AQW 33045/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 08/10/2025
Answered On Date: 23/10/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education for an update on the implementation of (i) year 1; and (ii) year 2, actions included in the SEN Reform Agenda and Delivery Plan 2025-2030.

Answer:

There has been good progress made in the early and priority year one actions as follows:

Digitisation of the statutory assessment and review process is underway with roll-out expected to commence in early 2026;

The Education Authority’s (EA) Operational Plan 2 (OP2) was published in January 2025;

Pre-school settings are receiving additional resource to support children undergoing statutory assessment from the Pre-school Education Inclusion Support Fund (PSEISF) established in November 2024, which will continue in 2025/26;

The EA’s Graduated Response Framework was published in March 2025;

The EA’s Local IMPACT Teams (LITs) are live from September 2025;

The Education & Training Inspectorate (ETI) is expected to release Phase 2 of its review of specialist provisions by December 2025;

The following projects will commence in 2025/26: Transforming the support model; pilot early intervention programme; Speech, Language & Communication programme; Inclusive Play programme; Special Schools as Resource Hubs; Inclusive education capacity-building programme; professional development in special educational needs (SEN) for teachers and classroom assistants.

All other year one and future year actions will be implemented as and when additional funding is secured.