PROVISION for special needs matches the needs of pupils at the moment and there are some pioneering projects -- but the department lacks a detailed vision for the future.

Ofsted says the growth of a huge bureaucracy for special needs was shortsighted and now Bolton faces the task of slowly dismantling the service.

Education chiefs are now spending more on an army of 350 classroom assistants and other SEN support than the entire wages bill for teachers and other education specialists.

The amount held back from schools to pay for this, £6.3 million, is among the largest in the country and the authority does not know if the services are providing value for money.

They say quality support depends too much on the capabilities of individual members of staff and many head teachers would prefer a greater say in how the money is spent.

Inspectors recognise attempts to pass this money back on to head teachers so they can buy in their own services but say it will be a slow process.

The authority is praised for making sure special schools now get their fair share of the cash and for speeding up the statementing process for pupils.

They are also praised for promoting inclusion by putting the Woodside schools on the same site as mainstream schools, in this case Deane -- but more needs to be done to prepare teachers in mainstream schools to take in SEN pupils.

Relationship with parents and support groups are praised, but the report concludes: "The LEA is weak in measuring improvements in educational attainment in relation to the substantial central support service costs.

"Nevertheless seeds of some pioneering work are beginning to develop and the LEA is highly motivated and well placed to make further progress in this area."