Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason she has not met with representatives from the National Association of Special Schools as part of her work to improve SEND.

Since July 2024, the department has engaged with thousands of children, young people, parents, families, professionals and local authorities. As part of the National Conversation held between December 2025 and January 2026, the department reached over 8,000 people through online and in-person events.

This engagement continued during the consultation phase through a programme of regional events, and work with children and young people, including activity led by the Council for Disabled Children. During the 12-week consultation period, this programme combined Ministerial oversight, targeted expert input and public participation, ensuring that families, practitioners and young people could engage meaningfully with the proposals. This included a department-led consultation workshop with the National Association of Special Schools on 29 April 2026.

The Chief Executive of the National Association of Special Schools attended a meeting I chaired on 21st April, alongside other special school representatives, to discuss how we can further embed specialist expertise within initial teacher training as part of our plans to improve the SEND system. These discussions are ongoing.

I continue to engage widely with the specialist, schools and FE sectors, as well as parents and young people as we carefully review all responses submitted through our special educational needs and disabilities consultation.