Special Education in the United Kingdom

ALL CHILDREN of school age in the United Kingdom are the responsibility of the Education Authority and must be offered educational provision. About 1.3% of pupils attend special schools; other pupils with special educational needs receive support of various kinds in ordinary schools. The Education Act 1981 is the main legislative instrument concerned with special education: it defined special educational needs, established integration as a key principle guiding service provision and laid down detailed procedures for conducting assessments. Special educational provision is likely to be affected significantly by the general Education Act introduced in 1988 but the precise implications are not yet clear.