ABSTRACT
This chapter provides certain assumptions have been made about whole school policy. As a phrase it has generally been thought to mean very little in itself and attention has concentrated instead on the topic raised as the subject of a whole school policy rather than on whole school policy as a concept in its own right. One particular feature of client group studies which is of great significance to the study of special educational needs and is related to whole school policy has been the way in which concepts such as 'learning difficulty'. 'Cultural diversity' and 'social disadvantage' have interfered with each other in teachers' perceptions of their pupils' abilities and potential. A whole school policy on 'learning difficulties' is regularly advocated by HMI and many others. The relationship between policy and principle is an intricate one, particularly since few schools are able to start from scratch.
