AQW 12387/17-22

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 31/12/2020
Answered On Date: 12/01/2021
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education whether special educational needs units within primary and post-primary schools will reopen from 4 January 2021.

Answer:

My Assembly Statement to the Ad Hoc Committee on 6 January 2021, https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/news/statement-education-minister-ad-hoc-committee-1, sets out clearly that all schools are to remain open to vulnerable children and young people, and children of key workers, for access to supervised learning.

The definition of Vulnerable Children and Young People includes, amongst others, all children with statements of Special Educational Needs.

Where there are Special Units attached to a school, these will not be open for normal teaching and learning, however, vulnerable or key worker children can still attend the school for supervised learning.