I wish to confirm to the Deputy that my Department received an application for five hours per week resource teaching support and full-time special needs assistant, SNA, support for the pupil in question.
The Deputy may be aware that I introduced a new weighted model of resource teacher allocation for pupils with special educational needs who, like the pupil in question, fall within the high-incidence disability categories. Under the new arrangements, it would be expected that the needs of the child in question can be met from within the current resource-learning support teaching allocation available to the school.
The application for SNA support did not meet the criteria for such support as there was insufficient evidence of care needs. However, the application will be reconsidered if additional information in that regard is received in my Department.