Wait for school place finally ends
AN AUTISTIC 11-year-old left without education for months has finally been given a school place – but his mum says too many like him are still missing out.
James Parker spent more than six months out of school after Durham County Council was unable to find a school which could support his unique needs.
James, who has autism and severe ADHD, now has a place at a school he “loves” after a wait of more than six months – but many with special needs wait longer.
Mum Emma, 38, a primary school teacher from Durham, addressed a conference of the National Education Union on the “crisis” of places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
She told fellow teachers: “The crisis in SEND has reached epidemic proportions. Children and their families are in crisis. There is no money, there are no places, there is no support.”
The conference heard a survey of 900 school staff found half said their school had cut SEND funding this year, while 54% had lost teaching assistants, who often help support SEND students.
Emma said she had carried out a survey of parents which showed 68% did not feel their child was supported and 88% felt they were not given adequate support to help their child.
Teachers say some children who need specialist support are being left in mainstream schools without the additional help they would need for them to stay there.
Other children are given reduced timetables because the school can’t cope with them full time.
Some, like James, simply don’t have a school to go to.
For the Parker family, things are finally looking up. James has just started classes at Parkside House, an independent school in North Tyneside, for which his family have secured council funding.
Emma said: “He’s just been in today, he absolutely loved it, he came out and said that it was great and that he’s got friends.
“They can support him academically and socially, which was what we needed, all the schools we were being offered in Durham were mainly for learning difficulties, which is completely different.”
The Government says it’s working to provide enough SEND school places.
A Department for Education spokesperson told the Chronicle: “By 2020, core school funding will rise to a record £43.5 billion – its highest ever level and 50% more per pupil in real terms than in 2000 – and the introduction of the National Funding Formula will address historic disparities in the system.
“The high-needs budget for pupils with special educational needs is £6 billion this year – the highest on record.
“We know more needs to be done to make sure that vulnerable children are not unfairly treated, which is why we have launched a review of school exclusions, led by Edward Timpson.
“This will draw on evidence and expertise to understand what drives exclusion rates and address any inconsistencies.”
In Northumberland, the council has announced funding for extra SEND capacity at schools in response to rising pupil numbers.
AUTISTIC BOY BACK IN EDUCATION – BUT CRISIS IS NOT OVER