Ministers bid to get more special needs pupils into their local schools, as Sheffield figure revealed
Government describes situation in Sheffield
Minsters want all schools to copy Sheffield - by making sure children with special needs can go to their local school.
In Sheffield, autistic pupils access up to 100 per cent of mainstream lessons with tailored support and every single pupil from the base has entered education, employment or training after leaving, say Government officials.
Now the Government has launched guidance on creating dedicated teaching and support spaces for children with special needs.
In an announcement, ministers say that for years families have faced a postcode lottery that has left hundreds of thousands fighting for the right support, travelling miles to access it or waiting months or years to receive it.
New guidance sets out what families can expect to see on the ground, building on the commitment that every secondary school will, in time, have an inclusion base - a dedicated space providing targeted teaching and specialist support those who need it.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "Every child and young person deserves to feel included, without fighting for the support they need to succeed.
"We are giving schools a clear, practical blueprint to become truly inclusive, from calmer classrooms and sensory-friendly spaces, to specialist support embedded right in the heart of the school, so children can learn alongside their peers rather than miles from home.
"Every child deserves to attend a school where they belong, where the environment works for them, and where the right support is simply part of the school day. That’s what we’re building."
Ministers want ‘inclusion bases’ to be run by a qualified teacher, never used as a sanction, and allow access to an adapted, broad, ambitious curriculum to meet the needs of every child, serving as a bridge to school life rather than a barrier to it.
They also plan an overhaul on physical spaces including classrooms.
Guidance will include tangible improvements including adapting acoustics and light, introducing quiet and calm spaces like sensory gardens or installing ramps or handrails.