To be disgusted that the number of MLD special places is being reduced

[Reallytired]

I work at a really nice Moderate learning difficulties school as an IT technician. Our county is reducing the number of places inspite of the school being over subscribed.

The children at this school are special and would sink in mainstream. Can you immagine a severely autisic child coping in a large secondary school?

Nope. In some areas language units are being axed too

You are right to be disgusted.
I just don't understand where they are coming from on this.

yanbu
not all children with sn can cope in mainstream

How on earth can they justify that?

I really can't understand the arguements for complusory inclusion for sn kids. The parents should have the option of a special school if that is what they feel is appropiate for them.

Most the kids at the school I work at do not do GCSE. They mostly do entry level qualifications instead. They concentrate on getting basic life skills like reading, simple arthemetic rather than worrying about keystage 3 SATS. The school has its own speech theraphist and occupational theraphist. The children are in tiny classes and get the help they need to make them into independent adults.

I can't imagine a parent wanting to sent their child to an MLD school unless the child really couldn't cope with a normal school. Some children need a small school with teachers who have the time to care.

Its just about saving money.

I work with severely autistic children in a mainstream school, in fact we include all children, including those with severe learning difficulties etc. Just to reassure you, I was against the closure of special schools but now I'm not so sure. I initially thought that they would be bullied in a mainstream school and would sink as you said. But these children are accepted by their peers, of course some bullying goes on, as it would in a special school at times, children are children after all, but to see other children working alongside those with difficulties without a problem is lovely. I think it helps other children to accept those who are "different" and to learn about inclusion. For the children with difficulties, they learn about fitting into society, how to behave, what is appropriate and what is not, so they are immersed into society and they don't feel as though they are any different. They have their confidence raised and are able to deal with other people much easier.

We include them in every subject, nothing is out of bounds for them. They are encouraged to get involved with the other children and be a part of school life.

I think it's great for them.

Rhubarb,
Do you think parents should get the choice whether their children go to special school or maintstream? If all the special schools are closed then how can parents get a choice? Some moderate/ severe special needs can be catered for in mainstream more easily than others.

Surely the education of children with special needs should be about preparing THEM for life rather than teaching nt children to be more tolerant. Education needs to be more than a bum on seat. Just because a child with severe special needs is in a mainstream lesson does that mean they are learning anything?

Some of the children at the school I work at can be extremely violent. Is it reasonable to expect a mainstream school to cope? If a child has been already excluded from a mainstream school surely its stupid to stick them in another mainstream school.

But we have violent children at the school and they don't even have special needs! But seriously because we don't put up with abusive behaviour towards staff and pupils and the children soon realise this. We do spend 1on1 sessions with them and we have a treats and consequences system that really works too. In a special school the children repeat the behaviour they see from their peers, in a mainstream school they see how children behave from day to day and they copy that behaviour, with a little help from us.

Of course parents should get the choice. But I do get the feeling that some parents, not all, but some would like to wrap their children up in cotton wool and never expose them to the outside world.

You should try it here Rt- ds3 can't access Sn education as none of the appropriate units (the ASD and SALt units) will take a child not yet toilet trained.

So he ahs to go to MS.

Someone tell me how that makes sense, please.....

S1 also having a possible transfer (basically he's on an exclusion warning from MS, he's HFA)- the ASd school he could go to as a Junior is uncertain (school it sahres premises with under threat) so he could be facing a possible hour commute.

Fabbo

That's terrible Peachy! There are a couple of children at our school, a secondary, who have accidents every now and then and we have a shower for them, a change of clothes and a washing machine to deal with the soilage. It's just part of the job and we certainly don't make a big deal of it.

It's incredible that children still aren't properly catered for within education.

Get together as parents and fight to get your voices heard.
That is the most effective method of all.

Only way teachers are allowed to help us is if nappy is mentioned in sattement, it did go abck to be added but ahs been left out again, school will need to take up next time (he starts January part time)

Good news though is that DS1 lost his exclusion threat today for the time being- he's only spitting now, not hitting- so that's receding- thank goodness!

You know the most annoying thing? we're on a county border here, the kids the otehr side get statemnted far mroe easily- same school, diferent LEA. typical or what?