Will the Minister outline the number of hearing-impaired pupils that currently receive specialist in-school support across each local authority in Wales?
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