A London Borough is reversing the tide of rising exclusions by closing its special schools and behaviour support centre. Instead, unruly children in Merton are being dealt with in mainstream schools using a variety of teaching methods and approaches designed to bring the disaffected and disruptive into line. A report on behaviour support in Merton from the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education states: ‘Merton’s experience demonstrates that it is possible – even despite contrary pressures in force at the time – to implement effectively an inclusive response to disaffection and disruption which concentrates on building the capacity of schools rather than excluding pupils.’
Times Educational Supplement, July 3, 1998.

Youngsters from the West Midlands and even France are pulling out all the stops to raise £125,000 so that a Wolverhampton girl in a wheelchair can fulfil her dream of going to the same school as her friends. Becky Raymond-Barker, 10, who has cerebral palsy, wants to go to St Edmunds R.C. School, Wolverhampton, but the building is not equipped for wheelchairs. The school governors agreed to let her start there in September as long as enough money is raised to build a lift, widen doorways and fit ramps.
Wolverhampton Express and Star, July 3, 1998.

In a letter to the Editor, Mark Lacey, of Calderdale Mencap, has urged Calderdale Council to start a ‘genuine debate’ on adult education for people with learning difficulties. Mr Lacey says Mencap supports a policy of integration but it does not agree with the version being planned by the Council which will support only selected individuals with comparatively low support needs. ‘We say that integration is a two-way process from which nobody should be excluded. It will cost more than segregated provision of course – and this is the issue which the Council dares not face. Instead it would prefer to integrate a few people who are more able and leave the rest to the vagaries of “social provision”.’
Halifax Evening Courier, July 11, 1998.

Parents campaigning for a re-think on the proposed closure of a Sunderland special school have written to the education secretary, David Blunkett, saying they oppose a blanket policy of ‘inclusive education’. According to parents at Barbara Priestman School special needs children should only be included in mainstream schools where individually appropriate and where parents wish it, not as a general policy.
Sunderland Echo, July 18, 1998.

George Cranmer, a former pupil, joins protests about the closure of Barbara Priestman School by writing to the editor saying he feels strongly that the proposal must be defeated. ‘Although I agree with the principle of integration of the disabled and able-bodied wherever possible I am sure there are circumstances where a specialist school is necessary. The full integration ideal is just an ideal – how many ideals can we achieve?’
Sunderland Echo, July 23, 1998.