INCA Education around the world
England : Organisation/control of education system
2.1.1 Control
2.1.2 Funding
2.1.3 Private sector education
2.1.4 SPECIAL PUBLICLY-FUNDED PROVISION WITHIN OR OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM EDUCATION
This information is intended to provide the background context of structure and control, within which the curriculum and assessment frameworks are implemented.
2.1 Organisation and control of system/structure
See section 2.1 of the mainstream England Archive.
2.1.1 Control
See section 2.1.1 of the mainstream England Archive.
2.1.2 Funding
See section 2.1.2 of the mainstream England Archive.
2.1.3 Private sector education
There are a number of (private) independent schools catering wholly or mainly for children with special educational needs. Such schools must secure the approval of the Secretary of State as suitable for the placement, by local authorities (LAs), of children with statements of special educational needs. Alternatively, the Secretary of State must give consent to an individual child being educated at the school. These independent schools are required to meet similar standards in respect of premises, qualified staff, education and care to those in other forms of special school.19
2.1.4 SPECIAL PUBLICLY-FUNDED PROVISION WITHIN OR OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM EDUCATION
Types of provision
In England, the Education Act 1996 4 and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001, place emphasis on educating children with special educational needs (SEN) alongside their peers in ordinary mainstream schools, where possible. 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. The decision on the type of provision to be made, whatever the type of school chosen, is made with reference to the individual student's needs, the needs of his or her peers and the efficient use of existing resources. A small minority (about three per cent) of children need more help than a mainstream school can provide without additional staff or equipment or adaptation to school buildings. Provision for these children may take various forms:
- Integration within an ordinary, mainstream class, receiving extra help within this setting.
- Attendance at special units or classes within mainstream primary or secondary schools.
- Attendance at free-standing units such as Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), see 3.2.5.
- Attendance at a special school on a part-time, daily or residential basis.
- Education in hospitals.
- Home tuition.19
Further details on the types of provision available for students with special needs are provided in section 3.2.5.
Size of provision
In January 1999, there were 8.3 million children in schools in England; 92 per cent of these were in publicly-funded nursery, primary and secondary schools; seven per cent attended independent schools; and one per cent went to special schools or Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). There were 248,041 children (or three per cent of students) with statements of special educational needs in January 1999, of which 147,575 or 59 per cent were in publicly-funded nursery, primary or secondary schools; 93,600 (38 per cent) were in special schools or PRUs; and 6,862 (three per cent) were in independent schools.28
In 2004, 1.05 per cent of children of compulsory school age were attending special schools. 93
Special schools by main type of SEN provision (2001/02)78
|
Special Needs Classification |
Number of Schools |
|
Autism |
66 |
|
Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD) |
266 |
|
Hearing Impairment |
23 |
|
Hospital Schools |
24 |
|
Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) |
337 |
|
Multi-sensory Impairment |
2 |
|
Physical Difficulties |
85 |
|
Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (SLD) |
27 |
|
Severe Learning Needs |
320 |
|
Specific Learning Difficulties |
60 |
|
Speech and Language Disorders |
30 |
|
Visual Impairment |
11 |
|
Other |
88 |
|
Total |
1339 |
|
Total number of maintained (publicly funded) special schools |
1144 |
In January 2008, 223,600 (2.8 per cent) of students in England had a statement of special educational needs. The percentage of students with a statement of special educational needs placed in maintained (publicly funded) schools (nursery, primary or secondary) was 56.6 per cent. There were also 1,390,700 students with SEN without statements of special educational needs, representing 17.2 per cent of students across all schools. 97
Funding and control
See section 2.1.2 of the mainstream England Archive in addition.
The Schools Access Initiative, funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), invites local authorities to bid for funds to adapt buildings to include facilities such as wheelchair ramps and wide entrances.19
See section 1.2.2 in addition for further details of special funding programmes/initiatives.
