Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to assess the effectiveness of its support for deaf pupils by tracking attainment post-education.

Key stage 4, and 16 to 18 destination measures published by the department provide clear and comparable information on the success of schools and colleges in helping their pupils to continue in sustained education, apprenticeships or employment. Destinations data is shared with schools and colleges on an annual basis to help them assess whether the guidance and support they offer their pupils provides them with the best possible progression opportunities.

The latest available data shows that 94.5% of pupils with identified hearing impairment had a sustained education, apprenticeship or employment destination after key stage 4, compared with 94.1% of all pupils in state-funded mainstream schools. The data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/afc520d7-8fe3-43e8-9b5d-08db5ac222d7.

The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice is clear that all children and young people with SEND should be prepared for adulthood. This includes supporting children and young people to develop independence, contribute to their community, develop positive friendships, be as healthy as possible, and, for the majority of young people, prepare them for higher education and/or employment.

The department understands that with the right preparation and support, the overwhelming majority of young people with SEND are capable of sustained, paid employment. All professionals working with them should share that presumption, and should provide the career advice and support that help young people to develop the skills and experience, and achieve the qualifications, that they need to succeed in their careers.

The Post-16 education and labour market activities, pathways and outcomes (LEO) report published in May 2021 uses the LEO administrative data set to explore the pattern and nature of the pathways that people take from completing school, through their education and into the labour market, broken down by a number of key characteristics including Special Education Need (further split by those with a statement and those without). This provides information on their educational and labour market activities, including earnings, employment rates and out-of-work benefits uptake, for up to 15 years after leaving school. The Post-16 education report can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/post-16-education-and-labour-market-activities-pathways-and-outcomes-leo.