Purposes of education for young people with severe learning difficulties: exploring a vocational teaching resource – ‘A stepping stone to…’ what?

Abstract

This article examines the purposes of education with a particular focus on young people with severe learning difficulties (SLD). The topic is explored with reference to a specific case, whereby some of the key findings of an evaluation of the first year of ‘The Greenside Studio’, an English special school’s vocational teaching resource for young people with SLD, are presented. A conceptualisation of different ‘sides’ to the Studio is discussed in relation to the purposes of education for these learners in which the view of vocational learning as a stepping stone to paid employment and independence is presented as problematic. With a broader interpretation of vocational education this stepping stone is reconfigured as a bridge to life after school, whatever form that takes. It is argued, however, that the nature of this life must be viewed aspirationally.

KEYWORDS:

• Purposes of education
• severe learning difficulties
• special educational needs
• vocational education

Acknowledgements

The Studio evaluation project was commissioned by Greenside School and thanks go to the participating staff, parents and students. Explicit permission has been given to identify the school in this article.

Notes

1. Severe learning difficulties is an educational category in England which describes children and young people who ‘are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and [have] associated difficulties with mobility and communication’ (DfE/DoH, 2015, Section 6.30). Learning disabilities is frequently the term used when referring to adults. Internationally, the terminology is severe intellectual disabilities.