High needs review for Shropshire

There are growing numbers of learners who struggle to cope in mainstream classrooms due to sensory overload, social difficulties and high levels of anxiety BUT who are able to access the mainstream curriculum but require smaller group sizes, the right sensory environment and specialist staff who are able to cater for their needs. When appropriately supported these learners can significantly benefit from being integrated on a mainstream school site as they may be able to access the curriculum with mainstream peers for some aspects of their learning.

Based on practice in other areas there are established and effective models of provision located on mainstream primary school sites for between 8-12 learners with dedicated staffing and resources. Shropshire has a significant number of schools with falling rolls who would have spare physical capacity to accommodate such provision without huge capital expenditure - based on experience elsewhere it is estimated that such provision could be developed with capital expenditure of between £50-100k (subject to many dependencies). Such low cost provision could be established at a number of locations across the county.

There are broadly two distinct options, either:

Mainstream - school led where the learners are on the roll of the host mainstream with the base managed and staffed by the host school

The benefit of this is that it embodies an inclusive ethos and directly engages mainstream schools as key partners in delivery of specialist provision. The challenge can be that such provision may (particularly in the crucial early stages) be very fragile and may become isolated without easy access to specialist support.

Or:

A partnership model where the base is operated as a satellite of a special school but is located on a mainstream ‘host' school site, where the pupils are on-roll and the base is managed and staffed by the special school.

This model has the benefit of building on strong practice within the special school sector and the ‘Hub' model is well-established in Shropshire and is operated successfully by both of the Counties special schools (Severndale and Woodlands) as well as by the Tuition, Medical and Behaviour Support Service (TMBSS). The model also addresses any concerns about the impact of such a provision on the statistics of the mainstream school hosting both in terms of attendance and attainment, which can be a major concern particularly for smaller schools where the impact of a small group of learners may be pronounced.

These provisions would provide a primary age service to complement the secondary-age provision listed below.

In recent years the county has invested in development of the Kettlemere Centre, a specialist provision for secondary age children with special educational needs (SEN) with Communication and Interaction (C&I) needs in North West Shropshire. Although the development of this provision has seen a few setbacks with no new pupils admitted for the past two years, the Centre will now benefit from a renewed focus and commitment both from Lakelands Academy and Shropshire Council and is expected to start receiving new learners in the Spring term.

It is proposed that plans for further Hubs for secondary aged learners are revisited in southern and central parts of the county to ensure wider coverage. Views are sought as to the best management model for these hubs according to the same broad options as set out above under Proposal 1, i.e:

Mainstream-school led where the learners are on the roll of the mainstream school with the base managed and staffed by the host school.

Or

A partnership model where the base is operated as a satellite of a special school but is located on a mainstream ‘host' school site, where the learners are on-roll and the base is managed and staffed by the special school.

Currently there are many pupils with MLD attending Severndale Specialist Academy, who could significantly benefit from attending provision attached to mainstream and from being educated closer to home as part of their local community. These are pupils who are too cognitively able to be well-served by broad spectrum special schools, where they may struggle to form peer groups and to feel a sense of belonging. There is a established and successful Severndale satellite at Mary Webb School for this type of learner, which is a proven model that could be replicated elsewhere either or both in the South and / or North of the County. This would have the dual benefit of reducing journey times for a significant number of learners as well as freeing up capacity at Severndale for pupils with the most complex needs.

Recent demand for places at Woodland's School (which is almost at capacity) has highlighted that there is sustained need for provision for learners whose needs are too complex and challenging to be adequately supported on mainstream school sites. Many of these learners may be categorised as having a primary need of either SEMH or ASC but their social communication difficulties and anxiety, leading to challenging ‘breakthrough' behaviours that are difficult to manage in a mainstream school, will be a common factor.

It is proposed that Shropshire seeks to develop a new Special Free School for this category of need, with provision potentially starting at year 5 through until year 14 (sixth form) to be located in the south of the county. This would complement but not duplicate the Woodlands School provision at Wem.