§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what guidance has been issued to local education authorities on the undertaking of tests to determine whether a school pupil is dyslexic; [89340]
339W(2) what his policy is on (a) updating assessments of children who have previously been assessed as dyslexic and (b) the incorporation of support for dyslexia in statements of special educational needs. [89341]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisGuidance on identifying and assessing children's special educational needs is given in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice, to which schools and local education authorities must have regard. The guidance is organised under four broad areas of need—communication and interaction; cognition and learning; behaviour, emotional and social development; and sensory and/or physical needs—to recognise that children often have needs in one or more areas. Dyslexia is referred to specifically in relation to communication and interaction and cognition and learning. The Department has also produced specific guidance to support pupils with dyslexia as part of the National Literacy Strategy.
Local education authorities (LEAs) must review statements of special educational needs at least annually to ensure that the educational provision specified remains appropriate. It is for individual LEAs to decide whether to reassess children previously assessed as dyslexic, taking into account the provisions of section 328 and 329A of the Educational Act 1996, and the advice contained in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. LEAs must also decide upon the appropriate level of support to include in statements for such pupils, having regard to the statutory guidance contained in the Code of Practice and the advice they have obtained as part of the statutory assessment of the child's special educational needs.