The English folk rhyme 'Monday's Child' predicts a fortune for children based on the day of the week on which they were born. Line 4 reads 'Thursday's Child has far to go.' This article explores whether Lindsay Anderson and Guy Brenton edited the documentary film "Thursday's Children" (1954) to convince the viewer that deaf children…

Limited research has examined methods to investigate the views, preferences and experiences of young people with autism and complex needs. The aim of this study, based at a specialist residential school in England, was to develop and pilot an innovative method for this purpose--a 'Talking Wall'--that was trialled over a 6-month period. Thematic…

Using a comparative mixed methods approach, this study examines the impact of residential experiences on pupil cognitive and non-cognitive development in year six in England. SAT's results and termly progress data in numeracy and literacy were collected. In addition, a ROPELOC survey, focus groups and interviews were used to assess non-cognitive…

This narrative account describes approaches to sanctions in primary school settings that also provide nurture groups, and the ways in which different approaches may be viewed as helpful or harmful to children's behaviour and to nurture group provision. It draws from research conducted as part of a larger comparative nurture group study examining…

The purpose of this multi-perspective collaborative research activity was to analyze moments of teacher learning as perceived by a group of teachers who educate students with the label of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The researchers in this project acknowledge the value of hearing teachers' perspectives on what works for them in their…

British Sign Language has a number of regional variations. This article examines the role of residential schools in the development of sign variants. Citing data collected during interviews with members of the Lancaster and Morecambe Deaf community (who of necessity attended schools elsewhere), it explores the peer-to-peer transmission of sign…

The physical and emotional changes that occur in adolescence are part of the process of sexual maturity. These changes occur irrespective of ability and are often aligned with psychological and social factors. When the nature of a disability has an inherent limitation in social awareness, as is the case for individuals with autism, the achievement…

The term "open university" was coined by that visionary "seedsman" of reformist ideas Michael Young in an article for a 1962 number of "Where?" magazine. He proposed an "open university" to prepare people for external degrees at London University, with three key functions: (1) to organise new and better…

In earlier "humanitarian" accounts, Britain's voluntary blind institutions exemplified successful nineteenth-century philanthropy and later became effective partners of the state. From the 1970s, Victorian charity came increasingly under criticism and subsequent studies on disability condemn the exclusion and utilitarian training of a…

SUGGESTED IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY BOARDING SCHOOLS FOR URBAN DISADVANTAGED AND DISTURBED OR DELINQUENT CHILDREN. THE INSTITUTIONAL FAMILY LIFE OF RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS CAN OFFER THESE CHILDREN AN ESCAPE FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE ENVIRONMENT OF THE URBAN GHETTO. MOREOVER, URBAN SCHOOLS SHOULD INSTITUTE SUMMER PROGRAMS OUT…

This article summarizes findings of research into decision-making processes leading to residential special school placements in England. Results suggest the needs of individual children are not central to these decision-making processes and that local authorities who make such placements do not pay sufficient attention to protecting and promoting…

There are now higher than ever numbers of children in public care in the developed world and increasing concerns across Europe to examine the differences in policies and practices and their impact on childrens lives. The small-scale research reported in this paper was commissioned by an agency in the UK concerned with addressing the challenge of…

This article examines why pupils' perspectives should be considered in development of residential school services and explains how pupils' perspectives can be accessed. Findings from a study of two British residential schools for boys with emotional and behavioral disorders found that the elements of schooling most valued by students were respite,…

Despite increasing policy commitment by government to the inclusion of children with special educational needs in mainstream services, significant numbers of disabled children continue to be placed in residential schools. This article reports on the policies and practice of education and social service authorities in England, patterns of…

In a specialist further education college, it was recognised that students aged 16/17 transferring to vocational study after their compulsory schooling were refusing to take up their entitlement to additional learning support. This created a shortfall in the college's predicted units of funding; also, course managers reported that several of these…