‘Nowhere that fits’ – exploring the issues around parental choice and school placement for students with a Statement of Special Educational Needs in England

Giving parents a choice with regard to their children’s education has been central to the political discourse of school reform at least since the 1988 Education Reform Act (ERA) (DfE, 1988). With regard to children with a statement of special educational needs (SSEN), a plethora of policies and laws (e.g. ERA, 1988; Education Act, 1996, SENDA, 2001) have given parents not only the right to choose a school, but also to appeal to decisions in the best interest of their children. Yet, despite the discourse the implementation and practice of such reforms are neither assured nor simple. Participants in the study indicated that they have little choice of suitable provision and are having to compromise either the academic or the social aspects of their child’s schooling. This paper argues that for many parents whose children have a statement of SEN the choice of a school is often a dilemma as nowhere seems to fit

Barriers and enablers of youth as drivers of social change: university students’ perspectives

As a progressive society, there is an expectation for young people to become the social leaders and innovators of tomorrow. Not only does this expectation imply an intergenerational ‘passing of the baton’ but also this scenario assumes that young people value social change and possess the self-efficacy that empowers them to ignite positive social change. Added to this is a fundamental assumption that social constructs will enable young people to work as change agents, rather than create hindrances. A complexity for higher education institutions is how to develop young people’s capacities for social change given the inevitable variance in how much their students value and believe they have the ability for ‘changemaking’. This study explored university students’ conceptions of social change and their perspectives on the tools and resources needed to engage in social changemaking. Two focus groups were held at the University of Northampton, which elicited students’ (n=10) views on 1) their conceptions of social change and social innovation, 2) their perceptions of what enables young people to engage with social change and 3) their beliefs about the barriers that exist for young people in being or becoming change agents. Findings from this study offer important implications for higher education institutions that aim to engage in positive youth development as part of the curricular or extra-curricular provision. By illuminating the perceived barriers and enablers for youth in driving social change, higher education institutions will be in a stronger position from which to nurture this generation of ‘changemakers’

Evaluation of Engine Shed & Office Building

The new University campus was built upon what was formerly the United Kingdom’s largest Brownfield site. On taking ownership of the property, the institution came into the possession of a Grade 2 Listed derelict Engine Shed built in 1873, which had last been actively used as a Welding School in 1998. An arson attack on the building in 2000 left it in a derelict state, with the roof having collapsed and weeds taking over to the point that an additional office building was discovered under the overgrown ivy once work on the site had started. After 150 years of industrial use, the abandonment of the building had left it open to corrosion, vandalism and graffiti, with the building being in such a state that the inspection pits, thought to have been lost, were rediscovered upon the clearing of debris. With the decision being made to repair or replace as much of the historical architecture as possible, the University worked with Purcell and MCW architects to plan a redevelopment of the site with the goal of keeping as much of its character as possible. The building was stabilised, brickwork repaired and cleaned, the surviving roof trusses were restored, with others being replaced, and a ventilator roof was also created that matched the buildings original design. With the floor being made from reclaimed brick, the tracks were kept to add to the floor’s design, along with a full restoration of the iron framed windows. More modern aspects were added to the final design, such as a free-standing office pod for the Students’ Union office workers and a glass atrium along with larges external wooden doors. The early plan for the Engine Shed was to have it turned into a gym, with the Student Union taking up a position in part of the University’s Learning Hub. The gym would have been set up in a similar manner to the Student Union today, with a café, offices and break out areas complimenting the exercise equipment, however, it was deemed that the area was too small for a business such as a gym to operate efficiently, so instead the building was offered to the Student Union. The Student Union, for its part, was keen to move into the building. Separated from the main campus, the Student Union would be able to foster its own unique identity from the University, with the building’s design sitting outside the campus’s style, as well as help support the perception of its independence from the University. This is important as although the Student Union offers many different opportunities for the students to engage with them, from setting up sports societies, supporting entrepreneurship, and organising social events, it also operates as their representative when dealing with the University itself. The Union offers a variety of support services to students, including advice on Academic Misconduct, Mitigating Circumstances, study breaks and appeals against termination, all of which are offered for free, both impartial and independent from the University. Had the Student Union remained inside the University proper, however, it may have put off students from approaching them with problems, whether because they saw the Student Union as less independent, or simply another department of the University, leading them to question whether advice given by the Union was truly impartial

Parental choice and school placement: issues for parents of children with statements of special educational needs

This doctoral study set out to explore how parents of children with statements of special educational needs and disability (SEND) made their decisions with regards to school placement. It aimed to explore both how these decisions were made and parents’ perceptions of how well the schools, that they had placed their children in, were meeting their needs. The perceptions and views of these parents are given voice in this research. The project is very topical as sweeping changes (Part three of The Children and Families Act 2014 (DfE), the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations (DfE, 2014) and the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0-25 (DfE, 2014)) have recently been brought in with the aim, at least in theory, to reform the SEND system and give children, young people (up to the age of 25) and their families greater control and choice. This research is also very relevant at a time when there is an exponential increase in the numbers of academies and free schools, with their own admission procedures and curriculum. Through the use of a pragmatic approach, using surveys (n=65) and semi-structured interviews (n=20), a range of views, across three Local Authorities in the South East of England, were collected and analysed. The main findings indicate that for many parents, despite their resources, social capital and education, finding a school that they felt could meet their child’s needs was a difficult task. To find a mainstream school, within their local community, that could support their child’s educational and social needs was virtually impossible for all but a small minority of participants. Parents whose children were diagnosed with a statement for Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) found it particularly difficult to find suitable schooling whether in a mainstream school, a special school or a specialist unit. A range of difficulties were identified, including in the areas of communication, between parents and providers, school curricula and funding. Some of the difficulties identified may be addressed by the new legislation and guidance, giving greater control and choice, others require schools and LA to work more collaboratively and flexibly with families. Other recommendations include improving LA practices, with regards to information and guidance about schools; and more effective teacher and head teacher training. However, on a more positive note, there were some schools, in the primary sector, which did manage to successfully meet the needs of some of the children. This indicates that such an ideal is achievable

What is the social impact and return on investment resulting from the expenditure on the Cadet Forces? : Year 3 Interim Report

This is the third interim annual report from a four-year longitudinal study of the social impact resulting from the Ministry of Defence’s expenditure on cadets. It presents the findings of the University of Northampton’s research team and is based on new data gathered and analysed since the second interim report of autumn 2018. Where relevant it builds on the findings of the first two interim reports. It is based on a cumulative total of over 600 in-depth interviews and over 5,400 responses to questionnaires. The key themes covered by this report relate to the impact of a CCF unit on academy schools; the effect of participation in the Cadet Forces on the wellbeing of young people; the impact on community cohesion that the Cadet Forces can have; how the development of self-efficacy through participation in the Cadet Forces is helping young people to be better citizens, while also reducing their levels of vulnerability; and the value of the adult volunteers that run the Cadet Forces, and the benefits they get from their volunteering. The report uses calculations from Government sources to estimate the potential financial value of some of these themes

‘Nowhere fits’? How parents choose a school for their children with special needs in England: practice, policies and dilemmas

A PP presentation given at the VI Brazilian Congress on Special Education at UfSCAR, 1-4 November 201