Contrasting responses to diversity: school placement trends 2014-2017 for all local authorities in England (2019)
This report presents school placement trends (i.e. the proportion of children placed in special schools or other separate settings) from 2014 to 2017 for each local authority in England. It is the most recent issue in the ongoing (since 1988) CSIE series on school placement Trends. This detailed level of analysis at local authority level, reporting on school placements of all children who live within each local authority’s boundaries, rather than on numbers of children attending each local authority’s schools) is unique to CSIE. Like other Trends reports before it, this reveals huge variation in the way local authorities respond to diversity; some rely more on ordinary local schools, while others regularly send high proportions of children to separate special schools. These differences bear no simple relation to the size of a local authority or its social or geographical characteristics.
The significance of this research is twofold: despite every local authority being subject to the same national policies and legislation, CSIE Trends reports have brought to light disturbing local variations. Up-to-date information can empower parents to make better-informed choices for their children’s education, and can help parents, professionals and others to lobby for change.
Previous reports in the Trends series are available from CSIE.
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Description
This report presents school placement trends (i.e. the proportion of children placed in special schools or other separate settings) from 2014 to 2017 for each local authority in England. It is the most recent issue in the ongoing (since 1988) CSIE series on school placement Trends. This detailed level of analysis at local authority level, reporting on school placements of all children who live within each local authority’s boundaries, rather than on numbers of children attending each local authority’s schools) is unique to CSIE. Like other Trends reports before it, this reveals huge variation in the way local authorities respond to diversity; some rely more on ordinary local schools, while others regularly send high proportions of children to separate special schools. These differences bear no simple relation to the size of a local authority or its social or geographical characteristics.
The significance of this research is twofold: despite every local authority being subject to the same national policies and legislation, CSIE Trends reports have brought to light disturbing local variations. Up-to-date information can empower parents to make better-informed choices for their children’s education, and can help parents, professionals and others to lobby for change.
Previous reports in the Trends series are available from CSIE.
