Cumbria County Council is being asked to back an investigation into why the number of children labelled as having severe learning difficulties has doubled in three years. There are 551 Cumbrian children classed as having severe or profound learning difficulties compared with 224 in 1994, according to a report by special needs manager, Michael Watmough.
Cumberland News, October 3, 1997.

Governors at a North London comprehensive school have pleaded for a limit to the number of new pupils admitted each year because of wheelchair bottlenecks in the corridors. This year 25 physically disabled children were integrated into Northumberland Park Community School, Haringey, London, where there are already 11 pupils in wheelchairs. Owing to the high number of wheelchair users a one-way system has been introduced in corridors to ease congestion.
Wood Green and Tottenham Weekly Herald, October 15, 1997

The Government’s Green Paper announces that more children with disabilities or learning problems are to be taught in mainstream classrooms in the biggest shake-up of special need provision for 20 years. David Blunkett, the Education Secretary, said the Government wanted to speed up the integration of children with special needs which had been the trend in recent years. ‘There is a forgotten army of 1.5 million children with some degree of special needs, many of whom would be able to flourish perfectly independently if the support was provided at the right time and in the right way.’ Mr Blunkett, who was himself educated in schools for the blind, said special schools catering for children with more severe problems would remain an option for parents. However, he envisaged a system in which local authorities would have a duty to offer a place in mainstream schools to all parents who wished it. The number of special schools in UK has fallen and the proposal in the Green Paper Excellence for all children. Meeting Special Educational Needs are likely to lead to further closures.
The Daily Telegraph, October 23, 1997

Hearing children at Bransty Primary School, Cumbria will use new signing dictionaries at their Tuesday afternoon signing club, thanks to a national award. The school won £150 in the Education Extra Awards which are given to schools which run successful after-school. activities. The club helps the school’s hearing children communicate with their hearing-impaired classmates.
Whitehaven News, October 23, 1997

A representative of DAN, the Disabled People’s Direct Action Network, called on the Government to meet the costs of implementing the Green Paper on special educational needs. In a letter Mr D. Andrew Coldwell said disabled people and council tax payers are fed up with costs being passed on to local authorities.
Huddersfield Daily Examiner, October 24, 1997

Permanent exclusions from schools are continuing to increase according to official figures out today. In 1995/96, 12,500 pupils were excluded from English primary and secondary schools, 13 per cent up on the previous year. Education Minister Estelle Morris said the figures for exclusions were too high. ‘While schools still need the ultimate sanction of exclusion, LEAs and schools must look at all options for dealing with behaviour problems,’ she said.
Halifax Evening Courier, October 30, 1997

Education chiefs in Nottingham have agreed to review the progress of a 12-year-old girl Maresa MacKeith, of Beechdale. Maresa fought for three years to be transferred from a special school to a mainstream school and now she and her mother Caroline are demanding that she be properly integrated into classes at Colonel Frank Seely School at Calverton. Yesterday Maresa and members of Young and Powerful, the national pressure group for disabled young people again met Nottinghamshire Education Director, Rob Valentine.
Nottingham Evening Post, October 29, 1997