Cameron Given Hard Time By Parent Over Tory Education Policy

[tech_guy]

Link

[webman]

Wow. I find myself in agreement with Mr Cameron and the conservative policy in this area. My understanding and 2p worth: Some children who are classed as having "special educational needs" cannot be taught in mainstream education due to them having special educational needs. Having them educated separately is an advantage two-fold: 1) they get the exact focus and attention from specialists; 2) non-SEN students in mainstream are not affected by the teaching to levels which SEN students can cope with.

 

The Tories say that their manifesto calls for choice for the parents of special needs children.

 

I see nothing wrong with this.

[broc]

As long as the funds to provide SEN support are not taken (disproportionately) from mainstream schools I would also agree with webman. It is evident that some SEN chldren are disadvantaged in mainstream, but there are also parents who regard SEN as some form of stigma and resolutely deny their children are in need, instead demanding they be taught in mainstream schools.

 

I know of one primary school near where I live (a well-heeled part of town) that never ever has SEN children on roll........ even though they develop SEN when they go to the local secondary....

Edited April 27, 2010 by broc

[tmcd35]

Something one of science technicians so aptly asked...

 

Why are we required to teach GCSE Physic to students who can't write their own name?

 

One of the few things I probably do agree with David Cameron about.

[broc]

My cousin has a son with learning difficulties & with limited speech & vocabulary. Believe it or not, a few years ago his special school was criticised by Ofsted for not teaching their students Modern Foreign Languages........

[mattx]

I think it should be dealt with on a case by case basis, there was a down's syndrome child at my son's school, had his own dedicated helper, one in the afternoon and one in the morning. He came on leaps and bounds because of the daily interaction between him and all the other children. The other children loved him to bits, always wanted to play and help him and his overall impact on the school was incredible. Not only did he get a great deal out of it, the other children did and it's a shame now he had to leave.

Of course it won't always be like this but if a parent thinks, feels and supports the school then it will benifit both the child, the school, the community and other children. At least give the child a chance, it is their right to an education and an education of a school the parents think will benifit their child.

[broc]

I guess the challenge is getting the balance right;

 

having adequate funding to pay for the extra staff & highly specialised training

 

having parents accept their child needs help

 

being able to differentiate between bad behaviour and making the correct clinical diagnosis of learning difficulties or special educational needs .....

 

It's too easy to adopt a 'one size fits all' approach & fall into the trap of trying to treat all children the same

[webman]

I think it should be dealt with on a case by case basis.

 

I think that is partly what is being proposed - ensuring that there is choice as to where a SEN student attends. E.g. a place who can cater for their highly specific needs (non-mainstream), or mainstream and they just need a helping hand in certain areas.

 

But as broc says, it's getting the balance right. Parents of SEN children will probably need to receive advice on the best place.