Speeches by Asato.

“Lucy and Adam, we have heard that health services need to be subject to stronger scrutiny to improve accountability for their role in SEND provision. Are there any plans to enhance the focus on health services within area SEND inspections? Beyond that, are there any additional ways to hold health services accountable f…”

“I have a follow-up question. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman can require local authorities to provide financial remedies in cases of failure. In your view, how effective are such financial penalties, and would expanding their use across the SEND accountability system help to strengthen it?”

“This is a question for Sharon. A significant proportion of your complaints relate to SEND. Is the accountability system for local area partnerships in relation to SEND working well? How could it be strengthened across education, health and local authorities?”

“Also to Georgina, the 2024 report “Towards an Effective and Financially Sustainable Approach to SEND in England”, commissioned by the County Councils Network and the LGA, highlights that SEND tribunal rulings do not take into account the financial or resource constraints faced by local area partnerships. What steps cou…”

“I want to comment quickly. Given that you have requested this oversight a number of times, what have been the reasons for not giving you this oversight? It sounds like it would be helpful.”

“This is to Nick. Research by your organisation suggests that young people’s career aspirations at age 17 to 18 are similar to the aspirations of children age seven to eight. Are schools doing enough at primary school age to expose children to types of employment and challenge stereotypes?”

“I am quite interested because I think you mentioned that we need to see more options for children who may not want to go into that very academic sphere. Should we be bringing more vocational education much earlier into GCSE levels or perhaps even earlier than that? I do not know, Robert, if you have a view on that.”

“We have already covered this a little. We know that some commentators have suggested the focus on the high level of knowledge in the curriculum has crowded out skills. What have the effects of the knowledge-rich or content-heavy approach been over the last 15 years from employers’ perspectives? Can I come to Alex first…”

“You mentioned critical thinking. I was interested in the recommendation of the Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools, which is an interesting commission, which has said that it is important we embed critical thinking across the curriculum. To what extent is critical thinking important from an employ…”

“We have already covered this a little. We know that some commentators have suggested the focus on the high level of knowledge in the curriculum has crowded out skills. What have the effects of the knowledge-rich or content-heavy approach been over the last 15 years from employers’ perspectives? Can I come to Alex first…”

“I am quite interested because I think you mentioned that we need to see more options for children who may not want to go into that very academic sphere. Should we be bringing more vocational education much earlier into GCSE levels or perhaps even earlier than that? I do not know, Robert, if you have a view on that.”

“The Secretary of State has said that building a system where more children with special educational needs and disabilities can attend mainstream schools is central, but we have heard a number of times that the current curriculum is too rigid and inflexible to meet the needs of SEND children. Is this fair? What needs to…”

“You mentioned critical thinking. I was interested in the recommendation of the Commission into Countering Online Conspiracies in Schools, which is an interesting commission, which has said that it is important we embed critical thinking across the curriculum. To what extent is critical thinking important from an employ…”

“Following on from that issue, when Michael Gove introduced his curriculum reforms under the coalition Government, he said the core knowledge required in each subject would benefit the poorest students the most, but over the last two decades the attainment gap affecting disadvantaged children has remained unchanged. Why…”

“Can the curriculum review currently realistically address any of this or do these things have to be addressed outside of a curriculum review process? I guess that was the question.”

“The Secretary of State has said that building a system where more children with special educational needs and disabilities can attend mainstream schools is central, but we have heard a number of times that the current curriculum is too rigid and inflexible to meet the needs of SEND children. Is this fair? What needs to…”

“I was asking whether we should be doing more in primary school to expose children to different types of employment and to challenge stereotypes. I just wondered whether you had seen any good programmes that did help maybe in some cases tear children away from parents, carers and locality and decide to take a different …”

“This is to Nick. Research by your organisation suggests that young people’s career aspirations at age 17 to 18 are similar to the aspirations of children age seven to eight. Are schools doing enough at primary school age to expose children to types of employment and challenge stereotypes?”

“I was asking whether we should be doing more in primary school to expose children to different types of employment and to challenge stereotypes. I just wondered whether you had seen any good programmes that did help maybe in some cases tear children away from parents, carers and locality and decide to take a different …”

“Following on from that issue, when Michael Gove introduced his curriculum reforms under the coalition Government, he said the core knowledge required in each subject would benefit the poorest students the most, but over the last two decades the attainment gap affecting disadvantaged children has remained unchanged. Why…”