when looking at schools, do you take into account the amout of special needs children are there?

[daftpunk]

special needs also means behaviour problems....would that put you off?

[norksinmywaistband]

No, In fact I chose an integrated school for my DD( we still mainly have special needs schools in this area) but I feel that being able to mix with a group representative of society, is important for children.

[GooseyLoosey]

It would depend on how the SN was supported. I think if children have sufficient class room support to deal with their particular needs, then it would be an asset to have them in the class. If there is inadequate class room support, then if I am being completely honest, I would take it into account.

[daftpunk]

sorry, i think i've posted this in the wrong section, my ds is going to secondary school in 2 years...i'm already looking into schools, but tbh...i'm slightly put off by a school with alot of SN children....

[Lancelottie]

Well, yes... but that tends to be because we need the special needs support...

I suspect that wasn't quite what you meant?

[lottiejenkins]

I have posted my views on DP in her new and not much improved thread!!!

[lljkk]

I don't want to get involved in your other long thread, DP. I dislike the witchhunt atmosphere.

I'm not sure the point was made over there, though, there is a reason to be concerned about high % of SN and it isn't bad behaviour, but funding. SN means the children need extra resources; most observers (including parents of the affected children) agree that there is inadequate funding for children with SEN. So a school with high % of SEN may be quite financially stretched.

That said, DC primary has about 35-40% SEN, and they have class sizes under 30 for all years. So some schools do make things work.

[daftpunk]

thank you lljkk...appreciate your reply.

thank you GL, lancelotte, and nimwb.....wish i'd stayed on here.

[throckenholt]

funding is likely to be more of an issue in the future because they have just changed the funding for SEN - they only get extra money for children assessed as needing more than 20 hours help per week - so if they need 19 the school gets nothing.

Our head is baffled why heads have voted for this new funding regime.

[throckenholt]

by the way - my take is SEN per se is not the issue so much as the individual children in a peer group - some SEN may be no extra problem at all, and some non-SEN may be a complete nightmare.

How you gauge before hand - I have no idea !