§ Mr. JenkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to introduce performance targets for pupils with special educational needs. [161233]
§ Mr. MilibandAll maintained schools are required to set targets for their pupils including those with special educational needs (SEN) by virtue of The Education (School Performance Targets) (England) (Amendment) Regulations which came into force in 2001.
In addition to routine monitoring of a child's progress by their teacher, each child with SEN is expected to have short-term educational and development targets set for them during the coarse of the year. These targets form part of their individual education plan which should be reviewed on a regular basis before new targets are set.
"Removing Barriers to Achievement: the Government's Strategy for SEN", launched last month, strengthens the focus on pupil progress and achievement. One of the key measures is Mailing and guidance on how schools can make effective use of routine tests, tasks and other forms of assessment to inform target-setting and reporting on pupil progress.
We will also be supporting all schools with pupils working at the very lowest level of the National Curriculum, by promoting the use of P-Scales and providing guidance on moderation to support consistent assessment and collection of P-Scale results in 2005.