Every Special School Matters, a report into the extended schools agendain special schools in Hampshire, found that out- of-hours learning andchildcare provision are not accessible to the majority of children andfamilies in special schools.
"This area of the core offer has the greatest potential to transform thequality of life of children and young people and their families butcannot be delivered by special schools alone," the report's authorssaid.
But the research also found "exemplary multi-agency work" embedded inmost special schools, and recommended this "should be used to informmainstream school practice" with special schools acting as multi-agency"centres of excellence".
Ian Fordham, director of education and children's services consultancyBig Picture, which carried out the research, said: "The core offer isclearly geared towards mainstream schools. Local authorities andGovernment need to be more proactive in supporting special schools."
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