Letter: Investment in special needs
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: In your leading article 'Serving special needs' (26 June), you suggest that local education authorities have an opportunity to justify their continued existence by their response to the recent Audit Commission report on meeting special educational needs. You are absolutely right and I hope all LEAs will rise to the challenge.
Like the Audit Commission, the North Yorkshire County Council was unhappy at the lack of precise national definition as to what constitutes special educational need. We therefore issued our own guidelines to schools to help them to decide when assessment is needed. We are already following these up with a local policy document defining special educational need and clarifying the responsibilities of schools and the county council.
We are determined that all our pupils' special needs should be more precisely identified and that these should be fully met whether or not they are formally identified in a statement.
Wherever possible we seek to meet special needs in mainstream schools with appropriate additional support, and our investment in this has increased significantly since the 1981 Education Act. More special needs pupils are in mainstream schools in North Yorkshire than the national average. We are by no means perfect, however, and we have our critics, which is inevitable in an area as sensitive as special education.
The report Getting in on the Act should be welcomed by all local education authorities. I believe it will be by North Yorkshire County Council and by those it serves.
Yours faithfully,
FRED EVANS
County Education Officer
Northallerton, North Yorkshire
26 June
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments