§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received from the National Association for Special Educational Needs regarding the implementation of the standard assessment tests for seven-year-olds in special schools.
§ Mr. ForthThere is no record of my right hon. Friend having received any representations in recent months from the National Association for Special Educational Needs on testing.
We believe that children with special educational needs should follow the national curriculum and participate in its associated assessment arrangements wherever possible, so that they have access to the same education as other pupils. The School Examinations and Assessment Council has given guidance to schools about ways in which the tests for both seven and 14-year-olds might be modified or adapted for pupils with special needs, without compromising the results they yield, so that as wide a range of pupils as possible can benefit from them.