Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the current pathways for the identification of children at risk of dyspraxia in schools are.

We require schools to assess a pupil’s needs as soon as they become aware that they are not achieving their potential. The pupil’s teacher and the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) should involve other teachers and should include the views and experience of the pupil, their parents or carers and any relevant external supporting information. If they identify a need for special educational support, they must formally notify the parents or carers and agree what adjustments, interventions or support will be put in place in a support plan. The subject teacher then is responsible for implementing the plan on a daily basis. The school should review the impact and progress made by the planned date and provide further support as needed. This “Assess, Plan, Do, and Review” cycle is set out for schools in detail in paragraphs 6.36-6.56, in the statutory guidance ‘Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years’ (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25).

Regarding adjustments for GCSEs and A Levels, schools have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 and must make reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services, to ensure that disabled young people are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with their peers. Exam boards have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students who, because of their disability, would otherwise be at a substantial disadvantage when demonstrating their skills, knowledge and understanding in an assessment.