§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the effect on children's educational achievement of being placed in a special school against(a) their and (b) their family's wishes. [53381]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeNone: the Education Act 1996 provides that, subject to certain conditions, children with statements of special educational needs (SEN) should be educated in a mainstream school provided that is what their parents wish. Parents have a right of appeal to the independent SEN Tribunal if they are dissatisfied with a local education authority's (LEA's) decision in this respect. The Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of SEN encourages LEAs and others to take account of views of children themselves wherever practicable.
§ Mr. EnnisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many local education authorities in England have a special school catering for the age range five to 16 years for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties and provision for pupils 16 to 19 years with PMLD which(a) has more than 150 pupils on roll and (b) has more than 175 pupils on roll. [53554]
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§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe information available to the Department indicates that 14 local education authorities have special schools with more than 150 pupils which cater for at least ages five to 18 and for pupils with severe learning difficulties. Nine LEAs have such schools with more than 175 pupils.