The Defence Committee recommendations for the then DfES that have been implemented are as follows.
We have included an indicator in the January 2008 school census which will facilitate research into service children’s outcomes;
We are working closely with the devolved Administrations on the MOD’s new cross border forum discussing provision for service children across the whole UK, particularly provision for those with statements of special educational needs (SEN) who move between countries within the UK;
To improve the transfer of pupil records when they move school, we have continued to publicise the statutory “15 school day rule” to ensure that all schools are aware of their responsibilities;
We are working with a group of heads of schools which have high mobility due to large numbers of service children, to develop best practice guidance to help schools deal with the difficulties mobility causes, and to ease the impact that frequent moves can have on the children;
The School Admissions Code requires admission authorities to take account of service families’ needs and allows them to allocate places in advance where families are moving to their area, using the unit HQ address if necessary where families have yet to be given an address. These provisions have been welcomed by the MOD.
One recommendation about children with statements of SEN was not accepted. For those children with statements who move frequently, there are regulations governing the transfer of information between local authorities, and the timing of reviews of the statements and any necessary reassessments of the children’s SEN. Previously statemented children who return from abroad may have been away for a considerable period and their needs may have changed. It is right that their needs are reassessed on return.