A young boy who was born totally blind has achieved exceptional results in his primary school’s standard attainment tests (SATS) this term. Eleven-year old Toby Ott of Invicta School in Blackheath, London, beat the national average in the tests which are conducted so that the Government can assess performance by all schools in key subjects. His mother, Kelly, who is a teacher, said: ‘Mainstream pupils are expected to reach level four and Toby achieved level five, which is above the national average. Invicta has been brilliant for Toby.’ The school was supported by the Greenwich Visual Impairment Service.
Bexley and Eltham Leader, August 4, 2000.

The mother of a severely sick child claimed her son was at risk from a major reorganisation of special needs education. Despite a major heart defect, which his mother fears could kill him without special care, Qadir Munir was forced to go to a mainstream school by Newcastle City Council. Yesterday the Local Government Ombudsman accused the council of a ‘catalogue of errors’ over its provision to meet Qadir’s needs. The ombudsman recommended the family be awarded £1,000 in damages and said the council needed to overhaul its current procedures on children with special needs. Qadir is now being taught at a school where he has one-on-one care from an auxiliary teacher, but his mother said she still wanted him moved to a specialist school closer to medical care.
Newcastle Upon Tyne Journal, August 8, 2000.

Parents of disabled children have hit back at reports that a number of children in a holiday playscheme were frightened and disturbed at the presence of disabled youngsters. Louise Martin sends her son Adam to the award winning Sands Centre playscheme in Cardiff every year. Adam,6, has brain damage and mild cerebral palsy. She said: ‘It’s absolutely disgusting that parents of normal kids would complain about disabled kids. Do they want us to lock up our kids so they can’t play out?’ Jim Douglas, head of leisure contacts at the Sands Centre, said the comments had been taken out of context. Parents had taken their children out of the play area because they thought they might hurt the disabled children by being too boisterous. Refunds and free vouchers were handed out for the children to come back another time.
News and Star (All Cumbria), August 8, 2000.

Kent County Council has promised more help for a five-year-old autistic boy who has not been found a place in a specialist unit. Education experts say James Gale needs to attend a specialist unit if he is to be able to go into mainstream schooling and enjoy a normal life. But his parents have been told nothing is available. Colin Feltham, the county’s head of special educational needs, said he greatly sympathised with the family. ‘We recognised the difficulties and this is why we are reviewing our services for pupils with additional educational needs in order to make it possible for more youngsters like James to attend mainstream schools. We truly hope we can offer James a school place very soon. In the meantime, we will be providing enhanced tuition in his home.’
Kent Messenger (Malling), August 11, 2000.

Gloucestershire parents fighting to keep the county’s special schools open are prepared to take their protest to court. This follows a recent ruling in the House of Lords that local authorities can be sued for failing to provide an appropriate education for children with special needs. Parents battling against Gloucestershire County Council’s controversial special educational needs development plan say the landmark decision adds weight to their campaign. They also argue that the Government’s latest draft SEN Code of Practice, which states it is firmly committed to promoting inclusion by choice, reaffirms their right to choose. It also outlines a framework for SEN pupils to be included in mainstream schools and states that inclusion is not an agenda for the wholesale closure of special schools.
Gloucestershire Echo, August 18, 2000.