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Mainstream or special schools?

TheCatWoman

The government says that they want most pupils with SEND to be in mainstream schools and for special schools to be only for the most adversely effected pupils.

Is this really a good idea and who is it good for?

I understand why the move to mainstream schools was done, SEND people shouldn't be shut away just because they're SEND and non SEND pupils need to know that everybody's different. But I question whether it's such a good idea, what if as an autistic person I can't cope with the noise and closeness of so many others around me, should I be sent to another room to "regulate myself", or would it be better for everybody, me in particular if I could be permanently in a quieter less busy space?

The above is an example, but I'd be really interested to hear what others think and how they or thier children were effected by either system

Parents

  • In my experience of working in education. Send schools are far more inclusive than mainstream. Send kids get isolated and shut away far more in mainstream because they just can't cope with it. What needs to happen in my opinion is more send schools that can meet the appropriate needs. Many send schools don't cater for "the Inbetweeners" those with neurodivergent needs but academically ok so that they are able to get the qualifications they deserve without unnecessary stress. They can throw as much money as they like into mainstream but if you've got kids that can't manage big classes, noisy corridors, busy playgrounds, loud dining rooms etc then they are not going to manage. 

  • in reply to Expecto_Patronum

    Thats what I thought too, I never got used to the noise and business of school. I wondered if and how things had changed in the last 40 years?

  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    Hard to comment on 40 years as I'm not that old yet but not much has happened to combat that. With the best will in the world I am not sure you can. There are small steps schools can take. Gentler bells, sound proofing, staggered timetables so not everyone moves at once. But for kids that really struggle with noise and crowds, a school with over 1000 pupils in it is just not going to work. There is more chance in a primary school as there are less children but for some kids that's still way too much.

    It's also things like uniforms. At the moment in mainstream, many schools are isolating or excluding kids for things like not wearing a tie or proper school shoes. Well a lot of neurodivergent kids just can't do that.

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  • in reply to TheCatWoman

    Hard to comment on 40 years as I'm not that old yet but not much has happened to combat that. With the best will in the world I am not sure you can. There are small steps schools can take. Gentler bells, sound proofing, staggered timetables so not everyone moves at once. But for kids that really struggle with noise and crowds, a school with over 1000 pupils in it is just not going to work. There is more chance in a primary school as there are less children but for some kids that's still way too much.

    It's also things like uniforms. At the moment in mainstream, many schools are isolating or excluding kids for things like not wearing a tie or proper school shoes. Well a lot of neurodivergent kids just can't do that.

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