Call to help teachers.

SOME schools are not identifying children with special educational needs (SEN) early enough, a Government adviser claims.

Sir Alan Steer, in his latest report into pupil behaviour, called for teachers to be given more help to identify pupils with SEN.

Pupils with SEN are nine times more likely to be permanently excluded from school than their peers, and over three times more likely to be persistently absent.

Schools secretary Ed Balls said: "I'm grateful for this review which is about preventing bad behaviour before it happens.