Because the world is changing, because moral values are being re-examined as stereotypical thinking is increasingly exposed, because national and international guidance advocates inclusion and, quite simply, because any alternative seems unacceptable, if not morally flawed:

  • Valuing some people more than others is unethical.
  • Maintaining barriers to some students’ participation in the cultures, curricula and communities of local schools is unacceptable.
  • Preserving school cultures, policies and practices that are non-responsive to the diversity of learners perpetuates inequalities.
  • Thinking that inclusion mostly concerns disabled learners is misleading.
  • Thinking that school changes made for some will not benefit others is short-sighted.
  • Viewing differences between students as problems to be overcome is disrespectful and limits learning opportunities.
  • Segregated schooling for disabled learners violates their basic human right to education without discrimination.
  • Improving schools only for students is disrespectful to all other stakeholders.
  • Identifying academic achievement as the main aim of schooling detracts from the importance of personal and moral development.
  • Isolating schools and local communities from one another deprives everyone of enriching experiences.
  • Perceiving inclusion in education as a separate issue from inclusion in society is illogical.

People often have views on inclusion but little time, energy or inclination to explore them. The issues are not simple and answers are far from straightforward. Nonetheless, CSIE strongly urges visitors to this site to make time to grapple with these ideas: to interrogate your views, challenge your thinking, expose and investigate assumptions, try to see things from a number of different perspectives. Be relentlessly curious: how might these issues look if you were a teacher, a parent, a young person? What might it be like if you were experiencing barriers to your learning or participation?

Every child has a right to a good education in their local community. This is confirmed by national and international laws. In the UK, including disabled children in mainstream schools has been encouraged by law since the early 1980s. However, one government after another has been criticised for not providing the funding, not showing enough commitment, and for keeping loopholes in the law which keep the system unchanged. This is like giving out a ticket and keeping the door locked.

The national picture is disturbingly inconsistent (for more information please see our research on local authority school placement trends), and some people believe that including disabled learners in mainstream schools is inappropriate.

A false dichotomy?

People often debate whether disabled children should be included in their local school or attend a special school. This argument can feel very divided, but it doesn’t have to be.

Those in favour of local, mainstream schools say disabled children have the right to learn alongside others in their community, without discrimination. They warn that if children are separated, prejudice and discrimination will continue.

Those who support special schools believe that these are needed because they provide expert support and a suitable environment that ordinary schools may not always offer.

But these two views do not clash. The first is about human rights, the second about current practice. Importantly, the law already requires ordinary schools to include disabled children, and many schools are doing this successfully. Research shows that it benefits all children—disabled and non-disabled.

In the end, it makes educational, social, and financial sense to plan for learning in ways that keep disabled children included in their local communities.

Professor Gary Thomas, after Baroness Warnock’s statement in 2005 that inclusion is not working, wrote an article in the TES (published 14 October 2005) in which he states:

“But 25 years on, it is revealed that inclusion is difficult. Did anyone expect otherwise? Of course special schooling is more convenient for the education system. Children who make serious demands on teachers’ time are removed to special schools. The real issue – if we believe that inclusion is the right thing to do – is about how to make it work. Here, some brave decisions are needed from policy-makers about funding.”

Including disabled learners in mainstream settings may not be easy, but we hope visitors to these pages will see this as a challenge worth grappling with.

The following text is adapted from Implementing the Disability Discrimination Act in schools and Early Years settings, published by the Department for Education and Skills and the Disability Rights Commission (2006).

Schools that are rising to the challenge of developing an inclusive environment that benefits all children have found the following helpful:

  • a ‘can do’ attitude
  • a welcoming and supportive ethos
  • forward planning
  • strong leadership
  • ongoing consultation with pupils and parents
  • effective staff training
  • good working relationship with outside agencies
  • regular review and evaluation of reasonable adjustments.

Small changes can make a big difference

The issue of including disabled learners in mainstream schools has been so heavily contested that it seems to warrant closer consideration. Find out more about how inclusion of disabled children in mainstream schools works in practice and read our responses to frequently asked questions on this issue.

We have also put together some responses to frequently asked questions about schooling for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children and young people.