For details of 'standard' provision in mainstream schools, see sections:
3.2.1, 3.2.1.1, 3.2.1.2 (pre-compulsory education)
3.2.2, 3.2.2.1, 3.2.2.2 (compulsory primary education)
3.2.3, 3.2.3.1, 3.2.3.2 (compulsory [lower] secondary education)
3.2.4, 3.2.4.1, 3.2.4.2 (post-compulsory [upper] secondary education)
of the mainstream Wales Archive.
THAT IS, PROVISION FOR STUDENTS WITH PARTICULAR NEEDS SUCH AS THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, LEARNING DIFFICULTIES, HIGH ABILITY, BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES, OR THOSE FROM PARTICULAR ETHNIC GROUPS OR TRAVELLER COMMUNITIES
General
By law, local education authorities (LEAs) in Wales must ensure publicly-funded provision for children with special educational needs (SEN) from the ages of 2 to 19 years.28
This provision normally takes the form of education alongside a student's peers in ordinary mainstream schools. Specially funded help (additional staff or equipment, or adaptation to school facilities) may be provided in addition. A minority of children are educated outside the mainstream system or in separate units or classes set up within mainstream primary or secondary schools. Provision for these children may take various forms:
Special schools
Local education authorities (LEAs) in Wales have the power to establish special schools. Procedures for the establishment, alteration and closure of maintained (publicly-funded) special schools are set out in the Education (Maintained Special Schools) (Wales) Regulations 1999.5, 28
Special schools provide education for children whose special needs cannot be met satisfactorily in a mainstream school. Such schools are generally smaller than mainstream schools and may have children ranging from nursery age (2 years and over) to 16+. They usually have a lower student:teacher ratio than mainstream schools.28
Special schools may be day schools or residential schools and some may make both day and residential provision. Special schools cater for students with a wide variety of special needs and they include schools for: blind students; students with speech and language impairment; students with moderate, severe or specific learning difficulties; and students with hearing impairment. There are also special schools for students with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD). Wherever possible, separate primary and secondary special schools are made available for EBD children, since it is considered that all-age schools, which tend to have a higher proportion of older students, can be disadvantageous for younger children.28
Hospital schools are special schools, within the premises of a hospital, which provide education for children who reside as patients.28
The school policy of a special school must set out basic information about the school's special educational provision, information about the policy for assessment and provision for all students with SEN, and information about the school's staffing policies and partnership with bodies beyond the school, such as voluntary organisations who work on behalf of children with SEN.28
Pupil Referral Units (PRUs)
Local education authorities (LEAs) in Wales may also establish Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) for the education of students who, for reasons of disability, truancy or prolonged illness, are not attending mainstream schools.28
Pre-compulsory
During this phase, a few institutions target specific groups of children. For example, playgroups run by the Wales Pre-School Playgroups Association (PPA Cymru) and Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin (the Association of Welsh-medium Playgroups) provide places for very young children with special educational needs through a special needs referral scheme, which offers learning and development through play for children with disabilities and other special needs, often alongside other children.19
In Wales, children with special educational needs (SEN) are integrated alongside their peers, wherever possible, in mainstream education. Provision within a mainstream school may include integration within an ordinary class while receiving extra assistance, or attendance at special units or classes within the school.28
Local education authorities (LEAs) are required to take into account the wishes of children and their parents in the choice of a particular school, whether mainstream or special school. The decision on the type of provision to be made, whatever the type of school chosen, is also made with reference to the individual student's needs, the needs of his or her peers and the efficient use of existing resources.28
Details of admissions procedures to mainstream schools are provided in sections 3.2.1.1, 3.2.2.1, 3.2.3.1 and 3.2.4.1 of the mainstream Wales Archive.
Where a child has been issued with a statement of special educational needs (see 1.2.1 - Code of Practice - for further information), LEAs must ensure that the child receives the educational provision specified in this statement. If the LEA cannot meet a child's needs at one of its own (publicly-funded) maintained schools, it may recommend placing the child in an independent school (privately-funded, fee-paying school) and must, in such cases, meet all expenses. However, the independent school must be approved by the National Assembly for Wales (NAfW) for the admission of children with statements of special educational needs. Alternatively, consent to the placement of each individual child must be obtained by the LEA.28
After consulting with the parents, the LEA may determine that a child's special needs may be met by provision other than at school, for example, by the local health authority or the social services department. LEAs may also arrange for some children with a statement of special educational needs to attend an establishment outside Wales.28
Where parents are unhappy about the school named in their child's statement of special educational needs, they may appeal to the SEN Tribunal for Wales (see section 1.2.1. - Statements of Special Educational Needs).75
See sections 3.2.1.2, 3.2.2.2, 3.2.3.2, and 3.2.4.2 of the mainstream Wales archive for details of standard provision.
Special schools may be day schools or residential schools and some may make both day and residential provision.28