Free schools and SEN. Emily Haddock makes the case for free schools as a vital part of SEN provision
During the Coalition Government, parents and independent groups in England were encouraged to set up their own schools, called free schools. Free schools are funded by the Government but not controlled by the local authority. Since free schools have been established, 17 per cent of all of them have been dedicated to special needs or alternative provision; analysis by education charity New Schools Network shows that the free school programme has created 27 open or approved special free schools, 22 of which will cater for pupils with autism, and when full, they will be providing over 2,000 new special school places.
More than half of children with autism are not in the kind of school their parents believe would best support them, according to the National Autistic Society, which is why many charities and organisations have embraced the opportunity to set up a free school. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said that “Free schools give pupils the chance to attend an excellent local school. They are providing more choice than ever before to parents and ensuring that children have access to a high quality school place and the best possible education that prepares them for life in modern Britain.”
The free school strategy is gathering further support as three-quarters of the first 24 free schools were rated “good” or “outstanding” by Ofsted. So it is easy to see why parents are supporting the setting up of free schools specifically catering for young people with special needs.
Individual needs
One of the benefits of free schools is that they have the flexibility to tailor the curriculum to the abilities and needs of each pupil as the schools have the freedom to set their own learning programs. Schools could, for example, choose to focus on arts and sport. Young people can be provided with a learning environment which is individualised to their need, perhaps with a focus on teaching independent living skills. This also means that if a young person has a specific fascination or expertise in an area, their curriculum could be built around this to make the most of their interests or strengths.
Free schools also have the freedom to set their own pay scales and employ unqualified teachers. This has faced some criticism but in reality means that you could employ a retired professional footballer to teach PE or a working artist to teach art. This will therefore provide a direct link between what is being taught and how that can be used in a profession to raise aspirations and inspire young people to achieve.
Many free schools also benefit from a brand new building. The building can therefore be designed for the young people and can be planned so it explicitly meets their needs. Buildings can, for example, be designed to be autism friendly, with bespoke spaces for sensory rooms and state-of-the-art technology.
Much of the criticism of free schools centres around the idea that they are divisive and are likely to be centred disproportionately in middle-class neighbourhoods, to try to attract the best performing pupils; however, this does not appear to be the case, as there are such high numbers of special free schools being established. Parental choice in education is becoming a more and more important issue, so the increase in the number of schools for parents to choose from can only be a good thing.
Author: Emily Haddock
Emily Haddock
Emily Haddock is Head of School at The Orchards, a proposed special needs free school opening in Trafford in September 2016:
www.orchardsfreeschtrafford.co.uk
