And, as David Singleton reports, some campaigners believe this isevidence of selection.
The Government has always insisted that academy schools must take theirfair share of children with special educational needs but new figureshave cast fresh doubt on whether this is happening in practice.
Using the Freedom of Information Act, Children Now obtained figures onthe percentage of pupils with special educational needs at academyschools, compared with the "failing" schools they replaced.
Full figures were available for 13 of the 27 academies that are now upand running and they make interesting reading. The Academy at Peckhamhas seen a large increase in the percentage of pupils with specialeducational needs (both with and without statements) and its examresults improved at the same time. Principal Peter Crook said: "We aretaking more children with special educational needs and the results aregoing up. What it amounts to is closer targeting of children'sneeds."
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