Vital need to keep special needs schools in Leeds open in lockdown highlighted as parents say they can't cope without them

As mainstream education once again reverts back to remote teaching, home-schooling and on-line lessons - for around 1500 pupils who attend special needs provision across the city this just isn't possible.

The Rainbow Base, which is part of Richmond Hill Academy, has fought to remain open and as fully operational as possible during this third national lockdown after parents said "we can't do it again".

Many were left at breaking point during the first national lockdown last March with some families having several siblings with special needs, disabled parents trying to cope with physical behaviour from their kids and some trying to home school GCSE level children while caring for autistic children and sharing an iPAD.

There are 33 places at Rainbow Base and in this current lockdown, 30 children are attending compared to 14 in last year's lockdown. Richmond Hill headteacher Anna Mackenzie said this emphasised how much parents were struggling to cope.

She said: "That is indicative of a family’s reduced capacity to cope a third time. The fact that so many families have opted to take a full time place demonstrates how great the need is for these families.

“The delivery of remote learning is a completely different ball game to children in mainstream school through online videos and workshops. None of this is appropriate or possible for children at Rainbow Base. We measure their progress through interaction. It is exceptionally difficult to deliver that remotely.

“We take that responsibility very seriously, as with every school, is balancing reducing children and contact with the desire to provide an education for our most vulnerable and we are pleased we have been able to do that working with the health and safety team and the trust to get that balance right."

For many special needs children, especially with conditions such as autism, familiarity and routine is very important and even small changes can lead to a breakdown which leads to further challenges in delivering special needs provision during lockdown and under coronavirus restrictions.

Each classroom environment is based on its pupil age, ability and learning needs. There is also a rebound room, sensory room, soft-play room, 4D room, trim trail and separate outdoor learning space, which are used in conjunction with individual targets for pupils.

Red, yellow and green classes do play-based learning and movement sessions such as running, hopping or skipping and 1-2-1 learning around emotions and talking. In the afternoon they will use the sensory rooms.

Children in the blue class will do group work, learn life and communication skills and even take trips to 'normal' places such as a cafe.

However, the reality of delivering the usual programme is more challenging as teaching staff are working on rotas and there has to be a contingency should staff need to isolate. Sensory materials that would have been handled frequently have had to be removed, also taking away vital tools used to calm and interact with children.

Rachel Law is the assistant principal at Richmond Hill with responsibility for the Rainbow Base.

She said: "Any changes to the time-table or provision can be challenging. We are following everything as closely as we possibly can but that has its own challenges. Every single child in our provision has a legal right to attend school at the moment but the real challenging part is that special education needs and / or disabilities (SEND) is not put at the heart of decision making and our children have very complex needs.

"We have fought to keep us open because it is right for our children, it is the best place for them, but we are using supply staff to keep us open. They are fantastic and we really value them - but that comes at a cost."

However, that cost has been weighed up against the struggles that parents had last year trying to home school and 24/7 care for children with complex needs.

Ms Law added: "I have the memory of the last lockdown and how much families struggled. The majority of the services, nobody was able to do anything, the charities that support families, they were all gone, then we went. We got so many phone calls from families saying we don’t know what to do. They were very worried about the prospect of doing that again.

"The response from families (staying open in the current lockdown) was just grateful. We were very open with families about our plans and contingencies but the best way to sum it up, I got messages from at least four within five minutes of the lockdown announcement saying "are you open - I can’t do this again."

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