Special-needs schools

The prime minister was interrupted during a televised debate by a mother of an autistic child upset about the proposed closure of a special-needs school. Since 1997 70 specialist schools have been closed down by the government.

Government Response: Department of Education and Skills

A spokesman for the DFES said: "The  number of places in special schools had remained consistent since 1997 - what we are delivering is bigger, better special schools."

Party Response: Conservative

Tim Collins, shadow education secretary, said: "For Tony Blair to attempt to portray himself as the champion of special educational needs is the ultimate in pre-election cynicism.

 

"Far from believing in diversity of provision, they have consistently pursued a one-size-fits-all ideological obsession with inclusion."

 

Party Response: Liberal Democrat

 

Phil Willis, Liberal Democrat education spokesman said: "Children should be taught in the most appropriate setting.

 

"Special schools perform a vital role in our education system and the Liberal Democrats support expanding their role by linking them to local universities and colleges so that they can become centres of research and excellence."

 

Stakeholder Response: National Autistic Society

 

A spokesman for the NAS said: "The NAS fully supports Maria in her aims to raise awareness of autism and the needs of 535,000 people in the UK today.

"Maria's tenacity and determination demonstrate the acute needs of people with autism and their families, and their desperation with the current education system for children with special education needs."

Stakeholder Response: Royal National Institute of the Blind

Dr Adam Ockelford, deputy director of education at the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB), said: "At RNIB, we support education that is in the best interests of each individual child.  As a starting point, we strongly support the principle that children with a disability or special needs should have the right to attend their local school and to receive a good education there.

We work with local education authorities, schools and parents to try to ensure that blind and partially sighted children in mainstream schools have their needs properly met.  However, special schools will, for the foreseeable future, continue to fulfil a vital role within the education system, benefiting in particular children with the most complex needs.  RNIB is proud to run three special schools itself - in Northwood (Middlesex), Coventry and Worcester."

Stakeholder Response: Institute of Education

Jennifer Evans, expert in special-needs policy and practice at the Institute of Education, said: "The issue of proposed closures of special schools is always contentious. While many parents fight for the right of their child to be educated in a mainstream school, others feel that their child’s needs are so special that they require a separate education, away from the mainstream.

 

"The main issue is expertise. Some special educational needs require highly specialised forms of teaching, and an environment conducive to the delivery of such teaching. Autism is one such area of need.

 

"However, there is no reason why such expertise and the correct environment cannot be made available in mainstream schools, and there are many examples round the country of excellent mainstream provision for children with autism.

 

"Some of these examples can be found on a DFES website:

 

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/sen/asds/asdgoodpractice/

 

This was put together by an expert working group and gives very good advice, as well as examples of good practice."

 

Stakeholder Response: Disabilities Trust

 

A spokesman for the Disabilities Trust said: "The Trust has always believed in the fundamental importance of choice within educational provision, especially when it concerns the needs of children with impairments such as autism.

 

"We ourselves manage a school and learning centre for children with high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome in Berkshire. While the Trust does agree that inclusion represents the ideal, we believe it is still vital that there remains an alternative for those children for whom inclusion is just not at present, realistic. This is especially so for children with profound communication and socialisation disorders.

 

"For such children the average comprehensive school can be a very difficult and demanding place even if there are teachers and staff with training who can support them (unfortunately this is not very often the case).

 

"And although some children with autism may thrive in mainstream schools - for those with the most profound conditions there is often no alternative to specialist provision - we know from experience that some of the pupils at our school, Heathermount, have been excluded from mainstream provision.

 

"In some cases this has occurred three or four times before they come to us. Heathermount provides vocational training as well as the National Curriculum giving pupils a comprehensive set of skills to take with them into adulthood." 

 

Stakeholder Response: National Deaf Childrens Society

 

Susan Daniels, NDCS chief executive said: "The National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) believes that whilst children with any kind of special need are entitled to have their needs met in a mainstream school in their local community, for some children full access to and involvement in the educational and social life of a school can be provided only in a specialist placement.  NDCS supports the view therefore that inclusion is a state, not a location, and that a continuum of provision is necessary in order to ensure effective inclusion for all children in terms of achievement, full participation and quality of experience.

 

"Mainstream schools can, and do, take measures to meet the needs of all pupils and the NDCS Deaf Friendly Schools programme helps schools improve all aspects of their provision to become more accessible for deaf children."

 

Stakeholder Response: Disability Rights Commission

 

A spokesman for the DRC said: "Unfortunately many parents of disabled children have little confidence that mainstream schools will provide a safe environment  where children can reach their true potential. An environment parents of non disabled children expect as the norm.

 

"This is despite legislation which came into force three years ago requiring schools to ensure they are accessible to disabled pupils, and which presumes that in the majority of cases, disabled children should attend a mainstream school together with their non-disabled friends, neighbours and classmates.   

 

"Inclusion is the correct way forward. Sadly, inclusion policies have not been effectively implemented.  A recent Ofsted report on inclusion showed clearly how little progress many schools had made in meeting their statutory responsibilities under the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act.  In some schools no progress had been made at all.   Special schools - which originated at a time when many disabled children had no right to an education whatsoever - continue to represent and compensate for the failure of our mainstream education system to meet its responsibilities.

 

"What all parents require is that their children will have opportunities to develop, find friends, achieve their potential and are able to face adult life with confidence and success.   The education system as it stands, special or mainstream, is not delivering this for disabled children. This should be the focus of our debate. "  

 

The DRC has today launched a survey of the experiences of disabled people and their parents which will help inform our way forward: http://www.drc-gb.org/newsroom/newsdetails.asp?id=782&section=4