Reaching out: Actively promoting inclusion
During the nineties, as we moved from the 'integration' agenda more towards the 'inclusion' agenda, it became increasingly clear in discussion with staff, parents and other professionals, that 'opening our school doors further', in order to provide opportunities for meaningful pupil participation and engagement in the wider community, should feature prominently in our school development planning process. This would ensure that there was equality of opportunity for our pupils in terms of the curricular and extra-curricular experiences. Thus the picture of 'beyond the classroom' activities has emerged as represented in the diagram.

School Links: a two way process offering the best of both worlds?
Some pupils attend Merkland on a part time basis. To ensure the correct curricular balance for each pupil, close liaison takes place between the key teachers in the mainstream schools concerned. Collaborative working, planning, timing and transition arrangements are absolutely crucial to the success of dual placements. There are fewer dual placements in the Secondary department because of the specific subject timetabling difficulties that can occur at this stage. However, despite such difficulties, we always endeavour to arrange what would be in a particular pupil's best interest. Meeting individual needs is of paramount importance.

Local secondary schools also use Merkland School as a resource to provide work experience for their senior pupils.

Community Links
In S3, as part of the Standard Grade Social and Vocational Skills course, our pupils visit a variety of facilities within the local community to learn about the needs of their users, for example, playgroups, senior citizens' clubs etc. Small groups from these facilities are then invited back into school where the pupils act as hosts, providing hospitality and thereby demonstrating their abilities to others. This experience, as well as enabling pupils to learn about the facility and people concerned, also provides a basis for the Welcome Host certificate that pupils can achieve in S5. Very often pupils in special schools are on the receiving end of kindness and hospitality - gifts, discos and outings, etc., so it is extremely beneficial for them to have the opportunity to return hospitality and do something actively for the community at large. This promotes feelings of mutuality, inclusion and the feeling of 'being the same as everybody else'. The counterpart to this is that the community also recognises this mutuality and becomes aware that pupils with special educational needs have competencies and potential. Part of the pupils' community service programme involves the running of a weekly coffee shop (see pictures A (previous page) and B) which provides, as well as a service to parents, friends, visiting professionals and the local community, a real life setting for work experience and enhancement of social and interpersonal skills. The skills learned in this situation are essential for equipping pupils for life after school, for promoting social inclusion and enhancing links with the local community. Our staff and S4 group of pupils are supported in this venture each year by volunteers and parent helpers.

In evaluating the success of each coffee shop, which is also run as a mini enterprise, it has to be said that the biggest payback is not monetary - small profits are normally made and the pupils often replace or add to equipment and return share money to investors along with any dividend that is available. By far the most important and valuable measurements of success are pupils' growth in confidence, feeling good about themselves and their contribution, improvement in their communication skills and in their ability to work as a team, increased capacity for consideration of others' feelings and for accepting responsibility. This whole experience develops the skills required in the world of work - personal presentation, co-operation, team building, punctuality, interaction with the general public and, in general, taking responsibility. The quotations below illustrate this:

"I am really looking forward to when it will be our turn to run the cafe in S4"
S2 pupil

"I used to be embarrassed washing dishes. Sometimes it was a struggle to do the washing up but the chocolate croissants were brilliant"
S6 pupil

"It gives the children a chance at handling money, also to communicate with others and gives them an insight into the working environment"
Parent

"Over the year I observe a group of individuals becoming a team"
Volunteer helper