AQW 11425/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 07/05/2024
Answered On Date: 23/05/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education for his assessment of the impact of short school days on children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Answer:

Current legislation enables schools to reduce their curriculum for pupils for reasons such as emotional, behavioural and welfare circumstances where, for example, a pupil has special educational needs (SEN) or is on a phased return to school after a long illness. Pupils should only be excepted from the statutory curriculum and assessment requirements on a temporary basis if the school has carried out the appropriate procedures outlined in the Education (Curriculum) (Temporary Exemptions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1990. These temporary arrangements must be kept under review by the school principal.

Reduced school days for children and young people with SEN and/or a disability are only permitted if the school authorities have been advised by a qualified medical practitioner that it would be detrimental to a pupil to remain under instruction for the full specified period.

The End to End (E2E) Review of SEN is considering the implications for attendance across the associated workstreams to ensure that all pupils have equal access to the curriculum.