AQW 33164/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 09/10/2025
Answered On Date: 27/10/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any work that has been undertaken to plan for post-16 specialist provision in mainstream schools, as committed to in the SEN Reform Agenda and Delivery Plan 2025-2030.

Answer:

The Education Authority (EA) has advised that:

Planning for specialist provision for pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs (SEN) who attend mainstream schools requires consideration of the full pathway of learning from the early years through to the young person leaves school.

EA is monitoring emerging policy around statutory provision in full time education for all young people to the age of 18 and is actively starting to implement actions of the SEN Reform Delivery Plan.

Moving forward EA officers will work with schools to explore future options and develop place-based solutions for inclusive 16-18 provision in different parts of Northern Ireland.