§ Mr. Andrew WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children with learning difficulties are now being integrated into mainstream schools who would540W formerly have been placed in special schools with trained teaching staff, in total and on a regional basis; and if he will give details of how the progress of such children is monitored.
§ Mr. LangThe table shows the latest statistics of children with records of needs based in mainstream schools. It is not possible to say how many of these children might, in previous years, have been placed at special schools. Progress of recorded pupils is monitored through reviews carried out under the terms of section 65A of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.
Recorde pupils based in mainstream schools Primary Secondary Borders 10 35 Central 67 31 Dumfries and Galloway 111 74 Fife 1 15 Grampian 53 45 Highland 81 82 Lothian 27 14 Strathclyde 328 223 Tayside 9 21 Orkney 6 4 Shetland 6 7 Western Isles 4 8 Total 703 559 Argyll and Bute 24 15 Ayr 118 69 Dumbarton 27 17 Glasgow 41 12 Lanark 31 59 Renfrew 87 51
§ Mr. Andrew WelshTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what specialist assistance is being provided for children with learning difficulties who have been or are being integrated into mainstream schools; and what is their position regarding testing at the ages of eight and 11 years old.
§ Mr. LangEducation authorities are responsible for ensuring sufficient specialist assistance is provided for children with learning difficulties. This will vary according to the needs of each individual child.
So far as the testing of children with learning difficulty is concerned, the Government recognise that there are pupils whose records of needs may suggest that their inclusion within the arrangements for national testing would be inappropriate. It will, therefore, be left to the discretion of the education authority, in consultation with parents, to decide in such cases whether or not a child should participate in the tests.