Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will consider using dyscalculia as a formal description of specific problems with processing mathematical concepts.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
Education, health and care (EHC) plans are developed by professionals within a child or young person’s local authority, who tailor the content to individual needs. The department does not set the specific terminology used to describe conditions such as dyscalculia, as these descriptions are determined at the local level.
However, we know that educational psychologists use dyscalculia definitions, as well as wider learning difficulties with mathematics, on EHC plans when assessing a child or young person to identify where they experience specific difficulties with numbers or mathematics. They can then recommend appropriate strategies and interventions to support the child’s learning and development.
The special educational needs and disabilities code of practice sets out that all schools should apply a ‘graduated approach’ when deciding on the provision to be made for a child or young person with special educational needs, including dyscalculia. This means identifying a child’s needs, implementing appropriate support and reviewing it regularly. Schools should involve pupils and their parents in this process, taking their views into consideration.
To improve the teaching of mathematics for all pupils in publicly-funded schools, the department funds the Maths Hubs programme. The programme covers primary, secondary and special schools and uses a mastery-based teaching approach, which aims to secure understanding of key concepts. This includes training for teachers on techniques such as avoiding cognitive overload by breaking the learning down into small manageable steps, using representations to expose mathematical structure and ensuring that learning is sequenced in a coherent manner so it makes sense to pupils.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they would formally describe dyscalculia on a document such as an education, health and care plan.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
Education, health and care (EHC) plans are developed by professionals within a child or young person’s local authority, who tailor the content to individual needs. The department does not set the specific terminology used to describe conditions such as dyscalculia, as these descriptions are determined at the local level.
However, we know that educational psychologists use dyscalculia definitions, as well as wider learning difficulties with mathematics, on EHC plans when assessing a child or young person to identify where they experience specific difficulties with numbers or mathematics. They can then recommend appropriate strategies and interventions to support the child’s learning and development.
The special educational needs and disabilities code of practice sets out that all schools should apply a ‘graduated approach’ when deciding on the provision to be made for a child or young person with special educational needs, including dyscalculia. This means identifying a child’s needs, implementing appropriate support and reviewing it regularly. Schools should involve pupils and their parents in this process, taking their views into consideration.
To improve the teaching of mathematics for all pupils in publicly-funded schools, the department funds the Maths Hubs programme. The programme covers primary, secondary and special schools and uses a mastery-based teaching approach, which aims to secure understanding of key concepts. This includes training for teachers on techniques such as avoiding cognitive overload by breaking the learning down into small manageable steps, using representations to expose mathematical structure and ensuring that learning is sequenced in a coherent manner so it makes sense to pupils.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria they have for provision of paid-for software packages from free or built-in technology systems in the Disabled Students Allowance, and whether these criteria take into account capacity to train students to use new systems.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
The department has conducted an Equality Impact Assessment on this policy change and has identified the risk that this decision may have a negative impact on some disabled students who might prefer paid-for spelling and grammar software is mitigated by the availability of free versions of spelling and grammar software that provide equivalent functionality for the types of support that are in scope of the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). The DSA will still fund spelling and grammar software in exceptional circumstances where there is specific need and a robust disability-related justification is provided.
The department conducted a detailed review of the spelling and grammar functionality available in Microsoft Office, computer operating systems, free software products and paid-for software products. This review concluded that the spelling and grammar functionality available in products that students can access for free was similar to that available in paid-for products. While some of the paid-for products had additional features such as plagiarism checkers, these are not in scope for DSA funding, given they are of potential benefit to all students.
Assistive technology training and aftercare support for any non-specialist basic spelling and grammar software agreed in a student’s needs assessment report will continue to be funded through DSA.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of withdrawing funding for spelling and grammar software from the Disabled Students Allowance on students.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
The department has conducted an Equality Impact Assessment on this policy change and has identified the risk that this decision may have a negative impact on some disabled students who might prefer paid-for spelling and grammar software is mitigated by the availability of free versions of spelling and grammar software that provide equivalent functionality for the types of support that are in scope of the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). The DSA will still fund spelling and grammar software in exceptional circumstances where there is specific need and a robust disability-related justification is provided.
The department conducted a detailed review of the spelling and grammar functionality available in Microsoft Office, computer operating systems, free software products and paid-for software products. This review concluded that the spelling and grammar functionality available in products that students can access for free was similar to that available in paid-for products. While some of the paid-for products had additional features such as plagiarism checkers, these are not in scope for DSA funding, given they are of potential benefit to all students.
Assistive technology training and aftercare support for any non-specialist basic spelling and grammar software agreed in a student’s needs assessment report will continue to be funded through DSA.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any additional training requirements have been put in place for students in receipt of Disabled Students Allowance following changes made to the technology packages available to those students.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
The department engaged with disability experts who support disabled students to gather their feedback and insights on the decision to remove non-specialist spelling and grammar software from Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) funding.
The department does not expect that students will be negatively impacted by the changes, because specific technology packages will no longer be funded where free-to-access versions, with the required functionality, are available to meet students’ disability-related support needs. Specialist spelling and grammar software will continue to be funded where a robust disability-related justification is provided. Assistive technology training and aftercare support for any non-specialist basic spelling and grammar software agreed in a student’s needs assessment report will continue to be funded through the DSA.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government which (1) disability, and (2) student groups were consulted ahead of changes to the technology packages available to students in receipt of Disabled Students Allowance.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
The department engaged with disability experts who support disabled students to gather their feedback and insights on the decision to remove non-specialist spelling and grammar software from Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) funding.
The department does not expect that students will be negatively impacted by the changes, because specific technology packages will no longer be funded where free-to-access versions, with the required functionality, are available to meet students’ disability-related support needs. Specialist spelling and grammar software will continue to be funded where a robust disability-related justification is provided. Assistive technology training and aftercare support for any non-specialist basic spelling and grammar software agreed in a student’s needs assessment report will continue to be funded through the DSA.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that students are not negatively affected by changes to the Disabled Students Allowance selection of technical support packages and systems.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
The department engaged with disability experts who support disabled students to gather their feedback and insights on the decision to remove non-specialist spelling and grammar software from Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) funding.
The department does not expect that students will be negatively impacted by the changes, because specific technology packages will no longer be funded where free-to-access versions, with the required functionality, are available to meet students’ disability-related support needs. Specialist spelling and grammar software will continue to be funded where a robust disability-related justification is provided. Assistive technology training and aftercare support for any non-specialist basic spelling and grammar software agreed in a student’s needs assessment report will continue to be funded through the DSA.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the initial teacher training core content and early careers frameworks prioritise adaptive teaching for children with special educational needs and disability in accordance with individual need.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) has been designed with the knowledge that the quality of teaching is the most important factor in improving outcomes for pupils, particularly for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with additional needs. Careful consideration has been given to the needs of trainee teachers in relation to supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and the Early Career Framework (ECF) builds on that learning for early career teachers (ECTs). These reforms support the department’s ambition that all new teachers starting in the profession learn how to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.
Both the CCF and the ECF outline what trainee and new teachers should learn, and should learn how to do, in respect of adaptive teaching. The CCF sets out a minimum entitlement for trainee teachers and places a duty on ITT providers and their partner schools to meet this entitlement through incorporating the CCF into their course curricula. Courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. This includes the requirement in Standard 5 that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. To be recommended by an accredited provider for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), trainees must demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. To pass statutory teacher induction, ECTs must demonstrate that they meet the Teachers' Standards through a formal assessment, signed off by their head teacher and independently checked by their appropriate body.
The department is exploring opportunities to build teacher expertise through a review of the CCF and ECF frameworks. Aiming to conclude by the end of 2023, the review will identify how the frameworks can equip new teachers to be more confident in meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which trainees and early career teachers understand the legislative requirements, including their professional responsibilities, which relate to pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF) has been designed with the knowledge that the quality of teaching is the most important factor in improving outcomes for pupils, particularly pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with additional needs.
Careful consideration has been given to the needs of trainee teachers in relation to supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The early career framework (ECF) builds on that learning for early career teachers (ECTs). These reforms support the department’s ambition that all new teachers starting in the profession learn how to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.
The CCF sets out a minimum entitlement for trainee teachers and places a duty on ITT providers, and their partner schools, to meet this entitlement. In addition to the content detailed in the CCF, it remains a statutory requirement of providers to ensure that their curricula ensure trainees are fully aware of their duties in respect of safeguarding and equalities legislation.
Courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. This includes the requirement in Standard 5 that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.
Part two of the Teachers’ Standards outlines that teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities. To be recommended by an accredited provider for the award of qualified teacher status, trainees must demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. To pass induction, ECTs must demonstrate that they meet the Teachers' Standards through a formal assessment, signed off by their head teacher and independently checked by their appropriate body.
The department is exploring opportunities to build teacher expertise through a review of the CCF and ECF. Aiming to conclude by the end of 2023, the review will identify how the frameworks can equip new teachers to be more confident in meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND.
Asked by: Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the ITT core content framework and early career framework: call for evidence consultation, which closed on 21 April, when updates to the ITT core content and early career framework will be published.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The Department is conducting a review of the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework and Early Career Framework together this year. This review began in January 2023 and is aiming to conclude by the end of 2023.