Children with special educational needs (SEN) have a better chance of developing their academic, personal and social skills in a well-resourced mainstream school than in any other educational setting, according to ground-breaking new report. The Ofsted report, published last month, also showed that while children with SEN could learn well in mainstream and special schools there was ‘more good and outstanding provision in resourced mainstream schools than elsewhere’. The report singled out high quality specialist teachers and commitment from school leaders to include all pupils, as keys to effective provision. But inspectors found fewer pupils with severe or multiple learning difficulties placed in mainstream schools than other groups, even where specialist provision was available. And the report said that pupil referral units – individual schools for pupils with learning difficulties – were ‘the least successful of all settings.’
Disability Now, August 1, 2006

Education and Skills Secretary, Alan Johnson said SEN remains a priority for the Government. He said Council’s spending on SEN had risen from £2.8billion in 2001/02 to an estimated £4.5 billion in 2006/7, but the government would look at possible further funding in its spending review, which includes a focus on disabled children. He said the government ‘does not have a policy of closing special schools’ and that inclusion was about ‘the quality of children’s education …whether that is a mainstream or a special school.
Disability Now, August 1, 2006

More has to be done for children with special educational needs in our schools, according to some parents and teachers. Robert Buckland, the parliamentary spokesman for South Swindon, who has a daughter with special needs, is hoping to call a meeting later this year with parents to discuss how providing for pupils with special educational needs can be improved in schools. Last week the Education Select Committee called for stronger Government guidelines for councils to end a postcode lottery of provision. Mr Buckland said: ‘Many children with special needs are not being given a statement of SEN until they are past ten years of age. This is shocking and unacceptable.’ He added: ‘It is time for a change. I want to see a system that puts parents in the centre of the decision making process. We need to know what the policy is for SEN provision because at the moment there is no clear policy.’
Swindon Advertiser, August 9, 2006

Teachers lack the training and expertise they need to educate pupils with autism, creating misery for many of the 90,000 children with the condition, says the National Autistic Society. A report by the charity says that more than one in 110 children have autism, yet more than 70 per cent. of schools are unsatisfied with teacher training for the condition. Less than a third of parents of children with autism in mainstream are satisfied with the understanding of the condition at their school. The society said lack of training meant many staff were unable to adapt their lessons and materials to suit pupils with autism. This could be one reason why a quarter of such pupils are excluded.
Times Educational Supplement, August 25, 2006

Some 4,000 pupils have been helped by the Communications Aids Project, and for many it has meant the chance to remain in mainstream education. The £20million scheme was set up by the Department of Education and Skills in 2002 to support councils in providing technology and training for pupils with communication difficulties. Councils are responsible for funding assistive technology but the end of the CAP scheme has left some struggling. John Liddle from AbilityNet, a computing and disability charity, said: ‘CAP supplemented schools and local authorities, it provided a cushion for them. A big void has been left and people are going to have to rattle the cage to make sure that funding for assistive technology comes through.’ AbilityNet and ACE Centres, another charity, now set up Local CAPacity, a service that provides equipment, loans, training, assessment and advice. East Sussex, West Sussex, Leicester City, Northumberland and Brighton and Hove Councils have signed up to the scheme.
Times Educational Supplement, August 25, 2006

Parents and teachers of children with special educational needs have been told they must wait longer to hear about plans which could see the closure of three Scarborough schools. North Yorkshire county councillors are to be given more time to discuss reaction to the controversial proposals which would see Springhead and Woodlands schools demolished to make way for a new special school on the Woodland site. At the end of last term there were 86 pupils at Woodlands School and 50 at Springhead – yet the new school would only have places for 95 pupils. More pupils would be educated in mainstream schools under the proposal and there is also a possibility Brompton Hall School would close, with pupils moving to another specially built school outside the Scarborough area.
Scarborough Evening News, August 23, 2006