Latest news with #EducationalNeeds
Irish Independent
13 hours ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Meath school applies for major expansion to improve SEN facilities
The proposed development includes a new single-storey extension to the south-west side of the existing school building, with a total floor area of 553 square metres. The plan provides for a new mainstream classroom along with two state-of-the-art Special Educational Needs (SEN) classrooms, each equipped with quiet spaces, toilet and shower facilities, and storage. The mixed school is situated in a rural setting beside Culmullen Church in the parish of Dunshaughlin. It was originally a country two teacher school but was extended in the 1970's. It was further extended and completely refurbished in 2011. Meanwhile this application will also feature an entrance lobby, a changing places toilet, a central activities area, a multi-activity room, a daily living skills space, an extended principal's office, administration facilities, staff toilets, a cleaner's sluice room, and a plant room. There will also be an expansion of the existing staff car park to provide six additional spaces, two of which will feature electric vehicle charging points. A dedicated SEN pupil drop-off area is also proposed, with a vehicle and pedestrian ramp providing safe access to the existing school bus park. To ensure compliance with safety regulations, the existing school entrance is set to be widened to accommodate emergency fire brigade access. The development also proposes a number of important utility and environmental upgrades. These include the capping of the existing water well and the installation of a new well that will connect to the school's current water supply. A new septic tank and percolation field will be installed along with associated drainage works to support the upgraded facilities. Outdoor improvements form a key part of the plan, with the inclusion of a secure soft play area and a sensory garden, offering enhanced recreational spaces for students, particularly for those with additional educational needs.
ITV News
2 days ago
- Politics
- ITV News
Strict behaviour policy blamed for 'exodus of 500 pupils' from Ark Alexandra Academy in Hastings
A Sussex school's strict behaviour policy – which includes a total ban on mobile phones and detention targets for staff – is leading to 'exodus of pupils' and 'discriminating against special needs children', parents and politicians have claimed. An ITV News Meridian investigation has discovered that 472 children have left Ark Alexandra Academy in Hastings over the past three school years before the scheduled end of their secondary education. The data, obtained via a Freedom of Information Request, shows that 28% of the children leaving the school prematurely were recorded as having Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND). The Ark Schools Trust told us they have 'high aspirations for students' and 'work hard to support those with additional education needs'. Labour MP Helena Dollimore, who has raised her concerns about the school in Parliament, described the numbers leaving as an 'exodus' and urged Ark to 'acknowledge the scale of the problem' and 'work with the community rather than against it'. The Hastings & Rye MP told ITV News Meridian: 'Everybody agrees we need strict discipline in our schools but the way this is being implemented is causing a lot of issues and ultimately leading to children falling out of the education system.' Laura Wallis removed her son from the school less than a fortnight after he started Year 7 in September 2024. She claims he was discriminated against because of his ADHD and autism – and was effectively forced to leave. 'Within two weeks of being there he'd racked up nearly four hours worth of detentions. He wasn't walking close enough to the corridor wall – that was a detention. Spatial awareness is one of the things he really struggles with. 'There was no support for both his physical needs and his special educational needs. Their no-nonsense policy pushes children out of the education system.' The figures show that 39% of the children removed from Ark Alexandra are initially home schooled, rather than transferred directly to another school. Laura Wallis's son lost 120 days of classroom education before being accepted into another school, where she says he is 'thriving'. Staff whistleblowers have told ITV News Meridian that the school has a target that each staff member should issue 25 detentions per week. One teacher said while student behaviour had improved since the new policy was introduced, staff and student wellbeing has been impacted as a result. Helena Dollimore, Labour MP for Hastings & Rye, says she's extremely concerned Nigel Woodcock said he removed his daughter from the school in recent months, after almost three years at Ark Alexandra, because of the 'immense affect on her mental wellbeing". 'I wouldn't even explain it as being a prison. The kids aren't allowed to laugh in the hallways, they're not even allowed to sit with their friends at lunchtime except on a Friday", he added. Ark Schools declined our repeated requests for an interview. Instead the trust issued a statement, in which a spokesperson said: 'Ark Alexandra has improved rapidly over the past 18 months: suspensions have fallen significantly, attendance has improved, and students are making good progress in all year groups. 'We have high aspirations for our students and work hard to support those with additional education needs. Everything we do is focused on providing a great education for our children and seeing them thrive.' Justin Wynne, District Secretary at the National Education Union, does not support detention targets In response to the criticism of the detention targets, the Ark Schools spokesperson added: 'We monitor behaviour points to ensure the school's behaviour policy is implemented fairly and consistently. 'Staff are encouraged to award four times more rewards for positive behaviour – with the focus on catching students behaving well, rather than catching them out. This has helped us to create a culture of warmth and high standards.' Academies are state schools not controlled by the local authority but by an academy trust, funded directly by the Department for Education. The government is currently making a series of changes to the rules that academy trusts have to follow, to standardise curriculum, staff pay, conditions and recruitment.
The Irish Sun
29-05-2025
- General
- The Irish Sun
If Keir Starmer cuts SEN support, kids like my Fin will end up on the scrapheap…it's not in best interests of children
THE Government is looking at removing the legal rights for children with additional needs to have extra support in school. As a mum of two autistic youngsters, I ask 6 Mum Lisa Lloyd has two autistic youngsters Credit: Supplied 6 Lisa has fought to get son Fin, 11, support, pictured with husband Terry and daughter Poppy Credit: Supplied Like thousands of Sun readers who are Special Educational Needs parents, I fought to get my son Fin, 11, support. He was diagnosed aged six after four years on a waiting list. At his mainstream primary school, he was a year ahead of his classmates in reception and Year One but by Year Six he was two years behind. He was changing before our eyes. READ MORE ON PARENTING He started having mental health problems because his autism meant he could not cope with the noise and pressure of a classroom, and it was hard to even get him out of the house. The school applied for an Education Health And Care Plan (EHCP), which give children a legal right to support, but despite his clear needs we were refused an assessment. I was shocked. Surely if you see a child falling, you catch them before they hit the ground? Not in the SEN world. Everything is a 'no' to save money. Most read in The Sun We went away and gathered evidence. In that year Fin became a shadow of himself. He would come home with his jumper chewed to bits, his nails bitten until they bled. Children's minister has apologised for failing disabled children in victory for The Sun's Give it Back campaign We got the EHCP and, as a result, the support he needed. The difference between our son before and after the plan was night and day. Magically perfect Without it I have no doubt he would not be in school now. His mental health was so bad he wouldn't have survived mainstream. Now he is catching up and he's got his personality back. Imagine Fin replicated across the country tens of thousands of times. We got the EHCP and, as a result, the support he needed. The difference before and after the plan was like night and day Lisa I know they are out there because parents talk to me when I post about SEN on TikTok or Instagram. Without support, these children cannot learn or pass exams. There is every possibility they could end up on benefits without a job. The Sun's Give It Back campaign has long called for greater support for SEN pupils. 6 The Government is looking at removing the legal rights for children with additional needs to have extra support in school, pictured Lisa with her young children Credit: Supplied But if the Government carries out its idea to limit EHCPs to only children with 'high medical needs', more young people will end up on the scrapheap. The thinking is that the government will make mainstream schooling more inclusive so EHCPs won't be needed. But I just don't accept this is in the best interests of children. Fin became a shadow of himself. He would come home with his jumper chewed to bits, his nails bitten down until they bled Lisa What happens if the money isn't there? How is the government going to afford to make all schools inclusive? How long will it take? What will happen to EHCPs between now and schools becoming magically perfect? If SEN children aren't supported properly under the new plans it will affect every child and teacher because resources will be so stretched. Inclusion doesn't mean treating everyone the same. It means having the facilities and support to enable all children to attend and access lessons. A big class size in a noisy school is not the best environment for lots of children. How will they limit class sizes when schools are getting bigger not smaller? You can't cater for every child's needs. What you can do is offer more support to those who require it. That should be written down and legally guaranteed — and that's what EHCPs do when they work properly. 6 'If the Government carries out its idea to limit EHCPs to only children with 'high medical needs', more young people will end up on the scrapheap', warns the mother Credit: Supplied The best way to sort out the SEN crisis is to make sure children are diagnosed early and quickly, instead of the five years it can take — by which time families are in crisis. Build more SEN schools including for the SEN-betweeners — kids like Fin who are academically bright but can't cope in a mainstream environment. Give children support plans and fund them properly. Money is wasted. The Disabled Children's Partnership found councils are spending £100million a year FIGHTING SEN parents in court, only to lose 98 per cent of cases. Too much money is going to the 'suits' from local authorities. They make decisions about our children without ever having met them. I've seen government after government fail to address the SEN crisis because they do not listen to parents and children or the organisations who work on the ground Lisa If schools who know and care about young people got the money directly, that wouldn't be an issue. Another massive waste is parenting courses councils are using as a barrier to support. SEN mums and dads are expected to take time off work for weeks to attend these before they can get help. I haven't met one person these have helped. It's a form of parent- shaming as it suggests you don't know your child or how to care for them. I also wonder if the EHCP idea has been leaked to test reaction. I've seen government after government fail to address the SEN crisis because they do not listen to parents and children or the organisations who work on the ground. Both Fin and my daughter Poppy, eight, are in brilliant specialist provisions education now and doing well. But it took EHCPs to achieve this. My hope for Fin is that he will develop enough belief in himself to get a job, get married and one day have his own house. If he is happy and mentally OK, everything else will fall into place. SEN parents should be allowed to dream ordinary dreams — our kids just need a bit more support to achieve them. Lisa Lloyd is the author of Raising The Sen-betweeners. Her TikTok handle is @ 6 Lisa Lloyd is the author of Raising The Sen-betweeners Credit: Supplied 6 The Sun's Give It Back campaign has long called for greater support for SEN pupils
ITV News
13-05-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Two-thirds of Jersey's schools went overbudget in 2024 with more than £2 million overspent
Newly released figures have revealed that nearly two-thirds of Jersey's government-funded schools went overbudget in 2024, leading to a combined overspend of more than £2 million. It comes as the number of children needing additional support has more than doubled since 2017, with the island's largest teaching union branding the situation "dire" and "unsustainable". Jersey's Education Minister, Deputy Rob Ward, says: "The reason for this is that the need is increasing. "For example, records of needs have gone from 212 in 2017 to over 500 last year and those require support: that support is expensive and we have to spend that money." The data from a Freedom of Information request revealed Grainville Secondary School had the highest overspend of £553,315 in 2024, while Grouville was the highest primary school with a deficit of £262,964. Victoria College went overbudget by £128,867 last year and has sent a letter to parents to notify them about an above-inflation 6.5% increase in fees from the Autumn term. It says the rise is necessary due to staffing expenses and funding for pupils with Special Educational Needs, stating: "These costs are driven in part by an increase in staff costs based on existing delivery models and influenced by Government of Jersey pay agreements; and in part due to an increase in non-pay related costs of running a school. "Grant funding allocation from the Government of Jersey is not sufficient. Essentially, the Government should fund 47% of the average cost of a pupil at another GoJ school – we do not believe this funding model is currently being met. "Funding for some of our pupils with Special Educational Needs is insufficient. Some students have their support prorated to 47% while others receive 100%." Deputy Ward explains the budget overspends will be sorted: "The deficits will be dealt with over the term of the year, that's why those figures which look good in the press are somewhat misleading. "We are doing everything we can, I am an advocate for funding of schools, and we need to look into the future in what way we are going to meet the growing need across our estate. "I would always like to see the budget increased, that's my role, I'd like us to see more opportunity to do the best that we can for every child in this island. "We need an intelligent and informed discussion about funding, rather than conflating lots of different figures, which I think can be quite disappointing for schools when one school is paid off against another, so I'd like that to end and let's have an intelligent conversation." Arguing schools are not prioritised, Marina Mauger from the NASUWT teachers' union says: "I just think that if we are going to truly live on an island that puts children first, then education should get the bulk of funding, not the minority. "The thing that is going wrong is that schools historically have been grossly underfunded by the Government. "When I have teachers ringing me and saying, 'We are not allowed to print, we are not allowed to photocopy, the school can't afford it', something is drastically wrong to get to that place on a very wealthy island." Also commenting on the figures, Deputy Jonathan Renouf adds: "The minister says that it is largely driven by an increase in Special Educational Needs, and I think what we would like to see is a little bit of accounting to show where the money has actually gone and how much of it. "He is asking for more, he says education has been underfunded, so we need to understand before we can go down that road, I think, we just need to see what has happened to that money so far."
BBC News
23-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Autism: EA apologises over lack of school place for teen
The Education Authority (EA) has "sincerely apologised" to the family of an autistic teenager who has not been in school for a year and a EA said the "significant delay" in finding a suitable school for 14-year-old Jai Stalford was as a "result of wider system pressures".Jai, who is non-verbal and has learning difficulties, has not been in school since October mother, Tracy Irwin, said the family have "felt abandoned, that's the only word for it". In a statement to BBC News NI, the EA said there was "very limited SEN (Special Educational Needs) capacity in the face of growing demand and complexity of need which, regrettably, places major constraints on the entire education sector when placing children".There has been a significant rise in the number of children requiring a special school place in recent has also been a shortage of EA staff in some areas to support young people with SEN. Jai's mother, whose work as a university lecturer has been interrupted as she cares for her son, told BBC News NI about his situation."He has a wee communication device, but he finds it difficult to communicate and sometimes to make himself understood, but he is a happy child," said Dr Irwin."We're talking about a child who becomes frustrated when he can't make himself understood and because he's so big now, sometimes he can lash out."Jai's previous special school said they could not meet his needs."After the half-term break in October 2023 we got a phone call from the school saying that he had become very distressed, very dysregulated and couldn't calm him down," Dr Irwin said."That happened for three days in a row. "The school, in fairness, tried."They had some meetings with the EA, and meetings with various professionals, but they then said that they could no longer meet his needs." 'No support' Dr Irwin said Jai subsequently had a home tutor for a short period, but since October 2023 had been at home and not in school."All day, every day, with no support, no educational input from anybody, aside from what we've put in place ourselves for him," she said the past year and a half had been "very difficult"."What 14-year-old boy wants to be sitting at home?" she said."He wants out all the time, he wants to go out, to go out in the car, to go out and visit people."He misses all that social interaction that he had with the school." Financial implication Dr Irwin said she had not been able to work as normal "because we have had him with us all the time"."Obviously there's financial implications there as well, there's my mental health because I haven't been able to get out and socialise and do all of the activities that I would have done before," she said."So it has had a major impact."Dr Irwin had complained a number of times to the EA about Jai's situation. BBC News NI has seen that correspondence, and the EA response, which upheld some, but not all, of the complaints. The EA apologised for the delay in finding a suitable placement for Jai and for some elements of communication with the a statement, the EA said "an appropriate place in a special school has been identified", adding that they are "continuing to engage with the family to address any concerns they have".However, Dr Irwin said the special school identified for Jai is in Larne, a significant distance from the family's home in Jordanstown."It'd be 20 miles at least and if he was even dysregulated once on the bus that would be the end of it, and we couldn't possibly take him every day up and down," said Dr Irwin."He wouldn't be able to consistently, day after day, make that journey." Long-term impact At the minute the family take Jai to a community centre every morning and do some school work with him. They have also arranged for a specialist agency to work with Dr Irwin said she worries about the long-term impact of Jai being out of school."He's a child who needs routine, who needs structure," she said."The longer he's out of school or any sort of structured environment, the harder it's going to be to get him back."I thought that he would be a priority - a vulnerable child who can't speak, can't talk."It seems incomprehensible to me that we're still sitting now with nothing in place." An EA spokesperson told BBC News NI that it was "committed to ensuring that all children with SEN are placed in an appropriate school setting which fully meets their needs"."Work is continuing apace to increase capacity for September 2025 and beyond."We are also committed to improving communications and engagement with parents/carers which is a critical priority," it continued."The EA has created a centralised SEN helpline, is running face-to-face drop-in centres, and have increased staffing to enhance the level of support provided to families."
