When To Choose A Special School

Choosing a special school How do you decide what type of school or level of SEN provision is right for your child?

As mainstream schools cater for an ever increasing range of special educational needs (SEN) fewer children with SEN attend special schools. Many mainstream schools are catering for more complex special needs cases but some have reached the limits of what they can provide, without prejudicing the needs of all children.

What is important is that school type and the continuum of provision should be considered on a case by case and needs basis.

Special school, specialist provision or mainstream?

The choice is no longer limited to one of either special or mainstream provision.

Unit and Resourced Provision. The introduction of unit, resourced and specialist provision has blurred the traditional boundaries. Generally units are attached to mainstream schools and resourced provision is integrated into the schools (but sometimes these are interchangeable).
Dual registration. An increasing number of children are dual registered, spending time in both special and mainstream schools.
Inclusion. Even where dual registration is not possible most children who attend special schools will be included in a mainstream environment at some point; additionally some children with borderline needs may spend most of their time in a mainstream setting but receive specialist input either at, or from, a special school.

The Good Schools Guide and Special Educational Needs

Subscribers to The Good Schools Guide On-line or purchasers of The Good Schools Guide - Special Educational Needs 2008 edition will find in-depth reviews of 80+ special schools plus a few hundred mainstream schools that are good for special needs. In The Guide, specialist schools for children with dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties feature alongside schools for children with a range of autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), sensory impairments, global learning difficulties, behavioural difficulties such as ADHD, physical difficulties, medical needs and complex conditions. The schools covered in The Special Needs Guide range from schools that cater for the bright child with relatively minor needs through to those whose needs provide significant challenges. Reading the reviews is the ideal way to help you focus on the needs and abilities of your child and prompt thought as to the level and type of provision to seek.

For some children with complex needs choosing a special school, with specialist provision and therapeutic care, is recommended or needed, at least for some of the time. We have reviewed over 70 special schools with a range of provision including:

Autism and ASD specialist schools.
Dyslexia specialist and dyslexia friendly schools (including a number with CReSTeD registration).
Schools for children with speech, language and communication difficulties.
Schools for children with sensory impairments, physical and medical needs.
Schools that specialise in emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Schools for children with global learning difficulties: MLD schools, SLD schools and schools for children with profound and multiple difficulties and complex needs.
Generic special needs schools.

Most special schools follow The National Curriculum, adapted and adjusted as necessary to meet the needs of the children. A good many have on-site care from a range of therapists which may include: The Speech and Language Therapist (SaLT), The Occupational Therapist and The Physiotherapist.

SEN provision in UK schools

We have invited ALL schools in the UK (from the most academically selective to those catering for children with the most profound needs) to detail their SEN provision* via our on-line SEN Survey. See

To date, approximately 3000 schools have responded. We cannot vouch for the quality or accuracy of that response nor can we confirm that replies remain current. We asked schools to be honest about their provision, some simply replied that they do not cater for children with any special needs or learning difficulties and disabilities. The survey also contains sections for detailing the provision for gifted children and those with English as an additional language (EAL).

*The survey is live and on-going and can be completed and updated by schools at anytime.