Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to ensure that children who are (a) excluded from school and (b) at risk of being excluded from school are assessed by a speech and language therapist to determine if they have a speech, language and communication need.

The Government recognises the importance of early assessment and identification of pupil needs. The 2015 special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice sets out high expectations of schools and colleges about how they identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND, including those with speech, language and communication needs. Schools should work closely with their local authority, and other providers, to commission specialist services directly, such as speech and language therapists.

The Department’s statutory guidance on exclusions is clear that schools should take appropriate steps to address the underlying causes of poor behaviour, which could include pupils’ SEND. This should include an assessment of whether appropriate provision is in place to support any SEND that a pupil may have to avoid exclusion, and that schools should consider the use of a multi-agency assessment. The full guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion.

For children who have been permanently excluded, the Department’s statutory guidance on alternative provision (AP) sets out that commissioners of AP should recognise any issues or barriers experienced by these pupils and carry out a thorough assessment of their needs. The full guidance can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alternative-provision.