Given the importance which is attached to teaching children with special needs in mainstream schools, it is vital that those schools are made as "user friendly" as possible for them. In too many cases there are problems with access and movement within the buildings which make life difficult.

Youngsters with physical disabilities are often denied the wider choice of schools available to other pupils. Sometimes they have to travel long distances each day to a school which is equipped to cater for their needs when there are other schools which are perfectly adequate in every other respect much closer to home.

So obviously the more facilities which can be provided in the greater number of schools, the better.

The £500,000 cash boost from the Government to Bradford is a very useful contribution in this direction for a Council which is struggling with its education budget as a result of schools reorganisation. It is now up to the individual schools to make their cases for a share of the cash.

As Councillor David Ward, the Council's Executive member for education, points out, the money is not there solely for building improvements and adaptations. It can also be used to provide new radio aids or blinds to deflect sunlight for children with hearing or sight problems.

The £500,000 will not solve every problem by any means, but it should help to make quite a difference to the school lives of more youngsters and the choices available to them, to help to improve their chances of making the most of their education.