Joanne Wacha

Joanne Wacha was born in 1984 in Harrow, London. Joanne attended local mainstream primary and secondary schools and also spent time in hospital, attending the hospital school, after becoming ill at the age of thirteen. After school she went on to a local sixth form college, then a residential special college and then on to university.

More Choice

Here Joanne describes her younger sister’s experience of schools now.

Mainstream is the Way

Here Joanne talks about the need for more support.

Being Different

Here Joanne describes feeling left out by other children at school.

Do Radio

Here Joanne talks about her careers advice at school.

Home Life

Here Joanne talks about being involved as interviewer and interviewee

Just to be Seen

Here Joanne talks about the fundamental need for disabled children to be in schools with their peers.

Sherlock Holmes

Here Joanne talks about feeling excluded from school trips.

I Didn’t Know What Was Possible

Here Joanne talks about not being confident to ask for support

Drama

Here Joanne talks about returning to school as a disabled child

Ronald the Rat

Here Joanne talks about lunchtimes in primary school.

Staying Home

Here Joanne describes her mum’s determination for her to go to school locally.

Making Friends

Here Joanne talks about her friends at school.

Lessons on the Ward

Here Joanne talks about having lessons in hospital.

Buses and Taxis

Here Joanne talks about her journey to school.

Making Models

Here Joanne describes how her Science teacher was a role model for her.

Feeling Shy

Here Joanne remembers her first day at a new school.

Feeling Left Out

Here Joanne talks about a trip to the fair, a school journey and trips to the theatre.

Fisher Price Basketball

Here Joanne talks about how she felt about being given a ‘toy’ basketball hoop to play with in her Physical Education lesson.

Getting a Push

Here Joanne describes being helped by schoolmates to get around.