Scanning the Horizon: Education + SEND Policy Update April 2017
3/4/2017
No “week ahead” brief this week as the House of Commons is now off for 2 weeks, instead we’ve done a quick summary of the outstanding education/SEND – related policy bits and bobs:
Legislation
| Bill | About | Stage |
| Children and Social Work Bill | A Bill to make provision about looked-after children; to make other provision in relation to the welfare of children; and to make provision about the regulation of social workers. | The Bill has been returned to the House of Lords, on 4 April the Lords will consider the Commons amendments in ‘ping pong’.
|
| Higher Education and Research Bill | A Bill to make provision about higher education and research; and to make provision about alternative payments to students in higher or further education. | Line by line examination of the bill continued on the final day of report stage on 15 March. Amendments discussed covered clauses 88, 91 and 108 of the Bill.
Third reading – a final chance to amend the Bill – is scheduled for 4 April.
|
| Technical and Further Education Bill | A Bill to make provision about technical and further education. | Report stage – line by line examination of the Bill – took place on 27 March. Amendments discussed covered clauses 1, 2, 24, 35, 40 and 41 of the Bill.
Third reading – a chance to ‘tidy up’ the bill and make changes – is scheduled for 4 April.
|
| Abortion (Disability Equality) Bill [HL] (Lord Shinkwin, Private Members Bill) | A Bill to make provision for disability equality in respect of abortions. | Report stage – line by line examination of the Bill – took place on 24 February. Amendments discussed covered clause 1 of the Bill. A second day of report stage is yet to be scheduled.
|
| Prisons and Courts Bill (MoJ) | Looks into rehabilitation of prisoners and considers the link between unidentified cases of SEND + likelihood of being imprisoned. | MPs are now considering the Bill in a Public Bill Committee. The Public Bill Committee is scheduled to conclude by Thursday 27 April 2017, but could finish earlier. |
Consultations
| Name | About | Deadline | Will DYT respond? |
| School exclusion guidance: proposed revisions | DfE is seeking views on planned changes to statutory guidance for local-authority-maintained-schools, academies and pupil referral units.
|
11:45pm on 25 April 2017 | Not formally – however, we will blog/produce a line on the importance of considering SEND in exclusion policies. |
| Primary assessment in England | DfE is seeking views on the future of assessment in primary schools and the implications for accountability.
|
5pm on 22 June 2017 | Yes |
| Primary school pupil assessment: Rochford Review recommendations | DfE is seeking views on recommendations for assessing primary school pupils working below the standard of the national curriculum tests. | 5pm on 22 June 2017 | Yes |
On the horizon
- White Paper lifting the ban on new Grammar Schools expected around early May
- Green Paper on Children and Young People’s mental health expected in next 2 months
- Statutory relationships & sex education to come into effect from September 2019
- 14th-18th April: National Union of Teachers 2017 Annual Conference – St David’s Hall, Cardif
- 18th April: House of Commons return from Easter recess
Other Announcements
Education, health and care plans: parents and young people survey. The Government has published the views and experiences of people who received an education, health and care (EHC) plan in 2015.
SEND disagreement resolution arrangements in England. A review of SEND disagreement resolution procedures, and the Government’s response have been published.
