Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that NT children miss out in school inclusion policies.

288 replies

empee47 · 06/07/2026 16:45

To think that inclusion policies in primary schools are almost never geared to helping academic, NT children get the best out of their education? They’re almost always designed to help the underdog - not denying this is necessary - but those at the top end of the spectrum don’t get the chance to shine as bright as they might otherwise do.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
ZebraPyjamas · 16/07/2026 08:20

DontBuyAnotherBook · 15/07/2026 19:21

The kids who are being violent are being failed just as much as the kids they are hitting. Don't pretend you didn't understand my post.

Edited

I wasn’t pretending, it wasn’t clear, why so hostile? My post is explaining how everyone is being failed by “inclusivity” so you were actually agreeing with me.

SupernaturalAddict · 15/07/2026 19:52

I haven't read the full thread so please forgive me if this has already been suggested.

Please email your mp regarding this. The Government have released their plans to reform the SEND system which includes putting the majority of children with EHCP's who are currently in SEN schools into mainstream. Schools will not get adequate funding or support. Infact those children who keep their EHCP's will recieve a predetermined package of support ratherthan support which meets their needs.

If you think kids in mainstream are hard done by now, just wait. If these reforms go through it will not be just SEND kids who are impacted it will be all kids.

I write this as a parent of a child with SEND who will stay in special school due to the severity of their needs and of a child without SEND who went to a selective free grammar.

CurlewKate · 15/07/2026 19:40

Of course inclusion programmes are not intended for children who don’t need special accomodations.

DontBuyAnotherBook · 15/07/2026 19:21

ZebraPyjamas · 15/07/2026 18:19

Who do you mean by “they”?

The kids who are being violent are being failed just as much as the kids they are hitting. Don't pretend you didn't understand my post.

ZebraPyjamas · 15/07/2026 18:19

DontBuyAnotherBook · 14/07/2026 07:22

Sounds like they are being failed then.

Who do you mean by “they”?

frozendaisy · 15/07/2026 12:22

But if inclusion policies allow schools to have designated spaces for pupils who find it difficult to be in a mainstream class in a position to learn there may be improvement for some in some schools.

Our youngster is in a secondary state which has different classes for ability and options for pupils who find main classes difficult to be in or school refusers to allow an integrated return.

It works it seems to me. Ours is a NT, top set, GCSE student. The school has many pupils of different needs and abilities. There is a space for most.

Classes for the more able students are not disrupted, classes for average pupils are at a pace for maximum achievement, time and resources can be targeted where needed.

Iris2020 · 15/07/2026 09:27

Increasingly schools arr being sanctioned and prevented from excluding violent pupils for reasons citing inclusion policies.

@itsgettingweird You mention that the violence could be caused by abuse. This is irrelevant.
Protecting the victims of the violence should always come before accommodating a violent pupil because there's a reason to their violence. Students can't be guinea pigs exposed to violence whilst schools are forced to jump through hoops to demonstrate they have tried to be inclusive.

The violent students have to be removed, provided with help as appropriate, and reintegrated if and only if they demonstrate to as sure a degree of certainty as is realistic that they are safe to be around for teachers and other students.
If only finite resources are available and a choice has to be made between safety of pupils and providing everyone with an education, then safety of all pupils it has to be.

LathkillDale · 14/07/2026 09:37

ZebraPyjamas · 13/07/2026 20:12

It might not be what it’s about, but it’s the net result. I’ve direct experience of this in my own school. Two seriously disruptive and violent children, needs identified and diagnosis in place, so much being done to support them and still having a huge and negative impact on their respective class groups. Finally things got bad enough for each of them to receive suspensions in the last term this year. They do not belong in a mainstream school but because of their “right” to a place there will continue to be facilitated to the detriment of 18 + other children (many of whom also have additional needs)

It’s all about saving money! Inclusion is just a smokescreen.

DontBuyAnotherBook · 14/07/2026 07:22

ZebraPyjamas · 13/07/2026 20:12

It might not be what it’s about, but it’s the net result. I’ve direct experience of this in my own school. Two seriously disruptive and violent children, needs identified and diagnosis in place, so much being done to support them and still having a huge and negative impact on their respective class groups. Finally things got bad enough for each of them to receive suspensions in the last term this year. They do not belong in a mainstream school but because of their “right” to a place there will continue to be facilitated to the detriment of 18 + other children (many of whom also have additional needs)

Sounds like they are being failed then.

ZebraPyjamas · 13/07/2026 20:12

itsgettingweird · 10/07/2026 16:50

But that’s not what an inclusion policy is about.

it’s not about including violent pupils.

it’s about looking at what barriers there are to learning and working to remove them. The disruptive violent child could be being abused. They could have unidentified need.

I absolutely agree nobody should put up with violence and the systems to respond to this also need to be in place. But that’s a behaviour policy and not an inclusion policy.

Inclusion policies are solely about how to create an inclusive environment.

It might not be what it’s about, but it’s the net result. I’ve direct experience of this in my own school. Two seriously disruptive and violent children, needs identified and diagnosis in place, so much being done to support them and still having a huge and negative impact on their respective class groups. Finally things got bad enough for each of them to receive suspensions in the last term this year. They do not belong in a mainstream school but because of their “right” to a place there will continue to be facilitated to the detriment of 18 + other children (many of whom also have additional needs)

itsgettingweird · 10/07/2026 16:50

Jumbaree · 07/07/2026 07:57

My ND niece hasn’t sat an exam in any subject and got less than 90%. All she asks for is a calm classroom. When you include violent and disruptive children you exclude the likes of her (and the rest of the class) from learning. Why? Why do it? What is the point in harming every learners progress just do you can boast smug platitudes about how ‘inclusive’ (group hug!) you are. It’s farcical.

But that’s not what an inclusion policy is about.

it’s not about including violent pupils.

it’s about looking at what barriers there are to learning and working to remove them. The disruptive violent child could be being abused. They could have unidentified need.

I absolutely agree nobody should put up with violence and the systems to respond to this also need to be in place. But that’s a behaviour policy and not an inclusion policy.

Inclusion policies are solely about how to create an inclusive environment.

LathkillDale · 08/07/2026 17:46

TempestTost · 07/07/2026 10:54

I think you've missed my point. I did say that I was not saying the situation was working particularly for kids with SEND.

I am saying schools feel a kind of obligation to at least attempt to address those issues - even if in practice it's totally ineffective - in a way they simply don't for other kids.

You can see it in the way you have kids in classes being negatively impacted by a child who is disruptive, even causing evacuation of the classroom multiple times a day. How is it acceptable that those kids are losing out on their education? Because the school has to provide a place for the disruptive child more than they have to provide a safe space, much less an education for all the others.

And it's been said straight out by multiple people on this thread alone that gifted children should get no consideration in school, there is no obligation to meet their educational needs. Parents are explicitly being told they should pay for private school (plus VAT) for those children.

It may not be working well for anyone but there has been a hierarchy created rather than saying the educational needs of all children need to be met.

Sorry, I missed your point. However, seeing the way, DGD’s school have treated her, I don’t think they have felt any obligation to do anything for her. A consultant child psychiatrist diagnosed severe ADHD and significant autistic traits (under Right To Choose). Other independent professionals diagnosed some considerable specific learning difficulties. The school says they are entitled to ignore private reports, and thinks all DGD needs is praise!

Since when was praise a treatment for severe comprehension difficulties?

ImImmortalNowBabyDoll · 08/07/2026 10:08

C4tintherug · 07/07/2026 18:51

Says someone who doesn’t teach! I’m not photocopying anything anyway!! I don’t print PowerPoints for the other kids. The printer is not physically located next to a computer.

What I’m saying is that lots of these tasks that people think are very small are actually not, especially when there are lots of them, for lots of different children. The things that we need to do are starting to become unmanageable and I feel like children and parents are being promised the earth but the reality is that teachers cannot manage the extra workload- we are only human

I agree with you there, and there's no accommodations at all made for ND teachers who regularly end up burned out. I also don't disagree that there's not enough provision for giftedness (which is, in itself, a form of ND) and that it's not sustainable to have so much disruption in schools.

It all comes down to money.

About 80% of problems for teachers and children would immediately vanish if classes were capped at 20 and there were many, many more special schools for the children that can't (or won't) cope in mainstream but the funding for that isn't forthcoming.

Sartre · 08/07/2026 09:33

maxslice · 07/07/2026 19:54

Some of my most gifted students are ND. Everyone has the to shine. They are entitled to reasonable accommodations and guidance. NT students as well. It isn’t either/ or.

Agree with this. My DS is almost 6 and he’s in the top reading group, passed phonics screening with flying colours and is fantastic at maths. He has SEN, he won’t always reliably sit still in the classroom and disengages if he isn’t interested so needs a TA. He also doesn’t reliably communicate with language though this is improving through speech therapy.

He belongs in mainstream just as much as my NT children because he’s both highly academic and he’s also a lovely boy. He doesn’t lash out or have meltdowns, he’s been toilet trained since 2. He’s great and fuck anyone who thinks he shouldn’t be included.

Sartre · 08/07/2026 09:30

I’m not really sure what you’re asking here. Are you upset that kids with SEN are in mainstream schools at all and think they should all be in specialist provision? Are you upset they get a TA and extra support because they’re not NT and require it? What is it you’re annoyed about exactly?

CatkinToadflax · 08/07/2026 09:25

Jumbaree · 08/07/2026 09:13

I can well imagine that’s the case. Here in Scotland there has been a recent case where a girl hit back a bunch of boys who had been bullying them for months with the school doing nothing about it. The girl’s mum got lawyers involved and the school backed down on the suspension. I think this is the way forward. People taking legal action against LAs for providing inadequate education and also ignoring their duty to safeguard children.

Surely it’s cheaper in the long run for a LA to set up a special school and a PRU for violent and disruptive children rather than hire endless assistants to try to ensure children who cannot cope in mainstream don’t lash out in the classroom? I think once more parents start suing the LA for not just providing a specialist school but also for endangering their children in the classroom things will start changing. They must change at some point otherwise kids and teachers being severely injured is going to become commonplace.

My DS is neither violent nor disruptive and has never lashed out at anyone (apart from his brother 🙄). He was however once assaulted in mainstream primary when his one full-time 1:1 LSA was deployed elsewhere. There can be many reasons why young people need multiple adults supporting them and why they require a special school. Fortunately our LA saw sense when we started the tribunal process.

Jumbaree · 08/07/2026 09:13

CatkinToadflax · 08/07/2026 08:57

The local authorities have a legal duty to provide a suitable school.

What LAs regard as suitable isn’t necessarily in any way remotely suitable. Our LA wanted our son to attend a gigantic mainstream school where he’d need two full-time LSAs and to arrive at each lesson 5 minutes late, leave 5 mins early, and learn through the window in the classroom door standing in the corridor. Genuinely this was their idea of suitable.

I can well imagine that’s the case. Here in Scotland there has been a recent case where a girl hit back a bunch of boys who had been bullying them for months with the school doing nothing about it. The girl’s mum got lawyers involved and the school backed down on the suspension. I think this is the way forward. People taking legal action against LAs for providing inadequate education and also ignoring their duty to safeguard children.

Surely it’s cheaper in the long run for a LA to set up a special school and a PRU for violent and disruptive children rather than hire endless assistants to try to ensure children who cannot cope in mainstream don’t lash out in the classroom? I think once more parents start suing the LA for not just providing a specialist school but also for endangering their children in the classroom things will start changing. They must change at some point otherwise kids and teachers being severely injured is going to become commonplace.

CatkinToadflax · 08/07/2026 08:57

The local authorities have a legal duty to provide a suitable school.

What LAs regard as suitable isn’t necessarily in any way remotely suitable. Our LA wanted our son to attend a gigantic mainstream school where he’d need two full-time LSAs and to arrive at each lesson 5 minutes late, leave 5 mins early, and learn through the window in the classroom door standing in the corridor. Genuinely this was their idea of suitable.

plasticplate · 08/07/2026 08:42

Jumbaree · 07/07/2026 21:02

The local authorities have a legal duty to provide a suitable school. I’d like them held to account more.

They have a legal duty to provide an education not a school. They insisted my son could be taught at home by carers with no teaching qualifications or experience (and a parent also had to be present) and it took a year and court action to sort that one out. Still no school though.

BestZebbie · 07/07/2026 22:26

Maybe there should be streaming by learning needs rather than test scores, so you’d still get a quiet academic high scoring set but also a set who need movement and manipulatives, a set who have lots of short variable task bases to move between during the lesson, etc.

DontBuyAnotherBook · 07/07/2026 21:31

Jumbaree · 07/07/2026 21:02

The local authorities have a legal duty to provide a suitable school. I’d like them held to account more.

Fat chance of that.

KeepingItAnonForThisOne · 07/07/2026 21:06

empee47 · 06/07/2026 16:45

To think that inclusion policies in primary schools are almost never geared to helping academic, NT children get the best out of their education? They’re almost always designed to help the underdog - not denying this is necessary - but those at the top end of the spectrum don’t get the chance to shine as bright as they might otherwise do.

So apply for a scholarship in a private school

Jumbaree · 07/07/2026 21:02

DontBuyAnotherBook · 07/07/2026 20:39

Are you happy to pay more benefits because the mother has to quit her job to look after the SEN kids with no school?

The local authorities have a legal duty to provide a suitable school. I’d like them held to account more.

ThisOldThang · 07/07/2026 20:52

C4tintherug · 07/07/2026 18:51

Says someone who doesn’t teach! I’m not photocopying anything anyway!! I don’t print PowerPoints for the other kids. The printer is not physically located next to a computer.

What I’m saying is that lots of these tasks that people think are very small are actually not, especially when there are lots of them, for lots of different children. The things that we need to do are starting to become unmanageable and I feel like children and parents are being promised the earth but the reality is that teachers cannot manage the extra workload- we are only human

This is a genuine suggestion and I'm not trying to shit stir.

If you use the same materials reach year, maybe print out 20 copies in each colour and file them in a folder with the teaching materials. Next year you can just pull out copies in the relevant colours.

DontBuyAnotherBook · 07/07/2026 20:39

Jumbaree · 07/07/2026 18:29

That’s an issue for the Local Authorities not the parent whose child isn’t given an opportunity to learn. I’d happily pay more tax so every child received ann adequate education.

Are you happy to pay more benefits because the mother has to quit her job to look after the SEN kids with no school?