On the menu today we have the Chef’s Special of Pan-Seared Sea Scallops and Jumbo Prawns, served with a white wine reduction, butternut squash purée, and crispy shallots. Or how about Veal Chop with Porcini Mushroom Cream Sauce, accompanied by dauphinois potatoes and sautéed spinach? Perhaps we might have Wild Mushroom and Spinach Vegetarian Wellington, finished with a savoury truffle gravy and haricots verts. Are we happy with that? Those are pretty special, are they not? So, bacon and egg or sadza and relish are not on the special menu, is that right?

In Canada in the 1980s, ‘Today’s Special’ meant something different and proved to be extremely special. It was the name of a hugely popular children’s television show that promoted education, respect and inclusion, treating serious and even difficult matters with a thoughtful, compassionate and inclusive approach, with the characters often addressing the viewer patiently and intimately, as if they were their friend. Differences in children were normalised and welcomed. It was no wonder that it was very special.

We might then ask what is today’s special on our education menu? Do we not want something special? Up to 2001, overseas, there was not simply ‘O’ level and ‘A’ level but also ‘S’ level (standing for ‘Special’ or ‘Scholarship’ level papers). These were advanced, harder extension examinations taken alongside traditional A-levels by top-performing students, designed to challenge high-achieving students by testing advanced problem-solving, lateral thinking, and reasoning in unfamiliar scenarios.

In more recent years, ‘Special Education’ has a different connotation, with courses providing customized instruction and support with the purpose of helping students with physical, developmental, behavioural or emotional, and sensory-impaired differences to reach their full academic and personal potential. In simple terms, it is instruction that is created and delivered to meet the unique learning needs of a child with a learning disability or difficulty. It is entirely along the lines of ‘Today’s Special’. Every person is special because of their unique mix of life experiences, personality traits, and natural talents.

When we think of the special menus, we tend to think that ‘special’ must be exotic (at least in name) with big words (and usually with small helpings) but it can equally be very simple. In many ways, it is the same with education – we try to make it sound exotic, intellectual, fancy, when all the time ‘S’ level could equally be defined as ‘Simple’. Keep it simple, sunshine. Indeed, ever child could and should reach ‘S’ level education when the ‘S’ stands for three simple ‘S’s.

Special education is about Skill, no question. Each child has a certain skill, each different from others. All too often we limit the opportunities for children’s skills to develop. Ultimately, we are looking to develop their particular special skill or talent. Their true skill may not be found in academics.

Special education is also about Style, for sure. We are called to bring out each child’s skill with style, with flair, individuality. Each should have their eccentricities and differences, their very character, encouraged, enriched and extended rather than squashed into a particular mould or format. It should draw out their uniqueness, distinctiveness. Sadly, all too often, education has become a conveyor belt churning out stereotypes – the same one thing on the menu, day after day.

Special education, above all, should be about Smile. We want children to develop their skills in a way whereby they will smile. We want children to develop their skill with style by bringing a smile to others as well as themselves. We want them to go through each lesson with a smile. A certain brand had their advertising slogan as “Happiness begins with a smile. What are we waiting for?” Education should begin with a smile – and continue with a smile throughout. After all, today is special.

Skill, style, smile – now that is special. Our task is to make sure education is special. All children are special, for all their many differences, and so we must make today special for them all. There is nothing ordinary about them. Make them special, not specialised. Bring back S level, when S stands for Skill, Style, Smile – still. Would that not be special? So, what are we waiting for? Enjoy your meal!