Judge backs mixed schools

A shake-up of special schools, which will mix vulnerable
physically disabled pupils with young people who exhibit
challenging behaviour, was not irrational, a high court judge ruled
last week.

While expressing “considerable sympathy” with the parents of the
physically disabled pupils at Thurlow Park Special School in
Lambeth, London, Mr Justice Harrison dismissed two attempts to keep
open the successful all-age facility.

Thurlow Park and two other special schools are to be replaced by
two new schools next month bringing together the physically
disabled and those with challenging behaviour.

Mr Justice Harrison concluded that segregation of the children
by providing different schools was essentially a matter of judgment
for the local authority.