Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Stuart Anderson Excerpts
Monday 22nd June 2020

(4 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gillian Keegan Portrait Gillian Keegan
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It is clear that the initial focus has been on the school catch-up. There has been a great response from the further education sector, which was quick to move online and to provide a wide range of engaging and innovative classes. We recognise the need for catch-up, particularly for those starting college from school, and we are working to see what more support we can give to make up for the disruption due to covid-19.

Stuart Anderson Portrait Stuart Anderson (Wolverhampton South West) (Con)
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In Wolverhampton, we have several outstanding special educational needs and disability—SEND—schools, including Penn Hall and Tettenhall Wood. What is my right hon. Friend doing to help vulnerable children to return to education safely in those schools?

Gavin Williamson Portrait Gavin Williamson
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My hon. Friend is a great champion of those schools. I would like to mention Wightwick Hall, a school on the border between his constituency and mine. We recognise that it is really important to ensure that we get the guidance right, and we have been working closely with the sector to ensure that the specialist needs of many of those children, who sometimes have particularly complex health conditions, are met and that they have the ability to return to school at the very earliest opportunity if that is in line with their health needs as well. I hope to have the opportunity to join my hon. Friend on a visit to one of those schools in the not-too-distant future.