I know that Mrs McLean, of Spearhead, which is the organisation most concerned about education at home, would be interested in any reply. In 1870 Foster Act — Education for all allowed all the children with Special Educational. The act aimed to encourage these different care and education organisation. That has already been referred to. Like the noble Lord, Lord Rix, I have been closely involved with Mencap for many years.
We talked about the continuing value that the Government place on special schools. More Resources Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. However, if they do not improve, the child will be moved to stage 2. I think particularly of children with severe physical disabilities and children with profound behavioural problems which make them ungovernable and children who have what are called low incident disabilities such as blindness or deafness. Like the noble Baroness, Lady Blatch, I hope that the Minister can give us assurances that the intention is that it will be exceptional for quantification not to take place. Our school wondered whether it could become a special school under the initiative by which I started city technology colleges. This can happen through a lack of knowledge and understanding of diversity.
In short, it is extremely difficult to imagine a situation in which the need to provide flexibility has to be at the expense of quantification. That is a key priority for us. Schools will have to make significant changes to the training of staff and to the curriculum and to plan positively to include a wider range of pupils including children with all types of learning disability. I am not against maintained schools providing services for blind children, but the costs of that will be enormous. I understand a letter has been sent to the Minister, Estelle Morris, asking her to look again at what appears to be an error in the Act.
I realise that the Government have not set their mind completely against special schools although some of the replies we were given earlier in the year were fairly cool and distant and rather frosty. We have willed the ends, but we must make sure that there are sufficient means to meet those ends. That point needs to be made strongly. This emphasises the need for early screening. Send Essment In The Early Years Special educational needs and disability code of practice 0 to 25 years gateshead local offer information pack for pas and carers of gateshead local offer information pack for pas and carers of ppt dyslexia in the primary clroom powerpoint ation id special educational needs and disability code of practice 0 to 25 years. The 1970 Education Handicapped Children Act removed ineducatable category, which allowed all disabled children to receive an education.
I am sure that the Minister will appreciate that the schools about which I am talking are not schools run for profit. I assure her that we are constantly working to sharpen up our practice so that cases are dealt with as quickly as possible. I notice the hint of a further code revision, which may well be necessary. The term Special Educational Needs in child development has a meaning of children who needs extra support. We want to ensure that we are able to keep children within schools. Parents of children without statements have always been able to request assessments. That is why we have developed the guidance in the draft code of practice on school-based intervention to focus less on procedures and more on improving teaching and learning at all times.
I know of one instance in which the department took a whole year to react to the complaint, even though officials were provided 'with clear written evidence that the policy was in operation. When I had responsibility for that policy I soft pedalled it as I was never enthusiastic about it. I press the Government on the issue. We are pleased to see that the wording has been reinstated. My Lords, I welcome the revised code. Finally, I should like to say something about excluded children. For the life of me, I find it hard to think of a single exceptional case.
However, I am clear that in some circumstances we need to be flexible. Children with complex needs who require support from external organisations are given a co-ordinated support plan. Further, it is difficult to imagine very many cases in which flexibility is appropriate. Therefore, I very much support what my noble friend Lord Renton has just said. No changes have been applied to the text.
Noble Lords will be very aware that children can have special educational needs at different stages of their school career, not just in the early years. We also intend that the experience of teachers who have worked successfully with children with different special educational needs is shared to ensure that that expertise is used to the full. We have said that we would always wish to see specification take place. The revised draft is improved. These new rights do not mean that every child will be able to go the school of their choice. I have heard about Statements, what are these? Partnership with parents is given fresh impetus and greater emphasis in the draft code.