Special schools in Coventry could close or merge in an attempt to get more children with special needs into mainstream schools. Education experts at Coventry City Council propose a reorganization of special education over the next ten years. They want to get disabled and special needs children mixing with mainstream pupils and want to reduce special school places from 830 to about 600, a reduction of more than a quarter. That could mean closing or merging special schools although they have not yet named the schools likely to be affected. There could also be new special schools built alongside mainstream ones. The drive will be aimed at pupils with physical disabilities and mild to moderate forms of conditions such as autism, learning difficulties, dyslexia and dyspraxia. Children with severe conditions will stay in special schools.
Coventry Evening Telegraph, January 4, 2005

The new Minister responsible for Special Educational Needs Services, Lord Filkin, has explained that the Government’s new national programme for children with special educational needs and disabilities is part of a package of measures aimed at improving opportunities and helping them fulfill their potential. He listed the other initiatives as The Every Child Matters – Change for Children Programme to improve outcomes for all children, the Department for Education and Skills’ Five Year Strategy to give greater emphasis to personalized learning and joining up education with children’s services, the Children’s National Service Framework to set standards for services to disabled children, and the Disability Discrimination Bill to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people in pubic services.
Local Government First, January 15, 2005

Government must do more to support young disabled people in Northern Ireland – this is the message from a new report from the University of Ulster. Commissioned by Disability Action and carried out by the School of Sociology and Applied Social Studies at UU, ‘The Importance of Being Inclusive’ takes a close look at youth-work practice involving young disabled people. The report found that although there are some excellent activities, programmes and events taking place that include disabled young people, this inclusive practice is not widespread.
Carrickfergus Advertiser and East Antrim Gazette, January 26, 2005

A disabled pupil will be able to join his friends at school after councillors agreed to install a £425,000 lift. Evan Mackintosh, 11, was born with a dislocation of his left hip and mild cerebral palsy which makes walking difficult. He is due to start his secondary education in August but his local school did not have an elevator to ferry him between departments. It means Evan, who sometimes relies on a wheelchair, faced an 88-mile round trip from his home to a special school in Inverness. But Highland councilors last week gave the green light for the lift to be fitted at his local Kingussie High School. They agreed that it was their duty to make his local school accessible under the Disability Discrimination Act. His father said: ‘It might sound like a lot of money but it has made one small boy very happy. Now he gets to go on to high school with the friends he made at primary. It will also benefit disabled kids in the future hoping to go there’.
Daily Record, January 29, 2005