Nursery World - SEN and Disability Bill: Step inside

New legislation on special needs education is being widely welcomed, but there are worries about what it could mean for special schools and for teachers, says Radhika Holmstroem

On paper, says Helen's mother, 'she doesn't look like the sort of girl who should be using mainstream education. But we fought that. And we had lucky breaks - a good playgroup, a welcoming school, and good advice'.

Helen has Down's syndrome, with additional communication, medical and mobility difficulties. Her education - like that of many disabled children - has been punctuated by confusion, struggle and lack of information. At age three, she was offered the option of a long escorted taxi journey to a nursery 20 miles away, or a mixture of two playgroups - one for children with special needs and one mainstream, with two weekly sessions of one-to-one support. Her family opted for the playgroups, but this meant a lot of disruption and didn't help her progress.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included