According to the authors of a report on inclusive education in East Lothian, Paul Hamill and Brian Boyd, one of the key challenges facing teachers is how can they pursue a social inclusion agenda, educating pupils with special educational needs and emotional and behavioural difficulties in a mainstream setting, while also raising attainment. They said two messages were being given to schools asking them to raise attainment and be radically more inclusive at the same time. However, Alan Black, East Lothian’s director of education and community services, said social inclusion and raising attainment were not mutually exclusive. ‘It’s about closing the gap between the academic performance of the best and that of the more challenged.’ Mr. Black also said it was important to explore further what was meant by attainment. ‘For some young people attending school regularly itself is an attainment’.
Times Educational Supplement, Scotland, May 10, 2002.
Over 40 projects across Scotland that promote an inclusive approach to the education of children with special educational needs are set to benefit from a £5m funding package from the Scottish Executive. The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Innovative Grants Programme was established to recognise and fund good innovative practice. The programme focuses on improving inclusive practices in schools, greater partnership working with voluntary organisations and empowering parents and young people to participate fully in decisions which affect them.
Caribbean Times, May 10, 2002.
A Bristol brother and a sister who are both chronically ill are missing out on part of their education because of their illness. Malcolm Edgeworth, 12, and his 13-year-old sister, Helen, who live in Shirehampton, receive only two and a half hours of lessons a day. Their mother, Verena, claims her children’s position is unfair especially when the Government is spending £2 million on Bristol’s worst behaved pupils. She was incensed when she read of the money soon to be spent on trying to keep children in school who do not want to be there. She said: ‘There is a lack of provision for children like mine who cannot go to school through no fault of their own.’ Bristol Evening Post, May 22, 2002
A school in Old Swan and another in Edge Lane, Liverpool, are to receive a share of £700,000 to aid access for disabled people. The City Council is providing the cash so disabled youngsters will have a greater choice when entering mainstream education and greater freedom and independence for youngsters in wheelchairs already at the schools. Liverpool Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, Colin Hilton, said: ‘This initiative is not only opening up more of our schools to all children in the city but increasing choice and improving rights’.
Trader (Dinnington and Maltby), May 23, 2002
Life has been made a little easier for a local youngster who recently transferred to the junior section of Wales Primary School in Rotherham. Michael Churm, who has cerebral palsy, has been a pupil since 1998 but since he moved up to the juniors his classroom has been on the first floor ‘Michael has difficulty with the stairs so Rotherham Council has installed a lift for us’, said Jackie Dawes, headteacher.
Trader (Dinnington and Maltby), May 23, 2002.
The number of children expelled from school has risen for the first time since Labour came to power. Permanent exclusions in primary schools went up nearly a fifth and there was a 10 per cent rise for older pupils. The figures are bad news for the Government, which made reducing expulsions a central plank of its education policy and means it is likely to miss its target of reducing them by a third by September. Headteachers blamed the rise on a higher incidence of violence and disruption but the Government’s policy U-turn and confusion over the issues has contributed. But Estelle Morris, the Education Secretary, was said to be relaxed about the figures published by her Department. ‘We are not embarrassed about it because we have put money into building pupil referral units so head teachers can exclude responsibly and with confidence, knowing pupils will be educated in the units and not left to roam the streets’.
Electronic Telegraph, May 24, 2002.
Teaching disabled student in regular classrooms has become a ‘nightmare’ in Nova Scotia, Canada, and could soon be elsewhere, says Brian Forbes, president of the province’s teachers union. The Nova Scotia Teachers Union has caused alarm across Canada among advocates of inclusive education after delegates at its meeting last weekend voted unanimously to withdraw support for a policy now common in schools throughout the country. According to Mr. Forbes, teachers do not want to return to the days when disabled children are segregated in regular classes, but they do expect the government to pay for its policy of inclusion. Jane Purves, Nova Scotia’s Education Minister, said the provinces entire school system needed more money. ‘It’s not as if every classroom is in chaos because of inclusion.’ Richard Starr, a Nova Scotia MP, called on an adjustment in attitudes from both teachers and government. He said: ‘Like it or not, the Constitution says these kids have the right to an equal education, alongside other students. That should not be subject to budgetary whims’.
National Post Online, May 26, 2002.
