Derringham Special School in Kingston-upon Hull should close down by the end of the academic year, according to a local education authority report. The report reveals that the head of another special school could not be persuaded to act as a caretaker head when Derringham fell under special measures following a failed OFSTED report earlier this year.
Hull Daily Mail, December 1, 1997
A Manchester school has been awarded top marks for providing special education. Newall Green High in Wythenshaw features in the Department of Education’s Green Paper. It was selected as an example of good practice after officials found it successfully integrates pupils who have physical and severe learning difficulties.
Manchester Evening News, December 1, 1997
Parents of autistic children in York are drawing up proposals for a specialist unit in the city where their youngsters could receive the one-to-one help with their education. The most likely form the new unit would take is an annex attached to a mainstream school in the city, where small groups of autistic children could be taught. York’s new autism development worker, Glynis Bevan, is consulting with parents before proposals will be presented to a multi-agency meeting of health and education officials in the spring. Most of York’s 50-plus autistic children go to special schools in York, or are taught in mainstream schools with extra help. Shan Oakes, York’s special needs development worker, said: ‘It’s a good idea. It is something we should be considering and I think it does look optimistic.’
Yorkshire Evening Press, December 2, 1997
Birmingham MP and Education Minister, Estelle Morris denied that troubled children were being dumped in mainstream schools to save money. The Minister insisted that a new multi-million pound effort to make mainstream schools more rewarding for special needs pupils had no ‘hidden agenda’.
Birmingham Evening Mail, December 5, 1997
The Government has announced a boost of £11 million to help mainstream schools become more accessible to special needs children. Estelle Morris, the Schools Minister, told MPs that the almost threefold increase on the £4 million set aside by the previous administration for the Schools Access Initiative was the most that had ever been spent in any one year.
The Independent, December 6, 1997
A ground-breaking project to introduce disabled youngsters to sport has been set up in the Grimsby area. The Helping Hand Scheme enables children with special needs to receive tuition at home before being integrated into mixed ability classes. To date six youngsters have started the programme which will see them joining a group of 40 others at Wellholme Saturday Morning Club in Welholme Junior School. Organiser Margaret Jackson set up the club with a £64,000 Lottery award in May.
Grimsby Evening Telegraph, December 3, 1997
