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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

  • I think one of my concerns is that some SEND schools are just not set up for teaching some of the higher level subjects. Things like the science A-Levels, particularly further maths (and probably many humanities too), need to be taught by people with degree level knowledge, and I just don't see how small quiet SEND schools could maintain that expertise. It's a struggle for mainstream schools as it is. As a result, even if a SEND school might be better for some regulation things, it can innately limit that student academically, and that trade off should be carefully managed and considered. And self teaching doesn't work for practical based subjects that require labs and technicians.

Reply

  • I think one of my concerns is that some SEND schools are just not set up for teaching some of the higher level subjects. Things like the science A-Levels, particularly further maths (and probably many humanities too), need to be taught by people with degree level knowledge, and I just don't see how small quiet SEND schools could maintain that expertise. It's a struggle for mainstream schools as it is. As a result, even if a SEND school might be better for some regulation things, it can innately limit that student academically, and that trade off should be carefully managed and considered. And self teaching doesn't work for practical based subjects that require labs and technicians.

Children
  • in reply to Fibonacci Squid

    Theres an opinion piece in todays Guardian about making more provision for disabled pupils in mainstream schools, the author, a wheelchair user, thinks its a great idea, particularly for academically gifted children as they will have a wider range of oportunities in mainstream education. I see here point, but I think there's a great deal of difference between someone in a wheelchair and someone with autism, one of the biggest problems for those of us with invisable disabilities is companies saying they're disabliity friendly when what they actually mean is they're wheelchair accessable and may let you have a couple of extra toilet breaks.

  • in reply to Fibonacci Squid

    There can be issues in some special schools with academics and it does seem to be another thing that is a postcode lottery. GCSE wise I think that is improving massively but I don't think there are many that provide a levels. Numbers are just too small to employ subject specialists.

    However in my experience of working in SEND schools that do provide GCSEs etc, with the supportive environment, many of the more academic pupils are ready to integrate into a setting that can provide a levels by 6th form. There is an issue though for these kids that I would say are in-between, mainstream doesn't work for them but send can hold them back. This is something that definitely needs consideration in these reforms.