Beverley Flitton and Caroline Frizzell, whose Down’s Syndrome children attend mainstream schools, are organising a conference in Enfield, London, to give parents and teachers a better understanding of the arguments for inclusion. The two women have been determined that their children will be seen for their gifts t – not for their disabilities. According to Beverley: “One of their gifts is the way they bring out a nicer and more caring side in other children. We want to see them all together. It’s the same issue as accepting people who are black. Children have to see what they have in common with children with disabilities, not the differences”.
Cheshunt Telegraph, June 1, 1995.

Parents at a Leicester school have launched a campaign to help a young disabled girl move up with her friends to senior school. Mrs. Pamela Worral said the head of English Martyrs’ School in Leicester, Mr. David McLean, had expressed some concern that the school may not be a suitable place for her daughter Karla. “Karla is really upset about it. She wants to move up with everybody else from the school. If she had to go to another school she would be devastated”.
Leicester Mercury June 12, 1995.

Villagers at Trimdon Grange are raising money for a wheelchair which will enable Lisa Hedley, 11, to attend the mainstream secondary school of her choice. Lisa wants to go to Sedgefield School with her friends rather than one of two other schools which have been adapted for children with physical disabilities. The staff at Sedgefield say they are happy to have Lisa, provided she has the special wheelchair. As the local education authority says it is unable to help, it’s been up to the villagers of Trimdon to raise the cash with raffles, race nights, discos and cake stalls.
The Mail, Hartlepool, June 12, 1995.

Better access for children with disabilities at mainstream schools has been kept on Nottingamshire’s education agenda – but at the cost of other education cuts. The education committee chairman, Coun. Fred Riddell, said he was particularly disappointed at having to take money ear-marked for all-weather sports pitches. The Government gave the Council £1.6m to spend on capital projects when it requested £18m with the result that the Council had to “rob Peter to pay Paul” to do its work. Coun.Riddell said: We have always been keen to ensure that every parent should be able to send their child to the school of their choice as part of the Children First policy. This has been so successful that more and more parents are choosing mainstream schools and so we are having to find more and more money”.
Evening Post, Nottingham June 14, 1995.

Eight-year-old Martin Willis, who is deaf, is reported to be doing “superbly” at Farley Junior School, Luton. Martin was unhappy at his previous school,where he was in a special unit, because it was outside his catchment area. He had to leave for classes at 6.50 a.m. each morning and couldn’t see any of his friends outside schools hours because they lived so far away. At Farley Junior Martin is in a mainstream class. He and his teachers use microphones to amplify sounds and he has his own sign interpreter.
Dunstable Leader, June 21, 1995

Brent Council is considering improving its mainstream schools rather than meet transport costs for educating disabled children outside the Borough. This year’s £4 million budget for sending more than 140 children to schools throughout London is expected to double by the year 2,000 if changes are not made. At least half the budget is for travel, with some children spending four hours a day getting to and from school.
Kilburn Times, June 29, 1995.

Norfolk County Council are looking into how much it will cost to install a lift at Broadland High School, Hoveton, so that Nicholas Mobbs, 12, can attend with other children from his neighbourhood. Nicholas says: I have been in a mainstream school for seven years and I want to stay in a mainstream school. I like the sports they do and I don’t think I should be treated differently. I’m not different, except I’m in a wheelchair.
Great Yarmouth Mercury, June 30, 1995.