Horton Lodge Community Special School, Rudyard, Cheshire, is hosting a pioneering course aimed at helping teachers support children with physical difficulties in mainstream schools. The post-graduate certificate is believed to be the first of its kind in Britain and has been endorsed by Education Secretary, David Blunkett. It grew out of the special school’s links with several mainstream schools in Staffordshire and Cheshire. Horton Lodge’s head teacher, Caroline Coles, then teamed up with University College, Northampton, and the course was born. Staffordshire County Council offered cash support.
Sentinel (Cheshire), October 1, 1999.

A Medway School which mixes able-bodied and disabled pupils has been praised by Ofsted inspectors. Twydall Infant School, Gillingham, was said to be integrating students effectively in the whole life of the school. The behaviour of the school’s pupils and the quality of relationships were described as excellent. Head teacher, Sue Fedosiuk, was praised for her very good leadership and clear educational direction.
Km Extra (Medway), October 8, 1999.

More than 1,500 people have put their names to a petition to save a West Bromwich special school. Parents are calling on Sandwell Council to keep Glenvale School in Jervoise Street open. They are also demanding the education department rethink plans to reform the whole of special needs education in Sandwell. They claim the Council failed to take their views into consideration when it announced in August it was to close nine out of the borough’s 11 special schools.
Dudley Express and Star, October 11, 1999.

As 1,000 pupils at Brigshaw High School in Leeds braved the elements for their sponsored walk, two Year 7 pupils went on a roll to raise some cash. Rachel Flint and Valerie Pyett, who are both wheelchair users, joined the school this term and were keen to do their bit to raise funds. So while their classmates trudged over fields they popped along to the gym where they rolled along mats for an hour, picking up balls and putting them in buckets on the way. Last year the annual event raised more than £7,000 and the school is hoping exceed that this year.
Yorkshire Evening Post (Leeds), October 11, 1999.

A South Hylton mother was celebrating today after winning her battle to get her son into a special needs school which was saved from the axe this summer. Jackie Watson wanted her four-year-old son John Kenny to go to Barbara Priestman School, Sunderland, because of the facilities there. But Sunderland Council said John should go to a specially equipped mainstream nursery in Oxclose, Washington. This was part of its policy to include special needs children in mainstream wherever possible. Now a Special Needs Tribunal has backed Ms. Watson saying there are simply not enough resources yet to deal with John at Oxclose. The Barbara Priestman chair of governors, Alan Share, warned that there may be about ten more similar cases yet to come.
Sunderland Echo, October 14, 1999.

Several parents have refused to send their children to the autistic spectrum disorder unit which opened last year at Castle Hill Primary School, in New Addingham. The unit was also criticised by Ofsted inspectors for its staffing provision in their July inspection report. But even though the school carried out a series of improvements over the summer holidays, the parents still refuse to send their children there, despite being impressed by the new facilities.
Coulsdon and Purley Advertiser, October 15, 1999.

Reading Council has launched a Disabled Children’s Team dedicated to helping disabled children and their families. Initially based at Wellington House in Wokingham, it will bring together knowledge, expertise and information from diverse areas and disciplines, acting as a focal point for contact by parents, professionals and voluntary agencies. The aim is also to forge close working relationships with professionals from other agencies and to set up a register for children with disabilities to enable the team to gain a better understanding of needs in the district.
Reading Evening Post, October 18, 1999.

A Cradley Heath mother says she has been taken aback by support for her campaign to save Sandwell special schools. Mrs Dorothy Bennett launched her move earlier this month. It came after it was announced that Knowle Special School, which her son Christopher attends, will close along with eight other special units. Education officers have pledged that no child will be sent back to mainstream against their will. But Mrs Bennett says parents want to keep their children where they are.
Sandwell Express and Star, October 18, 1999.

Harrod’s boss Mohammed Al Fayed has intervened to ensure that a profoundly deaf thirteen-year-old can be given the special schooling his family say he needs. Peter Schofield, who lives in Stroud, suffers from dyspraxia and language and social conduct disorders, but is very bright. For two years his parents have fought in vain to persuade Gloucestershire education authority to pay to send him to the acclaimed Mary Hare grammar school for the deaf in Newbury, Berkshire. The family have taken the matter to a Special Educational Needs Tribunal and even challenged the LEA in the High Court. But Gloucestershire education chiefs say that although they recognise Peter has serious difficulties, they believe he can succeed in a mainstream school with specialist support. But Mr Al Fayed was moved by Peter’s plight and yesterday agreed to foot the £19,000 annual school fees for the teenager. Mr. Al Fayed has special reason to sympathise. His own son, Karim, 14, has been profoundly deaf since contracting meningitis when he was only six months old and attends Mary Hare School.
Western Daily Press (Bristol), October 25, 1999.

Classroom assistants working with children with special needs in Newcastle have passed a pioneering course. The 115 assistants employed at special and mainstream schools in the city were presented with certificates by special education needs review adviser, David Bennett. Newcastle was the first local authority in the country to run the nationally accredited course for specialist needs classroom assistants.
Newcastle Upon Tyne Evening Chronicle, October 25, 1999.