Education
Most children with special educational needs can go to a local mainstream school with the right support.
When your child first goes to school, you can choose up to four mainstream schools that you would prefer your child to go to. This also happens when they move schools because of their age e.g. to secondary school. You are not guaranteed your first choice so it is important to use all your four options and not miss the application deadline.
The Equality Act 2010 ensures that all schools should give appropriate thought to the provision that can be made to support a child/young person with special educational needs. There is a school admissions code that all schools and admissions authorities must follow.
Children who continue to face challenges in their learning, despite receiving high-quality teaching and use of differentiation, may need additional strategies, or different provision, in order to meet their needs. This is known as SEN Support.
SEN support is a four-part cycle - assess, plan, do, review. Through this cycle, actions are reviewed and support adjusted to ensure the desired outcomes are achieved.
Assess
A thorough and holistic assessment is essential to ensure that the ‘needs’ are accurately identified to ensure that the most appropriate and effective interventions are implemented. Assessments may be carried out by school staff (e.g. reading, spelling, emotional wellbeing assessments such as Boxall Profile and Early Help assessment ) or may involve external agencies e.g. Educational Psychologists, Learning Support Services, Sensory Inclusion Service etc
Plan
Once the key barriers to learning have been identified it is possible to plan the most effective interventions. The teacher and SENCo should agree, in consultation with the parent and the pupil, the adjustments, interventions and support to be put in place. All teachers and support staff who work with the pupil should be aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required.
Do
The class or subject teacher should remain responsible for working with the child on a daily basis. Where the interventions involve group or 1:1 teaching away from the main class, the class or subject teacher should still retain responsibility for the pupil. Teachers should work closely with any TA’s to plan and assess the impact of support and interventions and consider how they can be linked to classroom teaching. The SENCo should support the class teacher and provide advice on interventions, strategies and the effective implementation of support.
Review
The impact and quality of the support and interventions should be evaluated, along with the views of the parent and child. The class teacher, working with the SENCo, should revise the support in light of the pupil’s progress and development.
Here you can find a assess plan do review template.
SEN Funding -Mainstream schools (LA-maintained schools and academies)
Funding for pupils’ education is delivered using a 'place-plus' approach. Place-plus means that schools receive funds based on their pupil numbers (place) and additional funds based on other factors, such as deprivation and low prior attainment (plus).
Most children with special educational needs can go to a local mainstream school with the right support. If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC plan), there will be ongoing reviews of their support and progress. In some circumstances this may include consideration of a specialist provision placement. Any decision about a change of school place would need the agreement of all professionals involved and you as the parent/carer.
Mainstream Specialist Provision Bases | ||||
 | www.hawbush.dudley.sch.uk 01384 816930 | KS1 & KS2 | SEMH Base in a mainstream school | Download Profile |
 | www.gig-mill.dudley.sch.uk/ 01384 818600 | KS1 & KS2 | ASD base in a mainstream school | Download Profile |
 | www.hob-green.dudley.sch.uk 01384 816730 | KS1 & KS2 | Language base in a mainstream school | Download Profile |
 | www.caslon.dudley.sch.uk/ 01834 818875 | KS1 & KS2 | SEMH Base in a mainstream school | Download Profile |
 | www.ashwood.dudley.sch.uk/resource-base-for-the-deaf/ 01384 123456 | Reception, KS1 & KS2 | HI base for children with severe and profound hearing loss in a mainstream school | Download Profile |
 | www.beaconhillacademy.org.uk/ 01902 677754 | KS3 & KS4 | ASD base in a mainstream school | Download Profile |
 | www.crestwoodschool.co.uk/ 01384 686850 | KS3 & KS4 | HI base for children with severe and profound hearing loss in a mainstream school | Download Profile |
Local Authority Special Schools | ||||
 | woodsetton.dudley.sch.uk/ 01384 818265 | Reception, KS1 & KS2 | special school for children with complex needs | |
 | www.halesbury.dudley.sch.uk 01384 818630 | Reception - KS5 | special school for children with communication and interaction and complex needs | Download Profile |
 | www.brier.dudley.sch.uk/ 01384 816000 | Reception - KS4 | special school for children with complex needs | Download Profile |
 | www.sutton.dudley.sch.uk/ 01384 818670 | KS3 & KS4 | special school for children with cognitive and additional needs | Download Profile |
 | www.rosewood.dudley.sch.uk/ 01384 816800 | KS3 & KS4 | special school for boys with SEMH needs | Download Profile |
 | www.oldpark.org/ 01384 818905 | Reception - KS5 | special school for children with complex and medical needs | |
 | www.pens-meadow.dudley.sch.uk/ 01384 818945 | Reception - KS5 | special school for children with complex and medical needs | Download Profile |
Local authority schools in other boroughs | ||||
 | www.cherrytreesschool.co.uk/ 01902 894484 | Nursery - KS2 | YP with a range of needs including autism, challenging needs, learning disabilities | |
 | wightwickhall.staffs.sch.uk/ 01902 761889 | KS3 - KS5 | school for children with a range of needs and abilities | |
 | www.longwill.bham.sch.uk/ 0121 475 3923 | Nursery - KS2 | Special school for children who are profoundly deaf. Sign language and spoken and written English take equal status in our work | |
 | www.braidwood.bham.sch.uk/ 0121 464 5558 | KS3 - KS5 | Secondary age children with hearing impairment | |
 | www.chadsgroveschool.org.uk/web 01527 871511 | Nursery - KS5 | A special school which caters for pupils whose special educational needs arise from their physical disability or a complex health need | |
 | hazel-oak.co.uk/ 0121 744 4162 | Reception - KS4 | All age school for pupils with moderate learning difficulties and a large percentage of Autistic Spectrum Conditions | |
 | www.pennfields.com/ 01902 334 650 | Reception - KS5 | All age special school caters for students who have moderate and complex learning difficulties | |
 | www.pennhall.co.uk/ 01902 558355 | Nursery - KS5 | All age special school with a range of complex special educational needs and disabilities. | |
 | www.rigbyhallschool.com/ 01527 875475 | Reception - KS4 | All age special with a range of learning difficulties and/or autism. | |
 | www.wfs.worcs.sch.uk/ 01562 827785 | Reception - KS5 | All age special school for children with a range of needs. We also have Russell House, a 16-bed weekly residential unit | |
 | www.phoenix.attrust.org.uk 01922 712834 | Reception - KS2 | Special school that caters for children with SEMH needs | |
 | www.priestleysmith.co.uk 0121 325 3900 | Nursery - KS5 | All pupils have significant visual impairments and the large majority are registered as blind. | |
 | www.shenstonelodge.co.uk/ 01543 480369 | KS1 - KS4 | Special School Primary and Secondary aged students SEMH. There is a residential provision on the Shenstone for 12 students. | |
 | www.themeadows.sandwell.sch.uk 0121 569 7080 | KS3 - KS5 | For students with complex, profound and multiple learning difficulties, associated communication and language difficulties and challenging behaviours. Many of our students also have acute medical needs. | |
 | www.orchard.sandwell.sch.uk/ 0121 569 7040 | Nursery - KS2 | A Special school for pupils with severe learning difficulties or profound and multiple learning difficulties. | |
 | www.jane-lane.walsall.sch.uk/ 01922 721161 | KS3 & KS4 | A secondary Special School for children with MLD | |
 | www.baskvill.bham.sch.uk/ 0121 427 3191 | KS3 - KS5 | A day and residential school for 149 secondary age students between with autism and additional disability. | |
 | www.uffculme.org.uk/ 0121 464 9634 | Nursery - KS5 | A school that caters for children with a variety of needs including ASD and SEMH | |
 | www.hallmoor.fet.ac/ 0121 803 1620 | Reception - KS5 | All age school that caters for children with a variety of needs and difficulties | |
 | www.thewestminsterschool.co.uk 0121 561 6884 | KS2 - KS5 | Maintained special school that caters for children with a variety of need. | |
 | www.valleyparkschool.org.uk 01902 551564 | KS2 - KS4 | Pine Green Academy is a 7-16-year-old SEMH special school supporting vulnerable children and young people to achieve their educational potential and live positive fulfilling lives | |
 | http://myles.academy | Year 8 to Post-16 | Myles Academy is dedicated to the provision of outstanding education to young people with Mild Learning Difficulties, Specific Learning Difficulties and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Myles Academy offers a caring, person centred approach | |
Independent Special Schools | ||||
Rowan School | www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/schools/the-rowan-school-bilston-wv14-9jw 01902 679877 | KS1 & KS2 | Primary age independent school for children with SEMH needs | |
 | www.wenlockschool.co.uk/ 01384 884 883 | KS2 - KS5 | Independent special school for children with SEMH, ASD, learning difficulties | |
 | prioryparkschool.co.uk/ 01384 884 883 | KS3 - KS4 | Independent special school for children with SEMH, learning difficulties | |
 | www.cambiangroup.com/media/2290901/New-Elizabethan-2020-Prospectus-CRef-067.pdf 01299 250258 | KS2 - KS5 | Independent special school for children with ASD and complex needs | |
 | www.optionsautism.co.uk/school_home/options-higford/ 01952 630600 | KS2 - KS5 | Residential care and offers care and education to children with asd, challenging behaviour and additional complex needs | |
 | www.hillcrestshifnalschool.co.uk 01952 468 220 | KS2 - KS5 | Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs, as well as other learning needs. | |
 | www.nurturelearning.co.uk/ 01562 515068 | KS1 - KS4 | A small therapeutic independent school | |
 | www.brays.fet.ac/ 0121 743 5730 | KS1 - KS4 | Academy school that caters for children with a range of complex needs | |
 | www.highpoint.fet.ac 0121 594 0750 | KS3 - KS4 | Secondary school for children with an ASD diagnosis working at or just below age related expectation | Download Profile |
 | www.kedlestongroup.com/our-schools-homes/day-schools/arc-oakbridge-school/home 0121 222 5201 | KS2 - KS4 | Positive and nurturing place for young people with a primary need of autism | |
 | www.valuesacademy.org.uk 0121 523 0222 | KS3 - KS5 | An alternative to mainstream education for young people who are at risk of social exclusion due to a co-morbidity of disorders or social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. | |
 | www.rmt.org/sunfield/ 01562 882 253 | KS1 - KS5 | day and residential placements for children with the most complex of needs | |
 | www.wv2education.co.uk/ 01902 927599 | 14-16 Potentially change to y7s onwards | Small independent alternative to mainstream secondary pupils with SEMH | |
 | https://www.compass-schools.org/our-schools/victoria-park/ 0121 827 7861 | KS1 – KS5 | An independent school for children who need a therapeutic approach to the curriculum | |
 | www.horizoncare.co.uk/our-schools/dudley-port-school/ 0121 557 745 | KS3 & KS4 | Independent school that caters for children with learning needs and SEMH | |