Inclusion Policy in Scottish Education

Inclusion Policy in Scottish
Education
David Thompson
The Scottish Government
Learning Directorate
Statistical Information: Schools
School Census September 2010
• 673,138 school-aged pupils
• 2,634 publicly-funded schools
• 2,099 primary schools (age 5-11)
• 372 secondary schools (age 12-18)
• 183 special schools
• 7 Grant-Aided Special Schools
•32 Education Authorities
Statistical Information: Schools
School Census Sept 2010
Pre-School
Approximately 97% 3 and 4 year olds in attendance.
There are 2,586 centres
• Primary Schools (5-11 years)
Average class size 23.1 Pupil: Teacher ratio 15.8:1
• Secondary Schools (12-18 years)
Class sizes variable. Pupil: Teacher ratio 12.1:1
Special Schools
Account for 1.0% of total pupil population.
Pupil: Teacher ratio 3.6:1
Historical context
3 phases
• 1950-1974
• 1974-1999
• 1999-2011
1950 -1974 - There were 3 categories of handicap:
•educable
special school or
class
•ineducable but trainable
occupational
centre
•ineducable and untrainable
mental deficiency
hospitals
1974 – new law passed
•
Remove terms ineducable and untrainable
•
All children should have access to teachers
•
Including those in ‘mental deficiency hospitals’
and day care centres
•
So all children have a right to education
•
But – the medical model still dominated
•
Children were ‘handicapped’ and required
‘treatment’
1980– new law passed
1978 Warnock report recommendations
accepted
• Avoid labelling children as handicapped –
instead they have special educational
needs (SEN)
• About 20% of school population have
SEN
• 2% of these require a legal planning
document – Record of Needs
• Integrate children in mainstream schools
where possible
2000
• Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act
• the presumption that the education of all
pupils will normally be provided in a
mainstream school unless exceptional
circumstances apply.
2004 new law passed
•Additional Support for Learning Act
•Additional Support Needs
•Duties of education authorities to
identify and address needs
•Duties on other agencies
•Rights for parents
•Planning - co-ordinated support
plan
•Resolving differences – parental
access to Tribunals
What are additional support needs?
•Temporary medical conditions
•Family circumstances
•Bullied
•More able, talented
•Language and communication
disorders
•Terminal illness in family
•Sensory impairments
•....
Statistical Information
Additional Support Needs
School Census Sept 2010
•69,587 pupils (10.3% of all pupils) had additional
support needs of which 66% were boys.
•62,694 are in mainstream schools (9.4% of mainstream
school pupils.)
6,800 pupils are in special schools.
Summary statistics
1999 – Scottish Parliament
Year
Special
schools
Teachers
Pupils
As % of
school
pop.
P:T
ratio
1996
158
1,677
8,077
1.05
4.8
2001
197
2,028
8,183
1.10
4.0
2006
190
2,075
6,975
0.99
3.4
2007
183
2,020
6,721
0.97
3.3
2009
190
1,985
6673
0.99
3.4
David.Thompson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk