Alliance for Inclusive Education
Local Elections Manifesto for Inclusive Education
This Manifesto document sets out what disabled people and our allies
expect of all Local Council candidates to terms of a commitment to the
development of inclusive education practice at the local level.
The Government recognises the role Local Councils have in developing
and promoting cohesive communities, universal services and
opportunities which are inclusive of disabled people.
“Enabling disabled people to participate in their communities,
whether through employment, education, local services or social
activities has wide ranging benefits for society. We plan to
promote the development of inclusive and accessible communities
starting with a day of activity on Thursday 4th September 2014”
(Interdepartmental Ministerial Group on Disability 20th March 2014)
As soon as you, as Local Councillors, are elected we want you to
encourage and incentivise the Local Council to start rising to the
Government challenge, to develop inclusive and accessible communities
through the development of inclusive education practice. It is only when
all disabled and non-disabled children grow up and learn together that
the Council will be working in a community that positively welcomes
diversity and inclusivity of all. This is why The Alliance for Inclusive
Education (ALLFIE) is calling for the support from all Local Council
candidates to secure an inclusive education system which welcomes all
disabled learners.
"Inclusive education IS a social justice issue because it creates a
society that values all equally - not only does it benefit disabled
students, but all students, because they learn the strength of
diversity and equality, lose their fear of difference, and develop
empathy for others. It is as much about recognising our similarities
as it is valuing and respecting our differences. Feeling part of our
families and our communities from the beginning of our lives
increases our sense of citizenship."
Tara Flood, CEO, ALLFIE
The Children and Families Act 2014 starting position is the presumption
of mainstream education for disabled children and young people with
SEN. Despite Local Councils losing democratic control over many of
their schools, as part of the Academy conversion programme, the
Children and Families Act 2014 still places a duty upon Local Authorities
to plan and arrange SEN provision for pupils, as and when required, in
maintained, Academy and Free Schools. Elected Councillors have a
central role to play in championing best practice in all state funded
schools, influencing the Council’s education and SEN policies, and
deploying education and SEN funding in a manner that builds
sustainable inclusive education practice across the borough.
Access to mainstream courses and curriculum for disabled children and
young people, whether in a mainstream school, or a post 16 placement,
remains a post-code lottery.
"Our little boy Luke has learning disabilities. We decided that we
wanted to send him to his local mainstream primary school, why
wouldn't we? It is close, he is there with his sister and in our local
school, after all this is where he lives and is part of our
community."
Hilary Newth (Parent)
ALLFIE is therefore calling for all Council candidates, once elected, to
make a commitment to ending this postcode lottery by developing and
implementing plans to increase inclusive education provision for
disabled children and young people, informed by ALLFIE’s six Manifesto
demands.
Manifesto Demands
ALLFIE is asking you to support the following changes in antidiscrimination legislation and funding polices to ensure:
 All disabled learners have the legal and human right to attend
mainstream courses in mainstream education settings.
 All disabled learners have the legal right to individualised support.
 Education buildings to be made accessible to all disabled learners.
 All mainstream course curricula are accessible to and inclusive of
disabled learners.
 All education assessments and accreditations are inclusive.
 Disability equality training is compulsory for all education
professionals and staff.
Manifesto Demand No. 1
We want all disabled learners to have the legal and human right to
attend mainstream courses in mainstream education settings.
Local Councils are under a legal duty to presume mainstream education
for disabled learners. The quality of mainstream education provision
can be influenced by how the Local Council uses its education budget
and resources to support inclusive practice at a strategic level on a longterm basis.
ALLFIE is asking you to develop an inclusive education policy that will
outline the Local Council’s commitment, alongside plans for all disabled
children and young people to be placed into mainstream schools, over
the next four years including:
 The funding of early years provision, play and pre-nursery groups
that are fully inclusive.
 Only support applications for new mainstream schools that are
fully inclusive of disabled learners.
 The securing of sufficient number of mainstream school
placements in order for all disabled children and young people with
SEN to exercise ‘real’ choice and benefit from mainstream
education.
Manifesto Demand No. 2
We want all disabled learners to have a legal right to individualised
support
The availability and flexibility of SEN provision can have a substantial
impact upon the choice of education provision and courses that disabled
learners are able to access. Whilst some of the education budget is
given directly to schools, nevertheless Local Councils still retain some
funding for SEN provision for children and young people.
ALLFIE is asking you to oversee policies that will:
 Commission education, health and social care support services, so
that they are more accessible to schools who want to develop
inclusive practice.
 Use the SEN block grants, to support disabled children and young
peoples’ enrolment in mainstream schools and college mainstream
courses.
 Provide Direct Payments/Personal Budgets, in lieu of direct
services, so that very young disabled children are able to
participate in mainstream early-years provision.
 Authorise Direct Payments/Personal Budgets, in lieu of SEN
provision, to allow the support to follow the disabled learner’s
choice of subject courses.
Manifesto Demand No. 3
We want all education buildings to be accessible to all disabled
learners
Schools and colleges are still using buildings which are not fully
accessible for disabled learners. As a result disabled children and
young people are not able to use part or all of school or college facilities.
Where possible Local Councils should help schools and colleges identify
funding so they can improve the accessibility of their buildings.
ALLFIE is asking you to develop Local Council policies that will:
 Provide funding for pre-nursery provision that takes place in
accessible buildings.
 Identify and provide assistance for funding applications (i.e. Priority
School Building Programme PSBP) to secure money needed to
make mainstream schools accessible for disabled learners.
Manifesto Demand No. 4
We want all mainstream courses and curricular to be accessible
and inclusive of all disabled learners.
Local Councils still have a role in providing support and incentives to
encourage schools and colleges to adapt and differentiate the curriculum
so that disabled and non-disabled pupils and students can learn together
in the same subject areas.
ALLFIE is asking you to support a policy where:
 all maintained schools are providing the national curriculum for all
disabled children and young people regardless of ability.
 all academy schools are providing a broad and balanced
curriculum for all disabled children and young people regardless of
ability.
 Arrangement and provision of expertise in course curriculum
differentiation for disabled learners where necessary for college
staff.
 All disabled young people can access mainstream accredited
courses at 16 plus.
Manifesto Demand No. 5
We want all education assessment and accreditation to be inclusive
Whilst recognising Local Councils have limited influence over
qualifications content and the assessment of accredited courses
provided by schools and colleges, nevertheless there is scope for the
funding of informal educational opportunities and extra-curricular
activities that promote inclusive assessment methods under their duty to
promote informal educational opportunities for young people.
ALLFIE is asking you to oversee the funding for:
 Informal educational opportunities such as the National Citizenship
Programme that may involve some kind of assessment.
 Informal educational opportunities that promote inclusive forms of
assessment such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Manifesto Demand No. 6
We want Disability Equality Training to be compulsory for all
education professionals and staff
Local Councils can support schools and colleges to become more
inclusive by providing Disability Equality Training for all governors and
staff working with or teaching disabled learners. Too often schools and
colleges fail to be inclusive of disabled learners, because teachers and
tutors are not taught about inclusive practice as part of their training.
ALLFIE is asking you to oversee a policy that will:
 Make it a requirement for all staff employed by the Council to be in
receipt of Disability Equality Training as part of their induction and
on-going professional development so they are in a stronger
position to support the inclusion of disabled students.
 Require service providers to receive Disability Equality Training so
that they are in a stronger position to deliver inclusive practice
within mainstream educational settings for any contracts involving
early years’ provision or education of disabled children and young
people.
What are the benefits of promoting Inclusive Education Practice?
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
(UNCRPD) is an international treaty outlining member state obligations
to uphold the human rights of disabled people to fully participate in their
local community. The UK ratified the UNCRPD in June 2009. It is only
when disabled and non-disabled children and young people are playing,
learning and working together that we will have any real possibility of
creating a society that truly values everyone, regardless of background,
status or ability. Evidence shows that more accessible and inclusive
societies foster a stronger sense of belonging, trust and sense of
ownership. We want your support to build a more equal society in which
disabled and non-disabled people live and work alongside each other,
free from prejudice. This can only be achieved through a well-resourced
locally driven commitment to developing inclusive education provision.
Please commit to this manifesto. Sign up to our 6 demands and work
with ALLFIE to take them forward.
Get in touch:
The Alliance for Inclusive Education
336 Brixton Road
London SW9 7AA
Tel: 020 7737 6030
Typetalk: 18001 020 7737 6030
Email: info@allfie.org.uk
Website: www.allfie.org.uk
Charity No: 1124424
Company No: 5988026
The Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE) is a national campaigning
and information-sharing network led by disabled people, supported by
allies including parents and those working in the education sector.
ALLFIE campaigns for disabled people to have the right to inclusive
mainstream education.