Why Scotland urgently needs separate schools for children with special needs

The ‘presumption of mainstreaming’ in Scotland’s schools has caused disruption to education and left some children with additional support needs alienated and frightened by the experience

I’ve never been what you could call an educational researcher: indeed, during my actual career I was always a lot more interested in teaching and young people than I was in ‘education’ per se. However, in recent weeks, I have conducted some extensive educational research; to wit, I have spoken to some teachers about what’s going on in their professional lives these days… well, some… well, two, actually.

Now the statisticians among you will scoff, because two isn’t much of a sample, but I’m going to press on regardless and with some pride, because these two were actual practising teachers, people who have thus far dedicated their professional lives to being in actual schools, dealing with actual young people, rather than skiving off on secondment (not that one can really blame the skivers, teaching being so much easier when there are no kids involved).

Their views are, perhaps, of more urgency than those of officials from Education Scotland or the Scottish Qualifications Agency (both disgraced organisations) or trade union officials or academics – those with whom the Scottish Government prefers to converse about education in Scotland.

The Scottish Government’s ‘presumption of mainstreaming’ is a cynical, money-saving policy which is probably the central reason for poor results and bad behaviour in schools (Picture: Matthew Horwood) | Getty Images

Teachers who can’t teach

I wonder, in fact, when Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth last had an in-depth conversation with two teachers, in which she simply asked them to talk about their working lives. Judging by the state of Scotland’s schools, I imagine it may have been when she was a teacher herself.

Anyhow, my two separate conversations yielded interesting results. One was with the deputy head of an urban comprehensive, whom I shall call Petunia (not their real name) and the other with a highly experienced and much-loved teacher in a Lothians state primary school, whom I shall call Clarence.

Two great teachers, Clarence and Petunia, and both happy to suggest practical ways to improve the lives of their colleagues and students. I asked them to tell me what three things would improve their schools most, and gave them plenty of time to consider their answers. Some of what they said came as no surprise.

For Petunia, the first thought was the need to ensure that schools are kept in at least a satisfactory state. How are we supposed to convince young people to look after their schools if the buildings are leaking, cold and falling apart? Her second view was that, as she put it, “we need to be able to get rid of crap teachers”. Quite right.

A stressful job

To be honest, I think the vast majority of teachers do a good, sometimes great, job in circumstances that most people simply don’t understand; a complex, multi-faceted, stressful job often dealing with large classes of children who are all individuals with their own needs – educational, pastoral and personal.

These stresses make teachers extremely collegiate, kind and thoughtful to each other, but therein lies a problem. It’s very hard to get rid of a teacher who, for whatever reason, can’t teach. Ms Gilruth will shortly be sending them to the Scottish Centre for Teaching Excellence. That will not solve the problem.

Clarence was concerned about the way head teachers are recruited and subject to scrutiny. They also saw the way in which funds were used for learning assistants as something needing dealt with. Too much of the time, assistants are away from the classroom helping children with difficult, specific learning issues, including those who, for one reason or another, need ‘time out’ from the classroom.

This is work which requires to be done by highly trained specialists; learning assistants should be helping in the great drive to close the poverty-related attainment gap, a flagship SNP policy which has so far dismally failed.

Cynical, money-saving policy

The children who suffer most, of course, are the least able children, who deserve just as much help as a child with a diagnosis, no matter how legitimate. Which leads neatly to the problem that both these seasoned teachers identified, in their very different teaching environments: the necessity to reconsider the Scottish Government’s ‘presumption of mainstreaming’, this cynical, money-saving policy which is, truth be told, probably the central reason now for the poor results, poor behavioural standards and poor teacher retention dogging Scotland’s schools.

Many teachers, including Clarence and Petunia, spend great chunks of their working lives dealing with small numbers of young people, most of whom have complex difficulties, and some of whom are liable to ‘kick off’ at the slightest provocation. This is rarely the fault of the child or teacher. It’s simply the wrong environment and we need to change that.

It used to be that the parents of most of these young people wanted them to be in ‘mainstream’ (ie ordinary) schools, mixing with the children who do not have such profound issues; this was deemed to be socially useful and instructive.

But social media, newspapers and books all seem to suggest that their views have changed, as they realise how unsuccessful the experiment has been, and how alienated and frightened many of their kids are by the mainstream experience.

Lack of political interest

Meanwhile, the parents of actual mainstream children (of all abilities) want more of the teachers’ time. This is not unreasonable.

We need – urgently – to re-establish specialised, dedicated units and schools for children with special needs. This is not about these two great teachers – it’s about a great mistake that is being perpetrated on their profession and their students.

I am mystified as to the lack of action on this issue, and the lack of sustained interest from political parties. Maybe they need reminding that there’s an election due next year. Thanks, Clarence; thanks, Petunia.

Cameron Wyllie is a former head teacher. He writes a blog called A House in Joppa and is the author of a book called Is There A Pigeon in the Room? My Life in Schools