The mother of eight-year-old Martin Willis expresses concern that she will be called in “unnecessarily ” to take her deaf son home if one of his sign communicators takes a day off work. The headteacher of Farley Junior School in Luton, Richard Wood, said that on one occasion he called in Mrs. Willis for “health and safety reasons” when a communicator was not in school. He said it would not be fair to the other children if Richard was without a communicator, particularly if he had an accident.
Luton News, November 1, 1995.

In Humberside numbers of children identified as having special educational needs are rising but few are being placed in special schools. Councillor Michael Wheaton, chairman of Humberside’s special needs education sub-committee says that during the last 18 months the “whole thrust” of Council special needs policy has been to accommodate children in mainstream accommodation.
Hull Daily Mail, November 2, 1995.

Westende School, Wokingham, becomes the first school in Berkshire to open a resource unit to support primary children with Aspergers syndrome. The plan is for the children to receive individual attention to develop social and communications skills and to work towards increasing integration in mainstream classes.
Bracknell News, November 9, 1995.

Brenda Palmer, of Hemi-Help, Belfast, says mainstream schools need more resources to meet the educational requirements of children with special needs. She welcomed draft legislation and a draft code of practice on special needs but said too often parents faced a struggle to get the resources needed for their children in mainstream schools.
Belfast Telegraph, November 13, 1995.

In Liverpool, NUT officials say children with cerebral palsy and Down’s Syndrome are being placed in mainstream classes with little or no support. Anton Florek, recently appointed senior education officer blamed new government legislation for a backlog of cases he had inherited but refuted claims that statutory assessment of children with special educational needs had been stopped.
Liverpool Echo, November 15, 1995.

An Edinburgh primary school head says that no matter what the funding challenges there will always be a place for seven-year-old Duncan Steven at her school. Duncan, who has multiple disabilities, has been included at Liberton Primary for two years and has made good progress. Head teacher, Anne Kite, says that as well as benefiting Duncan, integration has had a positive impact on other pupils. “He allows more able children to gain the experience of forming a caring and understanding relationship with someone more vulnerable than themselves”.
The Times Educational Supplement, November 24, 1995.

The Pingle School in Swadlincote, South Derbyshire, is described as an outstanding example of how a grant-maintained school can raise standards for the most disadvantaged children. Pingle is £130,000 a year better off as a GM school because of efficiency gains on the cost of support services formerly proved by County Hall. Approximately half of the extra money has been allocated to special needs. The school now has five classroom assistants and spends £30,000 a year on salary bonuses for subject teachers who have taken on new responsibilities for special needs children.
The Daily Telegraph November 29, 1995.

In Barnsley, parent Will Bisby questions whether cutbacks in special needs support to mainstream children are legal. According to Mr. Bisby, his son’s statement of special educational needs has been re-written without proper consultation with parents or information being made made available.
Doncaster Star, November 30, 1995.