Closing the Inclusion Gap

Special and Mainstream Schools Working in Partnership, includes CD

Rita Cheminais

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9781135398101
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

The future of special schools is dependent upon whether they can act as launch pads for closer collaboration with mainstream schools. This title provides hands-on practical support for those working in this area.

1

Redefining the future role of the special school

The national perspective on the future role of the special school

The DfEE Green Paper (1997) recognised that the context in which special schools were operating had changed. Their pupil populations were becoming more diverse and complex in relation to the types of special needs and the range of ability, placing increasing pressure on special schools to deal with a wider spectrum of needs.

It was considered that special schools would need to work more closely with support services, as well as with, and alongside, mainstream schools. The Green Paper also expressed the rather simplistic view that teachers in special schools were uniquely equipped to help their colleagues in mainstream schools to provide for pupils with more complex and diverse needs.

There was recognition that there would be resource implications, not least in the training which some special school teachers would require, in order to support capacity-building in mainstream schools.

Building on existing good practice was recommended as a way forward, particularly in relation to:

cooperative working;

shared facilities;

shared teaching and non-teaching expertise;

special schools becoming part of mainstream school cluster arrangements;

special schools setting targets for the amount of ‘inclusion time’ pupils should spend in mainstream settings;

more flexible pupil placements being on offer, i.e. some full-time, others parttime or short-term;

special school staff supporting some children in mainstream placements;

helping mainstream schools to implement inclusion policies;

providing a source of training and advice for mainstream colleagues;

co-location of special schools on the same site with mainstream schools to create larger learning campuses, with opportunities for interchange between staff and pupils;

special school staff refocusing their work in resourced mainstream schools.

In 1998 the DfEE, in its Programme of Action, stressed that there would be a continuing role for specialist provision, including special schools:

Special schools need to be confident, outward-looking centres of excellence. We want to build on their strengths and ensure that they are an integral part of an inclusive education system for children in their area. (DfEE 1998: 12)

Special schools were no longer being viewed as settings where pupils had to spend their entire school careers.

In 1999, Ainscow et al., in a DfEE research report which focused on special and mainstream schools working together, identified a positive role for special schools and services in supporting the deep changes in attitudes and practices required to move towards greater inclusion. It was considered that this would be achieved largely by the sharing of complementary expertise and resources, with professional development being a two-way exchange process.

The report did, however, acknowledge the difficulties associated with special schools supporting mainstream school capacity-building:

pupils remaining in the special school setting could be disadvantaged by the most effective special school staff spending time in the mainstream school at the expense of teaching time;

some special school teachers may experience deskilling when faced with unfamiliar mainstream systems and practices;

some special school class teachers may experience role conflict and tension when working in an in-class support capacity within a m...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Full Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 Redefining the future role of the special school
• Chapter 2 Preparing for a changing role
• Chapter 3 Enhancing mainstream school capacity to become more inclusive
• Chapter 4 Quality first inclusion partnerships
• Appendices
• References and further reading
• Index