This Sunday I am appearing on the BBC 3 Counties radio show Shrink Wrap, chatting about my experiences of education. The show is all about Inclusive Education and SEN provision, so I went off to Putteridge High School, my old high, to chat with the students and staff about what it is like to go to a mainstream school if you have an impairment. I was the first disabled kid to attend Putteridge and I know how much it set me up to be the man I am today. The biggest thing I gained from my time at school is the knowledge that just because I have an impairment doesn’t mean I am any less than anyone else, just different. One thing’s for sure… I like being different!
It is a rather serious subject, and as I sat in the studio listening to Chetna Kang and Toby Friedner, the programs regular hosts, chat with experts about SEN provision and the forthcoming changes on how it works I felt very sorry for parents of disabled kids today. In the program I chat with my Mum to find out what it was like for her way back when I was tiny, but it’s nothing to the hops parents have to jump through now. Typically when it was my turn to join in the atmosphere cheers up to the max, but even though I do like a bit of humour I do hope my key message comes through. I truly believe that we need to work towards an education system that allows everyone to attend the same school, with the chance to study to whatever the child#s ability level is and that allows children to grow up understanding that disability is just part of life. Let’s hope that it happens one day eh?
To hear the show, either tune in to BBC3CR on 95.5FM or 103.8FM or listen via i-Player.