When the project was featured in the local paper, they realised they had made a contribution and gained a greater sense of belonging within their own school as a result.
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Report findings
The majority of young people who took part were in favour of inclusion within mainstream education, confirming government policy. In some instances, however, those policies were not being put into practice effectively.
Examples
Some of the mainstream schools and colleges visited did not take up opportunities to use the forms of communication most available to young people with learning difficulties (such as signs, symbols, visual images, etc), therefore excluding them from a great deal of information that they needed to share.
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Report findings
The “extra curricular” parts of the day can be particularly stressful for young people with learning difficulties, disabilities and/or special educational needs. For them, the whole day is important and they want to feel safe and happy all the time – not just in lessons.
Recommendations
A lot of young co-researchers involved in the project asked for designated “safe places”, sources of support or supervised activities that they could access during these stressful parts of the school or college day. They felt that if they could go into a library, a social area or somewhere that was actively staffed and developed for them, things would be better.
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Report findings
Young people want more of an opportunity to make their voices heard through means such as school or college councils. Often, these do not include young people with learning difficulties or special educational needs. Overall, the report notes that “Although young people have been widely consulted in recent years, young people with learning difficulties have often been overlooked” and “There is still some way to go in ensuring that the voices of young people with learning difficulties are heard”.
Examples
By consulting with young people with learning difficulties, it proved possible to identify barriers to their inclusion within the schools that might otherwise have been missed. Many of these problems were easily dealt with, but had a big impact on the lives of students affected by them. In one instance, a ramp was too steep for students using a wheelchair; in another the sinks in the school’s art room were the wrong height.
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Report findings
Young people said they wanted to be more centrally involved in the planning and decision-making processes that affect them as individuals – particularly when those plans concern major changes in their lives, like moving from school to college, or leaving college for the world of work. They often feel anxious at such times.
Recommendations
Schools and colleges should work directly with young people with learning difficulties to plan carefully for the transitions between settings and into post-college opportunities. The young people involved in the project appreciated having visits or link courses when moving from one institution to another. One group made an information pack for students. In another case, students from a special school were linked with a mainstream college and invited by current students to come and look round, which made them feel more confident about making the move. Work experience is also encouraged, for similar reasons.
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Report findings
Young people in “inclusive” schools and colleges want a flexible and responsive curriculum tailored to meet their needs.
Recommendations
Young people with learning difficulties value being asked how they like their lessons to be conducted and working as a team with teachers. Consistency and continuity in educational provision is vital. In one college, most staff working with students with learning difficulties were part-time, paid by the hour, and did not know where they would be teaching from one year to the next. This had a negative impact on student experiences.
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Report findings
Leaders and managers, in partnership with staff, play a crucial role in promoting, maintaining and developing an inclusive culture and ethos in schools and colleges. It is the managers who have a major impact upon the experiences of young people with learning difficulties, disabilities and special educational needs.
Recommendations
Managers and staff alike should renew their commitment in terms of inclusive practice. Successful schools and colleges found it possible to combine the drive towards excellence for high-achieving pupils with inclusive practice for those with learning difficulties. By involving students in developing initiatives themselves, improvements could be made that benefit them and their school or college alike.
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