DfE ministerial appointments and portfolios
Yesterday (13 July), the Department for Education confirmed new ministerial portfolios. Will Quince MP is Minister of State for School Standards. Alongside responsibility for school standards, qualifications, and curriculum, he retains responsibility for the SEND Review reforms, including the AP proposals set out in the green paper. Brendan Clarke-Smith MP is Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families and will have formal responsibility for AP, children’s social care, early years and more. Ministers will be working together to ensure the department delivers on the commitments set out in green paper. For a full breakdown of ministerial portfolios, please see the ‘Our Ministers’ section of the DfE page at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education.
Share your views on SEND and Alternative Provision reforms
With less than 2 weeks until the SEND and AP green paper consultation closes (deadline is 22 July), now is the time to reflect on the proposals and share your response before it’s too late. Resources are available to help you understand the proposals, these can be found at: https://sendreview.campaign.gov.uk/. These resources include question and answer sessions that cover mandatory mediation, behaviour, accountability, school SEND budgets and teacher training. You can respond to the consultation by visiting: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/send-review-right-support-right-place-right-time.
Call for Evidence into the use of Unregistered Alternative Provision
As part of the SEND and AP green paper, the DfE committed to review and improve oversight and accountability for unregistered alternative provision settings. To inform and support a national vision and delivery model for alternative provision, the department has now launched a call for evidence. It is predominantly aimed at commissioners, including schools and local authorities, as well as unregistered providers who deliver the education. It asks those with a practical understanding of how these provisions are arranged and operate to share their views. The call for evidence closes Friday 30 September. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/understanding-the-use-of-unregistered-alternative-provision.