Twelve schools in England are to become the first to specialise in catering for special educational needs, Children’s Minister Margaret Hodge announced last month.
Previously, schools signed up to the Specialist Schools programme could only specialise in an academic discipline such as maths, languages or sport. But the new SEN Centres of Expertise will concentrate on one of four areas of SEN teaching and learning: communication and interaction; cognition and learning; behavioural, emotional and social difficulties; or sensory and/or physical needs.
The new SEN centres will be expected to undertake outreach activity and share their skills with mainstream schools. Hodge also said additional funding would be provided to improve the SEN skills of teachers not trained in meeting special educational needs.
Hodge said: “We need to build the confidence of trainee and existing teachers in the good work they are doing identifying and supporting children with special educational needs in the challenges they face. Children with SEN have the right to enjoy, achieve and excel, as with all children.”
The twelve “trailblazer” SEN specialists are due to start operating in September 2005. They are:
Emily Forte School, Leicester City
Marjorie Kinnon School, Hounslow
Clifford Holroyde School, Liverpool
Holley House School, Derbyshire
Penn Hall School, Wolverhampton
Ashfield School, Leicester City
RNIB New College, Worcester
Mary Hare School, Berkshire
West of England (VI) School, Devon
New Rush Hall School, Redbridge
Firwood School, Bolton
Cuckmere School, East Sussex
The specialist schools website is: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/specialistschools.
