We are collectively ambitious for our children and young people in Sutton. We believe every child should have the opportunity to get a good education regardless of what additional needs they may have. Together we want to provide them with the best chances to achieve their best outcomes in life whatever their starting point and prepare them effectively for adulthood.
All schools must have regard to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice when taking decisions relating to pupils with SEND or disabilities. You will find a SEND Information report for each school on the following pages.
As part of NHS England's Ask Listen Do Project, the Department of Education has funded a leaflet to provide families with questions to ask of schools, and empower them in having successful planning discussion and securing next steps beyond year 11. Download the Department for Education leaflet on Transition Planning for Year 11 (PDF 214.49KB).
For information on home-schooling, read the Department of Education blog (external link).
Types of Schools
Children and young people with SEND all have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children and young people of the same age. These children and young people may need extra or different help from that given to others.
Broadly speaking young people with SEND are supported at the following types of settings:
- 'Mainstream settings'
These are settings that all pupils attend e.g. nurseries, primary and secondary schools, colleges etc… The vast majority of children and young people with SEND will be supported within mainstream settings who are funded to support pupils through the graduated approach, quality first teaching, targeted and personalised support. This is known as 'ordinarily available provision'. Young people will generally have either an Education Support Plan or an Education Health and Care Plan that sets out the provision in school that will support the child to learn.
- 'Specialist Settings'
For the minority of pupils with SEND, where their needs are so complex and where their needs cannot be reasonably met in mainstream provision, Sutton has a range of 'specialist provision'. Young people must have an EHCP to attend a specialist provision and all pupils are placed by the Local Authority into these settings based on the needs of the young person.
'SEND Base Provision' - bases are within mainstream schools but teaching is largely delivered separately from mainstream classes in smaller groups of 8-10 due to the complexity of the needs of the young people that attend. Integration in social or recreational activities may be possible but integration with mainstream classes will likely be limited due to the need to deliver an adapted curriculum with specialist teaching practices. Bases are funded to support a high level of additional support to pupils.
Special School Provision - Special schools are those that provide an education for children with a special educational need or disability. ‘There are many different types of special school, but essentially, they all educate children whose needs cannot be met within a mainstream setting, and whose parents or carers have agreed to or requested a special school placement.
Independent Exam Centres for Independent Candidates
If you're unable to find a school or college from the list below, you may still wish to contact other schools and colleges in your local area. Even if a school or college doesn't appear on the list, the exams officer may still be able to accept you.
You should find a school or college well in advance of the closing date for students to be entered for exams, to allow the exams officer time to process your entry and to avoid payment of late fees. Please check the entries closing dates for all exams series.
It 's up to the school or college whether to accept private candidates. We can't ask a school or college to accept your entry. In most cases they will only accept you if they're entering their own students for the subject(s) you wish to enter for.
Year 6 and Year 11s Transition
Please read some research tips for families for transition years.
Education Catch up
The Department for Education (DfE) is supporting catch-up programmes and fun activities for all children and young people in England. Get in touch with your school or local authority to find out what’s available in your area.
National Tutoring Programme – Subsidised Tutoring Available
All state-maintained schools can access tutoring subsidised by 75% through the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), to support pupils (aged 5 to16) who need extra help. The NTP aims to ensure that high quality tutoring is available in all parts of the country to disadvantaged pupils who need the most support to catch up.
Schools can search for approved NTP Tuition Partners and enquire directly with providers. This includes specialist provision for supporting students with SEND. 26 of our 33 providers are able to support students with SEND including 17 providers who are able to support students in special school settings.
Education Bulletin
The Education Bulletin is a regular communication from Local Area leaders to the educational community in Sutton, on areas of shared interest. Anyone can contribute to the education bulletin whether that be LBS, schools or colleges, Sutton CCG, and Health partners, many of whom make up the 550+ subscription list. Subscribe to the Education Bulletin, or find previous copies of the bulletin.
Ambitious for SEND
As a local area partnership, we are keen to keep parents up to date with what we are working on so we are also publishing termly updates that schools send out directly to parents. Subscribe to the Ambitious for SEND newsletter.
Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
A Local Authority will issue an EHC Plan if it considers that the special educational provision required to meet a child or young person's needs cannot reasonably be provided from within the resources normally available to mainstream early years providers, schools and post-16 institutions.
Find out more about the process of assessment & who to contact about EHCPs.
27/10/2022