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Special educational needs in England: January 2015
- Author:
- WHITAKER Adam
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Education
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 9
- Place of publication:
- London
This statistical first release publishes data from the January 2015 school census on pupils with special educational needs and information about special schools in England. It also provides data on the characteristics of pupils by their SEN provision. The release shows that 15.4 per cent of pupils in schools in England have identified special educational needs (equating to 1,301,445 pupils). This has been decreasing since 2010 (21.1 per cent) and is a fall of 2.5 percentage points since last year. Nearly a quarter of pupils with a primary need were recorded as having ‘Moderate Learning Difficulty’ as their primary need – the most common primary need. (Edited publisher abstract)
Towering achievements
- Author:
- PARTON Dan
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, 15(6), November/December 2015, pp.28-29.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
Project Search helps young people in Blackpool with learning disabilities gain work experience and employment, and has enjoyed a high level of success thanks to its personalised approach. Each student on the project takes part in two months of college-based learning, before gaining experience in a variety of work placements sessions to find a suitable career. This article describes the development and some of the achievements of the Project, which is run by Blackpool Council, along with the Blackpool branch of learning disability Mencap, Blackpool and the Fylde College and three of the town's special schools. (Edited publisher abstract)
Special educational needs and disability data descriptors: government consultation response
- Author:
- GREAT BRITAIN. Department for Education
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Education
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 16
- Place of publication:
- London
The government response to the consultation on SEND data descriptors in the school census and individualised learner record, including a summary of the responses we received. This is part of our long term aim to move to a consistent data collection to improve tracking of students, cohorts and specific needs groups, improve data quality, support planning and move towards a more consistent data collection across all age ranges. This document sets out the findings from the consultation, the government’s response and the changes that will come into effect for the 2015 to 2016 academic year. (Edited publisher abstract)
Learning on the land
- Author:
- MOURANT Andrew
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, 15(6), November/December 2015, pp.14-15.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
This article describes how Fairfield Farm College in Wiltshire, England teaches 16-24 year-olds with learning disabilities basic farming skills which help them move onto independent living and paid employment. Students are referred by local authorities, some as residents, living in houses just off site, while others attend as day students. (Edited publisher abstract)
Research on funding for young people with special educational needs: research report
- Authors:
- PARISH Natalie, BRYANT Ben
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Education
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 154
- Place of publication:
- London
A research study into funding arrangements and practices for young people with special educational needs, providing insights into the way funding is spent, the reasons for differences between spending patterns in different local authorities, and the options for changing the ways in which high-needs funding is distributed in future. Drawing on a review of the existing literature, fieldwork visits to 13 local education systems and analysis of options for a future funding system, the report focuses on the mechanics of funding in relation to national-to-local distribution, early years, mainstream schools, special schools, post-16 providers and top-up funding and identifies areas that are working well and what is proving more challenging. The report suggests that while there remain a number of areas in which the SEN funding system is not yet working as well as it could, the fundamental ideas that underpinned the 2013 funding reforms have undoubtedly moved the system forward in a positive way. The report sets out 17 proposals for the Department of Education to consider on how the SEN funding system might be improved. These fall into three different categories, as they are designed to: shine a light on effective practice and on how the current system is intended to work; improve the way in which funding is allocated to make it either fairer, more transparent or to ensure that it is better targeted at need; and enable better decision-making by frontline professionals. (Edited publisher abstract)
Young people with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder in post-compulsory state supported schools in England
- Authors:
- HATTON Chris, GLOVER Gyles
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 20(3), 2015, pp.170-174.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: Transition from education to adult life is a stated policy aim for young people with learning disabilities. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which 16-18-year olds with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder are remaining in state school education beyond the minimum school leaving age. Design/methodology/approach: A tabulation from the Department for Education Children and Early Years Data Unit for 2014, combined with School Census data and age-specific population estimates, allowed us to compare the rates of children identified as having moderate, severe or profound/multiple learning difficulties (MLD, SLD, PMLD), or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) in state education at the ages of 16-18 years vs five to 15 years. Findings: For all types of need analysed in the paper, the rate of children in state school dropped considerably at the ages of 16-18 years: 10 per cent of the rates of children with MLD, 62 per cent of children with SLD, 49 per cent of children with PMLD and 23 per cent of children with ASD at ages five to 15 years were in state education at ages 16-18 years. Almost all young people aged 16-18 years in state education with SLD or PMLD were in special schools, compared to just over half of young people with MLD or ASD. For all these figures, there was considerable regional variation. Social implications: Substantial numbers of children with learning disabilities or ASD do not remain in post-16 state education, with wide regional variations that do not seem to correspond to regional variations in need or national policy concerning transition. (Publisher abstract)
Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years: statutory guidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities
- Authors:
- GREAT BRITAIN. Department for Education, GREAT BRITAIN. Department of Health
- Publishers:
- Great Britain. Department for Education, Great Britain. Department of Health
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 292
- Place of publication:
- London
Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, valid from April 2015. It explains the duties of schools and colleges to provide: reasonable adjustments for disabled children and young people; and extra aids and services for disabled children and young people. The code sets out the principles underpinning the legislation including involving children, young people and parents in decisions about their support, and in planning, commissioning and reviewing services. Key sections cover: impartial information, advice and support; working together across education, health and care for joint outcomes; the local offer; early years providers; schools; further education; preparing for adulthood; education, health and care needs assessments and plans; children and young people in specific circumstances; and resolving disagreements. (Edited publisher abstract)
Joining the dots: have recent reforms worked for those with SEND?
- Author:
- BERNARDES Eleanor
- Publisher:
- Driver Youth Trust
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 60
- Place of publication:
- London
This report analyses the effect of the Children and Families Act (2014) on children and young people with SEND, and where relevant, focuses on literacy and dyslexia. The report suggests that at present provision is fragmented' leading to difficulties in sharing information and knowledge and argues that the key causes of fragmentation are: changes to the role of local authorities that have been poorly communicated and inconsistently executed; an emerging but disorganised middle tier; a disparate school funding system; and isolated and opaque schools. The case studies in this report show that autonomy allows new players to work with schools and some provision has improved substantially as a result. Yet an autonomous environment is also a risky one: in relation to SEND the report finds that while some schools have thrived, others are struggling to provide high-quality teaching and additional support for their learners. The report concludes that ultimately whether or not a school prioritises and succeeds in improving outcomes for SEND pupils increasingly depends on the school’s leadership and on teachers having accurate information about their pupils’ needs coupled with high-quality training. The report makes detailed recommendations to policy-makers, local authorities, schools, and Ofsted. (Edited publisher abstract)
Understanding resilience in learning difficulties: unheard voices of secondary school students
- Authors:
- HAROARDOTTIR Sigrun, JULIUSDOTTIR Sigrun, GUOMUNDSSON Halldor S.
- Journal article citation:
- Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 32(4), 2015, pp.351-358.
- Publisher:
- Springer
This article presents part of the results from the research project of learning disabilities (LD) and success in school. The study investigates the interplay between psychosocial wellbeing and study progress and what works to support and empower students at-risk of school failure and dropout. It entails a group of 270 students in Iceland, all born in 1989, 1990 and 1991. At the beginning of their studies they completed the Youth Self Report. Four and a half years later contact was made with the students participating in the research, to attain information regarding their study progress. The results show that large number of students, or 72 %, who began their learning on an academic study track, had completed their studies at upper secondary school, but only 16 % of students who were at-risk of school failure and began their learning on general study track. Ten students with specific LD who began their learning on general track study, and had performed well in their studies and finished upper secondary education, were selected to take part in qualitative interviews. This article presents that part of the research. The school experience was explored from their perspectives regarding what they considered helpful versus obstructing in their learning situation. Three main themes were identified: (a) struggles regarding problem defining, (b) labelling and stigma, (c) support from a caring person in developing selfworth and resilience. This article offers guidelines to help parents and schools to better support students with LD. (Publisher abstract)
Evaluating ‘FREDA challenge’: a coproduced human rights board game in services for people with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- MONTENEGRO Miguel, GREENHILL Beth
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 28(3), 2015, pp.223-237.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: A serious board game called ‘FREDA Challenge’ was co-produced with people with intellectual disabilities (PWID) as a tool for human rights (HR) education and increase positive attitudes towards HR in healthcare settings. The current study evaluated ‘FREDA Challenge’ with PWID and their carers. Method: Eighteen PWID and 13 carers participated in a repeated measures design whereby changes in attitudes and knowledge of HR were measured. Results: Analysis revealed statistically significant differences (P = 0.02) between PWID and carers in their knowledge of HR. The same was not evident for attitudes towards HR. The positive attitudes and knowledge in the PWID group significantly increased after playing the game (P ≤ 0.02), but not for the carers/professionals group. Conclusions: Findings suggest that playing the board game can positively change the attitudes and knowledge of PWID towards HR. The board game seems to elicit positive interpersonal dynamics between PWID and carers/professionals. (Publisher abstract)