Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to introduce a pathway for the identification of dyslexia in post 16 education settings for students not identified at earlier stages of education.

The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice requires a person-centred approach to identifying SEND (including dyslexia) in children and young people, placing emphasis on the individual’s own views and choices after compulsory school age. Identification should consider social, emotional, and developmental factors alongside academic progress, as some high-achieving learners may mask underlying needs. Post-16 providers also have a statutory duty to use screening and transition information to identify and support needs early.

The SEND reform consultation ‘Putting Children and Young People First’ aims to improve consistency in identification and support, helping to identify and support unmet or late-emerging needs more effectively.

The consultation also proposed a £1.6 billion Inclusive Mainstream Fund given to schools, colleges and early years settings to deliver an improved inclusion offer, national SEND training for all staff, backed by over £200 million over three years, and new National Inclusion Standards and early identification tools to support the provision of earlier and more consistent help.