Filiz Polat

Inclusion and achievement in mainstream schools

This paper considers the key findings of a DfES‐funded study that explored the relationship between achievement and inclusion in mainstream schools in England. The methodology involved a statistical analysis of nationally held data on all pupils at the end of key stages 1–4, together with a series of site visits to ‘inclusive’ mainstream schools. These were carried out in order to explore school processes that might explain how some schools can manage to be both highly achieving and inclusive. Findings indicate that there is a small, but for all practical purposes, insubstantial relationship between inclusion and academic achievement at the school level although there is also a large degree of variation suggesting strongly there are other factors within a schools make up, rather than its degree of inclusivity, that impact on the average academic achievements of its pupils. This was confirmed from the analysis of the school site visits. The overall conclusion, therefore, is that mainstream schools need not be concerned about the potentially negative impact on the overall academic achievements of their pupils of including pupils with SEN in their schools.

What was it like for you? Former pupils' reflections on their placement at a residential school for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties

As LEAs and schools develop their inclusive policies and practices, arguments about how to provide the most effective education for pupils with EBD continue. Is it possible to provide high quality education for this group in mainstream schools whilst not adversely affecting the education of the other pupils? What are the consequences of placing the most disturbed pupils in special schools? What do the pupils themselves think? This article draws on findings from 26 interviews with former pupils of an EBD residential school. We were interested in their opinions about the quality of education and care they received at the school and the impact of the placement on their experiences as young adults. Overall, despite some concerns, the former pupils have very positive memories of the school and felt that it had helped them to overcome their learning and behavioural difficulties. The findings have key implications for the development of policy and practice.

The relationship between inclusion and academic achievement in English mainstream schools

This article presents the key findings and discusses the implications of a major study that explored the relationship between academic achievement and the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools in England. It is based on a statistical analysis of nationally held data on all pupils in England that is collected at the end of each of the 4 key stages, when pupils are aged 7, 11, 14, and 16. The analysis considered the relationship between academic achievement and inclusivity having controlled for a range of other variables. Findings indicate that there is no relationship between academic achievement and inclusion at the local authority (LA) level while there is a small but, for all practical purposes, insubstantial relationship at the school level. In addition, there is also a large degree of variation at the school level, suggesting strongly that there are other factors within a schools make up, rather than its degree of inclusivity, that impact on the average academic achievements of its pupils. The overall conclusion, therefore, is that mainstream schools need not be concerned about the potentially negative impact on the overall academic achievements of their pupils of including pupils with SEN in their schools.

The Children Act 2004 and Implications for Counselling in Schools in England and Wales

Abstract A questionnaire survey of 607 secondary schools in England and Wales, carried out in 2003–4, provided initial information on counselling as being a decentralized, largely school-based, demand-led, non-statutory, multi-sourced form of provision. It was mainly school funded, broadly child-centred and was provided by individual counsellors, who were directed by school managers in a loosely integrated manner. The advantages of school counselling were identified as benefiting individual pupils and as providing educational, behavioural and social benefits to the host school. The disadvantages were largely managerial and professional, i.e. related to resources and addressing the barriers to future service development. The authors contrast this diverse, demand-led model of counselling provision with the emerging profile of counselling, provided by multi-agency teams, based in extended schools, which is promoted by the Green Paper, ‘Every Child Matters’. The community focus of such a model, and expectations of high levels of information sharing among professional staff with flexible role descriptions, are likely to present major challenges to existing role-based forms of school counselling. Particular issues explored are the professional orientation of the service, confidentiality and relationship with other professions.

Provision of Counselling Services in Secondary Schools: A Survey of Local Education Authorities in England and Wales

This paper explores the current state of counselling as provided by local education authorities (LEAs) to secondary schools in England and Wales. A questionnaire was sent to all 172 LEAs in England and Wales. The data suggest that the counselling provision is highly variable and somewhat fragmented in scope. The data also indicate that the perception of the role of school counselling services by educational professionals varies considerably, and that there were a number of issues concerning integrated versus decentralized forms of provision. The study has a number of implications for the main stakeholders, including schools, LEAs, pupils and parents, concerning future developments in this increasingly important policy area. These relate to minimum qualifications for counsellors, confidentiality, accessibility to pupils and funding.

School counselling in Wales: Recommendations for good practice

Aims: This paper presents the context, methodologies and findings of a research project commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government to evaluate school counselling and services available to children and young people in the UK and to make recommendations for future service development in Wales. Method: The study adopted three research methods: desk research (a literature review), a quantitative survey, and qualitative fieldwork. The survey included a sample of primary and secondary schools in Wales, as well as local authorities. Fieldwork included interviews with teachers, counsellors, parents, and children. Findings: Evidence-based recommendations for counselling service provision in schools in Wales were developed, which now inform the Welsh Assembly Governments (WAG) National Strategy for counselling in schools in Wales (2008).

What was it like for you

Abstract As LEAs and schools develop their inclusive policies and practices, arguments about how to provide the most effective education for pupils with EBD continue. Is it possible to provide high quality education for this group in mainstream schools whilst not adversely affecting the education of the other pupils? What are the consequences of placing the most disturbed pupils in special schools? What do the pupils themselves think? This article draws on findings from 26 interviews with former pupils of an EBD residential school. We were interested in their opinions about the quality of education and care they received at the school and the impact of the placement on their experiences as young adults. Overall, despite some concerns, the former pupils have very positive memories of the school and felt that it had helped them to overcome their learning and behavioural difficulties. The findings have key implications for the development of policy and practice.

Changing attitudes of school psychologists towards pupils with special educational needs in Turkey

This study investigates the effectiveness of providing information about people with special educational needs (SEN) on the attitudes of school psychologists. Thirty school psychologist volunteers were assigned randomly to equal groups, an experimental group and control group. An experimental design was used in which the experimental group was exposed to six sessions. The Turkish adaptation of the Attitudes towards Disabled Persons Scale (ATDP) was administered to both groups as pre- and post-test exposure conditions. Results of t-test revealed no significant difference between two groups on the pre-exposure measure. Differences between pre- and post-exposure measures for the control group were also not significantly different. However, the attitudes of the experimental group were found to be significantly positive at the postexposure condition compared with pre-exposure. Attitudes in relation to gender and experience were also investigated. No significant difference was found between male and female school psychologists. However, school psychologists with previous experience of pupils with SEN had more positive attitudes towards people with SEN than those who had had no such experience.