Difficulties that may arise when implementing anti-discriminatory practice in SEN schools & possible ways to overcome these difficulties

Hi Cally

Your comments regarding how Dover Hall follows their policies and procedures to implement best practice regarding anti-discrimination followed by your observation of one your colleagues, just goes to prove that actively promoting anti-discriminatory practice is another thing entirely!

From my own observations in the short time that I have worked in this school, I can see how there may difficulties that may arise when implementing anti-discriminatory practice; I have also witnessed how these difficulties are challenged and are overcome in this school.

There is such a wide age range of children in this school - from early years to age 19.  They all have severe physical and/or complex medical needs.  Most people who are not aware of the service this school provides, have the opinion that the children are purely here for 'day care', attending to and caring for their individual physical and medical needs.  Of course, taking the correct care of these needs is paramount and there are many professionals that are employed such as nurses, physiotherapists and speech therapists to provide for the children's medical care and other therapies that support their needs.  However, this is a SEN school and all of the children have a right to and do receive an education.  The school curriculum is delivered appropriately to meet each child's individual needs no matter what their individual physical/medical challenges may be.  

Many of the children have severe communication difficulties.  This does not mean that their 'voice' and opinions are not 'heard' and valued from the teachers and support staff that work at the school.  The school's staff are all fluent BSL interpreters for example.  They support each individual child to express their needs and preferences by organising this type of communication support.  (The school's staff are trained in providing a range of communication support mechanisms for their children's individual communication preferences and needs.)  The school also has interpreters for children and their families if they do not speak English (the local language).

http://saxonhill..staffs.sch.uk/ follow their link to 'Therapies' .


Gail