SEN Mainstream Education

JEEL

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It's no secret that there's a lack of funding within education, with this in mind, are we actually providing an inclusive curriculum, even though funding is not available for the necessary support? Or are resources being spread so thin that all pupils are being denied the support they are entitled to?
 
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AGirlHasNoName

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It's no secret that there's a lack of funding within education, with this in mind, are we actually providing an inclusive curriculum, even though funding is not available for the necessary support? Or are resources being spread so thin that all pupils are being denied the support they are entitled to?

In one word YES, the lack of funding in all areas of SEN education is atrocious. Its a constant battle. This is the same for every single service for children with SEN, disabilities, autism, adhd etc. This includes CAMHS and the NHS.
 

megs233

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If you lucky and have a EHCP for child, the doors open but even then with a small fight.
 

LadyOnArooftop

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I feel for parents with statemented children, having been there myself, i can empathise with them. Whether it be for budget cuts or ideological reasons the trend these days is to close special schools and move the children into mainstream. This can only be to the detriment of the SEN children and may even hold back the other school kids.
 

supercookie123

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In my experience, more parents than not want their child with a range of SEN in mainstream schools when they could qualify for a special school. Special schools here are very well-equipped, state-of-the-art places with many specialists on the staff. It seems, however that many parents want to give them the same opportunities as 'other' kids and allow them to integrate with them. I completely understand this - a diagnosis can be devastating to a parent and future plans of which they dreamed may have to be amended significantly.

The inclusion of a child with, say, severe behavioural problems in a mainstream school can however exclude all others in the class from an education. Watching a severely physically disabled child sitting on the side in a wheelchair with a classroom assistant, watching everyone else run around is heartbreaking and seems insensitive. A 15 year old with a reading age of 5 needs to be somewhere learning life skills: not all mainstream schools have the facility to do this and there is little point in them being in a French GCSE class, for instance, just sitting there.

An autistic child with a gift (in my experience, in Maths, for example) being able to sit exams in that subject YEARS early can blossom; mainstream schools can put things in place to support them; they can start to interact and even make friends. Perhaps in a special school, this would not be possible, if there were no Maths specialist, for instance. Every case is different...

Personally, I don't think mainstream education is ready to differentiate to the extremes required for all levels and categories of SEN.
 
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AGirlHasNoName

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In my experience, more parents than not want their child with a range of SEN in mainstream schools when they could qualify for a special school. Special schools here are very well-equipped, state-of-the-art places with many specialists on the staff. It seems, however that many parents want to give them the same opportunities as 'other' kids and allow them to integrate with them. I completely understand this - a diagnosis can be devastating to a parent and future plans of which they dreamed may have to be amended significantly.

The inclusion of a child with, say, severe behavioural problems in a mainstream school can however exclude all others in the class from an education. Watching a severely physically disabled child sitting on the side in a wheelchair with a classroom assistant, watching everyone else run around is heartbreaking and seems insensitive. A 15 year old with a reading age of 5 needs to be somewhere learning life skills: not all mainstream schools have the facility to do this and there is little point in them being in a French GCSE class, for instance, just sitting there.

An autistic child with a gift (in my experience, in Maths, for example) being able to sit exams in that subject YEARS early can blossom; mainstream schools can put things in place to support them; they can start to interact and even make friends. Perhaps in a special school, this would not be possible, if there were no Maths specialist, for instance. Every case is different...

Personally, I don't think mainstream education is ready to differentiate to the extremes required for all levels and categories of SEN.

I completely agree with this, one thing I have found though is that there are lots and lots of kids with learning disabilities, dyslexia and autism etc, that are undiagnosed and struggling in mainstream. I'm not sure if this is funding or just lack of specialism in schools spotting the signs and then actually being pro active about it.

For instance, a child diagnosed as a toddler with global developmental delay (not many people know this but that diagnosis expires at age 5), child has been statemented since nursery age, statement carries over to reception, child has a Learning Support Assistant full time throughout primary school. Because of all this child appears to be thriving, nobody gets child reassessed once reception is over, despite the parent insisting throughout the primary school years that there needs to be further investigation (CAMHS and the NHS do NOT assess children without the school on board, especially for Autism and ADHD). Child reaches year 6 and its clear to parent and school they cannot cope in a mainstream secondary, application for SEN school gets turned down as child has no concrete diagnosis. Battle begins, finally child is diagnosed with moderate learning disability and ? autism, parent however has to take local authority to court to obtain SEN place.

And that's just one case, I see it happen ALL THE TIME, its a constant battle to get anyone to listen or help. SEN schools are fabulous places for kids who won't cope at mainstream. HF Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, mild learning disabilities are all things that can be managed in mainstream IF and I stress this if, the schools are properly funded and staff well trained in SEN.

Definitely all comes down to funding and lack of training (not the teachers fault may I add). The government really need to invest in these children, they're letting so many kids, parents and schools down.
 
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megs233

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In my experience, more parents than not want their child with a range of SEN in mainstream schools when they could qualify for a special school. Special schools here are very well-equipped, state-of-the-art places with many specialists on the staff. It seems, however that many parents want to give them the same opportunities as 'other' kids and allow them to integrate with them. I completely understand this - a diagnosis can be devastating to a parent and future plans of which they dreamed may have to be amended significantly.

The inclusion of a child with, say, severe behavioural problems in a mainstream school can however exclude all others in the class from an education. Watching a severely physically disabled child sitting on the side in a wheelchair with a classroom assistant, watching everyone else run around is heartbreaking and seems insensitive. A 15 year old with a reading age of 5 needs to be somewhere learning life skills: not all mainstream schools have the facility to do this and there is little point in them being in a French GCSE class, for instance, just sitting there.

An autistic child with a gift (in my experience, in Maths, for example) being able to sit exams in that subject YEARS early can blossom; mainstream schools can put things in place to support them; they can start to interact and even make friends. Perhaps in a special school, this would not be possible, if there were no Maths specialist, for instance. Every case is different...

Personally, I don't think mainstream education is ready to differentiate to the extremes required for all levels and categories of SEN.


[Begger to differ] I have a Autistic / Asperger's grandson he excels at maths and sciences taught at special school in classes of 7 r 8 pupils .
he was exclude from school in juniors because they had not had the training on how to cope with him . Once my daughter took over his mentoring of an afternoon and fought tooth and nail for him , did he get put in to a unit at another school where he was include to join a main steam class once a week , He has not looked back.
My daughter now an advocate for other parents in same bat as she was once.
 

supercookie123

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[Begger to differ] I have a Autistic / Asperger's grandson he excels at maths and sciences taught at special school in classes of 7 r 8 pupils .
he was exclude from school in juniors because they had not had the training on how to cope with him . Once my daughter took over his mentoring of an afternoon and fought tooth and nail for him , did he get put in to a unit at another school where he was include to join a main steam class once a week , He has not looked back.
My daughter now an advocate for other parents in same bat as she was once.
I think we DO agree! He's at a school which CAN deal with his needs. There are so many complex conditions that unfortunately one size can barely ever fit all. Bravo to your daughter for fighting his corner, bravo to him for doing well and bravo you for being an ace grandmother. x
 

supercookie123

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I completely agree with this, one thing I have found though is that there are lots and lots of kids with learning disabilities, dyslexia and autism etc, that are undiagnosed and struggling in mainstream. I'm not sure if this is funding or just lack of specialism in schools spotting the signs and then actually being pro active about it.

For instance, a child diagnosed as a toddler with global developmental delay (not many people know this but that diagnosis expires at age 5), child has been statemented since nursery age, statement carries over to reception, child has a Learning Support Assistant full time throughout secondary school. Because of all this child appears to be thriving, nobody gets child reassessed once reception is over, despite the parent insisting throughout the primary school years that there needs to be further investigation (CAMHS and the NHS do NOT assess children without the school on board, especially for Autism and ADHD). Child reaches year 6 and its clear to parent and school they cannot cope in a mainstream secondary, application for SEN school gets turned down as child has no concrete diagnosis. Battle begins, finally child is diagnosed with moderate learning disability and ? autism, parent however has to take local authority to court to obtain SEN place.

And that's just one case, I see it happen ALL THE TIME, its a constant battle to get anyone to listen or help. SEN schools are fabulous places for kids who won't cope at mainstream. HF Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, mild learning disabilities are all things that can be managed in mainstream IF and I stress this if, the schools are properly funded and staff well trained in SEN.

Definitely all comes down to funding and lack of training (not the teachers fault may I add). The government really need to invest in these children, they're letting so many kids, parents and schools down.
Oh, absolutely... we have had a situation recently where there has been a limited number of statements available! Imagine that! 'Oh we can only statement X number of kids in area X in this quarter...'. Imagine hospitals doing that - only a certain number of people allowed treatment for cancer, etc. We'd be appalled.
 

supercookie123

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It's no secret that there's a lack of funding within education, with this in mind, are we actually providing an inclusive curriculum, even though funding is not available for the necessary support? Or are resources being spread so thin that all pupils are being denied the support they are entitled to?
I fear that 'inclusion' is such a broad term and open to such interpretation that in many cases, no; kids are not being supported as required. This is not to say that sterling efforts aren't made! Sometimes you just can't fit the round peg into the square hole, however hard you try.
 
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