§ Mr. Colin ShepherdTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what consideration he is giving to the report from the National Curriculum Council: "Special Needs and the national curriculum: Opportunity and Challenge"; if he will extend the national curriculum to take account of the recommendation of this report; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ForthThis leaflet, which the National Curriculum Council has recently sent to my right hon. Friend, summarises a wide-ranging review of issues concerning the578W relationship of pupils with special educational needs to the national curriculum. It highlights some important matters and suggests some ways forward for schools.
The national curriculum is appropriate for the great majority of children. A very small number may not he able to study across the whole of its range, or reach the levels generally appropriate to their age, and arrangements are in place to allow the modification of the curriculum as appropriate to each individual child.
In respect of exceptionally able children, there is no need for the modification of the curriculum to enable them to work at an appropriate pace and challenge, since the national curriculum sets out only a minimum entitlement, and schools are free to extend this work with individual children.
My right hon. Friend agrees with the National Curriculum Council that involvement in the national curriculum in itself means that pupils' entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum is addressed.