The government should recognise a fully inclusive education system as including both mainstream and specialist providers, rather than an all inclusive mainstream sector, according to a new report.
What is inclusion and who gets to decide?, a report by specialist education body Natspec, also calls on the government to develop a strategic plan for specialist provision that complements its measures to improve mainstream inclusion, ensuring specialist colleges are adequately supported and funded.
The report authors state that current discussions are dominated by attempts to define inclusion as it applies to mainstream settings, with the voices of those who work and learn at specialist colleges missing from the conversation.
Natspec collated the views of 67 learners and 32 leaders in specialist colleges who took part in the research. Young people said they belonged in specialist colleges because they were part of a supportive community of peers who shared experiences of disability and additional needs.
The report identifies inclusive approaches being used in specialist colleges which could be adopted by mainstream settings, with other features unique to specialist colleges, such as a highly adapted environment and the support of a peer group with similar needs.
Clare Howard, chief executive of Natspec said: “We are urging both English and Welsh governments and local authorities to sit up and take notice of this report. It offers them perspectives on inclusion from previously unheard voices and presents a serious challenge to the narrow understanding of inclusion underpinning current SEND and ALN reforms.”
She added: “Inclusion is not about everyone being educated in the same type of setting. It’s about everyone having access to high quality provision in a place that’s right for them. To achieve this, we need an inclusive system with a sufficient range of different types of providers to meet the needs and preferences of all.”