Schools must provide more “safe space” for children with learning disabilites to allow them a secure, stress-free environment during break times, a study recommmends.

Research conducted by University of Cambridge has found that while Government and school policies focus on including students with special educational needs in lesson plans in the classroom, many of these youngsters feel severely neglected during break time.

More than 200,000 school aged children in England have a moderate or severe learning disability, representing nearly three per cent of all pupils. Just over half are educated in mainstream schools.

The Cambridge study found that some young people felt worried or anxious between lessons, when they might get picked on, teased or bullied or when they simply did not know what to do with themselves. Many also found moving around a busy school or college site extremely stressful.

“[Pupils] told us how frightening it was to be on the stairs at busy times. Playgrounds, social areas or common rooms were often not seen as good places to go because young people felt that they might get picked on, teased or bullied when they were out of the classroom.

“Corridors and other spaces could be crowded or noisy and young people felt that they might be pushed or rushed,” the report's author Richard Byers said.

Other young people simply did not know what to do at break times. Some of them said they did not have anywhere to go, or friends to be with. Others took in a packed lunch because they felt it would be too difficult to carry a tray or to work out money when there were other people hurrying them.

Even then, some still felt there was nowhere safe for them to sit and eat a packed lunch.

The report recommended that students should be given more access to “safe” places such as libraries or supervised areas and activities at break time.

It also suggested that young people could benefit from more support and more structured activities during break times as well as common rooms and access to staff or learning centres.

Researchers worked with young people at nine schools and colleges in three parts of the country over two-years to explore ways to help them to feel more included.

The students acted as “co-researchers” to identify problems and possible solutions which the study found increased their confidence.

While young people agreed with the policy on attending mainstream schools, they suggested ways of improving the experience for those with learning difficulties.

The report, entitled “What About Us?, also recommended offering more opportunities for the students to influence the day-to-day running of their schools.

Mr Byers, a lecturer in special and inclusive education at Cambridge, said: “The overall message from students was that the inclusion policy is a good one, but that it needs to be translated and put into practice more effectively.

“Schools are very busy places and are naturally concerned about challenging and developing all their students. In most of the successful schools and colleges we worked with, however, it was clear that it was entirely possible to drive towards excellence and include young people with learning difficulties at the same time.”

Jill Davies, research programme manager for the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, which jointly led the research, said: “Students can provide a very effective check on policy implementation and quality. Involving them in this way is good for schools, colleges and policy-makers - as well as being good for the young people themselves.”

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