ABSTRACT
The schools sector is locked in deep debates about the inclusivity of education. Breakdowns within the system manifest polarised viewpoints and drive the conversation between pragmatics and ideology. In replacing ‘educationally subnormal’ with ‘special educational needs’, it established the educability of students with additional needs as a fundamental premise. The shift towards ‘special educational needs’ was intended to move understanding from a medical model to a social model. The binary choice implied in the debate about whether a child’s education ought to be delivered purely in a mainstream school or in a specialist setting is reductionist and overlooks the diversity of schools and the range of expertise that sits within them. Teacher education and initial teacher training programmes blend pedagogical approaches from mainstream and specialist settings. There is a crucial conduit between mainstream and specialist schools, which mobilises the dialogue, exploration and context for truly inclusive pedagogy and curriculum design.
