Education (Special Needs) (Hansard, 24 January 1989)

§ Mr. Barry Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning his plans to safeguard the schooling of children with special needs.

§ Mr. Wyn Roberts
The Education Act 1981 and the Education Reform Act 1988 make comprehensive provision to safeguard the schooling of children with special educational needs. The Department is also issuing this week for consultation a draft circular on procedures for assessments and statements of special educational needs.

§ Mr. Barry Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of the

Nursery Schools¹

Welsh counties 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88

Clwyd 15.3 16.7 18.3 19.6 20.8 20.1 19.9 19.7 19.6 18.6 16.5

Dyfed 190 16.8 15.4 17.7 18.9 20.1 18.5 18.9 22.4 22.4 22.7

Gwent 18.3 20.7 19.9 21.2 21.6 23.6 23.0 22.8 22.5 22.8 23.1

Gwynedd — — — — — — — — — — —

Mid Glamorgan 17.8 18.9 19.4 18.9 18.8 19.1 19.2 19.2 18.7 20.4 19.4

Powys — — — — — — — — — — —

South Glamorgan 20.2 20.3 20.4 17.9 18.8 19.1 18.8 18.1 18.4 19.5 18.6

West Glamorgan 19.2 21.0 18.5 16.0 23.5 23.7 22.7 24.0 29.1 23.4 23.4

Primary Schools¹

Welsh counties 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88

Clwyd 23.2 23.0 23.1 22.9 23.3 23.2 23.2 23.4 23.8 24.1 24.0

Dyfed 19.0 19.3 18.4 18.8 19.1 19.2 19.0 19.7 20.7 20.6 20.8

Gwent 23.8 22.7 22.8 22.8 22.8 22.1 22.3 22.3 22.2 21.9 22.5

Gwynedd 21.3 21.0 20.5 19.9 19.5 19.8 19.7 20.0 20.2 20.4 20.3

Mid Glamorgan 23.8 23.3 23.6 23.6 23.5 23.5 22.3 22.9 22.9 23.3 22.9

Powys 18.3 18.1 18.7 18.7 19.5 18.8 18.6 19.5 19.5 19.3 19.3

South Glamorgan 23.2 23.4 23.2 22.8 22.9 22.9 22.9 22.8 22.9 22.9 22.7

West Glamorgan 21.8 21.2 21.1 20.7 21.2 21.4 21.5 21.7 21.6 21.2 21.3

Secondary schools¹

Welsh counties 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88

Clwyd 16.9 16.9 17.0 17.0 17.2 16.9 16.7 16.8 16.7 16.5 15.9

Dyfed 17.9 17.1 16.8 16.6 16.4 16.4 16.1 16.1 16.0 15.8 15.5

Gwent 16.7 16.5 16.1 16.6 16.4 16.1 15.8 15.8 15.5 15.3 15.0

Gwynedd 17.3 16.8 16.2 16.1 16.0 16.0 15.5 15.6 15.2 15.3 14.8

Mid Glamorgan 17.2 16.9 16.8 16.8 17.6 17.4 16.6 16.7 16.7 16.5 16.0

Powys 16.3 16.2 16.0 15.9 15.7 15.9 15.5 15.2 14.9 14.8 14.5

South Glamorgan 17.2 17.0 16.8 16.9 16.9 16.7 16.7 16.6 16.5 16.5 16.4

West Glamorgan 16.7 16.4 16.4 16.1 16.0 15.8 15.7 15.9 15.6 15.3 14.8

Special schools¹

Welsh counties 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88

Clwyd 8.6 7.3 8.5 8.6 8.6 8.4 8.5 8.2 7.9 7.7 7.2

Dyfed 7.6 7.2 7.5 7.5 1.2 7.2 7.5 6.7 6.8 6.8 6.7

Gwent 8.4 8.9 8.6 8.3 8.5 7.8 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.6 6.8

480W
Education Reform Act upon the professional activity of those teachers engaged at primary and secondary school level in the special needs section; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Wyn Roberts
The Education Reform Act offers the opportunity for a significant improvement in the provision made for children with special educational needs. The entitlement of all children to a basic curriculum from five to 16, together with the extensive flexibility which the Act provides for this to be tailored to the needs of individual children, sets a framework which should encourage a better educational experience for many children with special needs. Further work is being undertaken to provide their teachers, with helpful guidance in the light of the Act.

Nursery Schools¹
Welsh counties	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
Clwyd	15.3	16.7	18.3	19.6	20.8	20.1	19.9	19.7	19.6	18.6	16.5
Dyfed	190	16.8	15.4	17.7	18.9	20.1	18.5	18.9	22.4	22.4	22.7
Gwent	18.3	20.7	19.9	21.2	21.6	23.6	23.0	22.8	22.5	22.8	23.1
Gwynedd	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Mid Glamorgan	17.8	18.9	19.4	18.9	18.8	19.1	19.2	19.2	18.7	20.4	19.4
Powys	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
South Glamorgan	20.2	20.3	20.4	17.9	18.8	19.1	18.8	18.1	18.4	19.5	18.6
West Glamorgan	19.2	21.0	18.5	16.0	23.5	23.7	22.7	24.0	29.1	23.4	23.4

Primary Schools¹
Welsh counties	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
Clwyd	23.2	23.0	23.1	22.9	23.3	23.2	23.2	23.4	23.8	24.1	24.0
Dyfed	19.0	19.3	18.4	18.8	19.1	19.2	19.0	19.7	20.7	20.6	20.8
Gwent	23.8	22.7	22.8	22.8	22.8	22.1	22.3	22.3	22.2	21.9	22.5
Gwynedd	21.3	21.0	20.5	19.9	19.5	19.8	19.7	20.0	20.2	20.4	20.3
Mid Glamorgan	23.8	23.3	23.6	23.6	23.5	23.5	22.3	22.9	22.9	23.3	22.9
Powys	18.3	18.1	18.7	18.7	19.5	18.8	18.6	19.5	19.5	19.3	19.3
South Glamorgan	23.2	23.4	23.2	22.8	22.9	22.9	22.9	22.8	22.9	22.9	22.7
West Glamorgan	21.8	21.2	21.1	20.7	21.2	21.4	21.5	21.7	21.6	21.2	21.3

Secondary schools¹
Welsh counties	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
Clwyd	16.9	16.9	17.0	17.0	17.2	16.9	16.7	16.8	16.7	16.5	15.9
Dyfed	17.9	17.1	16.8	16.6	16.4	16.4	16.1	16.1	16.0	15.8	15.5
Gwent	16.7	16.5	16.1	16.6	16.4	16.1	15.8	15.8	15.5	15.3	15.0
Gwynedd	17.3	16.8	16.2	16.1	16.0	16.0	15.5	15.6	15.2	15.3	14.8
Mid Glamorgan	17.2	16.9	16.8	16.8	17.6	17.4	16.6	16.7	16.7	16.5	16.0
Powys	16.3	16.2	16.0	15.9	15.7	15.9	15.5	15.2	14.9	14.8	14.5
South Glamorgan	17.2	17.0	16.8	16.9	16.9	16.7	16.7	16.6	16.5	16.5	16.4
West Glamorgan	16.7	16.4	16.4	16.1	16.0	15.8	15.7	15.9	15.6	15.3	14.8

Special schools¹
Welsh counties	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
Clwyd	8.6	7.3	8.5	8.6	8.6	8.4	8.5	8.2	7.9	7.7	7.2
Dyfed	7.6	7.2	7.5	7.5	1.2	7.2	7.5	6.7	6.8	6.8	6.7
Gwent	8.4	8.9	8.6	8.3	8.5	7.8	7.1	7.2	7.3	7.6	6.8