319.This section places a duty on the Secretary of State to exercise his or her information-gathering powers to secure special educational needs information about children and young people under 19 from schools and local authorities and the provision made for them which he thinks would be likely to help in improving the well-being of those children and young people. This must be published annually, in a form chosen by the Secretary of State, and must not include the names of individuals.
320.This section replaces, in England, section 332C of the Education Act 1996. That power has been used to publish a document each year containing a range of information about the numbers of children and young people with special educational needs, their characteristics, including the types of special educational needs, where they are educated and their achievements.