THERESA May has been urged by Burnley MP Julie Cooper to act over the 'national scandal' of children whose special educational needs go unmet at school.

The Labour front-bencher raised the issue Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons.

She told Mrs May: "Ofsted reports that 1.3million children with special educational needs are not having those needs met at school and that more than ​2,000 children on Education, Health and Care plans in 2018 received no support whatsoever.

"Ambitious about Autism reports a 60 per cent increase over the past four years in autistic children excluded from school.

"Will the you please look beyond those figures to the children affected and to the distress they and their parents are experiencing?

"Does you agree that this is a national scandal that needs to be addressed with the utmost urgency?"

Mrs May replied: " We are working to drive up quality for children with special educational needs and with disabilities.

"We are introducing a new inspections framework, focusing more on a local area’s strengths and weaknesses, and working to spread best practice.

"I recognise parents of children with special educational needs often feel they constantly have to beat their heads against bureaucracy to ensure they get the right support for their children."