Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the readability of school SEN Information Reports.

The ‘Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice’, paragraph 6.81, states that schools should ensure that information reports are easily accessible by young people and parents, and are set out in clear, straightforward language. They should include information on the school’s special educational needs (SEN) policy and named contacts within the school for situations where young people or parents have concerns. They should also give details of the school’s contribution to the SEND local offer and make clear where that local offer is published.

The department does not routinely collect data on the readability of information reports, but has reviewed examples of SEN information reports, and considered their accessibility for parents and guardians who have and/or do not have SEND.

A school’s SEN policy provides the broader aims and values of the school’s approach to SEN, although there is no requirement to publish it as a separate document. The department will consider whether any changes are needed to the relevant duties in the context of future improvements to the SEND system.