Section One:
The historical
context
The climate of concern for all children was also
The document also recognised that this positive clear at this time. It was recognised that the system
picture was not universally true: ‘It has proved to was failing some children, and there was a
be a trap for some less able or less experienced development of ‘remedial education’ and a
teachers who applied the freer methods uncritically significant piece of work looking at the needs of
or failed to recognise that they require careful those pupils with special educational needs. The
planning of the opportunities offered to children Warnock Report of 1978 followed a period of very
and systematic monitoring of the progress of widespread consultation which recognised the
individuals.’ It concluded that ‘the challenge now is needs that all children had to be educated and to
to restore the rigour without damaging the real fulfil their potential. At the centre of the Report’s
benefits of the child-centred developments.’ concept was the recognition that the child’s needs
were not to be limited by cost measures. The
What was also clear was that the control that LEAs Statement of Educational Needs was to be just
had over the schools in their area was very variable, that. The report also challenged the language of
and the challenge of sharing good practice, and handicap
_
by focusing on the handicap or deficit,
understanding how the standards of schools might children were being segregated and marginalised
be recognised, was not within the control of rather than encouraged to take part in education
central government. Where comprehensive to the full. The Report also recognised that
education had been embraced, primary education educational provision needed to account for up to
was freed from the need to stream in order to get 20% of the school population at some time, not
the best eleven-plus results, and this had changed focus only on the 2% of the students with longer-
the face of the primary classroom from a teacher- term or permanent needs. The outcome was to
led, whole-class teaching agenda to that of group question the number of children who were
work and potentially a much freer and less educated in special schools, and eventually to result
disciplined environment. This offered opportunities in many of these children being taught
for the development of a whole new range of in mainstream education, not always completely
resources to support group work. successfully as mainstream teachers often lacked
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