PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Children: Disability (20 May 2021)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of covid-19 on the (a) development and (b) education of children with disabilities; and what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that children who have fallen behind are able to catch up.

Asked by:
Navendu Mishra (Labour)

Supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families is a priority for this government, and their educational, physical and mental wellbeing remains central to our cross-government response to the COVID-19 outbreak. We know that children and young people with SEND are disproportionately affected by being out of education, including missing out on important social interaction with their peers. That is why we kept schools open for vulnerable children, including those with an education, health and care plan, during periods of national lockdown.

We have made available £1.7 billion in funding to support education recovery. In June 2020, we announced a £1 billion recovery package, including a National Tutoring Programme and a Catch-up Premium for this academic year. In February 2021, we committed to further funding of £700 million to fund summer schools, expansion of our tutoring programmes and a Recovery Premium for next academic year. Funding will support pupils across early years settings, schools and providers of 16-19 education.

Both special schools and alternative provision (AP) will be able to access funding to provide summer schools and the National Tutoring Programme. We also recognise the additional costs associated with offering provision to pupils in specialist settings. Eligible pupils in special schools, special units in mainstream primary and secondary schools and AP settings will attract a higher rate of funding for summer schools. We have also consistently prioritised children who attend specialist settings by providing additional uplifts both in the 2020 Catch-up Premium and in the 2021 Recovery Premium funding.

In addition to summer schools, a broader programme of summer enrichment activities, including the Holiday Activities and Food programme, will be running to support children and young people and their families.

We are committed to ensuring that the National Tutoring Programme is as inclusive as possible. When selecting Tuition Partners for this academic year, departmental officials worked with the Education Endowment Foundation to ensure that tuition providers had the relevant experience working with children who have SEND in both mainstream and specialist settings. We have 26 providers that are able to support students with SEND, and 17 of these also able to support students in special school settings.

Answered by:
Vicky Ford (Conservative)
26 May 2021