Written question WQ85152
- Asked by
- Samuel KurtzConservative
- To be answered by
- Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 8 days
Question
Will the Minister outline the number of hearing-impaired pupils that currently receive specialist in-school support across each local authority in Wales?
Answer
Answered by Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
The Welsh Government is committed to supporting children and young people with hearing impairment as part of its additional learning needs reforms.
Data collected via the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) shows that in April 2021 there were 2,652 pupils in Wales recorded as having a hearing impairment. We do not directly collect data on specialist in-school support.
Of those learners recorded as having a hearing impairment, 709 were at School Action; 1,384 were at School Action Plus and 559 had a Statement of SEN.
Under the special educational needs (SEN) system a pupil with SEN may receive support at School Action, School Action Plus or via a Statement of SEN.
Under School Action a class teacher provides interventions that are additional to or different from those provided as part of the school’s usual differentiated curriculum offer and strategies. Under School Action Plus pupils with SEN are provided with advice or support from outside specialists. Some pupils with more complex needs have their needs and support set out in a Statement of SEN and the local authority is responsible for providing that support, which may include specialist support.
The table below shows the number of pupils with a hearing impairment at maintained schools in Wales, by local authority and SEN status, at April 2021:
Local authority
School Action
School Action Plus
Statements
Total
Isle of Anglesey
*
16
*
28
Gwynedd
21
55
14
90
Conwy
*
40
*
48
Denbighshire
8
34
13
55
Flintshire
15
23
32
70
Wrexham
5
20
30
55
Powys
30
50
14
94
Ceredigion
12
30
7
49
Pembrokeshire
27
46
9
82
Carmarthenshire
28
96
32
156
Swansea
44
81
60
185
Neath Port Talbot
30
151
46
227
Bridgend
29
74
24
127
The Vale of Glamorgan
43
50
25
118
Rhondda Cynon Taf
42
63
52
157
Merthyr Tydfil
10
28
9
47
Caerphilly
67
170
31
268
Blaenau Gwent
35
30
16
81
Torfaen
55
51
25
131
Monmouthshire
41
37
11
89
Newport
49
157
36
242
Cardiff
107
82
64
253
Wales
709
1,384
559
2,652
* = The data has been suppressed for disclosure reasons
Source: Pupil Level Annual Schools Census, April 2021