SEND Sufficiency – You said, we did
In January and February 2023, we held a public consultation on how we plan to make more places available in the City for children and young people with special educational needs/disabilities (SEND) over the coming years.
We are investing capital funding received from the Department for Education (DfE), to create additional high quality inclusive places and to improve existing provision for children and young people with complex needs or who have an education, health and care plan (EHCP). The funding can also be used to support SEND pupils without an EHCP and pupils who require alternative provision without an EHCP, where appropriate.
The consultation presented the draft SEND Sufficiency Strategy, which included key data, evidence and trends to inform decisions. It also outlined key priorities and proposals to increase high quality inclusive provision and improve existing provision, to support all schools to be inclusive and to meet growing demand.
Your response to the consultation showed that there was a high level of support for the priorities set out in the draft strategy document. You also generally felt that the actions presented in the consultation document to achieve the priorities were the right ones, while commenting that how they are implemented is key.
81% of you agreed with our broad priorities to enhance facilities in mainstream schools to ensure that young people with SEND have the best environment and resources to meet their needs, close to home within their local community. You also agreed that we need to increase the number of special school places available and develop more specialist specialist provision in mainstream schools.
Your feedback generally related to the following 6 themes.
- Capacity, funding and other resources
- Training, recruitment and retention
- Support services for schools and pupils
- Diagnosis, EHCPs and access / pathways
- Alternative Provision & Exclusion
- Hospital and Home Education Learning Centre (HHELC)
Since the consultation closed, we have:
- Published the SEND Sufficiency Strategy 2023/28 and stage 1 priorities for increasing capacity. The priorities agreed are:
- To expand Rosehill Special school for children with autism by 80 places
- To develop an enhanced resource provision in both Fernwood and Nottingham Girl’s secondary schools for young people with autism and/or learning difficulties
- To develop an enhanced resource provision in both Gladehill and Milford primary schools for children with autism and/or learning difficulties
- To expand and improve facilities at Rise Park Primary School to enable them to continue to provide high quality, inclusive places for catchment children with SEND
- Worked with existing schools to provide additional places as an interim measure to ease capacity issues whilst builds and adaptations are progressing
- Prioritised the builds and adaptations that will create extra places the earliest
- Begun work to look at the best way to support, train and recruit teaching assistants
- Developed plans for increasing capacity in some SEND support services to schools and families
- Started working with Nottinghamshire County and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) to improve pathways and reduce waiting times to health services
- Commissioned a full review of alternative provision within the City
