As we move towards a more inclusive world, the subject of disability in schools is becoming one of prominence. As a result, the provision for SEN has increased drastically contradictory to a recent article published by The Guardian. Whilst this is step in the right direction, this is merely half of the equation towards inclusivity within schools.
The beating heart of every school is its pupils who are at the forefront of everyday life. It is therefore of great importance that they are in the centre of any SEN package which staff implement. To give one such example of its importance, let us take pupil A. Pupil A may have never interacted with a disabled individual before the school environment thus is likely to struggle with interaction simply due to a lack of understanding. This, in turn, makes it more difficult for said individual to create friendships etc highlighting the need for better understanding of disability in schools.
Naths Personal Experience
Nath was born in 1992 with a physical impairment which was, at the time, classified as a ‘special case’ thus assuming that a special school would suit his needs better dismissing his full mental capabilities. Securing a place at mainstream schools became a battle with the council due to the high number of resources that were required to implement such package.
Despite the eventual offer for help from the council, Naths secondary school took the implementation into their own hands. Prior to his arrival, the head teacher called a whole school assembly within which he explained what Cerebral Palsy (Naths disability) entails and, more importantly, how to interact with him which soon became to be very effective in terms of the formation of new friendships.
How can 360 Education help your school?
Our Disability Awareness Workshops provide the first steps to boosting students understanding of disability through a series of hands on activities. Our core workshop focuses on Blindness, Deafness and Cerebral Palsy, however, we can tailor sessions to your exact requirements.