Special needs worry over schools

7.55.19am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 19th Mar 2007

Teachers in mainstream schools do not expect as much of children with special needs as their counterparts in special schools, new research has suggested. The Strathclyde University study has raised concerns the pupils may not be doing as well as they could.

More training should be developed to increase mainstream teaching skills and encourage higher expectations of pupils with special needs, the academics said.

The Scottish Executive said a lot of money was being invested in training. In 2000, the law was changed to make it the norm for children with special needs to attend mainstream schools. However, parents and teachers can request a place at a special school if they think it would best suit an individual