| Author |
Message |
Loneranger
Joined 29-10-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, 11 October, 2006 - 10:12 am: | |
Parents of children at Brent Knoll school are on the front page of today's Mercurcy with the headline, 'Fight to protect special needs schooling'.
At the present time the council is consulting on various options regarding Special Needs provision.
Reading a council report the objective seems to be to place children with special needs in mainstream secondary schools and avoid sending children to expensive out of borough placements.
The council used to produce a booklet informing parents of secondary special needs provision in the borough, that booklet has not been provided this year.
Parents with children that have statements and attend mainstream primary schools are now informed to attend a meeting in year 5, "so you can express your preference for a place at a mainstream secondary school."
Before consultation has properly begun it looks like the council are already putting in place systems that leads children and parents to believe only mainstream education will can meet their needs. |
Loneranger
Joined 29-10-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, 11 November, 2006 - 08:33 pm: | |
The South London Press this week features parents of pupils at Brent Knoll complaining they are being kept in the dark. In an editorial the paper takes up the case and demands some answers. |
Sherwood
Joined 30-03-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, 11 November, 2006 - 10:11 pm: | |
I think the LEA needs to consult before closing a school. |
Loneranger
Joined 29-10-2005
| | Posted on Monday, 13 November, 2006 - 09:36 am: | |
The way forward is currently seen as sending children with mild learning difficulties to mainstream schools. Be interesting to know if any pupils at Brent Knoll moved from mainstream schools because they didn't do well or were picked on.
Brent Knoll probably won't close but places for certain types of pupils may no longer be available at the school.
A parent from Forest Hill is quoted as saying "All we really know is there are bound to be changes and we fear that will mean trying to fix something that is not broken." |
Loneranger
Joined 29-10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, 24 November, 2006 - 05:42 pm: | |
If the report in the South London Press today is correct it looks like the council have decided what the outcome of the Special Needs consultation will before it has begun.
The postsponed meeting with Christine Grice (head of access and support for children at Lewisham council) took place with more than 100 parents, pupils and teachers attending. It was said primary provision at the school would be phased out and places likely to be cut.
Apparently the number of primary places has already been cut by 10 this year and money for special needs units mainstream schools will be ringfenced.
It would seem the council has already put in schemes and funding that pre-empt the results of any consultation. Is this normal practise?
A parent of a pupil at the school is quoted as saying, "My son would never cope in a mainstream school."
A recently started Lewisham based blog may be of interest.
http://wandering-lonely.blogspot.com/
This letter by a parent in the News Shopper is quite relevant to the situation being proposed at Bent Knoll.
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/haveyoursay/lett ers/display.var.1034900.0.it_will_be_wrong_to_clos e_great_school.php |
Loneranger
Joined 29-10-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, 10 January, 2007 - 01:01 pm: | |
Following the Ruth Kelly story this week I see thae case of Brent Knoll School is featured in a national newspaper today.
Tonight the Mayor decides if to have a formal consultation on the future of Special Needs education in Lewisham. |
