Schools Minister, Jacqui Smith, and Disability Equality in Education have launched the National Disability Trainers’ Network. The National Network will provide training by 100 disabled trainers to schools and colleges. The training is designed to help schools and colleges provide an appropriate and high quality education to disabled pupils alongside their peers. The Minister said: ‘By drawing on first hand experience, the trainers will help to break down barriers and challenge the preconceived ideas of those without disabilities. The trainers will demonstrate to all that being disabled isn’t in itself a barrier to achievement and participation within society. As positive role models they will help develop a greater respect for, and understanding of, the value of diversity.’
Disabled and Supportive Carer, February 2000.

A mental health charity is calling for Notts youngsters to be taught about the effects bullying has on people with learning disabilities. Nottingham Mencap’s appeal for the subject to be included in the National Curriculum follows a country-wide report, ‘Living in Fear’. The report found that nine out of ten people with a learning disability had been bullied in the past year and two-thirds were bullied at least once a month. Bullying ranges from daily name-calling and harassment to threats and physical assault.
Nottingham Evening Post, February 10, 2000.

Plans for a £2.8 million drive to keep more kids in the classroom and off the streets are being finalised by Sheffield Council. Most of the cash will be handed directly to schools to give them the incentive to keep pupils who otherwise they might exclude. The changes will see replacement of the unit which teaches children who are not in mainstream with two smaller units. The first will concentrate on getting children back to school, while the second will look beyond formal schooling to college and work-based training.
The Star Sheffield, February 10, 2000.

A family’s struggle to integrate their autistic child into mainstream schooling has suffered a setback. Isaac Pursglove’s isolating condition makes it difficult for him to interact with others and he began throwing fits, kicking and punching other pupils and staff and generally causing disruption. However, head teacher David Wood said: ‘We think this is just a hiccup. There were bound to be difficulties integrating Isaac into the school. I think he found the classroom over-stimulating. What we are doing at the moment is trying a new approach, putting him in a quieter environment where he can concentrate on what his teacher is telling him.’
Kent Messenger (Tunbridge Wells and Weald), February 11, 2000.

More than a third of children excluded from primary school and two-thirds from secondary never return to mainstream school, according to research published today. The findings come in a survey for the charity Include, which campaigns for the re-integration of excluded children. The research analyses figures for the academic year 1997–98, when Government statistics showed 12,298 pupils were excluded from school. Of those 1,500 were primary school pupils, 400 aged under 7. The survey also found that a disproportionate number of excluded pupils had special educational needs.
Manchester Metro (News Daily), February 14, 2000.

Barnsley Council is to close down two special schools and concentrate facilities on the site of a third. Among the 3,500 objections to the scheme are a number from parents complaining that their childen will have further to travel to the new super special school. The Council has said it hopes that no child will have to spend more than 45 minutes travelling to the new school.
Yorkshire Post (Leeds), February 15, 2000.

More than 100 parents attended a meeting with county education officials in Stafford over a review of special needs education in the county. Eunice Finney of the Staffordshire Federation of Parent Teacher Associations said parents were concerned the review could result in their children being transferred from their existing schools. She said: ‘I think the review is going to suggest more integration but there was a warning from parents saying how can these teachers cope’.
Cannock Express and Star, February 18, 2000.

Bownham Park will be the first of Gloucestershire’s four doomed special schools to shut. The countdown to closure began yesterday when county councillors agreed that the Stroud School should go by July 2003. But members of the special education needs development sub-committee extended the proposal’s public consultation period by two months. After that they will begin selecting the next special school to close. The decision came after county head of SEN, Dr Stephen Huggett’s report that Bownham Park should close because of falling pupil numbers. Pupils due to go to Bownham Park in September 2003 will go to mainstream schools instead. But Graham Barton, chairman of the Special Schools Protection League, said pupils were not being referred to the school.
Gloucestershire Echo, February 15, 2000.

Campaigners battling to halt the closure of special schools in Gloucestershire say they will take their campaign all the way to 10 Downing Street. Members of the Special Schools Protection League’s Inclusion Action Group met at Alderman Knight School in Tewkesbury last night to fine-tune their plan of attack, which includes setting up a web site to galvanise worldwide support. The campaign to save the first of four special schools to close is in full swing with petitions circulating all over the county. Group chairman, and county councillor Gordon Shurmer (Con, Ashchurch and Tewkesbury) said: ‘If we lose Bownham Park School it would set a dangerous precedent. Then we would have a huge battle to fight.’
Gloucestershire Echo, February 16, 2000.

A massive shake-up of special education in Sandwell has been given the green light. A special independent review body has now backed the plans put forward by education chiefs. Under the proposals schools which cater for children with severe learning difficulties and moderate learning difficulties will close from August. The schools to close are Albert Bradford, Firs, Glenvale, Regent, Arden, Blakeley, Fitzwarren, Knowle and Millfield. New establishments in mainstream schools will be set up under the proposals. Bob Shelley, chairman of the independent review body, said one of the main concerns from consultations with parents was that children would be forced into mainstream. He said: ‘Having received assurances from the LEA that this will not be the case, the schools organisation committee has given its approval to the review proposals.’
Sandwell Express and Star, February 18, 2000.

The high standard of teaching and quality of leadership at Green Hedges School, Cambridge, has been praised by school watchdogs, Ofsted. The school caters for 66 pupils aged between two and 19 with severe, profound and multiple disabilities. Pupils with autism have been spending some sessions at Fawcett Primary School to integrate them into mainstream. The inspectors said: ‘They make good progress, and some pupils make very good progress in their communication, socialisation, self-esteem, confidence and academic ability. It is often difficult to know which pupils in school are from Green Hedges and this is a clear measure of the success of the provision in promoting good progress against the special needs of every child.’
Cambridge Evening News, February 24, 2000.