§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps his Department is taking to integrate disabled children into mainstream schools; what resources have been made available to local education authorities under the Schools Access Initiative; and what guidance he has issued in respect of teacher training and retraining in relation to the needs of disabled children in mainstream schools. [51435]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 20 July 1998]: The Green Paper "Excellence for all children: meeting special educational needs" set out the Government's view that some children currently educated in special schools would benefit, educationally and socially, from being in mainstream schools, and consulted on priority measures to achieve this. We are considering responses to the Green Paper and expect to publish an action programme for special educational needs (SEN) after the school summer holidays. We have made available support totalling £11 million in financial year 1998–99, to local education authorities, the Funding Agency for Schools and voluntary aided school governing bodies, for projects under the Schools Access Initiative. Our national standards for the award of Qualified Teacher Status, in effect from May 1998, will mean that all newly qualified teachers will be capable of identifying children with SEN and able to differentiate teaching practice appropriately. The Green Paper consulted specifically on how we might raise, through in-service teacher training, the level of teachers' expertise in meeting SEN.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment his Department has made of the advantages of educating children with special educational needs in mainstream schools. [51436]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 20 July 1998]: The great majority of those commenting on the Green Paper "Excellence for all children: meeting special educational 524W needs" supported the principle of greater inclusion of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) within mainstream schools, but emphasised the importance of ensuring that schools were properly equipped for this purpose. We shall take account of all responses, and of the findings of a research project we have commissioned to look at the relative costs and outcomes of different school placements for children with SEN, in drawing up our action programme for special educational needs.