Commentary Part 9: Miscellaneous Section 173: Special educational needs co-ordinators
685.This section amends section 317 of the 1996 Act, which imposes duties on the governing bodies of community, foundation or voluntary schools, as well as maintained nursery schools, in relation to pupils with special educational needs. The new subsection (3A) places a duty on those governing bodies to designate a member of the school staff as the person responsible for co-ordinating provision for children with special educational needs at the school (the special educational needs co-ordinator or SENCO). It also gives the Secretary of State power at new subsection (3B) to make regulations requiring governing bodies to ensure the special educational needs co-ordinators have certain experience or qualifications or both, and to confer other functions on these governing bodies relating to special educational needs co-ordinators.