DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATION AND INCLUSION

The government specifically promotes inclusion, understood, broadly, to include all potentially vulnerable and marginalised pupils, not just those with special educational needs.   Government policy is strongly stated in the SENDA (see above) which, essentially, makes duties anticipatory: Schools must ensure that curriculum arrangements such as policies for homework and school trips do not discriminate against disabled pupils whether or not they currently have these pupils on roll.  Likewise, accessibility plans must allow for the accommodation of such pupils whether or not there is currently a need for environmental amendments. 

At the same time, it is recognised that it is of critical importance to maintain high levels of expertise and specialism, so the challenge is to mobilise these and reform support structures.  A time-limited action plan addressing some of the key challenges in special education provision  was launched in 2004 (www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/sen/senstrategy).