Specialist pathway
The Children and Families Act 2014 secures the general presumption in law of mainstream education in relation to decisions about where children and young people with SEND should be educated.
Lincolnshire fully supports the presumption of mainstream education for the majority of children and young people.
We recognise that, where necessary, a very small number of children and young people with the most complex needs should be educated within settings which can provide the most specialist teaching and learning opportunities.
Experienced specialist teachers educating pupils in specialist environments, specifically designed to support those with the most complex needs can provide children and young people with the foundations to achieve the best possible outcomes.
However, this type of provision should be reserved for those with the most complex needs in order to retain its integrity and effectiveness.
Expanding special school capacity
To meet growing demand for specialist provision, the council is exploring repurposing vacant buildings to expand the special school estate. This approach not only creates more capacity within the special school portfolio but also supports the preparation for adulthood (PfA) agenda, helping young people move gradually and confidently towards independence and future opportunities. These remodelled spaces are intended to create post-16 provision on separate sites, freeing up classroom space in the existing special school for pre-16 pupils.
As the new premises will be designed specifically for the post-16 specialist curriculum, young people will have access to high-quality facilities which meets their specific learning needs.
Our ambition is to ensure that young people who require specialist post-16 provision will have access to a dedicated facility in their locality, through exploring the viability of establishing tailored post-16 specialist provision.
In addition, we will continue to work with our existing special schools to ensure that all spaces are being effectively utilised and that they remain at optimum capacity. Opportunities to develop additional teaching spaces in the existing estate will continue to be explored as part of the sufficiency programme.
Capital developments in these sites, should they be deemed feasible, would be funded from the Department for Education high needs capital allocation.
Special school satellite provision
This strategy will explore the viability of special school satellite provision, linked to existing special schools, in order to promote closer ties and collaboration across the education sector and enable special school pupils to access mainstream opportunities.
Special school satellites are bespoke provisions established within a mainstream setting, where special school pupils are educated and supported by staff from a special school.
They operate as a satellite of the local special school, providing special school pupils with the opportunity to access elements of the mainstream curriculum and school day, with the supportive and nurturing ethos of their special school.
Satellites offer special schools the opportunity to develop close links with their local mainstream provision and actively encourage a collaborative approach to teaching those with SEND.
All students allocated a place in the satellite would have an EHC plan. All pupils would remain on the special school roll and would regularly access the special school for shared events. Pupils would have a highly integrated and personalised timetable with opportunities for supported inclusion in mainstream lessons and social activities within the mainstream school, therefore providing flexible opportunities for social inclusion. This may include but is not exclusive to the school dining area, play spaces, assemblies, tutor programmes, community activities.
The ultimate aim would be to broaden pupil's educational experience and enable them to access wider curriculum opportunities.
The provision aims to develop each young person’s functional literacy and numeracy skills, their personal and social independence skills, communication and organisational skills and their emotional development as adolescents. Satellites could also support pupils who are considering a return to mainstream school by introducing elements of this setting, through a gradual and considered approach.
This approach would support workforce development, with special school staff sharing skills and knowledge with their mainstream colleague, enhancing the mainstream skill set.
Satellites would:
- extend geographical reach
- offer flexible, localised provision
- ease pressure on centralised sites while maintaining continuity of care
Satellite sites will allow more children to access specialist support closer to home, improving family engagement and reducing travel burdens.