‘Most vulnerable children could suffer in changes to statementing’- Local Principal

These statements guarantee extra help at school for pupils with special needs but now children will receive Co-ordinated Support Plans (CSPs).

However, Lexi Scott, head of Gracehill Primary and Past President of the Ulster Teachers’ Union, fears that unless teachers and schools are adequately funded when these changes take place the children affected will not receive the support they need.

“Teachers too will be placed under intolerable pressure unless they have help,” he said.

“This is a situation, if not a crisis, which has been gathering steadily since the Special Educational Needs and Inclusion Review which has increased the number of SEN pupils in so-called mainstream classrooms.

“Inclusion only works if all children in the class are receiving the best possible experience. Indeed, a report last year revealed that a high level of bullying directed at special needs children in mainstream schools.

“If a child with special needs has a one to one classroom assistant their time in mainstream schools can work very well. Our fear is that cuts could affect that support, without which a teacher could struggle to give that child the support it needs – as well as the other 30 in the class.

“Without adequate support some of our most vulnerable children risk falling through the system – indeed, a report last year from the Education and Training Inspectorate stated that while Special Educational Needs units here were performing well, there was a need for better staff development and training.”

Mr Scott said she feared problems already present in the special needs sector would be transferred to the co-called ‘mainstream’ where staff were ill-prepared to cope.

“A survey has already revealed that three-quarters of teachers in special schools struggle to cope with disruption on a daily basis, while a further two-fifths reported being verbally abused every day with one in five facing intimidation and one in 10 actually being attacked,” she said.

“The survey was carried out among colleagues in England but sadly it reflects the experiences of our members here in Northern Ireland too.

“Too many still feel they don’t get enough understanding about the difficulties they face in the classroom and often feel there’s little point reporting cases because the support isn’t there to deal with them.

“Being abused or assaulted should never be tolerated in any workplace, yet it appears that there is a certain endemic level of abuse being directed at teachers working in specialist settings as well as an unspoken understanding that such behaviours are to be expected as part of the job.

“There must be no expectation that teachers should have to tolerate assaults or abuse at work by virtue of the pupils they teach.”