informed by over 230 written
memoranda. Memoranda from individuals have been given full consideration
but have not been printed for reasons of privacy.
3. During the course of this inquiry we have taken
evidence from around 50 witnesses in oral evidence: Baroness
Warnock; Rt Hon Ruth Kelly MP the then Secretary of State for
Education and Skills; Lord Adonis Parliamentary Under-Secretary
of State for Schools; Althea Efunshile, Andrew McCully, and Ian
Coates, Department for Education and Skills; Miriam Rosen and
Eileen Visser, Ofsted; David Curtis and Joan Baxter, Audit Commission;
Ralph Tabberer, Training Development Agency; John Bangs, National
Union of Teachers; Rona Tutt, National Association of Head Teachers;
Martin Johnson, Association of Teachers and Lecturers; Darren
Northcott, NASUWT; Eirwen Grefell-Essam, Network 81; Paula Jewes,
Kids First Group; Hugh Payton, Wiltshire Dyslexia Association;
Chris Goodey, SPINN; Brian Lamb OBE, SEN consortium; John Hayward,
Focus Learning; Claire Dorer, National Association of Independent
Schools and Non-Maintained Special Schools; Steve Haines, Cathy
Casserley, and Phillippa Russell, Disability Rights Commission;
John Wright, Independent Panel for Special Education Advice; Julia
Thomas, Children's Legal Centre; Chris Gravell, The Advisory Centre
for Education; David Ruebain, Law Society; Simone Aspis, British
Council of Disabled People; Richard Rieser, Disability Equality
in Education; Micheline Mason, Alliance for Inclusive Education;
Elizabeth Clery, Royal National Institute for the Blind; Carol
Boys, Down's Syndrome Association; Mike Collins, National Autistic
Society; Susan Tresman, British Dyslexia Association; Virginia
Beardshaw, I CAN; David Congdon, Mencap; Jean Salt, NASEN; Kevin
Rowland, British Psychological Society; Shirley Cramer, Dyslexia
Institute; Kate Griggs, Xtraordinary People; Mark Rogers, Solihull
Metropolitan Borough Council; Janet Sparrow, Buckinghamshire County
Council; Tim Warin, Newcastle City Council; Professor Julie Dockrell,
Institute of Education; Professor Alan Dyson, Manchester University;
and Professor Brahm Norwich, Exeter University.
4. Our inquiry has also been informed by visits to
schools in Essex in March 2006 and Darlington Education Village
in May 2006. We would like to extend our thanks to all of those
involved in two excellent and highly instructive visits. Individual
Members of the Committee also made a number of separate visits
relating to this inquiry, including the Chairman visiting a large
meeting of parents in Hampton hosted by SOS!SEN, a helpline for
parents of children with SEN and disabilities.
5. We would like to thank You and Yours and
BBC Radio 4 for their contribution to the work of the Committee
through the phone-in discussion they held about special educational
needs and the summary report of responses provided to the Committee.
The response was overwhelming with You and Yours receiving
over 700 emails, telephone calls and letters from parents, children,
teachers and other interested parties. We are grateful to be
able to use the summary of responses within this report.
6. We are very grateful to our specialist advisers:
Professor Ann Lewis, Professor of Special Education and Educational
Psychology, University of Birmingham; Professor Alan Dyson, Professor
of Education, University of Manchester; and Mark Rogers, Director
of Education and Children's Services, Solihull Metropolitan Borough
Council. We would also like to thank the members of staff in
the House of Commons Library for providing information to this
inquiry.
7. This report looks at policy relating to children
with SEN and disabilities. It does not give comprehensive and
detailed consideration to specific issues facing any particular
group of category of special educational need or disability.
Nor does it cover in detail the following areas, all of which
are important areas of SEN that deserve further attention: the
special educational needs of gifted and talented children, post-16
provision including FE, children in early years provision or in
residential care.
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