As part of its evaluative role, my Department's inspectorate conducted a sample survey in late 2002 of 25 primary schools which had been allocated resource teacher and special needs assistant support. The objective of the review was to provide a detailed account of the additional allocation of resources for pupils with special educational needs with particular reference to the terms of the relevant Departmental circulars. The report expressed concern at the higher than expected incidence of significant disability identified in the survey, although it emphasised the need for caution in drawing firm conclusions because of the small sample involved. It also noted that increased access to psychological assessment services in recent years had led to increased numbers of pupils in mainstream schools being identified as having special needs. Nonetheless, the report expressed concern that the greater availability of resources in recent years may also have led to significant overidentification of special needs in schools and that such overidentification had serious long-term implications for the future funding and development of special education services.
Arising from the findings in the report, subsequent applications for special educational resources have been subject to individual verification. In the case of teacher resources, the outcome for each applicant school will be based on a new weighted system of allocation which I announced recently. The new system will involve a general weighted allocation for all primary schools to cater for pupils with higher-incidence special educational needs, such as borderline mild and mild general learning disability and specific learning disability, dyslexia, and those with learning support needs. It will also allow for individual allocations in respect of pupils with lower incidence special educational needs.
The weighted allocation will be made as follows: in the most disadvantaged schools, as per the urban dimension of Giving Children an Even Break, a teacher of pupils with special educational needs will be allocated for every 80 pupils to cater for the subset of pupils with higher incidence special needs; in all boys schools, the ratio will be one teacher for every 140 pupils; in mixed schools, or all girls schools with an enrolment of greater than 30% boys, one for every 150 pupils; and in all girls schools, including schools with mixed junior classes but with 30% or less boys overall, one for every 200 pupils. In addition, all schools will be able to apply for separate specific allocations in respect of pupils with lower-incidence disabilities.
Unsuccessful applications in respect of pupils with lower-incidence disabilities will be reconsidered if additional information on the pupil's teaching needs are received in my Department.