Resistance to special classes risks creating ‘segregated’ school system

The reluctance of many mainstream schools to open special classes for children with autism risks creating a “segregated” education system, according to Department of Education inspectors.

The findings are based on inspections into 65 special classes for children with autism in mainstream primary schools and 20 special classes in mainstream secondary schools.

The report says there is evidence of restrictive enrolment practices where some schools prioritise places in special classes for higher-functioning students at the expense of those with more complex needs.

This means some learners are being enrolled into special classes when they are capable of greater integration in mainstream classes.

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If enrolment in mainstream is regarded as the index of success for students in special classes, the report says, the current system appears to be having “limited success” .

“With increasing demands being made for the opening of new special classes for learners with ASD [autism spectrum disorder] as distinct from other types of special classes, and the reported reluctance of some school authorities to open these special classes, there is a danger that segregated educational provision could expand unintentionally.”

The number of special classes in mainstream schools has jumped threefold since 2011.

There are a total of just over 1,600 special classes in mainstream primary and secondary schools which provide education for up to six pupils each or about 9,000 students in all.

Classes are normally opened with the co-operation of schools in areas where they are needed. However, many parents have complained of “soft barriers” in accessing special classes and authorities have faced resistance in getting some schools to provide them.

At primary level, the report found that where there were special classes, enrolment policies were found to be clear and appropriate in just over half of the settings and almost all pupils were deemed to be in the correct setting for their needs.

There were much bigger gaps at second level, where only half had appropriate enrolment policies and two-thirds of classes had some students who were inappropriately placed in mainstream classes or special classes for autism.

Suitable autism-specific assessments were used in fewer than a third of the second-level special classes to identify needs and track progress, while fewer than half of teachers effectively used a range of autism-specific teaching approaches.

‘Lack of consistency’

Responding to the report, Adam Harris of autism charity AsIAm said the inspectorate's report highlighted a "worrying lack of consistency" in supports provided to autistic students in mainstream schools.

“It is totally unacceptable that barriers are being placed in front of autistic students with the highest support needs in accessing autism class support – this flies in the face of inclusion and has no basis in evidence or policy,” he said.

He said many gaps has been previously highlighted by the National Council for Special Education in 2016.

“Now is the time to urgently implement reforms and provide schools with the resources so they can meaningfully include autistic students in mainstream school settings,” he said.

“It is clear that resources and a culture shift are required and both the department and schools need to take responsibility for this moving forward.”

In its recommendations, the department report says policymakers should examine if the current configuration of special classes is the most effective model to fully include all learners in school life.

It also said school enrolment policies for special classes should not prioritise places for higher-functioning learners.

In addition, leaders in all schools with special classes should prioritise allocation of the most skilled and experienced teachers with the appropriate levels of training to special classes, rather than newly-qualified or substitute teachers.