Physical disabilities

3:71. A child's physical disabilities may be the result of an illness or injury, which might have short or long-term consequences, or may arise from a congenital condition.  Such difficulties may, without action by the school or the LEA, limit the child's access to the full curriculum.  Some children with physical disabilities may also have sensory impairments, neurological problems and learning difficulties.

The child's learning difficulty/disability

3:72. The LEA should seek clear, recorded evidence of both the child's academic attainment and the nature of his or her physical disability, asking, for example, whether:

i. there is a significant discrepancy between the child's attainment, as measured by National Curriculum assessments and tests and teachers' own recorded assessments of a child's classroom work, including any portfolio of the child's work, and the attainments of the majority of children of his or her age

ii. there is a significant discrepancy between expectations of the child as assessed by the child's teachers, parents and external specialists who have closely observed him or her, supported, as appropriate, by the results of standardised tests of cognitive ability, and the child's attainment as measured by National Curriculum assessments and tests

iii. the child is unable fully to take part in particular aspects of the school's curriculum without close adult supervision and/or substantial adaptation of teaching materials or the environment

iv. the child has significant self-help difficulties in, for example, dressing, toileting or feeding and/or the child's condition gives rise to serious safety issues

v. there is clear substantiated evidence based on specific examples that the child's inability fully to take part in school life places the child under significant emotional or physical stress.


The child's special educational provision

3:73. In the light of evidence about the child's academic attainments and physical disability, the LEA should consider the action taken by the school and, in particular, should ask whether:

i. the school, consulting the LEA's support services and, where appropriate, regional organisations expert in information technology for communication difficulties (see Glossary), has explored the possible benefits of, and where practicable secured access for the child to, appropriate information technology, for example special keyboards and switch input to allow access to word processing facilities and software, providing training in the use of that technology for the child, his or her parents and staff, so that the child is able to use that technology across the curriculum in school, and wherever appropriate, at home