SPECIAL EDUCATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND

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SPECIAL EDUCATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND A
SHORT OVERVIEW
Childhood Disability Inclusion in the
mainstream
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AN OVERVIEW
THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CHALLENGE
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Context Where are we now?

• Code of Practice 6 years on
• 53,164 pupils on SEN registers
• 4,986 pupils in special schools
• 83mgt150m
• 49 special schools,172 units
• Unmet need remains- CI report
• SEND inclusion issue

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DE Endorsement

• In 2003-4 to take forward a review of special
  education provision in N. Ireland to include a
  range of ETI reports/surveys, research projects,
  information gathering both at local and
  international level, and a review of the use of
  resources in order to provide evidence to inform
  policy development and produce recommendations
  regarding future policy, strategy and provision
  to reflect the concept of inclusion. May
  2003

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Emerging Strategy

• Key Strategic and Policy Objectives
• a costed policy for special education and
  inclusion
• recognise the broader role of special schools
• develop a culture to promote inclusion
• place resource at the fore of progressive
  development

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Key Activities

• A Review of Provision for pupils with statements
  of Sp. Ed. Needs in Primary and Post-primary
  schools in N. Ireland
• A Review of the Role of Special Schools
• Survey of Minority Groups
• Leavers survey ( MLD)Key stage 4 Flexibility
• Promoting Sp.Ed. In Early Teacher Education and
  Continuing Professional Development
• Improving inclusion in Pre-school Education
  Working Group
• Research
• Partnerships regional secondments
• Four Nations Sp.Ed. Stock-take
• Autism Dyslexia Report recommendations
• Speech and Language Projects
• Camera Mouse
• Challenging Behaviour Survey

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Survey of Mainstream Schools

• KEY ELEMENTS ARISING
• committed leadership
• whole school acceptance
• high profile SENCO
• agreed standards
• training
• self-evaluation system

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ROLE OF SPECIAL SCHOOL

• Report findings
•  strategic shortfall
• imbalance of resources and expertise
• variation in access to provision
• limited transdisciplinary planning
• untapped skills
• changing pattern in pupil profile
• areas of expertise in special schools
• trend toward connectivity
•  

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ROLE OF SPECIAL SCHOOL

• Report recommendations
•  strategic and corporate view for special
  education and inclusion defining role of special
  school
• framework/training to improve special school
  practices to address changing needs
• commonality of funding
• collaborative working arrangements with health
  and social services

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The Way Ahead for schools

• Towards a set of guiding principles-
• all children matter
• barriers to learning are identified
• positive action is taken to remove them
• a sense of community education prevails

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The Emerging Outcomes

• Four Main Areas
• Training INCLUSION
• collaborative working
• Improving quality SP.ED. POLICY
• Matching Resources

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The Enriched School

• Early intervention
• Less bureaucracy
• SEN friendly partnership networks
• Parent friendly
• Improved access
• Inclusion policy /development programme
• Leadership
• standards

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The Way Ahead

Securing entitlement/Supporting Learning There
should be a continuum of support and services to
match the continuum of special needs encountered
in every school. UNESCO Salamanca Statement
1994
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And Finally,

• No-one said it was going to be easy!

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