I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application for supplementary teaching support for the pupil in question.
Children with dyslexia are generally catered for on an integrated basis in ordinary primary schools where they can be supported by the learning support teacher service or the resource teacher service. The Deputy may be interested to know that my Department is currently developing a weighted system of allocation of teaching support for schools to cater for pupils with special needs, including those with dyslexia. This system, as part of which an additional 350 teaching posts will be allocated, will involve two main elements: (a) making a staffing allocation to schools based on a predicted incidence of pupils with special educational needs; and (b) making individual allocations in the case of children with more acute lower-prevalence special educational needs.
It is expected that the change to a weighted system will bring with it a number of benefits. The new system will: reduce the need for individualised educational psychological assessment; reduce the volume of applications to my Department for additional resources for individual pupils; and give greater flexibility to schools, which will facilitate the development and implementation of improved systems and procedures in schools to meet the needs of pupils with low achievement and pupils with special educational needs.
Transitional arrangements for the introduction of the weighted system are being developed at present in consultation with representative interests. As soon as those consultations have been completed, the detailed arrangements will be set out in a circular to schools.
Home tuition is intended to provide education for children with a significant medical condition causing major disruption to their attendance at school or as an interim support for children with a significant special educational need pending the provision of an appropriate school based educational service.