The former headmaster of Sunderland’s Barbara Priestman Special School which is threatened with closure claims the school is ‘unique’. He says that during all his travels in Europe and the USA he has never found a school approaching the standards being achieved at Barbara Priestman.
Sunderland Echo, August 3, 1998.

The mother of an autistic child has set up a support group in Nottingham to help other affected families. Sharon Scoffing, 32, wants to help other parents to get their autistic children into mainstream education. The support group, SPACE in Mainstream,will help parents of autistic children who are trying to find places in Notts primary schools. Sharon said: ‘Autistic children should be able to mix with their peers and not be segregated. Some schools are superb but, sadly, others are not and many parents experience huge problems in putting their children into mainstream education.’
Nottingham Recorder, August 6, 1998.

The chair of the Governors of Barbara Priestman School Sunderland speaking out against its closure says all children at the school receive the full National Curriculum and the school has received a ‘glowing’ OFSTED report. He describes the school as a ‘more than a school for the disabled. It is a living community.’ Malcolm Craddock, assistant director, education and community services department, Sunderland City Council, says numbers at Barbara Priestman are dropping rapidly because parents are opting for mainstream schools. ‘In the past Barbara Priestman was successful in offering sheltered environment for some children with a bad experience of mainstream schools, but things have moved on. The Government is providing significant extra money to enhance access for disabled students in mainstream schools. This is now what the majority of parents want and this is what we are aiming to provide.’
Sunderland Echo, August 10, 1998.

Parents of eight children with major learning difficulties have won a four-month legal battle to have their special educational needs re-assessed by Bradford Council. The parents, who claim the Local Education Authority acted unlawfully in giving mainstream schools the responsibility of deciding how the needs of each child should be met, were preparing for a judicial review in the High Court. But the Council has agreed to settle the matter out of court by carrying out reassessments and meeting the parents’ legal costs.The parents’ solicitor, Elaine Maxwell, said up to 2,000 children in the district who required a statement would be affected by today’s ruling.
Bradford Telegraph and Argus, August 27, 1998.