Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, to what additional vetting procedures special educational needs co-ordinators are subject.

Schools are responsible for ensuring appropriate vetting procedures are carried out for their workforce, this includes special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs).

In addition, mainstream schools must ensure that there is a qualified teacher designated as SENCO for the school. All newly appointed SENCO must be a qualified teacher and, where they have not previously been the SENCO at that or any other relevant school for a total period of more than twelve months, they must achieve a National Award in Special Educational Needs Coordination within three years of appointment. Further guidance is set out in the new 0-25 special educational needs Code of Practice which came into force on 1 September.