3.2.5 SPECIAL PUBLICLY-FUNDED PROVISION WITHIN OR OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM EDUCATION
General
Special schools
Pupil referral units
Education of sick children
3.2.5.1 CRITERIA FOR ACCESS TO PROVISION
3.2.5.2 LENGTH OF SCHOOL YEAR (IN DAYS) AND DAY (IN HOURS)
For details of 'standard' provision in mainstream schools, see sections:
3.2, 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 (primary level education)
3.2.3, 3.2.3.1, 3.2.3.2 (lower secondary education)
3.2.4, 3.2.4.1, 3.2.4.2 (upper secondary education)
of the mainstream England 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
By law, local authorities (LAs) in England must ensure publicly-funded provision for children with special educational needs (SEN) from the ages of 2 to 19 years.19
This provision normally takes the form of education alongside the students' peers in ordinary mainstream schools. Specially funded help (additional staff or equipment, or adaptation to school facilities) may also 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:
Local authorities (LAs) in England have the power to establish special schools. Before a school is defined as a special school, approval must be obtained from the Secretary of State. Special schools may be LA-maintained schools, or schools which are not publicly-funded but are run by charities or charitable trusts.19
Special schools provide education for children whose special educational 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 ordinary schools.19
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 all-age schools, which tend to have a higher proportion of older students, can be disadvantageous for the younger children. 19
Hospital schools are special schools, within the premises of a hospital, which provide education for children who reside as patients (see 'Education of sick children' below in addition).19
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 special educational needs; 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 special educational needs. 19
Local authorities in England must establish Pupil Referral Units for the education of students who, for reasons of disability, truancy or prolonged illness, are not attending mainstream schools.19
Specialist secondary schools
As mentioned in the mainstream England Archive, section 3.2.3, at the compulsory secondary education level, under the Specialist Schools Programme, some schools specialise in a specific area of the curriculum (technology, languages, sport, or arts), whilst also offering the full National Curriculum to students. Special schools too may apply to become specialist schools under the programme. In 1999, for example, three schools catering specifically for children with special educational needs became Technology Colleges.25
Since December 2005 special schools have also been able to apply for SEN specialism specialist school status. These schools specialise in one of the four areas of the special educational needs (SEN) Code of Practice (see section 1.2.1):
Special schools continue also to be eligible for the main Specialist Schools Programme, which allows them to specialise in one of ten specialisms covering the whole curriculum (see section 3.2.3). 295
In any given year in England there are some 100,000 children and young people who require education outside school because of illness or injury. The primary aim of educating children and young people who have medical needs is to minimise, as far as possible, the disruption to normal schooling by continuing their education as normally as the incapacity allows. Enabling such students to access education appropriate to their medical condition is regarded as particularly important to their future mental and physical development. In this respect, the Government has produced guidance on "Access to Education for Children and Young People with Medical Needs". Written for local authorities (LAs), schools, hospitals and home teaching services, hospital and health trust managers, and social services departments, the guidance sets out the minimum national standard for the education of children and young people who are unable to attend school because of medical needs. It provides advice to ensure that all LAs have in place vital arrangements to enable continuance of the learning process. Access to this publication and to further information on the education of sick children is available via the following website - http://www.dfes.gov.uk/sickchildren/
For further details of the numbers of children catered for in the various types of provision, see section 2.1.4 in addition.
In England, children with special educational needs 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.19
Local authorities (LAs) 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.19
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 England Archive.
Where students have a statement of special educational needs (see 1.2.1 for further information), this usually names the school to which the child should be admitted. Most admissions to special schools are determined by statements of special educational needs. Admission to special schools will normally be reserved for students with statements of special educational needs, but children without statements may be admitted. This is usually only on a temporary basis, or as an emergency or provisional placement often whilst the child's statement of special educational needs is being prepared.27
Where a child has been issued with a statement of special educational needs (see 1.2.1 for further information), local authorities (LAs) must ensure that he or she receives the educational provision specified in this statement. If the LA 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 Secretary of State for the admission of children with statements of special educational needs.10
After consulting with the parents, the LA may determine that a child's special educational needs may be met by provision other than at school, for example, by the local health authority or the social services department. LAs may also arrange for some children with a statement of special educational needs to attend an establishment outside England.11
Where parents are unhappy about the school named in their child's statement of special educational needs, they may appeal to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.12
See sections 3.2.1.2, 3.2.2.2, 3.2.3.2, and 3.2.4.2 for details of mainstream provision.