Inclusion- ds1's special school to merge

[gess]

Arse tit wank is about all I can manage.

Recieved a letter from the LEA this morning. The plans are to
a) open a satellite unit on a mainstream site - a new 'learning academy' so they can acces mainstream facilities (and what about specialist facilities??; hydro, music therapy, sand and splash, donkeys etc)

b) to merge the 2 remaining SLD/PMLD schools into a 21st century special school (whatever the fuck that is) for the more complex children The 2 SLD/PMLD schools although the same on paper and very very very different.

I'm not worried about the academy ; ds1 will definitely be one of the 'more complex children', but am concerned that the 2 SLD/PMLD schools are very very different. It's like trying to merge steiner with a school where academic achievement is everything. I cannot see how it can work other than by one school being taken over by the other.

Quite concerned. Ds1's school was and always has been 'perfect' for him. I do not want him anywhere near a mainstream school. Inclusion has limited his access to so many activities (rather ironically) I do not want it to limit his access to education and school.

All this is meant to happen by 2010. Considering it takes them over half a year to issue a statement I have no idea how they think they;ll do this in 3 years, but still.

Oh f*ck and

Why do these people keep trying to fix what ain't broke?!!?

They're doing this in Stoke gess (at secondary). Plan is knocking down 17 schools, build 12 new ones and incorporate the Special schools. It begs the question, as regards the special schools; if it ain't broke - why fix it?

I think it's a safe bet to assume it won't be done by 2010. Are they still in the 'consultation' phase? I use the term loosely.

How's your report going?

OH shit, piss and fucking corruption!

Arsehole fucking inclusion.

bastards

moneysaving fucking bastards

report going slowly and rather ironically clearly showing the benefits of specialist education and in particular environments.

We have a newish head who managed to prevent the closure of his last special school so feel in safe hands

Basically the LEA could get money from the govt to build a new inclsuive seconday provision (satellite unit on a ms school site). If it wasn't mainstream based then they wouldn't have got it.

I have no problem with widening access to the children who will benefit from it. I am not at all convinced about the way they are going about it. And not sure where it leaves the combined SLD/PMLD school in terms of philosophy (seriously the methods used in the other special school would be a disaster for ds1; it couldn't work) or really in terms of how much money they'll get etc. Is it alll going to be channelled into the flagship learning academy whilst forgetting the children who can't be included. Have seen that happen repeatedly with things like holiday clubs etc so am not hopefull.

this seems to be a current trend my DD's school is awaiting funding for a new build they reckon they will start it in 2010, there have been some vists by staff & Govs to Teeside educational place which from what i understand a big place that includes MS & SN, girls school seem keen on the idea, i am not. we will see
Gess i doubt they will have anything up and running by 2010 for your DS, the LEA are not known for their speed

martianbishop said what I am thinking

if possible get yourself on Govs then at least you will know what plans are, and can have some input.

this is just so unfair.
and stupid.
where is the common sense in this decision?

oh dear. hope that somehow this nonsense doesn't happen. Presumably it's a lot cheaper to have these learning academies incorporating a specialist unit?

oh god this is what happened to us aswell

its shit

really spiderbaby? That's a concern.

Oh it all sounds very good and fluffily inclusive doesn't it. Wish some whitehall bod would get off their over fat arse and spend some time dealing with the reality.

The letter is hilarious really - uses all sorts of whoop it up phrases about how excited everyone is about this fantastic opportunity (I'm just loving the 'be able to access mainstream facilites" but as well- oh wow a classroom with desks, really? great) ; but you can tell the bigwig who sent it knows there will be uproar.