Bath and North East Somerset Local SEND Reform Plan 2026

SEND Reform Plan for B&Nes

Local SEND Reform Plan

Developing a Local SEND Reform Plan is an important first step for local areas to set out how they will lay the foundation for reform, and design an approach tailored to their local context. A shared plan which focuses on co-designing the local approach as system partners and with children, young people and families will help foster collective responsibility for delivering the reforms. It is critical that all system partners, including health, education and childcare settings, work together to design and deliver the Local SEND Reform Plan, under the local authority’s leadership. It is also crucial that representative family carers e.g. the local Parent Carer Forum, are involved in the development of the plan. The expectation is that this plan is discussed, agreed, and signed off at your relevant SEND Governance Board. As a minimum, the plan must be formally signed off by the Local Authority Chief Executive (Ceo), the Integrated Care Board (Icb) Chief Executive, the Local Authority Director of Children’s Service (Dcs), the Integrated Care Board NHS Place Director, and the Local Authority Chief Financial Officer (Cfo/Section 151 Officer). We encourage other colleagues and partners who have contributed to also review and sign-off the plan, particularly early years, school, college and trust leaders.

Name of Local Authority: Bath and North East Somerset (B&Nes) Council

Name of Integrated Care Board: Bsw (B&Nes, Swindon and Wiltshire) Icb

Local SEND Reform Plan Sro: Chris Wilford, Director of Education and Safeguarding

Signatories

Executive Summary

A brief summary of your local system ‘change story’ – your local context, where you are now, where you want to get to in the next 3 years, how you know you are succeeding and how you will know you have

achieved your vision for the next 3 years. Please include a brief qualitative summary. This summary should also include your assessment of current and forecast performance against the headline metrics.

Please structure your ‘change story’ using the following aims:

▪ Build a 0-25 system where children and young people receive support to achieve and thrive through (a) more inclusive settings and (b) stronger local partnerships

▪ Improve capacity and capability of the mainstream and specialist workforce to identify and meet need

▪ Improve confidence of children, families, and stakeholders in reform and readiness of the system

▪ Stabilise finances and improve value for money

500 words

B&Nes has strong outcomes for Cyp, including for children with SEN Support and EHCPs – and we have an ambition to be even better, especially for our most disadvantaged Cyp. We aim to ensure that all our Cyp feel that they belong and can access an inclusive and welcoming local setting and services. Our Local Partnership has established solid foundations, which includes our Bpcf Peer-to- Peer support pilot, the Needs-led Approach and Neurodevelopmental Pathway, SEND Collaboration programme, Locality Inclusion Panels, and Public Health action plan (which tackles wider determinants of disadvantage). This provides a strong platform on which to deliver our SEND Reform Plan (“the Plan”) and to continue to improve outcomes for all Cyp (See Appendix 1).

After engagement with Cyp, families, parent carers, settings and health partners (see Section 9), we are confident that our Plan provides the additional capacity, coherence and momentum required to make whole-system change.

Building a 0-25 system where Cyp receive support to achieve and thrive through (a) more inclusive settings; and (b) stronger local partnerships

• A locality-based model will underpin this ambition, sustained through continuous co-production with families and settings, improved transparency and data sharing, and shared ownership of outcomes. This will align with wider system reforms including Ffpp, Bsil, the development of Macdt and Early Help (where health contributions are explicitly embedded). • Enhancing our Universal Offer by formally embedding, monitoring and evaluating a consistent standard of practice and culture of inclusion across all settings. • Our SEND Transformation Core Team will implement our Plan and ensure all partners work together so that, by Year 3, the system will demonstrate consistent inclusive practice across localities and greater confidence in the local education system. • Success measures will include: decreasing number of Cyp (a) with an EHCP experiencing suspensions from mainstream provision during the academic year, (b) accessing part-time/reduced timetables, (c) persistently/ severely absent; as well as reduced average travel time of Cyp from home to setting.

Improve capacity and capability of the mainstream and specialist workforce to identify and meet need

• By the end of Year 1, three locality-based, multi-disciplinary Eah teams will be in place, to build on our existing Local Inclusion Panels (Bath, Midsomer Norton, and Keynsham & Chew Valley) and effective Inclusion and SEND Support Offer (Isso). • Each locality will align with national DfE and NHS programmes, creating a more seamless support framework. • Success measures will include: decreasing number of Cyp (a) with an EHCP experiencing suspensions from mainstream provision during the academic year, (b) accessing part-time/reduced timetables, (c) persistently/ severely absent; as well as reduced spend on independent placements.

Improve the confidence of children, families, and stakeholders in reform and readiness of the system

• Building and sustaining confidence is central to our change story. Building on strong relationships with the Bpcf, delivery of the Plan will be supported by a Parent Carer Transformation Partner, ensuring that reform remains grounded in lived experience and that locality plans reflect what matters most to families. • Success measures will include: improved feedback from parents, carers and Cyp reporting that needs are supported early in mainstream settings.

Stabilising finances and improving value for money The local partnership remains committed to:

• Delivering its existing Deficit Management Plan while using SEND Reform to improve value for money. • Pooling resources at locality level and reducing duplication. • Monitoring investment against impact to support a more sustainable system over time. • Success measures include: reduced spend on independent placements.

We will know we are succeeding when performance against the success measures (qualitative and quantitative metrics covering inclusion, outcomes, confidence and financial sustainability) are improving, which will be monitored on Bi dashboards and regular programme reporting. Over three years, this will lead to better outcomes for Cyp, more confident staff, improved consistency of practice and reduced escalation of need.

Section 1 – Vision and Goals

1. What the local area partnership is trying to achieve?

Please set out your goals for your local system. These should be clear, aligned to the vision set out in the Schools White Paper, small in number and measurable. These goals should include clear reference

to:

▪ Outcomes for children

▪ Confidence of parents, carers and young people in the system

▪ Management of finances to secure value for money

250 Words

From Ey to Fe, we want learning to be a positive experience for our Cyp with SEND. We want all our Cyp with SEND to feel like they belong in their local community – and that there is a consistent, inclusive experience in mainstream settings so that more Cyp with SEND can thrive alongside their peers. This vision aligns with ‘Our Plan for SEND’, co-produced through our Laip.

Outcomes for children Goal: Cyp will experience a consistent culture of inclusion across mainstream settings, ensuring needs are met at Universal, Targeted and Targeted Plus levels, so Cyp feel they belong and are able to achieve alongside their peers. Measures:

• Reduced suspensions and unauthorised absences, particularly for identified vulnerable groups;

• Improvements in educational attainment for disadvantaged pupils (Gld in EYFS / Rwm in KS2);

• Improved quality of life and mental wellbeing measured by Personal Wellbeing ONS4 scores;

• Increased number of Cyp supported in local, mainstream settings and reintegrated from AP;

• Reduction in EHCPs and specialist placements;

• Reduced average journey times.

Confidence of parents, carers and young people in the system Goal: Confidence in the local SEND system will improve through earlier, fairer and more effective support. Measures:

• Improved feedback from parents, carers and Cyp reporting that needs are supported early in mainstream settings (measured through surveys and co-production events);

• Increased number of parents, carers and Cyp involved in co-production;

• Actions agreed by a clear majority and completed to deadline by partners;

• Reduced complaints, mediations and tribunals.

Management of finances to secure value for money

Goal: The local area partnership will stabilise finances while improving value for money. Measures:

• Increased number of SEND places available within local mainstream settings and inclusion bases;

• Reduced expenditure on AP and independent placements;

• Increase in capital funding spent on inclusion bases and adaptations to mainstream schools.

Section 2 – Strategy

2. Where the local area partnership expects to be in the next 3 years

A description of what your local system would look like in the next 3 years in line with the national vision set out in the Schools White Paper and set within the context of where you are starting from as a local

system.

In particular, as commissioning system partners, you should reflect on and agree what your fully fledged Experts At Hand Offer model should be and how this will be deployed via mainstream settings and

providers (including those not based in your area – e.g. further education colleges attended by your young people) to build their capacity as well as identify and meet the needs of children and young people

earlier and without the need for a statutory assessment for Education, Health and Care.

To help you fully consider the scope and scale of change required, you may find it useful to structure your response using these 4 building blocks of an inclusive system, reflecting on what is working well in

your system, what you are most worried about, what needs to change, and how the enablers will help you achieve your 3 year vision.

When summarising where your local area partnership currently is, please include an assessment of where you are in reference to the core minimum requirements above and how you bridge the gap, making

reference to and attaching additional documents that provide underlying evidence for your summary.

Our vision for our local SEND system is that, from Ey to Fe, we want learning to be a positive experience for our Cyp with SEND. We want all our Cyp with SEND to feel like they belong in their local community, and that there is a consistent, inclusive experience in mainstream settings so that more Cyp with SEND can thrive alongside their peers.

Our vision defines where we are now and where we intend be in three years. Below, we have set out this journey for each national building block aligned to our vision. The below should be read in conjunction with the full detail of our

Experts at Hand offer (Appendix 9), which is summarised in building block 2. At the start of the blueprint and the three-year roadmap, we have also set out a short summary, which provides an overview of where we are now and where

we intend to get to. Appendix 11 sets out how our plans over the next three years meet the DfE’s core minimum requirements.

In B&Nes, our goal is for all Cyp to experience a consistent culture of inclusion across mainstream settings, ensuring needs are met at Universal, Targeted and Targeted Plus levels, so Cyp feel they belong and can achieve alongside their peers. Below, we have set out key strengths and challenges in relation to the first building block and have done likewise for subsequent building blocks.

Strengthening inclusion across education settings (Building Block 1)

1. The universal offer At a system level, there is a well-established and effective universal offer. This is underpinned by the co-produced Inclusion and SEND Commitment: B&Nes’ Ordinarily Available Provision (Oap). The Oap was created by the Inclusion and SEND Advice Service (Isas) in co- production with settings, families and specialists building on existing guidance that was already in place (B&Nes SEND Commitment, Graduated Response Guidance). Isas was established in September 2024 as a B&Nes commitment to increasing inclusion and inclusive practice across the local area.

1. The universal offer The partnership-wide universal offer will build on the existing “Inclusion and SEND Commitment: B&Nes’ Ordinarily Available Provision” (Oap). This document provides a shared framework for and expectations around inclusive practice – including the graduated response and approach, early identification and intervention – across Ey settings, schools, Academy Trusts and Post-16/Fe providers. This shared understanding of expectations of the universal offer will drive a consistent culture of inclusion in all settings.

Moving forward, the Oap will continue to be co-produced to the same standard – as well as regularly reviewed and refreshed – by the Partnership. This will include:

• Content reviewed and quality assured annually
• Accessible online in its entirety and/or in sections, with Pdf versions available for download
• An online ‘bot’ will support accessibility and will be available in year 1, allowing settings and families to access the right information and guidance quickly
• Families will be consulted to agree how they would want to access and use the Oap e.g. easy-read editions.

The Oap sets clear expectations for inclusive practice and provides a consistent framework across settings. The successful launch of the primary and secondary school edition of the Oap, (with EYFS and Post- 16 to follow), marks a significant step forward in creating a shared language and approach to inclusion.

Annual sign-off of the Oap will be provided by the Laip, which has Bpcf, settings, Icb and LA representation. Each review will be informed by needs-based data as well as qualitative feedback from families and Cyp, settings (including Academy Trusts) and Pcf, ensuring it remains responsive, co-owned and aligned with local needs (existing and emerging). The Oap will in due course:

The Oap was informed by local data and intelligence, and was co- produced with education and health partners, Sendiass, Bpcf, and settings. The Oap was initially drafted by experts, (including Educational Psychology Service and Salt) and then discussed through a number of working groups involving families, services and education settings. A final version was created absorbing all the workshop feedback. This approach established good relationships, fostered through strong, structured engagement, and is an excellent example of true coproduction in action.

• Support settings in writing their own Inclusion Strategies
• Commit all partners to align practice with National Inclusion Standards, once published.

Ensuring that settings are aligning their practice with the Oap is a key priority for the partnership. This will be supported through the new governance structure (in terms of transparency of data, outcomes and performance monitoring), as well as through enabling measures (e.g. workforce development opportunities and peer challenge offered through Eah).

All partners will agree expectations of the universal offer and accountability mechanisms. This will involve:

• A co-produced partnership-wide universal offer agreement with schools, Academy Trusts, Ey settings and Post-16 providers based on needs-based data
• This universal offer will be developed through partner workshops involving settings, Academy Trust representation, Health teams and Bpcf
• An agreed universal offer will draw on approaches set out in the National Inclusion Standards
• Partnership agreement and sign-off by Laip, including LA, Icb, Academy Trusts, setting representatives and Bpcf

By Year 3, we will have achieved the following top-line priorities at the universal level:

The Oap edition for primary and secondary schools was launched across the Partnership in February 2026. The launch event included presentations from Bpcf, settings, Salt and Ot, as well as commissioned services such as Sass.

Strengthened co-production and Cyp and family voice through the new SEND Reform governance structure (see Appendix 8), this will inform the Universal Offer

Developed a shared partnership agreement on thresholds for support for universal, targeted, targeted+ and specialist support

Improved signposting to services and pathways with alignment to Bsil and Ffpp

Families and settings will not experience disjointed pathways into support

Embedded use of the Primary and Secondary edition of the Oap to ensure consistent and equitable universal practice across settings

Completed and launched the EYFS and Post-16 editions of Oap in co-production across the Partnership

Embedded use of the EYFS and Post-16 editions of the Oap to ensure consistent and equitable universal practice across settings

Developed the Oap Audit tool to quality assure settings are meeting needs

Clear registers with names of students accessing AP that the LA does not commission (information to be provided by schools)

Developed a register for Cyp not in school to enhance planning for provision – AP Strategy 2025 - 2028

Continued to strengthen the Post-16 offer through the Asc Transitions Team and Post-16 network meetings; and

Implemented quality assurance processes (like the Oap audit), which will ensure inclusive practice is embedded and effective across all settings (supported through the Localities and monitored through the SEND Reform Board).

The EYFS and Post-16 editions of Oap are due to be launched in September 2026 following co-production across the partnership. An Oap workshop for Yp will be delivered in Bath College (B&Nes’ only Fe college) to ensure Yp voice runs through the Oap.

The LA has clearly defined expectations of settings for delivery and impact of the universal offer for Cyp. This is currently shared with settings through:

The Inclusion and SEND Commitment: B&Nes' Ordinarily Available Provision for Primary and Secondary Schools

Ey Area SENCo’s and Early Years Team annual programme of training and Cpd

Online guidance on the B&Nes Council website, The Hub and Live Well (Local Offer).

2. Universal offer- working with Academy Trusts The Partnership will prioritise working with our most engaged Academy Trusts in the first instance. This will support building a ‘critical mass’ of support and adoption. In year 1, the LA will engage a transformation partner from one of the Academy Trusts to support with implementation of the SEND Reform Plan. The Trust Transformation Partner will lead on Academy Trust involvement and create an action plan on how to bring all Trusts on board. The LA will develop partnership working with Academy Trusts in line with expected DfE Academy Trust guidance, anticipated to be released in Years 2/3. This will ensure that the Partnership is empowered to hold Academies to account for inclusive practice and outcomes for all Cyp. This ensures that the Partnership has both motivations and accountability measures in place to engage Academy Trusts fully into partnership working.

Schools are expected to follow a graduated response that prioritises proactive, inclusive practice, including early identification, tailored interventions and specialist input from external services. This is outlined in the Four Tiers of support, which was developed with schools. The Four Tiers are embedded through the Isso, where settings are required to demonstrate the support they have put in place for Cyp when requesting early advice from LA services. This ensures that requests for support are triaged to the right service at the right time and appropriate signposting advice is provided.

3. Early Years Settings Universal Offer and how Eah will enhance this All Ey providers will be expected to deliver high-quality, inclusive provision as set out in the Oap. This includes meeting common and predictable needs through adaptive practice, effective environment adaptations, early communication support, and partnership with families. Settings will be supported to deliver this consistently through access to guidance, training, and locality-based peer and professional support.

The existing universal offer includes access to the Inclusion and SEND Advice Service, Early Years Area SENCo team, Early Years Team, multi-agency Cpd and training, and inclusive practice guidance. These elements provide a strong foundation to ensure that the majority of children’s needs are met within mainstream Ey provision in a timely way.

2. Inclusive practice Across the Partnership, there is inconsistency in inclusive practice and SEN Support. This can lead to inconsistency in early identification of need and appropriate intervention. This is underpinned by a lack of clear impact measures (and the quality assurance of settings against those measures). B&Nes is also a highly academised LA, with 96% of mainstream schools part of an Academy Trust.

All Ey settings will operate a consistent graduated response and follow the Assess–Plan–Do–Review (Apdr) cycle for Cyp, to identify, plan for, and review support for children with emerging or identified SEND.

This will ensure that:

• Needs are identified early through observation, screening and partnership with families
• Targeted support is implemented promptly within the setting
• Interventions are reviewed regularly to assess impact
• Decisions about escalation or de-escalation of support are evidence-based

The Eah model will strengthen this by providing locality-based access to multi-disciplinary consultation, coaching and joint planning, enabling settings to implement and sustain effective graduated responses without delay or unnecessary escalation.

In response to inconsistency in inclusive practice, the LA developed and launched the Inclusion and SEND Advice Service. This service supports settings (Ey, Schools and Fe Colleges) to identify SEND at the earliest opportunity and implement timely support and provision to meet a range of needs, with the objective of ensuring that Cyp can achieve the best possible social and academic outcomes.

3. Early identification There are clear strengths, particularly in Ey services, with strong partnership working and a commitment to early identification, inclusive pathways and improved outcomes. This is demonstrated through (See Appendix 3b):

There is a strong foundation of accessible support across the area, integrated with statutory Ey services, through regular multi-agency meetings, decision-making panels and shared data. Specialist Ey SEND support is available through commissioned services and targeted interventions, including in-setting support, multi-agency collaboration and provision (e.g. Bath Opportunity Playgroup and the Nurture Outreach Service), alongside universal health and Children’s Centre services.

Eah enhances the Ey universal offer by embedding professionals, including Salt, Ep and family support practitioners, within multi-disciplinary locality teams. This ensures that support is needs-led, accessible at the earliest stage and focused on building capacity within settings. Eah will also address recognised gaps in early identification, navigation of services and equitable access to specialist input, particularly for children with more complex or overlapping needs. The Eah locality model will improve coordination, embedding multi-disciplinary support within localities, and enabling timely access to expertise without escalation.

The LA-led Isso – the ‘front door’ to Universal, Targeted and Targeted+ support (including signposting and advice)

Local Inclusion Panels for mainstream schools – Primary and Secondary

Early Years Area SENCo support

Education commissioning of statutory and discretionary services (such as Hers, Sass, Safs)

The Icb has developed an outcomes-based commissioning approach as part of its transition to strategic commissioning functions

The Icb contract with the community health provider, which is co-commissioned by the LA. Contract reporting ensures that health outcomes can be used to monitor the impact of our plan on Cyp and families

ICB-commissioned Hcrg Care Group Needs-led approach for Cyp with emerging Neurodevelopmental presentations

Impact of Pins, delivered by Hcrg Care Group and Bpcf

A new community health single point of access is in place, which can be accessed by schools, Cyp and parent/carers.

Bsil Family Hubs will play a central role as access points for families, providing integrated and co-ordinated pathways and co-located services aligned with health provision, early help and Ffpp services. The recruitment of a Bsil Inclusion Practitioner will strengthen links between Family Hubs, the Ffpp ‘front door’, and locality teams.

Support will be planned and reviewed in partnership with families, recognising their central role in understanding their child’s needs. This includes involvement in decision-making, shared planning, and ensuring that support reflects both developmental and family context. Best Start Family Hubs will also ensure that children not accessing Ey provision are identified early and supported to access appropriate services where emerging needs are identified.

This integrated, family-centred approach strengthens early identification through shared information, coordinated triage and multi-agency planning, improving outcomes by intervening earlier and reducing escalation.

A structured approach to workforce development will ensure that Ey practitioners have the skills, confidence and capacity to meet emerging needs within mainstream provision. This includes:

• Access to multi-agency training and Cpd
• Coaching and modelling through the Eah locality teams
• Support from Inclusion and SEND Advice Service Advisors, Area SENCo and Inclusion specialists
• Opportunities for peer learning within locality clusters

4. Alternative Provision We recognise that as a local area we need to improve the oversight of our unregistered AP and for key transition points (Ey – Reception, Year 6 – 7, Secondary - Post-16, Post-16 – Adult Services). This is an area that is being developed through a range of work across the LA and wider partners, and is not limited to Cyp with SEND. For example;

This will build sustainable system capacity and ensure consistent delivery of high-quality inclusive practice across all Ey settings.

Transition from Ey to Reception support and guidance are in place but will be strengthened through the Eah locality model. Existing resources, including Oap transition guidance and BSIL-funded initiatives (such as “Get Set for School” and “Language for Life”), support early identification and information sharing at this key transition point.

The locality model will enhance this by embedding coordinated, multi-agency transition planning and consistent processes across all settings. Ey and primary settings will work collaboratively with EPs, health professionals and inclusion specialists to ensure:

There is a clear LA Qa process for unregistered AP

There is clear LA guidance available for schools outlining their responsibility for Qa and safeguarding when commissioning the use of unregistered AP for students on roll with the school

There is an online LA Approved AP Provider List. There is a robust process in place for unregistered AP providers to be placed on the list which includes; - An application to the LA from the provider - Initial LA Qa visit - Panel review of application and Qa visit - Qa decision on compliance of the provision - Approved unregistered AP are subject to an annual self- assessment and Qa visit by the LA

The Post-16 multi-agency network

Developing pathways and processes between the Virtual School Team and Transitions Team in Asc.

• Early and consistent sharing of information
• Joint planning for children requiring additional support
• Enhanced transition packages for children with more complex needs

This will improve school readiness and ensure continuity of support.

Ongoing monitoring of needs-based data and demand patterns will be embedded within Locality Groups. Performance of Ey provision will be reviewed regularly to inform commissioning and continuous refinement of the offer, ensuring that sufficient, high-quality support is available for all children, including those with complex needs:

Aligning with our Bsil plans, we will strengthen Ey sufficiency planning through a twice-yearly report published on the LA website.

We will improve our understanding of the children with SEND who are not accessing Ey provision through Section 23 and further developing our SEND cohort planning. We will reinforce and clarify Section 23 across health partners and improve how the Section 23 information is used.

We will embed and extend the SEND cohort overview with providers, with clear instructions and shared definitions to support consistent cohort planning (including Isf/Tsf indicators) and information sharing through transition points.

We will distribute the Inclusive Early Years Fund (Ieyf) in 2026-27 to support setting-wide inclusive practice and early intervention. B&Nes will distribute the Ieyf through a transparent, formula-based approach, providing upfront funding to Ey providers to strengthen setting-wide inclusive practice and support early intervention, in line with national reform priorities. See Appendix 12. The Partnership will operate a shared outcomes framework, with agreed KPIs, baselines and reporting cycles, enabling consistent monitoring of inclusion, sufficiency, timeliness and impact across the Ey sector. Cross-phase locality working will further strengthen outcomes for children with emerging complex needs by ensuring Ey provision is aligned with support available in later phases.

The impact of this approach will be measured through:

• Improved rates of early identification of SEND
• Increased proportion of needs met within universal and SEN support
• Reduction in escalation of needs leading to Cyp requiring specialist or statutory provision to meet their needs
• Improved transition experiences and school readiness
• Increased family confidence and satisfaction with early years support

4. Post-16 Universal Offer and how Eah offer will enhance this The Partnership’s co-produced Oap for Post-16 will set out the expectation of providers’ universal offer. This includes implementation of reasonable adjustments, personalised support strategies and access to SEN Support within post-16 provision. All Post-16 providers will deliver high-quality inclusive provision in line with the B&Nes Post-16 Oap. Post-16 providers will operate a consistent graduated approach (Apdr) and will access support to deliver this through Localities.

Preparation for adulthood (PfA) improvement is already underway through the Asc improvement plan and the work of the Transitions Team, and will be further strengthened through the Eah locality model. PfA will be embedded from Year 9 onwards and sustained through post-16 pathways. A Post-14 page on The Hub highlights the Partnership’s commitment to promoting best practice for key transitions early, and includes guidance, statutory information, resources and links to a range of services that support successful transitions into education, employment, and training.

Post-16 Eah supports the embedding of co-ordinated, multi-agency support across education, health and social care to enable young people with SEND to access education, training, employment and supported internships within their local community. The model ensures continuity of provision across phases, including strong alignment between secondary schools, Sixth Forms, Colleges, AP and Fe. This will enable Localities to plan collaboratively, share accountability for young people’s outcomes and provide co-ordinated and consistent support for transitions at 16 into Post-16, as well as the transition into adulthood.

Targeted and specialist input from multi-disciplinary teams – including education, health and employment-supporting services – will be accessible through locality-based triage and delivery, ensuring timely intervention to address barriers to participation and progression. The approach is further strengthened through workforce development, inclusive practice and early intervention, equipping settings to support PfA outcomes such as independence, employability and sustained engagement in education or training. This will be evidenced through:

• Increasing numbers of young people progressing to education, employment and training
• Sustained supported internships
• Reduction in young people not in education, employment or training (Neet)
• Young people reporting increasing independence/life skills

Integration with wider system initiatives – including Ffpp and locality partnerships – ensures that support for young people and their families is holistic and aligned, while improved transition planning and coordinated pathways reduce fragmentation and enable young people to access appropriate post-16 opportunities. This includes supported internships, within a coherent, local system of support. Yp and their families will be actively involved in co-producing and planning support and transition decisions.

5. Post-16 Specialist Support Effective practice at Post-16 will ensure that strong links between secondary schools, Fe providers, AP and post-16 services are supported by Locality, multi-agency working. This enables shared accountability, aligned provision and continuity of support during transitions. Post-16 pathways will be supported through clear referral routes and a single point of access, with multi-agency triage ensuring that young people receive proportionate, needs-led specialist input – such as Ep, health and inclusion services – at key transition points.

Consistent information sharing is enabled through locality governance, shared data systems and coordinated planning processes, ensuring that emerging needs are understood early and provision is appropriately aligned as young people enter, move between or exit post-16 settings. This approach ensures that transitions are proactive and well-managed, reducing fragmentation and supporting young people to access and sustain appropriate education, training or employment pathways, with the right level of specialist support at the right time.

Access to Eah for post-16 will incorporate a co-ordinated offer from LA services, ICB-commissioned health provision, education providers, and third sector organisations. Access to support will be available at the universal and targeted level and will not be reliant on the young person having an EHCP in place. While delivery is primarily place-based, the model recognises the need for collaboration beyond local boundaries – particularly in relation to specialist provision, Fe and workforce supply – enabling partnership working with external providers and neighbouring areas where required. The post-16 providers will be supported through targeted workforce development, including training, coaching and access to specialist advice.

The support offer should recognise vulnerable disadvantaged cohorts of young people that may require support to access education, such as those in AP. This includes aligning with commissioned services and supporting access to provision for young people educated out-of-area through coordinated triage and specialist input. Overall, Eah is designed as a commissioned, partnership-led system architecture that enables integration across services and supports collaborative working both within and, where necessary, beyond the local area to ensure equitable access to expertise and provision.

All settings will deliver high-quality inclusive provision in line with the co-produced Oap Post-16 edition and National Inclusion Standards, ensuring consistent support across all phases. This model will ensure earlier identification and intervention leads to needs being met earlier and therefore reducing reliance on statutory assessment and escalation to higher-cost provision.

6. Alternative Provision and how Eah will enhance universal support

The current AP offer comprises:

• Commissioned outreach
• Preventative placements
• Reintegration support

The registered AP offer is strong at targeted and specialist levels. The Eah model will provide more support at the universal and early intervention level to prevent escalation of need so that less Cyp will require AP.

To do this, B&Nes proposes aligning AP as part of the locality model, with AP embedded in the triaging process. (This means a Cyp will receive either a timely AP package that is informed by an Eah assessment or, preferably, Eah support that will prevent them from requiring AP support). This reflects the graduated response, 3-tier model and best practice aligned with the Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce (Apst) principles.

This will mean that AP is an integrated part of the graduated response – benefiting from locality triage, single points of access and multi-agency planning. As a result, AP will be used for prevention – ensuring reduced escalation to statutory services – with practice applied consistently. AP will operate as part of a preventative continuum, aligned to Apst principles, with clear pathways, thresholds, quality assurance and reintegration outcomes.

The model will enhance collaboration between mainstream settings, AP providers, health and wider partners, including expanding outreach, in-reach and co-delivered support, to build mainstream capacity and reduce reliance on AP.

Future commissioning will focus on:

• Increasing local AP capacity, including the development of a new AP Free School; and
• Establishing AP as a locality-based resource that settings can access to develop their learning and ability to provide early support to Cyp.

7. Early Identification and Intervention

Effective early identification and intervention at the universal level will be supported by the Oap and further strengthened through the delivery of the Eah model (See Appendix 9). The Oap provides clear expectations of settings, with evidence-based guidance and – through the Inclusion and SEND Advice Service – access to training, tools and resources to support early identification and intervention. Consideration of delivery models such as Elsec, Neli and Pins will inform the development and planning of the universal offer to ensure sustainable capability and evidence-based practice within settings.

The locality-based, multi-agency approach of Eah further enhances mainstream settings’ capacity. This is delivered through comprehensive multi-agency (Ep, Ot, Salt, Mental Health Practitioners) support, triaged through a single front door that is aligned with Bsil Family Hubs and Ffpp. This support includes trauma-informed and relational practice approaches, consultations (Individual Cyp/Cohort/Whole setting), commissioning of evidence-based resources, training, coaching, and whole-setting development and modelling at both universal and targeted/targeted+ levels. This support will focus principally on the most commonly occurring needs:

• Speech and Language
• Communication and Interaction
• Asd
• Semh
• Cognition and Learning

Mainstream settings accessing timely specialist expertise and support (as above) – without requiring escalation to statutory assessment – will build workforce confidence and capability. This means that support is provided earlier, responsive, consistent and closer to the point of need through the localities. By supporting settings to implement timely and appropriate interventions for cohorts of Cyp experiencing emerging needs, it is anticipated that needs will be met earlier, reducing escalation to statutory support.

Associated outcomes from this include:

Reduced numbers of Cyp experiencing unmet needs

A growth in parent and carer confidence that mainstream settings can meet their Cyp needs

Reduced number of out-of-area placements with the associated travel requirements, as settings will be supported to maintain placement for Cyp presenting with complex needs.

Impact will be monitored through evidence of embedded inclusive practice, needs-based data, reduced reliance on higher-tier intervention and increasing parental confidence in the mainstream systems.

Using this monitoring data, the universal offer and deployment of locality approaches will be further refined into Years 2 and 3. Monitoring will also inform:

• The plans to develop the special school outreach programme within commissioned services;
• Early years SEND provision (0–5) sufficiency gaps and appropriate action plans.

This supports responsiveness to emerging trends at a Locality and B&NES-wide level, as well as consistency of inclusive practice across all settings.

8. Needs-led Icb commissioning

The Icb operates by outcomes-based contracting, commissioning across Bsw, ensuring that services are accountable for their impact on Cyp outcomes rather than activity alone. The Icb’s commissioned health offer will be fully embedded with the neighbourhood agenda to ensure that local provision meets individual needs. The Icb will be clear on the outcomes that it wants to see and will be monitoring delivery, making the espoused improvements for Cyp and families.

The system will have embedded the Needs-led Approach and Neuro-developmental Pathway across education, health and social care. This means that support pathways are aligned to presenting need and that there is less reliance on diagnosis to access effective support. This will ensure that Cyp receive more equitable, consistent support in mainstream settings, as settings can make adaptations earlier based on presenting need without having to wait for diagnosis. The main aim of the Needs Led Approach is to put Cyp at the centre. It helps families access the right support and information, whether or not a Cyp has a diagnosis, and supports everyone involved to understand better how to help Cyp reach their potential.

1. Inclusion and SEND Support Offer (Isso)

We have set out details of the Experts at Hand (Eah) offer below. This should be read in conjunction with Appendix 9, which explores the Eah offer in detail.

Access to specialist support and local placements (BB2)

Since October 2025, the Isso has provided a single point of access to the LA’s pre-statutory support, offering coordinated access to services and signposting. This enables earlier identification of emerging needs and appropriate intervention for Cyp, and therefore reduces escalation. Professionals can access the Isso for support at an individual Cyp, cohort or whole setting level. This in effect means the Isso has begun to operate as a prototype for Eah, by triaging to our universal offer.

1. Eah offer overview

B&Nes’ Eah offer will be delivered through a local authority-led, locality-based multi-agency model. Eah is a non-statutory and capacity-building offer. Whilst led by the LA, delivery will be shared with the Icb, ensuring that education, health and social care are integrated. The local area will develop three Localities for our Early Years settings, schools and Post-16 Providers. The Localities will complement the neighbourhood footprints from the Icb. It also provides opportunities to align with Bsil Family Hubs and the Ffpp ‘front door’, which will be explored and implemented as these programmes develop further. This will include:

Shared, integrated support pathways that allow settings to travel seamlessly between services following a graduated response. This ensures that they do not feel they are being signposted from one service to another

Practical opportunities, such as co-location of services in settings and Family Hubs and digital alignment with Ffpp’s single front door.

The Isso signposts settings to support that includes, Early Help, Third Sector services, commissioned specialist services and the BPCF-led peer-to-peer support. This ensures that support is holistic, and Cyp and family-centred.

We predict that this shift in ways of working will take the Partnership from ‘Developing’ to ‘Maturing’ (see Maturity Matrix).

All settings will belong to a Locality, with Cyp and families in turn being supported by their setting. Through the updated governance structure (see Appendix 8) – which will include accountable Locality Boards – families’, Cyp’s and wider system partners’ voices (including third sector) will be embedded. This ensures that the system is responsive to feedback in a timely way and can adapt and improve swiftly. Data dashboards will be utilised to ensure that feedback informs the support offer from Eah.

The Partnership is committed to supporting settings to embed a strong inclusive culture. To enhance the support offer, the LA commissions a range of additional resources. This includes school nursing as part of the Awss. School nursing and Awss carry out joint visits direct to families. This enables quick access to health support for Cyp who are not accessing education, while ensuring health input into decision-making around allocation of in-reach AP/Section 19. This will be essential to keep in place moving forward.

Settings’ access to their Locality will be managed through a single front door that coordinates triage and ‘unlocks’ their local, multi-agency Eah team. By having a single front door, the LA has a stronger oversight on the equity and effectiveness of the model. This ensures that there is an overarching view of the data (including the uptake of support and training from which settings) and therefore the consistency of access. This means that the reporting structure can have oversight of settings that are under-accessing or over-reliant on Eah support, and this can be redressed.

This approach is optimal for B&Nes as it builds on existing ways of working and established trusted relationships, specifically: We know that take-up of advice and support from commissioned services and the Isso is variable across settings. This can lead to potential inequities to support access for Cyp. This can be attributed to a range of reasons, including access to support from Academy Trusts and school-based commissioning of independent sector support (such as Salt).

• Inclusion and SEND Support Offer
• Local Inclusion Panels
• Established decision-making panels and advice lines
• Education commissioned services
• Hcrg Care Group Single Point of Access
• Needs led approach
• Neurodevelopmental Pathway

Data is not currently broken down by Academy Trust for reporting (e.g. which Trust has the most suspensions in primary), limiting our ability to pinpoint where we can prioritise provision of inclusion and specialist support.

We believe this locality (Local) model maximises early identification of need and intervention (Early), so that there is greater equity (Fair) to support by settings. The single front door ensures an Effective system, whilst the governance structure ensures that the system is Shared by the partnership.

This work is supported by a strong existing infrastructure of services, including the Inclusion and SEND Advice Service (Isas), Attendance and Welfare Support Service (Awss), Alternative Learning Team (Alt), Educational Psychology Service (Eps) and Virtual School. There is a developing Cpd and training offer for settings alongside well- established, decision-making forums and panels such as the Local Inclusion Panels (LIPs). LIPs were established by localities to support

2. Eah model- delivery and funding

B&Nes Eah offer will involve a jointly-commissioned outcomes-based delivery model, including:

• Services delivered directly by the LA
• Commissioned provision (from both the LA and Icb) under a shared framework (rather than discrete contracts)
• Localities having commissioning power (e.g. pooling of Inclusion Funding from Year 2)

collaborative relationships and consistent cultures of inclusion between neighbouring settings.

There will be an enhanced Team Around the School (Tas) offer that will be an LA-led, multi-agency support offer, incorporating the Eah offer. The Tas offer currently offers solution focussed multi-agency support. It requires engagement from the setting, Academy Trust and LA to co-ordinate an action plan for the setting. This is in order to drive improvement in inclusive practice. Eah will enhance this offer by supporting settings to deliver the agreed actions through supportive challenge, coaching and modelling.

2. Experts at Hand (Eah) model development

The Eah proposals have been informed by extensive engagement – including workshops, stakeholder sessions and maturity matrix analysis. This provides confidence that the system is being shaped with (and not ‘done to’) families and partners. B&Nes has developed its Eah model through:

Eah funding will provide additional specialist multi-disciplinary expertise directly to settings, via locality-based teams (see Appendix 9 for full modelling, and the below table for a breakdown of Eah workforce). The Eah will provide timely access to experts who will work within mainstream settings. Experts will provide coaching, modelling and workforce development, ensuring that their expertise builds capacity and capability across the local area.

This approach will strengthen current provision, such as the Eps and Ey Area SENCo’s advice lines, the Inclusion and SEND Advice Service, education commissioned services, community health services (including ICB-commissioned provision), commissioned outreach and AP. The governance and reporting arrangements will ensure that Eah complements rather than duplicates statutory SEND provision, commissioned specialist services and EHCP-funded support.

Engagement with Cyp and families

Partner insight (including settings, third sector, health, Bpcf)

Data (including patterns of need, attendance, exclusions and suspensions)

Eah funding will be used to enhance early intervention, improve system navigation and reduce reliance on higher-cost specialist placements through timely access to expertise. The table below (pg. 29) shows a potential workforce structure for direct delivery of Eah in Year 1 (including transformation and administrative costings). The Eah delivery model will continue to be iterated by the Partnership throughout years 1, 2 and 3, ensuring investment aligns to impact, value for money is monitored through reduced escalation, mainstream capacity is improved, and reliance on high-cost provision decreases. We have left headroom in the overall budget for years 2 and 3 to allow for locality targeted commissioning. For further information on how Eah will help us achieve our vision and goals and links to the Universal, Targeted and Targeted+ offer, see Appendix 9.

This intelligence was collected through a mix of surveys, workshops and briefing meetings, specifically:

15 family engagement events

1 survey for parents and carers and 1 survey for Cyp

12 content workshops across health, settings and the LA

2 all-headteacher, SENCO and Inclusions Leads briefings

1 Early Years Leaders and Managers briefing

1 strategic session at School Standards Board with Trust Chief Executives and Icb leaders

Maturity Matrix workshops across the LA, health and settings

3. Timely access to Eah

Eah will deliver timely access to health and education professionals for settings. There will be a single point of access to the Localities to ensure a coordinated response to requests – within defined and agreed timeframes – across the local area.

From there, Localities will triage access to locality-based, multi-agency specialists. Multi-agency specialist expertise will include Ep, Salt, Ot, Specialist Teachers and Assistant Practitioners. Triage will be:

• Aligned to graduated support thresholds
• Informed by needs-led data – including local patterns of demand, emerging trends and setting-level intelligence.

Engagement identified key areas of focus: This will ensure resources and support to Ey settings, schools and Fe/Post-16 are targeted effectively and equitably across the system, and based on assessed local need.

• Early and timely access
• Consistency and equity
• Improved communication.

This model prioritises early intervention by providing specialist advice, coaching and modelling at the Universal, Targeted and Targeted+ levels, leading to reduced reliance on statutory and specialist assessment pathways and maintaining clear escalation routes as needed.

Partnership engagement informed the decision to adopt a locality-based model. The approach was further underpinned by analysis of local needs and system pressures, including data on the demand for support.

Eah will integrate with existing services and programmes – such as Bsil Family Hubs – to ensure continuity of support across phases and settings. Services include: ICB- commissioned health provision, Ey Area SENCo team, Inclusion and SEND Advice Service and statutory teams such as Awss and Statutory SEND Team. This approach ensures that Cyp receive the right level of specialist input at the right time, delivered locally through a structured, data-informed system to strengthen capacity and outcomes across the Partnership.

The resulting locality-based, multi-agency delivery model reflects a shared partnership commitment to a coordinated, data-informed and preventative system, with ongoing performance monitoring, data dashboards and feedback loops ensuring that delivery continues to be refined based on emerging needs and impact.

4. Fair and equitable access to Eah An equitable and fair approach to accessing Eah support will be achieved through a structured, locality-based system. There will be a single point of access to Localities to ensure a robust system-wide ownership, and Localities will have oversight of their own performance metrics to ensure there is needs-led, fair distribution of the Eah offer across all settings.

Consistent, regular and defined mechanisms for collecting Cyp voice from across cohorts (especially Cyp from identified disadvantaged /vulnerable groups and “Cyp not yet in the system”) will be a priority for the Partnership. This will inform planning and decision-making through a range of participation groups from across the partnership, including Cyp participation groups at the Locality level, as well as led by the LA, Health and Social Care.

All mainstream schools, Ey providers and colleges – including out-of-area mainstream Fe settings attended by B&Nes Cyp – will access support through an LA-led single front door, aligned to the tiers of support (Universal, Targeted/Targeted+/Specialist). In Year 1, we will seek opportunities to build Eah cross-border networks to enable collaborative support for South West Cyp. A multi-agency triage system will lead to proportionate and timely responses from Eah from the Localities.

Locality Groups will monitor engagement through demand and uptake of support. Performance metrics will include tracking requests, training access and outcomes at a setting level. Localities will hold accountability of ensuring that support is not disproportionately accessed by the most proactive settings, reinforced through locality-level accountability and reporting into joint system governance. Eah will deliver targeted support to less engaged settings (identified through data monitoring), ensuring consistent access and uptake across the local area. Eah will develop trusting and effective working relationships with settings to ensure impact of the offer on Cyp’s outcomes.

3. Needs-led approach to commissioning specialist support

The Eah offer strengthens equitable access by: The Needs Led Approach is supporting settings to work collaboratively with families when emerging Neurodevelopmental presentations are identified. The focus is on meeting needs early so that Cyp can access the right support at the right time, with informed escalation to the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Pathway (Nd Pathway) as appropriate. The needs-led approach also provides support for families through the Bpcf peer-to-peer advice line.

• Providing whole-setting and thematic support; and
• A workforce development strategy through a training and Cpd programme.

All settings will benefit from the Localities offer regardless of their capacity to initiate requests.

Thresholds for support for each of the tiers (Universal, Targeted, Targeted+) will be co-produced and agreed across the Partnership. The thresholds will initially be developed by the Eah through the Locality Boards and then, through focused workshops, discussed amongst all settings (Ey, mainstream primary and secondary, Fe) and Bpcf, families and Cyp. (This mirrors how the Oap was produced). There will be a further online survey to allow more families and Cyp to contribute. Feedback from the workshops and survey will then refine the threshold agreement further, before going for sign-off at the Laip by March 2027. This will define the expectations of mainstream settings across universal, targeted/+ and specialist provision.

Following a diagnosis of Asd, settings and families can access a range of training and support packages from the Education Commissioned Specialist Autism Support Service (Sass).

A recent survey confirms that there are a range of Ehe/traded arrangements between settings, Academy Trusts and specialist support providers, both from Health providers and Independent Providers. Examples include Service Level Agreements between settings and Hcrg Care Group Speech and Language Therapy Service (Speech and Language Inclusion Partnership/Slip), Ep provision through Brighter Futures.

The Eah Locality Model delivers a fair, transparent and needs-led system of support, where access is managed, monitored and adapted to meet the needs of all Cyp. All partners will have access to a clearly articulated support offer with a shared understanding of the expectations of settings. The Partnership will deliver a locality-based, multi-agency model that integrates education, health and care through a single point of access, ensuring coordinated and timely support aligned to assessed need. The Partnership will ensure equitable access by actively monitoring uptake, timeliness and outcomes, and intervening where variation indicates inequity across settings or localities

5. Alternative Provision capacity

4. Alternative Provision (AP)

Pressures on AP capacity for delivering preventative packages is leading to some Cyp accessing unregistered AP placements for this support. The LA will continue to commission The LA currently commissions AP (for pupils who have been excluded/are at risk of exclusion and pupils who are medically unwell – the latter through Hers). These APs operate through a three-tier model across Local Inclusion Panels and dedicated Single Point of Access panels. At Tier 1, settings receive advice from the Inclusion and SEND Advice Service through Inclusion Advisors, including an in-school observation and follow-up report. At Tier 2, all APs deliver an outreach offer. At Tier 3, providers deliver an in-reach offer with a clear reintegration plan (or there is the agreement that a Section 19 education offer is appropriate). All commissioned AP is overseen by the Education Commissioning Team and the Alt. Academy Trusts vary significantly in the individual offer they have for internal AP and use of unregistered AP to meet the needs of Cyp. Strengthening the outreach offer at Tier 2 is a priority for the local area.

registered AP and will develop additional local provision (including the planned establishment of an all-age AP Free School). By increasing sufficiency over time, we will strengthen local capacity to meet needs earlier and prevent escalation of need.

Alongside this, the Eah model will enable sharing of expertise across the local area, ensuring that emerging needs are not missed (which leads to Cyp being identified with Semh needs due to the presenting behaviour rather than an underlying need). When a Cyp is at risk of permanent exclusion, the LIPs will ensure there has been a review of health needs and that the Cyp is appropriately supported (e.g. Phn). Eah will embed AP providers within locality-based, multi-agency teams, enabling co-ordinated and timely outreach, in-reach and preventative support to mainstream settings. Through this, there will be reduced demand on AP placements. This approach ensures that AP functions both as commissioned provision and as a system-wide resource within the locality model, supporting earlier intervention and reintegration into mainstream provision.

Regional partnership arrangements are not identified as the primary route for increasing AP capacity because the Local Partnership has strong foundations to deliver itself – this is through established local AP commissioning and the planned Semh AP school. B&Nes will adopt a blended local delivery approach combining:

• LA commissioning
• An AP Free School
• Shared expertise within localities

This will ensure sufficient, sustainable, high-quality AP delivery, aligned to local need and consistent with SEND reform priorities.

6. Specialist outreach

Our plans to expand our commissioned outreach offer are based around outreach being provided by special schools and – in future – resource bases. In B&Nes, we have three high- quality special schools (Three Ways, Northstar 180 and Fosseway), who are locally respected, and at their last Ofsted inspection were graded as ‘Good’, ‘Good’, and ‘Exceptional’ respectively. Families knowing that special schools such as these are providing outreach will increase confidence that our commissioning offer is strong. This piece of work relies on:

• Localities monitoring themes to inform commissioning meeting local need
• Increasing family confidence so parents/carers trust that their local setting, with the support of special school or resource base outreach, will meet their Cyp’s needs
• The LA identifying what is required (through data and intelligence) to meet local need to inform the priorities for outreach commissioning
• Creating a new performance framework against which to measure commissioned services’ impact.

Our initial outreach offer priority is around AP because:

• AP outreach is already commissioned and therefore the Partnership has a ready foundation on which to build
• Our plans for AP complements the outcomes from Eah Test and Learn Pilots.

The combination of these factors means that outreach commissioning will not begin until later in the Plan (Years 2-3).

Years 2-3: Building on existing commissioned outreach (such as from AP providers and the Sass), B&Nes will strengthen and expand outreach commissioning through specialist settings providing support to mainstream settings. This will be delivered through the Eah model, enabling settings to access specialist outreach as a multi-agency, locality-based function. Commissioning will be needs-led and flexible to local priorities.

Partnership-agreed processes and thresholds will be established so that outreach offers are delivered in a structured, equitable and targeted way. This typically follows the graduated response, with Eah being accessed by the setting in the first instance.

Support for settings will include:

• Outreach for consultation (individual Cyp and cohorts)
• Coaching
• Modelling
• Training
• Whole-setting support.

This will create the following outcomes:

• Building capacity for special schools and resource bases to share expertise
• Upskilling the workforce in mainstream education settings according to needs of teachers and support staff.

For further impact, localities will also have the capability to identify and promote good practice across the local area to enable mainstream settings to share their expertise with other settings.

B&Nes envisages a two-tier outreach support system:

Specialist settings providing bespoke support around individual Cyp/cohorts to the mainstream setting – reported and agreed at Locality Group level

Specialist settings informing mainstream schools and (through Locality Groups) the SEND Reform Board of cross-area needs. This will influence local area strategic partnership commissioning decisions (e.g. Sass)

Commissioning decisions will be informed by local data and intelligence (at the Locality level as well as across the local area) to ensure that outreach reflects patterns of need and delivers maximum impact on the outcomes for our Cyp, as well as informing best practice in our settings. The performance framework will focus on specialist providers contributing to preventative, early intervention pathways rather than solely responding at the point of escalation with specific performance Kpi’s within commissioned contracts.

Overall, the proposal establishes outreach from local special schools and resource bases as a key mechanism within the tiered Eah model. This will enable high-quality specialist provision to be shared across the system, improving access, consistency and outcomes for Cyp.

1. SEND Reform leadership, partnership collaboration and co-production

1. SEND Reform governance and assurance

System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production (BB3)

The Sro for the Reform Plan is Chris Wilford, the Director of Education and Safeguarding. The SEND Transformation Core Team will ensure the Plan is being developed and delivered effectively in terms of quality, outcomes for Cyp and value for money. The Transformation Team will be the drivers for ensuring a joint reporting system is developed to enable oversight and support for the Localities.

The Laip provides robust partnership oversight, with shared accountability across education, health and care. More specific oversight is managed through other groups and networks, including but not limited to: Inclusion and SEND networks, Schools Forum and School Standards Board, Local Inclusion Panels and the ICB-led Health Oversight Group.

A refreshed Laip (with broadened, representative membership) will continue to provide robust partnership oversight, with shared accountability across education, health and care. The Laip’s effectiveness will be boosted by the new SEND Reform Board, which will be gathering data and intelligence from the locality areas (e.g. feedback from Cyp and families, attainment, attendance, Cyp outcomes, suspensions and exclusions) and ensuring that service user feedback is embedded in key decision-making from the beginning. This information will then feed upwards back to the Laip, so that the Laip has a holistic, overall view of key themes. This will enable the Laip to:

The Laip is the overall governance vehicle for the Partnership, with Bpcf, health, LA (education and social care), Academy Trusts and settings across Ey, schools and Fe in attendance. The Laip retains system accountability and oversight of outcomes. The Chair rotates between the Place Director and the Sro, creating shared ownership and accountability for partnership-wide actions.

• Make effective decisions in a timely, data-driven, transparent way (informed by family and Cyp voice, and data coming up from the SEND Reform Board)
• Provide clear majority sign-off on decisions across the Partnership (and escalation routes when that’s not possible)
• Hold the assurance that the delivery of the programme is having maximum impact and meeting identified outcomes
• Have oversight of performance reporting and the annual review cycle (using the partnership maturity matrix to assess effectiveness) from the SEND Reform Board
• Drive improvement across the local Partnership
• Align with wider reforms in Bsil, Ffpp and the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.

Schools Forum and Schools Standards Board sit at the same level of accountability as the Laip, with the Sro as the point of continuity and accountability to all three. Schools Forum has representation from Academy Trusts, special schools, AP and Ey providers. LA finance and SEND leads attend and it is chaired by an elected Schools Forum member. Other partners attend by exception where required. Schools Forum has accountability for monitoring and distribution of the Dedicated Schools Grant, including High Needs Block financial decisions.

All the above will support the engagement with and buy-in of Academy Trusts, Fe and Ey, as they build effective and trusting relationships that are fully involved in the Partnership and partnership-wide decision making.

Operationally, this will be supported by a new SEND Transformation Core Team (see Appendix 2), through which the Partnership will have clear structures for driving delivery, monitoring impact and resolving barriers. This positions the system well to oversee the implementation of Eah and wider reform.

2. SEND Reform locality working

The Laip reporting then moves to a statutory level: escalating to the Health and Wellbeing Board and Icb (which operate at the same accountability level). For the LA, reporting must escalate to the Health and Wellbeing Board via the Executive Leadership Team, which receives SEND Reform reporting on a quarterly basis as standard but more regularly as need arises.

Clear accountability is provided through Locality Groups. Each locality will operate a formally constituted multi-agency Locality Group, responsible for delivery and performance monitoring (at a setting and Locality Level) and peer challenge. The Locality Groups will provide and discuss local data and issues, and problem solve at a local level. They will also identify good practice that can be used within the Locality and across the wider area to drive effective practice that has positive impact on outcomes of Cyp.

Localities’ point of escalation and reporting is to the SEND Reform Board. The SEND Reform Board will review locality-wide data (including feedback from families and Cyp escalated from the Locality Groups) and agree cross-cutting themes that require escalation to the next tier of governance: the Laip.

The SEND Transformation Lead (once recruited) and Programme Manager roles will be / are already established in the Ffpp and Bsil governance, and connectivity with NHS reform is managed through the inclusion of Icb colleagues across all Partnership governance.

As the Icb strengthens the role of Place-based partnerships and transitions toward a strategic commissioning function, SEND services will be shaped and delivered increasingly through a neighbourhood-level, Locality based, multidisciplinary approach. This alignment enables more consistent decision making, clearer accountability, and earlier, more coordinated support for families. By situating the transformed commissioning of SEND provision within the emerging Place architecture and neighbourhood model, we will create a more responsive, integrated system that delivers the right support at the right time, closer to home.

Strengths are drawn from close relationships with Bpcf and Sendiass, both of which are important conduits of family and Cyp voice, for example through surveys, the Peer-to-Peer Support Line, and the ‘SEND Out’ participation group. Supportive challenge is welcomed across the Partnership, and trusted relationships ensure that the system is responsive to feedback.

3. SEND Reform monitoring and reporting

The Locality Groups and SEND Reform Board will have monthly reporting cycles (in line with monthly meetings), with then quarterly reporting to the Laip. Reporting and monitoring will be established through locality dashboards and performance frameworks to capture demand, timeliness, outcomes and equity of access. Data will be shared across the network of Localities – this visibility enables partnership-wide oversight, monitoring and benchmarking. Robust quality assurance mechanisms will include case audits, feedback from stakeholders including families and Cyp, and continuous improvement cycles. The Partnership will monitor performance and identify areas for improvement, with data and intelligence informing and refining the delivery model through strategic planning of commissioning and recruitment to the multi-agency locality Eah teams.

Learning from national programmes, such as Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (Pins), is informing local approaches to early identification, demand management and workforce confidence. The Partnership is also increasingly aligned with wider health and care system architecture. This includes alignment with NHS Neighbourhood Teams and supporting more place-based, population delivery.

Every level of the formal governance has representation across partners, including Bpcf, health, social care and settings represented at each meeting. At Locality level, there will be more direct co-production with families, Cyp and third sector.

Governance is underpinned by the structured funding model. Eah allocations are clearly defined across the direct delivery model (minimum 80%), locality administration (up to 10%) and transformation activity (up to 10% in year 1). This is supported by a SEND Transformation Core Team, which will have oversight of finance, commissioning, data and quality assurance. At the broadest level, our plans will continue to bring together SEND reform, Ffpp, Bsil and the Neighbourhood agendas to ensure alignment, best use of resources and clarity on support for Cyp and families. The governance (both through established governance structures and soon to be established governance), will be reviewed and iteratively improved as and when appropriate to ensure all reform is being delivered holistically and effectively.

Most recently, through the Laip, the Partnership co-produced ‘Our Plan for SEND’, which sets out our shared vision and commitments. We have co-produced partnership-wide Participation Promises for practitioners working with Cyp. There are active participation groups for Cyp led by Social Care that support Cyp to share their voice and be active in the Partnership e.g. supporting with interviews for key strategic and operational roles in the LA.

4. SEND Reform Co-production and benchmarking

Co-production will be embedded as a minimum standard across design, delivery and evaluation, with all partners expected to meet agreed participation standards. Co-production has been the foundation of the SEND Reform Plan: the contents were generated from partnership-wide co-production workshops involving Cyp, Bpcf, education leaders (including Academy Trust representation), health partners, third sector and local education specialists. The workshops were further supported by surveys completed by Cyp, Parents and Carers, Education Settings and Academy Trusts. Regular online briefings for Bpcf, schools, Fe and Ey settings leaders on SEND Reform have also taken place to ensure continued buy-in.

At the broadest level, there are governance models in place for Ffpp, Bsil, as well as the Icb Cluster Board and Health and Wellbeing Board for neighbourhood planning. From 1 April 2026, Bsw Icb is clustered with Dorset and Somerset ICBs, ensuring that improvements for Cyp with SEND are embedded within the future operating model of our wider system, with an increased focus on Place-based working to ensure local decision making.

Co-production will continue throughout the SEND Reform delivery as it is embedded across the programme. This includes:

Academy Trusts and school leaders are already involved in the Local Inclusion Panels (LIPs). Building on the LIPs, the partnership will establish cross-phase Localities, which will contribute to shared decision-making, commissioning discussions and ongoing development and review of inclusive practice.

Locality Groups will have close relationships with families, Cyp, Vcfse, as well as wider local organisations, building in their feedback into the delivery process.

There will be Icb, Academy Trust and Bpcf Transformation Partners as part of the core SEND Transformation team, ensuring that they are closely involved in planning, delivery, monitoring and accountability.

2. Governance to develop As a Partnership we know our areas for improvement:

- Consistent attendance from settings at the Laip (Ey to Post- 16/Fe); - A Laip agreed outcomes-framework to demonstrate our effectiveness in qualitative terms - Mechanisms to listen to lived experiences; and - Established “You said, we did” feedback loops back to families and Cyp and the “so what now?” story. See Appendix 10 – Comms Themes for more information); - Mechanisms for directly gathering Cyp voice from across a range of cohorts to inform planning and decision-making

B&Nes will adopt a Partnership-agreed co-production benchmark based on Nhse guidance to establish a consistent, measurable standard for effective co-production across the partnership. This benchmark will define clear expectations for the meaningful involvement of Cyp and parent carers in the design, delivery and evaluation of services, and will be embedded within governance, performance monitoring and quality assurance processes.

The Partnership will undertake a structured self-assessment against this benchmark in Year 1, identifying areas of strength and actions to be taken. This will drive continuous improvement in participation, transparency and shared decision-making across the system. By Year 2, there will be an embedded culture of active and meaningful co-production across the Partnership, with Cyp and their families as valued partners. As a partnership, we will have:

• Agreed a co-production benchmark (i.e. minimum standards for all partners and settings) and assessed ourselves against it in Year 1
• Established stronger communications channels:

(1) Through the dedicated Comms Lead, who will be responsible for making sure co-production feedback loops are tightened up and that everyone feels more informed and confident about the changes being made; (2) Gp/CAMHS pathways and referral feedback loops will be improved.

Strengthened the role of Cyp voice through the SEND Reform Board. The boosted funding for Bpcf through the Bpcf Transformation Lead (who will be a core member of the SEND Reform Board) will be instrumental in pushing parental and family voice – especially targeting those families who are ‘not yet in the system’ and who we want to positively impact through early intervention. See Appendix 10 for more information.

5. Sendiass

Sendiass provides Cyp (0-25) with SEND and parents and carers with high-quality, independent information, advice and guidance, ensuring they are supported to understand their rights, navigate the system and engage confidently in decision-making.

Sendiass:

Plays a critical role in co-production by providing independent, legally grounded and impartial support that enables families to participate meaningfully in decision-making

Ensures that parent, carer and Cyp voice is informed, confident and central to shaping support and resolving disputes across the system through arm’s-length working, co- produced design, transparent communication and robust quality assurance

Delivers impartial support within the wider dispute resolution framework

Operates in line with nationally-defined minimum service standards, with performance monitored through governance and a quality assurance framework to ensure consistency, accessibility and responsiveness across the local area

Currently sits as a sub-group of – and reports its performance to – the Laip

Building on our trusted and well established Sendias service, we will review sufficiency, governance and quality assurance processes, with an action plan for development through Year 2. A strategy will be developed outlining how Sendiass will assist stakeholders with the local reform agenda. If variability in service quality is identified during the review, this will be addressed through regular performance review at the Laip, completion of improvement actions, as well as feedback from families. This ensures equitable access to high-quality support for all families.

To maintain confidence in the independence of Sendiass, particularly within mediation and dispute resolution processes, B&Nes will ensure:

• There is a clear separation from statutory decision-making
• Transparent communication of its independent role; and
• Adherence to national impartiality standards.

This will be further supported through co-production with the Bpcf, routine evaluation of family experience and the use of independent feedback mechanisms.

6. Partnership Dispute, Resolution and Mediation

As system convener, the LA will operate a multi-tiered governance structure with clear roles, responsibilities and decision-making authority across settings, locality groups and system leadership. Governance arrangements include representation from education, health and care partners, alongside parent carer and Cyp voice. Decision-making will be transparent and co-produced.

(i) Preventing issues in the first instance Through embedded co-production, transparency and early help, issues should be resolved locally between the family, Cyp and setting. Settings will engage families and Cyp in discussions and decision-making from the beginning. Families will be supported further by access to independent advice, support and consistent information through the Local Offer, Best Start Family Hubs, Ffpp, Sendiass and Bpcf. Embedded co-production practices will ensure that the voice of Cyp and families is central to resolving concerns and shaping system improvement before any issues are escalated higher. Sendiass will operate independently of statutory decision-making, in line with national minimum standards, ensuring impartial advice and effective participation of families.

The principle of early conversations and transparency also applies to issues arising within the Partnership itself and not related to families and Cyp. For example, between health- contracted partners and the LA. In the first instance, partners will have open dialogue supported by data before issues are escalated as per ‘Managing escalations’, below.

(ii) Managing escalations At locality level, multi-agency groups will provide the primary mechanism for early dispute identification and resolution. Partners will work collaboratively (including with families and Cyp where relevant) to resolve emerging concerns relating to provision, access, thresholds or decision-making led by shared data, case discussion and professional challenge. A standardised performance and reporting framework, underpinned by shared locality dashboards, will enable real-time visibility of demand, timeliness, outcomes and equity of access. This shared intelligence will support early identification of systemic issues, variation in practice or emerging risks, triggering timely intervention action. This will lead to timely, proportionate solutions. Issues will be addressed proactively within the graduated response, reducing the need for formal escalation.

Where resolution cannot be achieved at locality level, formal escalation routes are clearly defined within the governance structure. Issues will escalate in a structured and transparent way through the SEND Reform Board and, where required, to the Laip. This supports system-level decision-making and resolution so that accountability is maintained at the appropriate level and complex or cross-system issues are addressed with strategic oversight and joint ownership. Chris Wilford, Director for Education, is the single named Sro. As a senior leader within the LA, the Sro has the authority to make any final decisions regarding disputes, where consensus cannot be reached amongst partners. This should happen very rarely.

(iii) Mediation Independent mediation is commissioned to ensure impartiality and will be overseen through a robust governance and performance framework, with monitoring of timeliness (including time from referral to mediation), uptake, resolution rates, outcomes and the proportion of cases resolved without progression to tribunal. Whole-system monitoring will capture;

• Formal complaints
• Mediation activity and resolution outcomes from all partners
• Analysis of repeat disputes
• Emerging themes
• Family feedback on fairness and satisfaction

Inclusion bases pipeline jointly developed between LA and Academy Trusts, taking into account the strategic distribution of bases across localities to ensure equitable access, with clear specification of the type and purpose of provision, aligned to identified gaps in local provision and future demand forecasting.

B&Nes will ensure that sufficiency and place planning proposals incorporate flexibility to respond to rurality, geography and local variation in need, enabling provision that is both context-appropriate and sustainable. Through a locality-based approach, provision – including inclusion bases, outreach support and specialist input – will be designed to reflect the differing characteristics of urban, semi-rural and rural communities across B&Nes. Flexible delivery models, including shared provision, outreach and multi- agency locality teams, will ensure that capacity can be adapted to local demand while maintaining high-quality standards. This approach ensures that provision remains viable, reduces inequity of access and supports an inclusive system that responds effectively to the diverse needs of local communities

In collaboration with settings and Locality Groups, initiating feasibility studies for priority projects (i.e. for new or expanded provision), including adaptations to mainstream settings through inclusion bases

Identifying a Partner to deliver pilot inclusion bases in priority locations with defined outcomes – this would be done with the support of the Trust Transformation Partner and would include travel impact assessments being applied to shortlisted projects to ensure accessibility and equity. Mitigations will be identified where needed, including transport solutions, phased implementation and cross-border arrangements

Beginning targeted capacity planning across mainstream and specialist sectors, aligned to identified gaps (particularly at KS3/4 and Post-16)

Whole-system sufficiency analysis completed, including EHCP growth trends, placement patterns and identification of gaps

Planning framework setting out clear thresholds for support versus specialist provision drafted

Approach to travel impact assessment agreed, including journey times, travel flows and transport cost considerations

Rural and hard-to-reach areas identified to support equitable access to provision

Establishing a baseline dataset and sufficiency narrative across need, demand and provision with an outcomes framework

Strengthening our longer-term sufficiency intelligence through a Sufficiency and Capital Strategy and completed Sufficiency Bi Dashboard. Sufficiency analysis data provides baseline that then creates a heat map as a result.

- Governance for SEND capital investment is well established through the monthly SEND Capital and Sufficiency Project Board. Four times a year, this Board also has a dedicated sufficiency data and planning meeting to keep future-focused and drive a sustainable system - In terms of capital projects specifically – to date, we have: - Increased capacity at an existing SEN Unit (Margaret Coates) from 34 to 48 – with a further planned expansion to 60 places - Opened two new resource bases (for Asd) for 20 Cyp each.

There is a collective understanding across the Partnership of our current sufficiency pressures. Our current Special Schools are at capacity: each of our three special schools are over the Published Admission Number (Pan). Our specialist resource bases/units are at 68% capacity. We do not yet have a full picture of existing inclusion support bases across our schools. We have an over-reliance on the independent specialist sector (115 currently) with the vast majority located in other LAs – see also Data/digital systems.

This will be supported by Eah and the strengthened universal offer, where:

Settings will have a more consistent inclusion offer, supported through the existing Isso and regular quality assurance of settings’ provision from the LA

Settings will have access to Eah and the critical early intervention that will mean Cyp can stay in mainstream rather than being transferred to a specialist placement

The Universal Offer and Eah have an interdependent relationship, where the success of one benefits the other and creates an overall ‘levelling up’ of the inclusion and early intervention offer. (See Appendix 9)

All secondary schools will have established inclusion bases with clearly defined remit within the school’s Inclusion Strategy.

Inclusion bases will be planned and commissioned based on analysed local demographic need and sufficiency data, ensuring provision is aligned to patterns of primary need and locality demand. This approach will increase local sufficiency and reduce reliance on independent and out-of-area placements, enabling more children to be supported closer to home in their local community.

Our capital projects will be underway or delivered, including:

• Opening a new 20-place Semh resource base (Ikb), 10-place maintained special school (Charlton House) for Cyp with the most complex needs (in 2027)
• Opening a 55-place AP school at Abbott Alphege
• Progressing the DfE-approved 120-place special free school at Culverhay (ready for 2029-30).

Governance (through the Locality Groups, SEND Capital and Sufficiency Project Board, SEND Reform Board and the Laip) and commissioning arrangements will ensure that provision is regularly reviewed for impact, quality and fit with local need, specifically:

Localities will be accountable for the impact of Inclusion Bases and will report to the Laip through the SEND Reform Board

SEND Capital and Sufficiency Project Board will maintain the read-across to the LA’s Capital Delivery Team, ensuring that capital projects are remaining on track and informed by Locality data, including local needs and sufficiency data This ensures that inclusion bases provide consistent, high-quality support and contribute to a more inclusive system by enabling Cyp to access appropriate provision within their local area, with their local peers wherever possible.

The Partnership will maintain clear governance and shared accountability across education, health and care, with defined escalation routes and performance monitoring through the SEND Reform Board and Laip.

Capital Outcomes Investment in mainstream inclusion, workforce capability and targeted specialist provision within local settings will enable a greater proportion of Cyp’s needs to be met closer to home. This will reduce reliance on special schools, particularly out-of-area and independent specialist placements, by strengthening local pathways, improving early identification and intervention, and ensuring timely access to appropriate support within mainstream and local specialist provision. Strategic commissioning and capital investment will be informed by needs-led data and ongoing sufficiency analysis, enabling the system to respond proactively to demand, increase local provision and deliver a more sustainable, inclusive education system.

Workforce There is a strong training/Cpd offer in place for settings, as described above. Multi-agency Cpd steering groups are emerging as a result. All mainstream schools have received a minimum of 2 Adhd training sessions, with suspension rates in secondary schools now decreasing in line with a more informed workforce.

Workforce With Eah, we want to build a skills-mixed workforce, using Registered Professionals, Assistant Practitioners and Navigators who could be recruited through, for example, health (as health assistants) and Ep (as Assistant EPs). These would be Level 2-4 qualified applicants whose role would focus on coaching, modelling, intervention and screening programmes. The read-across to the Bsil Inclusion Practitioner will be evaluated, to remove the risk of duplication between roles. Which roles need to be prioritised as a recruitment exercise will depend on the growing data around commonly occurring need and be completed in Year 2, as guidance states that Year 1 should prioritise recruitment of registered professionals (Ep, Ot, Salt). From Year 2, we will review the skill mix required, using data and intelligence, and existing roles with a focus on our most disadvantaged cohorts (e.g. Yjs, Cp/Cin, Plac and kinship, Awss, Ehe, Section 19, Cla, traveller community, Hers) to inform recruitment.

Tracking of training uptake and impact is not in place across the Partnership; and there is potential for duplication of training offers for settings as training is provided by multiple providers (including but not exclusive to Bpcf, health, education, social care, Academy Trusts and commissioned services). This has led to limited coordination of the Cpd and Training offer available for settings to access across the Partnership.

With greater effectiveness from the streamlined Cpd offer (see Encouraging inclusive behaviours), the Partnership will also be able to spend more time gathering data on what training is having the most impact (and in which localities) – and allow the Partnership to think strategically about its priorities and how it can become most valuable to partners.

Other goals include:

• Developing workforce KPIs (capacity, retention, SENCO turnover, supervision) and mapping specialist availability
• Targeting priority gaps (E.g. Training / Cpd) and linking to improved outcomes/timeliness
• Ensuring workforce priorities align to key strategic priorities e.g. inclusion
• Focusing on workforce retention by reviewing our supervision, coaching and mentoring offer, and providing time for reflective practice and protected time for Cpd

Whilst feedback is qualitative, quantitative data and follow-up Qa metrics have not yet been designed. Tracking and reporting of training uptake and impact across the Partnership (including delivery of training from Academy Trusts) is not yet coordinated.

Workforce development (including Eah and training and Cpd offer for wider workforce) will increase system capacity and capability, supporting consistent delivery of inclusive practice and earlier intervention.

We recognise there are workforce capacity and turnover pressures across the partnership. Building on programmes such as Pins, we will:

3. What is the local area partnership’s strategy for delivering on the above?

A brief summary of your local system’s theory of change or reform strategy. Reflect on the output of your Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool, particularly your Local System ‘change story.’

250 words

The maturity assessment highlights that B&Nes is developing and has strong partnership foundations, including established governance arrangements, productive relationships and a culture of collaboration across the partnership. However, partnership working is not yet consistently experienced, and confidence levels among families, practitioners and providers vary. Our key shifts are from:

(1) Pockets of effective inclusive practice to a consistently applied, early-intervention, prevention-based Locality Model. This will mean that schools, Ey and Fe settings have the skills and understanding they need to meet CYPs’ needs early and effectively, supported by experts. As a result, Cyp outcomes and parental confidence will improve, preventing unnecessary escalation to statutory support and high-cost placements.

(2) An inconsistent culture of inclusion across settings to a clearly defined (and applied) inclusion framework and co-production benchmark. This will mean that mainstream settings will be performing (and assessed) against shared expectations of inclusive practice. Cyp will receive a consistent experience no matter where they are educated, creating a fair, shared and equal quality of education across the Partnership.

(3) Duplicative, siloed working and disjointed listening of Cyp and family voice moving to a joined-up, efficient and data-driven partnership system (shared Cpd offer, data gathering and sharing, 'tell us once' and ‘you said, we did’ feedback loops, ownership for SEND placements). This will result in a whole-system approach to data gathering and sharing. Cyp and family voice will be shared effectively across the Partnership, meaning that families feel heard and understood from the beginning. Voices of lived experience will be supported by co-owned data dashboards, enabling system decisions that are evidence-led, holistic and timely.

4. Please upload a completed copy of the Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool.

See separate attachment.

5. What is the local area partnership roadmap for the next 3 years?

Reflecting on the broad timescales and expectation for deliverables set out in the Schools White Paper, key documents and core minimum requirements set out in this document, please provide a high-level

roadmap for the next 3 years. Please highlight key milestones and a trajectory to the target metrics identified above, including leading indicators.

In the 2026-27 column, in particular, please reference how you plan to meet the core minimum requirements in your narrative, including details and evidence in supporting documents.

You can insert or upload supporting documents including graphics/visuals that illustrate your data trajectory.

Using the Maturity Matrix, we will score ourselves as Mature (effectively meeting the needs of our Cyp and their families) by the end of Year 3

Strengthening inclusion across education settings

Goal: Building on consistent inclusive practice and creating the Inclusion framework Goal: Embedding consistent, high-quality inclusive practice across the Partnership

Goal: A Partnership-owned Universal Offer

A key priority is the continued development and alignment of the Inclusion and SEND Commitment: B&Nes’ Ordinarily Available Provision and the emerging Eah model. This will ensure a coherent, graduated continuum of support developed by the Partnership (and including out-of-area Fe, creating cross-border collaboration) and signed-off by the Laip, ensuring health, LA and settings ownership

The Oap for EYFS and Post-16 provision are under development and will be co-produced with Academy Trusts, settings (including Ey and Fe) and Bpcf, and signed off by representation across partners through the Laip

The full Oap will be reviewed across the Partnership (including settings, health, Bpcf, LA) to align with National Inclusion Standards, ensuring consistency with national expectations

The LA will ensure that every mainstream school has completed and published their Inclusion Strategies aligned to the Oap and National Inclusion Strategy, confirming their commitment to inclusive practice

The Isso will continue to support settings to deliver high quality inclusive practice, using:

The LA’s review of settings’ Inclusion Strategies and the bedding in of the Oap Audit tool, will mean that all Cyp will have access to appropriate, high-quality local inclusive provision

The Oap audit process will be embedded across all settings, with annual audits and action plans informing both locality and partnership-level priorities

Multi-disciplinary support for babies and Cyp aged 0-25 will be delivered as locally as possible. This will integrate paediatrics, primary care and community provision and align with LA Best Start in Life Family Hubs and B&Nes neighbourhood offer, as well as health’s early help and universal services.

The needs-led approach and Nd pathway will be meeting needs early because Cyp aren’t having to wait for a diagnosis to be supported

The ICB-commissioned health offer is meeting individual needs.

This will include:

Monitoring the data from Locality Boards to ensure that the Eah offer (which will be focused on the most commonly occurring and emerging needs – speech and language, Asd, Semh) is reducing:

o Escalation of need in mainstream provision o Escalation into out-of-area placements, especially those with significant travel requirements.

Improving consistency in inclusive practice and quality standards and increasing the proportion of Cyp successfully supported within mainstream settings (reducing escalation to specialist provision or out- of-area provision) supported by the follow-up of work undertaken in the Oap Audit Tool and reviews of mainstream schools’ Inclusion Strategies through SEND Reform Board:

o Improved signposting to services and pathways on the website; o intelligence gathered from service delivery to inform service development and workforce planning. This will align to the Eah model.

An annual report will be published, capturing impact, demand and emerging themes to inform ongoing development of the Eah offer

There will be shared partnership agreement on thresholds for support, creating greater clarity and consistency in decision-making across the system and reducing variation in access to provision

Piloting the Oap audit tool (through Locality Groups via engaged settings) to audit settings’ provision and reviewing mainstream schools Inclusion Strategies. This ensures that mainstream settings are committed to delivering the Oap

Reducing delays in health service support by addressing “watchful waiting” through clearer universal responses. We will build on our current waiting well offers for Nd including continued support through the Bpcf with further focused webinars

Strengthening transitions across phases, particularly Early Years to Primary (aligning with Bsil programme e.g. Get Set – transition pilot)

Embedding the needs-led approach and Nd pathway. During Year 1, we will continue the move to an all-age Nd pathway, which will be embedded by the end of the year with focus on Transition reviews

The commissioned health offer within the neighbourhood agenda under development. We will have a confirmed neighbourhood offer for children and young people commencing from April 2027

Partnership plans will be confirmed through the Health and Wellbeing Board in Sept 2026, and these will align with Bsil and Ffpp.

o The Oap will be reviewed and related action plan agreed o The Oap tool will be rolled out and embedding learning from the pilot o Inclusion Strategies will be reviewed through this process to ensure consistent implementation and impact so that families can make informed choices and be reassured that their local setting can and will meet needs.

The needs-led approach will be embedded and well used

The commissioned health offer within the neighbourhood agenda will be embedded

In Early Years, universal screening and assessment approaches will be embedded, alongside continued rollout of the Language for Life programme, with increasing reach across settings

Learning from the Family Hubs and Inclusion Practitioner will also be taking shape and informing Ey practice within SEND Reform

In Fe/Post-16, the work of the Transitions Team and wider PfA project within Asc will be making ongoing improvements and informing practice, both in SEND Reform and Ffpp (which runs up until 18) and Bsil (which is for families with Cyp of all ages – up to 25 if they have an EHCP).

Strengthening Ey provision

Planning early years evidence-based programmes (including Language for Life) and working with Bsil Family Hubs and the Inclusion Practitioner to identify shared outcomes

Strengthening Ey sufficiency planning through a twice-yearly report published on the LA website, aligned with Bsil.

Reinforcing and clarifying Section 23 across health partners and improving how information is used to understand our Ey SEND cohort.

Embedding and extending the SEND cohort overview with providers, with clear instructions and shared definitions to support consistent cohort planning (including Isf/Tsf indicators) and information sharing through transition points.

Distributing the Inclusive Early Years Fund (Ieyf) in 2026-27 to support setting-wide inclusive practice and early intervention.

Strengthening the Post-16 provision The local area will provide clear, consistent and well-communicated pathways into and out of post-16 provision, supported by effective information sharing and coordinated support. Work will focus on:

All Cyp will be supported through clear, inclusive pathways into Post-16 provision, as well as beyond, into adulthood, enabling access to education, employment, independent living and positive life outcomes. We will achieve this by continuing to embed preparation for adulthood from Year 9 onwards.  This will be aligned with the work of Ffpp, Asc’s Transitions Team, the Post-16 Network and the wider PfA improvements being made by Asc (linked to the CQC Improvement Plan). The read-across to the SEND Reform Plan will be managed by the Programme Manager, who also supports Asc in PfA. Areas of commonality that need to be shared and maximised across teams include:

o Locality-based support for Education and training; Employment and supported internships. This will also enhance provision for:  Independent living skills; Health and wellbeing; Social development. This will ensure equitable access to academic and vocational pathways

o Strengthening pathways for: young people who are Neet; those outside mainstream provision; cross-border learners; transition to post-16; and improve integration with adult services to support transition beyond 18. o Developing re-engagement pathways for young people returning to education, training or employment. Access to specialist support and local place ments

Goal: Designing the locality model and multi-agency delivery approach

Goal: Implementation of the Locality-based Model

Goal: A consistent, embedded, and sustainable local Inclusion and SEND System based on our locality model

Led by the SEND Transformation Lead localities will become operational from September 2027. This will involve using the Local Inclusion Panels as a launchpad for the new Localities. This will enable stronger collaboration, shared accountability and more responsive, needs-led delivery across the partnership that meets the needs of our Cyp and families

Data dashboards will be more mature by Year 2, driving refined action plans about where to prioritise Eah resource

Building on Year 1 Eah test-and-learn pilots, we will evaluate the impact of the pilots (and the workforce required) against outcome measures (e.g. decreasing number of Cyp on reduced timetables and reduced suspension rates), as well as through qualitative feedback from Cyp, families, settings and Eah Team. From this, we will assess whether we build on the pilots (e.g. by piloting with further settings, assessing whether delivery is most effective through the setting or through Eah, and/or bringing on more Eah to deliver) or rethink the pilot (e.g. change the settings we’ve identified working with and/or tweaking the Eah offer). Any successes will then be built into the Locality model

In Years 2 and 3, we will also begin the work on commissioned outreach, exploring EAH-led outreach support through specialist settings and resource bases

Localities will focus on strengthening the key transition points of Ey to Reception, Year 6 to Year 7 and into Post-16, ensuring continuity of support and reducing placement breakdown

Neighbourhood plans will commence from April 2027, aligning with Ffpp and Bsil. Multi-agency Eah teams will be fully established within each locality, providing earlier steps in Y1

A significant strand of Year 1 is the design and mobilisation of locality working.

This will include:

Evolution of the Local Inclusion Panels into a new governance structure of Locality Groups (Bath; Midsomer Norton; Keynsham and Chew). These Groups work locally with Cyp, families and system partners to discuss locally occurring needs and trends on a monthly basis, and creating action plans accordingly

The establishment of the SEND Reform Board in Year 1 (see System Leadership) will then review the holistic picture of all three localities (also monthly), using data and feedback to identify area-wide trends and issues. SEND Reform Board will have both the Place Director (Icb) and Sro present, to ensure shared ownership between the LA and Icb. This Board escalates upwards to the quarterly Laip for whole partnership-owned decisions and agreed actions

Governance is underpinned by the structured funding model: Eah allocations are clearly defined across the direct delivery model (minimum 80%), locality administration (up to 10%) and transformation activity (up to 10%). This is supported by the SEND Transformation Core team with oversight of finance, commissioning, data and quality assurance

Locality Leadership will be identified, alongside recruitment to key SEND Transformation Core Team roles across localities (see workforce)

Building on the new single point of access for community health paediatric services, the Icb will continue to co-design the neighbourhood model with final plans by April 2027

The Data Lead within the SEND Transformation Core Team will prioritise the development of local data dashboards to drive reporting and performance. This, alongside the creation of the single point of access (“front door”, potentially shared with Bsil/Ffpp), ensures that – amongst other indicators – timely and fair access is being monitored, and that there is no disproportionate access to Eah support amongst more proactive schools (including out-of-area Fe settings supporting B&Nes Cyp). Where this is happening, the SEND Reform Board will advise on remedial action from the Locality Boards.

Further learnings from Test-and-Learn Pilots will be embedded, with Pilots now into their next phases

A continued reduction in escalation into specialist provision, reflecting earlier intervention and strengthened mainstream capacity

The targeted high-cost placement work that began in Year 2 will be having a positive impact on the Dmp

Localities will operate with increasing maturity, supported by fully embedded Eah teams, strong multi- agency collaboration and established locality governance

The system will be underpinned by integrated neighbourhood collaboration, which will be aligned to local geographies. This will bring together health, social care, education and Vcfse partners

Eah workforce planning and recruitment, and read-across to health, Ffpp and Bsil

Accessible and responsive support

Strengthened schools’ inclusion plans

In Year 2, according to the guidance, we can review the recruitment of Navigators according to the needs emerging from Eah Test-and-Learn Pilots.

Increased workforce confidence through the streamlined, partnership- owned Cpd and Training offer

Earlier identification of need and supporting settings to implement early, evidence-based intervention. See Appendix 9 for more information.

The Partnership will design and recruit to the structure of multi-disciplinary Eah teams, establishing how services operate across the Partnership, including workforce planning and opportunities for joint commissioning. As part of the workforce planning and recruitment, we will work across the Partnership to identify where there may be additional capacity within the existing workforce, such as part-time workers interested in short-term pilots.

This work will also involve reviewing data in terms of most commonly occurring needs to drive recruitment of Assistant Practitioners and Navigators.

The design work to align with Ffpp, Multi-agency child protection teams, and early help and will connect to NHS neighbourhood footprints through the new SEND Reform governance. This will lead to coherent locality-based delivery across the Partnership.

There are key priority areas that align with Ffpp and Bsil, which have been identified as part of the LA’s Test and Learn Pilots in Year 1. These are:

AP will be more strategically integrated within locality delivery, this will include:

1. Authorised absences for Cyp on reduced timetables at mainstream schools. These are Cyp who are often Ebsa and supported (by the school) through costly unregistered AP packages. This is a priority area as there are so many cross-benefits to tackling the issue holistically: reduced safeguarding risks, better educational outcomes for Cyp and reduction in unnecessary AP costs. 2. Building on our ‘Team Around the School’ offer (which identifies settings requiring support around inclusive practices) through Eah. We will offer an enhanced package of support by extending Eah support to the whole setting (we have already targeted local schools who require the most assistance – 1 Primary, 1 Secondary and 1 studio school). This will include training, coaching and modelling of effective practice. Through this additionality, we would expect to see improving outcomes for cohorts of some of our most vulnerable Cyp. More information on the Test and Lean pilots can be found in Appendix 9.

• Clearer pathways to outreach and in-reach support models
• Improved oversight with a stronger focus on reintegration and outcomes
• Creating a new Qa tool for unregistered AP.

Reducing reliance on specialist and out-of-area provision by strengthening sufficiency

Settings will have access to specialist support, strengthening local sufficiency.

This will include:

Expanding inclusion bases across localities and Academy Trusts

Increasing locality-based specialist capacity where gaps were identified in Year 1 (particularly KS3/4 and Post-16)

Developing a more balanced continuum of provision, including mainstream inclusion bases, outreach support and specialist placements

Reducing reliance on independent and out-of-area placements through targeted local investment and improved planning

Continuing targeted capacity planning across mainstream and specialist sectors, aligned to demand and forecasting.

Mapping and understanding of current provision The Partnership will deliver a comprehensive system mapping and sufficiency review, providing a clear baseline of current provision and need. This will include:

Mapping provision across all phases (Early Years to Post-16), including mainstream, specialist bases, support bases, specialist placements and AP. (Mapping of health provision continues as part of the neighbourhood programme and will be included.)

Identifying gaps, duplication and variation in delivery across the system (informed by the Oap Audit) to drive an efficient and effective multi-agency working model that will ensure settings can access support early to prevent escalation of needs

Reviewing pathways to support across the Partnership, including thresholds for accessing support and move to needs-based provision

Understanding how services align to the Inclusion and SEND Commitment and future Eah delivery

Reviewing specialist input (Ep, Salt, Ot) and outreach, including AP, to assess sufficiency, access routes and alignment to locality delivery

Reviewing and strengthening our outreach offer of AP at Tier 2 by:

1. Implementing the test and learn pilot of the Cyp on reduced timetables (due to Ebsa) as detailed in the Appendix 9; and 2. Reviewing Apst learning and its application to our local area.

By building a more robust Tier 2, this will then strengthen Tier 3 support. We also plan to review the amount of AP that is required to meet need in the individual localities and how AP is accessed and aligns with locality models.

The partnership will explicitly identify priority cohorts, (including: most commonly occurring needs; Cyp who may have previously not met thresholds to access support services as needs were emerging; those experiencing Ebsa; and those at risk of exclusion), to inform targeted planning and early intervention (e.g. increasing Phn access for disadvantaged Cyp for health checks when at risk of permanent exclusion).  This intelligence will be drawn from data available across the Partnership, as well as existing intelligence gathered through Local SEND Reform workshops, the maturity matrix, and from family voice (see Appendix 10).

Goal: Strengthening governance and co-production

Goal: Embedding governance and co-production

Goal: Effective, mutually-beneficial governance for all partners and thriving co-production

System leadership, local partnershi p collaboration and co- production

System leadership and partnership working will be strengthened through: Governance arrangements for the SEND Reform Board will transition from a memorandum of understanding to a fully embedded structure, with quarterly reporting to the Laip, including finance, activity, sufficiency and impact, and subject to annual review (the partnership maturity matrix to assess effectiveness). As part of this, we will review how we can improve finance transparency and stakeholder communication across partnership meetings (for example, clear summaries of Schools Forum minutes and regular cost-benefit analyses to the Laip and SEND Reform Board, as well as sharing the identified priorities in reducing high-cost placements work undertaken in Year 1).

A comprehensive review of Laip governance, roles and responsibilities and its read-across to Schools Forum and Schools Standards Board (currently managed through the Sro’s presence on all 3 Boards), including structured engagement with Academy Trusts, settings (including Ey and Fe) and system partners to support shared ownership and collective responsibility for inclusive practice and capacity challenges

Implementation of the Partnership Maturity Matrix tool for the Partnership to assess its own effectiveness – this will be informed by the development of the data dashboards (see Data/Digital section)

Co-development of place-based governance as part of the Icb blueprint changes, to move to more local decision making and financial regulation

Creating a directorate-wide ‘master plan’ that incorporates Ffpp, Bsil, child protection and SEND Reform programmes, identifying the areas of overlap and where there are opportunities for pooling of resources to create stronger outcomes for Cyp and families

Formation of the SEND Reform Board and establishing roles, responsibilities and accountability, including structured conversations with Academy Trusts, as above. This Board will meet monthly to support collaboration and shared ownership, and consistency of high-quality inclusive practice, underpinned by a memorandum of understanding ahead of full governance arrangements

Formation of the Locality Groups from the existing Local Inclusion Panels and establishment of monthly reporting and data collection/sharing

Initiating a refreshed and transparent mediation and escalation process that focuses on prevention of escalation and addressing issues fairly and early. This will be delivered through strong collaborative and data-informed conversations at locality level between partners or between settings and families/Cyp (especially listening to family voice around family concerns) before issues are raised upwards to the SEND Reform Board, Laip and, ultimately (if there is no partnership consensus), the Sro. Through the SEND Reform Board, metrics around timely resolution of issues/quantity of issues resolved will be monitored

Develop the scrutiny process for regularly reviewing high-cost placements between social care and education using the joint placements dashboard

Reviewing our partnership agreement with Bpcf to ensure they are well resourced to support the Plan as an active partner in recognition of their role as advocates for families and experts by experience

Strengthened co-production with parent carers and Cyp, including development of a co-production benchmarking tool and self-assessment against the benchmarking tool

Development of a participation action plan and defined co-production roles and activities for Cyp

Participation will be broadened to ensure engagement with a diverse range of families, including those less connected to services

Building on our valued and well established Sendias service, we will review the governance and quality assurance processes of how we incorporate Sendias intelligence, with an action plan for development through Year 2

Establishing a data sub-group of the SEND Reform Board, to keep on top of data accuracy and streamlining across the Partnership

System leadership and partnership working will be fully embedded, with shared ownership of outcomes across the local area.  Co- production will be embedded as standard practice across both strategic and operational delivery – with the co-production benchmark as the guiding pillar – with strong and sustained engagement from families and young people.

This will include: Particular focus will be on:

A fully embedded partnership model, with clear roles, accountability and collaborative decision-making

Shared ownership of sufficiency across the system, including the LA, Academy Trusts, health and care partners

Established cycles of joint planning, review and priority- setting, informed by robust data and co-production

Clear joint outcomes and shared successes between SEND Reform across Ffpp, Bsil and child protection reforms.

Embedding collaborative planning across the LA, Academy Trusts and partners, particularly in relation to sufficiency and inclusion through the use of the Co-production benchmark / assessment

Operationalising locality-based delivery models, with shared ownership of outcomes

Maximising the shared objectives that have been identified in Ffpp, Bsil and child protection reforms with SEND Reform

Strengthening co-production throughout delivery, ensuring families and Cyp influence both strategic and operational decisions this includes aligning current co-production meetings (e.g. Off the Record, Sendias, current Csc co-production meetings) with SEND Reform. Families and Cyp are ‘telling us once’ and that information is being used as effectively as possible across services; building a feedback triaging system so that all partners can have access to feedback across the system; and involving any new families the Bpcf Transformation Partner has reached

Evolving Cyp participation based on the roles and activities Cyp most value

Bedding in the Partnership Maturity Matrix tool and creating a related action plan for improvement

Co-production moving beyond planning into active, ongoing involvement in locality delivery, supported by the participation strategy and locality- level engagement approaches. Using the Inclusive Mainstream Fund to pool resources (as well as some Eah funding – see Appendix 9 for details), Localities will be developing their 1, 2 and 3-year financial plans, supported by strengthened commissioning arrangements and increasing alignment of funding across education, health and care.

Annual engagement will include:

Strategic meetings with Heads of Service, LA, Health Leaders and Academy Trust leaders (including CEOs) to review data and set priorities

Setting-level reviews (led by Eah) to evaluate impact and inform ongoing support and development.

6. What will the local area partnership deliver in the first year?

Please outline the key workstreams, milestones and trajectory your local area partnership will deliver and achieve in 2026-27 as well as how you plan to spend the investment allocation that will help fund

this year’s delivery. Please share key milestones and anticipated dates, success measures, cost breakdown and category. These should incorporate the core minimum requirements, be mapped to the

building blocks above and should reflect a more detailed trajectory to the narrative, milestones and target metrics outlined in the 2026-27 column above.

Capital investment and prioritisation: Prioritisation criteria for capital investment agreed and signed off by SEND Capital and Sufficiency Project Board and SEND Reform Board by November

Using the prioritisation criteria and sufficiency heatmap, work will progress to identify: o Quick wins for new/expanded

Management of finances to secure value for money The local area partnership will stabilise finances while improving value for money. Success measures

Transformation Partners) as part of pilot approach

all phases of education are represented.

Implementation planning will begin for agreed pilot projects, including inclusion bases and locality delivery models. This will include establishing a support network for bases, ensuring alignment with the Eah model and providing the infrastructure needed for successful delivery.

Quality standards: Quality standards (including what settings must have in place to create a new inclusion base) and entry and exit principles of Inclusion Bases agreed (i.e. standard inclusion base specification: model, staffing, environment)

Decrease number of Cyp with an EHCP experiencing suspensions from mainstream provision during the academic year

Decrease number of Cyp with EHCPs accessing part-time/reduced timetables

Reduce the number of Cyp with EHCPs who are persistently/ severely absent

Reduce average travel time of Cyp from home to setting

Reduced spend on independent placements

provision (e.g. classroom conversions and adaptations to mainstream settings) o Longer-term capital

Capital investment and prioritisation: Development of detailed business cases for priority projects (building on findings from Oap Audit)

Estate and Capacity mapping: Education estate and capacity mapping work begins with Academy Trusts and schools, including validation of surplus and underutilised space (e.g. through falling rolls) to start planning a balanced (rural/urban/across localities) capital pipeline.

Developing prioritisation criteria for strategic capital investment based on need (including type of provision), impact value (e.g. long- term sustainability) and balance across localities (urban/rural/hard-to- reach)

pipeline requiring further development and meeting gaps (e.g. KS3/4 and Post-16) o Priority mainstream settings that

demonstrate commitment to inclusive practice (using findings from Oap Audit)

Feasibility studies will begin for priority schemes, (i.e. for new or expanded provision), including inclusion bases, with clear entry and exit criteria and defined outcomes, equitable mix of urban and rural. Feasibility for new capital and sufficiency projects across localities completed by March

Prioritisation framework identifying key capital and sufficiency projects shared with the Project Board, with associated feasibility studies initiated. Ensuring they mix rural and hard-to- reach areas identified in Q2

Integration of feasibility studies with existing and planned capital schemes

Confirmation of capital phasing, dependencies and delivery timelines

Access and travel: Travel impact assessments agreed and will be applied to shortlisted projects to ensure accessibility and equity. Mitigations will be identified where needed, including transport solutions, phased implementation and cross- border arrangements.

Access and travel: Approach to travel impact assessment agreed, including journey times, travel flows and transport cost considerations.

Rural and hard-to-reach areas identified to support equitable access to provision.

Access and travel: Travel and accessibility considerations fully integrated into final pipeline decisions.

Risk and mitigation plan completed, including consideration of transport, rurality and delivery risks.

7.How will the local area partnership deliver the first-year plan?

Please set out how you will ensure the required capacity and capability is in place from organisational corporate functions to support implementation of the plan. This could include reference to how

you plan to build or bring in project delivery capability to manage delivery against the plan, support prioritisation, and effective use of resources; and how you plan to build the capacity and capability

in data and analytics to support effective tracking against the measures in the plan and reporting that informs decision making.

250 words

The LA is putting in place a clear delivery and enabling structure to mitigate the risk of current insufficient organisational capacity and capability to implement the SEND Reform Plan effectively. Day-to-day programme delivery will be led by the SEND Transformation Core Team (see Appendix 2), supported with oversight from the SEND Reform Board (see Governance).

• A dedicated SEND Transformation Core Team is being convened and includes system leaders from the Bpcf, Academy Trusts, Ey and Post-16 settings, health partners (Icb) and other key stakeholders. Representatives will act as Transformation Partners, supporting co-production and system-wide ownership of delivery, particularly during Year One. • Delivery will be led by a SEND Reform Transformation Lead, accountable for setting the vision and direction for implementation and maintaining momentum across the partnership. The Transformation Lead will work closely with the Senior Responsible Officer (Sro) to ensure alignment with wider Education and Inclusion priorities, Families First and Best Start in Life, and integrated Icb objectives. • An experienced Programme Manager will provide programme discipline and capacity, including maintaining a single delivery plan, sequencing activity, managing risks and dependencies, supporting prioritisation, tracking progress, overseeing benefits realisation and transition to Bau (with accountability passing to Locality Leads). This role will be supported by a dedicated Project Officer and a Comms Lead. • To strengthen data and analytics capability, a central SEND Data Lead is being recruited to improve data quality and consistency, develop shared dashboards, identify trends and variation, and support evidence-led decision-making and transparent reporting to families and Cyp and the Partnership. This post will also work closely with health partners to improve timely data availability and triangulation. • Delivery will be underpinned by active engagement with corporate functions including finance, commissioning, Hr and organisational development, governance and digital teams, ensuring workforce capacity, financial sustainability, robust decision-making and effective assurance.

8. Other funding Local Authorities

Block Transfers: If you have made a block transfer (Schools Block to High Needs Block) for 26-27, please set out how your plans for this funding align with the activities outlined above.

250 word High Needs Targeted Support (Hnts) Fund

B&Nes has utilised a 0.5% block transfer since 2013 to support the High Needs system. This funding underpins the High Needs Targeted Support (Hnts) fund, which has been developed to support schools with higher-than-average numbers of pupils with EHCPs.

Funding is allocated to schools three times per financial year, based on termly EHCP counts. Where a school’s EHCP cohort exceeds the sector average (primary or secondary), additional funding is provided to offset the cost of supporting the first £6,000 of provision for those pupils. The detailed methodology is set out in Appendix 6.

This approach ensures that schools receive targeted financial support aligned to need, enabling them to deliver improved outcomes for Cyp with SEND and supporting their inclusion within mainstream settings. It also mitigates the financial disincentive associated with admitting pupils with EHCPs, thereby encouraging inclusive practice across the system.

Looking forward, the Hnts fund directly supports the ambitions set out in the SEND Reform Plan (See Vision and Goals), particularly:

• Increasing the proportion of children with SEND educated in mainstream settings; and

• Reducing reliance on specialist placements where needs can be effectively met in inclusive environments.

It is our intention to continue this approach within the Reform Plan. This will remain in place unless superseded by future DfE guidance or until reforms result in a significant and sustained change in the distribution and overall number of EHCPs within mainstream schools.

Capital: We have announced at least £3 billion in high needs capital between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to support children and young people (Cyp) with SEND, or those requiring alternative provision (AP). This funding is intended to support place delivery across the full 0-25 age range, including early years and post-16. We expect funding to support the following outcomes:

a. Inclusion at the core of high needs sufficiency strategy, resulting in more children and young people with SEND accessing suitable places in mainstream settings, across all phases of

education

b. Every child or young person who needs a place in an inclusion base can access one

c. Fewer children and young people with SEND needing to travel a long way to access a suitable placement

d. Improved suitability of the mainstream estate to support children and young people with SEND, with adaptations to improve inclusivity and accessibility of the physical environment

We also welcome innovative uses of high needs capital to drive inclusion, for example, investment in assistive technology for use in mainstream settings.

Please outline your strategy for how this funding will meet the outcomes above, with reference to the core minimum requirements and other workstreams in this reform plan where appropriate. We would like to see detail around your plans to increase capacity for inclusion bases (formerly known as SEN units, resourced provision and pupil support units – Su/Rp/PSUs), such as schools, colleges or early years providers identified, engagement with relevant settings and trusts, and target cohort of needs.

If your plans include increases to places in special schools or specialist post-16 institutions, please include a clear rationale, showing the need that is being met, and why it cannot be met through other types of provision, such as inclusion bases. If you are receiving additional capital funding to replace one or more planned special or AP free schools, please set out how this funding will meet need in your area, and plans for engaging relevant trusts in your sufficiency planning.

500 words B&Nes will use high needs capital to deliver a phased, evidence-based Capital & Sufficiency Programme (C&Sp) that expands inclusive local capacity across the 0–25 system and reduces reliance on high-cost out-of-area placements (Appendix 6). B&Nes has received £2.05m for 2026/27 and £17.47m over the last six years. While recent and planned projects include new special school builds (Appendix 4), our C&Sp prioritises adaptation and repurposing of the existing estate wherever feasible, recognising that new provision is capital-intensive and that inclusive practice must be embedded within mainstream settings. Our approach has been shaped through Content Working Groups (Appendix 7) and aligns closely with the Universal Offer, the locality model, and Eah. Where possible, development of our Inclusion Bases will align with our Localities. Oversight of the quality of inclusion bases will come from the Locality Teams, which will include Academy Trusts and EY-FE settings to maximise a joined-up approach to place planning across the Partnership.

(a) Inclusion at the core of the sufficiency strategy Capital investment will focus on improving accessibility in mainstream settings and growing inclusion bases, enabling more Cyp to remain in local mainstream provision across all phases. Decisions will be taken through an evidence-led framework, considering need, geography, deliverability, travel impact, and value for money. Investment will be aligned with the Universal Offer and the locality-based Eah model, ensuring that physical adaptations support inclusive practice, early intervention, and workforce confidence. Engagement across the Partnership and with families will inform site selection and delivery models, overseen by the SEND C&Sp Board (see Appendix 4).

(b) Access to inclusion bases B&Nes will implement a B&NES-wide inclusion base framework, based on best practice agreed with our Academy partners, differentiating between:

• inclusion support bases within mainstream settings, and • inclusion specialist bases for children requiring more intensive, structured support.

We will map existing provision and develop additional capacity across early years, primary, secondary, and post-16 phases, prioritising proposals that reflect demographic need, are deliverable at pace, and meet clear quality expectations. Initial priority cohorts are Cyp with Asd, Semh and complex communication needs, particularly at key transition points. Delivery timelines for our planned specialist bases are described in Appendix 4. By the end of Q4 we will have developed a plan with partners (including Academy Trusts) to determine the location, type and accessibility criteria for support bases, as per expectations outlined in the White Paper.

(c) Reduced long-distance travel Reducing travel distance and reliance on out-of-area placements is a core aim of the capital strategy. Travel impact will act as a formal decision gate for all capital proposals, with consideration of proximity to home, transport implications and contribution to local sufficiency. Inclusion bases will be the primary mechanism for achieving this, supported by locality-based planning and monitoring of travel distance and placement patterns over time.

(d) Improving the mainstream estate Capital will be used – alongside trust contributions where appropriate – to improve the suitability of the mainstream estate through adaptations that enhance inclusivity and accessibility. This includes attention to sensory environments, noise, scale, regulation space and physical accessibility, recognising that children’s experience of the environment is as important as capacity and practice.

Special schools, AP and innovation B&Nes is not planning to expand special school places through this capital allocation. Our needs analysis indicates that demand can be met more sustainably through inclusive mainstream provision and inclusion-based approaches, supported by outreach and early intervention. We have accepted funding for a planned AP school. Capital investment will support the physical infrastructure required to meet statutory duties, complemented by a commissioned three-tier AP delivery model focused on outreach, prevention and reintegration and expanding our existing specialist AP task force (Apst).

We will also pursue innovative uses of capital, including assistive technology (such as AV1 robots planned within Hers), with potential wider application across inclusion bases in mainstream settings.

9. System partner and stakeholder engagement, and co-production.

Please outline how the local area partnership plans to engage system partners and stakeholders to develop and implement the plan – include planned engagement with schools and early years

settings, alternative providers, Fe and post-16 providers (including those your young people attend that are not within your local area), Parents and Carers and children and young people with SEND,

with reference to the core minimum requirements. Consider changing roles and responsibilities in the context of the Schools White Paper and how you work collaboratively to manage the transition.

Please indicate where additional support is required to engage partners or stakeholders - senior officials at the Department for Education will be available to contribute to summer term events with

education leaders and parent carer forum leaders.

500 words A core strength of B&Nes’ approach to SEND reform is the establishment of a core delivery team spanning system partners, supported by the secondment of key partners into defined Transformation Partner roles. This approach embeds co-production and shared accountability within the programme structure itself and is central to managing transition from planning into the delivery phase.

By embedding trust leaders, parent carer representatives and external challenge directly into the reform infrastructure, rather than relying solely on consultation, the local Partnership is creating shared system leadership, consistent messaging and aligned delivery across a fully-academised education system. This model supports collective ownership of change and enables partners to work together to implement reforms related to inclusive mainstream practice, locality-based working, Eah and inclusion bases in a coordinated and manageable way. Core roles supporting delivery, engagement and challenge are set out in Appendix 2.

The programme is also supported by a dedicated Comms Lead, as well as corporate communications capacity, ensuring clear, timely and consistent communication with families and Cyp, schools, settings and partners. The Comms Lead will prioritise work on the ‘You said, we did’ feedback loops, the co-production framework, streamlining Cyp participation across wider Csc, reviewing roles for how Cyp can be engaged, and supporting coordinated CSC-wide comms Re: wider reforms (and also supporting the read-across with the Icb’s comms), This will support confidence in reform, manage expectations during the transition, and reinforce a shared understanding of changes to roles, responsibilities, and local offers.

Engagement with system partners and stakeholders Engagement with system partners and stakeholders has already commenced and is being delivered at sufficient scale and pace to be completed within the allocated timetable. Activity undertaken to date includes:

• 15 family engagement events • 1 survey for parents and carers and 1 survey for Cyp • 12 Reform content workshops across health, settings and the LA • 2 all-headteacher, SENCO and Inclusions Leads dedicated briefings • 1 strategic session at School Standards Board with Trust Chief Executives and Icb leaders • 3 Maturity Matrix workshops across the LA, health and settings • 1 Ey Briefing.

Schools, Ey and Fe/Post-16 settings are engaged through an established system comprising our three Headteacher Briefings, Termly SENCO conferences, three Schools Standards Board meetings, and the Annual Inclusion Conference. Alongside this, we will communicate in our Locality through Local Inclusion Panels and AP Provider Network meetings, the Cluster Early Years network, and Leaders & Managers Forums.

The programme is also supported by dedicated corporate communications capacity, ensuring clear, timely and consistent communication with families and Cyp, schools, settings and partners. This will support confidence in reform, manage expectations during the transition, and reinforce a shared understanding of changes to roles, responsibilities, and local offers.

Parents, carers and Cyp are central to system design and delivery. Formal co-production arrangements (created through the benchmark), continuous feedback loops (supported by the Comms Lead), and the Parent Carer Transformation Partner role (to help engage with families and Cyp we don’t yet engage with and continue to build the confidence of all families in the system) ensure that lived experience directly informs priorities, implementation decisions, and ongoing refinement, supporting confidence and transparency.

Support from the Department for Education

Given the fully-academised nature of B&Nes, additional support is requested from the DfE Regions Team acting as an extended system partner. This will assist with full engagement across trusts, support shared interpretation of national policy expectations, and reinforce collective accountability during transition.

10. Risks and Mitigations

What are the key risks that could affect the successful implementation of your Local SEND Reform Plan, and what mitigation strategies are in place to manage

these risks? Please include a maximum of 5 risks with impact and likelihood Rag for each risk. See Annex C for suggested risk matrix.

Nb: B&Nes has converted Annex C into numbered rag – please see Annex C

11. Dependencies

Please detail the key areas of the local area partnership’s proposed SEND future state and roadmap that may be impacted by wider reforms nationally and locally and outline how you will manage

these. We expect these will include but not be limited to:

• NHS reforms

• Local Government Re-organisation

• Reforms to Children’s Social Care

• Best Start in Life, including Family Hubs

• Best Start In Life Strategy

• Curriculum and Assessment Review

500 words

NHS Reforms and Local Government Reorganisation

NHS reforms – including the neighbourhood model and population health outcomes-based commissioning – closely align with SEND priorities in B&Nes, supporting a shift towards early identification, prevention and needs-led support. Building on learning from Pins, health partners are embedded within SEND governance and locality forums, and from April 2026 the new Icb cluster will be established, bringing further strategic insight, particularly around commissioning and place-based working. This creates opportunities to deliver SEND services through neighbourhood-level, multidisciplinary models. This will improve consistency, accountability and early, coordinated support for families, with Local Eah working alongside Mhst and wider NHS provision. Governance will continue to be reviewed as structures evolve to ensure continuity and effective escalation.

B&Nes is not subject to Local Government Reorganisation and therefore benefits from organisational stability. This provides a strong platform for delivery of the SEND Reform Plan, supporting continuity of leadership, commissioning and accountability across the reform period.

Reforms to Children’s Social Care– Ffpp and Bsil

National reforms to Children’s Social Care, including Ffpp and Bsil are highly complementary to SEND reform, particularly in relation to a shared focus on early identification of need and intervention, reducing escalation, whole-family working and smoothing transitions into Ey and school-based provision. The development of MCPTs and Family Help also provides a significant opportunity to embed health within frontline delivery, with Family Hubs then being central to a visible place for local prevention and early help system. SEND reform aligns these developments, ensuring Cyp with additional needs benefit from earlier, coordinated multi-agency responses based within a locality footprint. Alignment is actively managed through the SEND Reform Transformation Lead and Programme Manager, with these roles sitting within Bsil and Ffpp governance, ensuring read-across with education. Where operational differences remain, refinement will take place during Years 2 and 3 of the SEND Reform Plan, informed by learning from Year 1 delivery.

Collectively, these aligned workstreams support the wider B&Nes ambition to reduce the attainment gap in the early years and at Key Stage 2, particularly for children with SEND and those experiencing disadvantage. By strengthening inclusive practice, early identification and workforce confidence at a universal level, the SEND Reform Plan reinforces system-wide approaches to quality first teaching, early language and communication, attendance and emotional wellbeing.

Curriculum and Assessment Review

The National Curriculum and Assessment Review (Ncar) may have implications for inclusive practice and SEN Support. The partnership will monitor developments and adapt guidance and workforce development accordingly. The Ncar changes we would look to achieve in mainstream schools to support inclusion and transition to post-16 are, for example:

- An expanded, diverse range of assessment offers (such as entry-level qualifications in all mainstream secondary schools) for students who need more flexible learning;

- A Cpd offer that supports teachers to modify delivery and pacing in order to embed inclusion;

- A broader range of subject choices (e.g. arts and life skills) that engage diverse learners, which the Partnership can monitor through curriculum breadth and uptake;

- Joint planning between primary and secondary leaders, overseen by the LA.

Across all dependencies, the SEND Transformation Core Team, supported by the SEND Reform Board, will monitor risk, alignment and opportunity, ensuring that reforms are sequenced coherently and that SEND reform delivery remains focused on consistency, confidence and improved outcomes for Cyp.

Section 3 – Monitoring and Evaluation

12. How will the local area partnership know delivery is on track?

Please set out how you will monitor and track progress referencing:

▪ Monitoring tools and processes - the specific tools, systems, and data you will use to track delivery milestones and measure the impact on outcomes.

Some Local Area Partnerships hold data in a central SEND operational dashboard. This is used by teams on a weekly basis to identify trends in demand or inform conversations with local

school or setting leaders. In some Local Area Partnerships, a view of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is reviewed monthly by a SEND Board to take decisions on prioritisation, resourcing

and delivery of services informed by regular data.

Please set out how you will use data to track demand (e.g., EHCP applications for assessment), Service delivery (e.g., Speech and Language Specialists deployment; places created), Service

quality (e.g., parental satisfaction) and outputs (e.g., pupil attendance; pupil exclusions)

▪ Feedback and adaptation mechanisms - what feedback loops and stakeholder input you will use to review progress and adjust your approach.

500 words

Monitoring tools and processes

Dashboards

• The LA has SEND Operational, SEND Performance and Joint Placements dashboards in place, supported by PowerBI. These track EHCP trends, SEND cohorts and statutory SEND data. • The Sufficiency Dashboard is currently under development, and will track our EHCP growth, placements, demand and provision. • Dashboards that will be developed as part of the Reforms will focus on: (1) Locality Dashboards (which will be enhanced by additional data available to schools); (2) Inclusion and SEND; and (3) Health performance.

Monitoring

• Dashboards are currently reported to our Laip. Moving forward, the SEND Reform Board will also scrutinise existing and new datasets. • Locality Groups will be responsible for maintaining their own dashboards once in place. Dashboards will focus on area-wide inclusion priorities, with space for local variation metrics as needed. • Locality Groups will review their dashboards monthly to monitor their effectiveness over time and create locality action plans to adjust practice/prioritisation in line with local need/impact. Locality Action Plans will be created with advice from and approval by the SEND Reform Board, to ensure no disbenefits are experienced in another locality. • Every month, highlights (improvements, risks or issues) from the Locality dashboard will be reviewed at SEND Reform Board, so that the Board can assess all three localities and discuss the emerging trends/needs across Banes. Any trends or needs that flag cross-locality (and therefore programme-level) adjustments as being required will be discussed and agreed at SEND Reform Board, and actions agreed. • The SEND Reform Board will progress highlight reporting to the Laip, where progress across the area and partners will be tracked. Where programme-level adjustments require more engagement or strategic consultation (e.g. because of cross-border delivery with Academy Trusts and Post-16 settings, budget implications, inclusion base re-prioritisation), these will be escalated to the Laip so that actions and decisions are collectively agreed.

What success measures will we use to monitor against our goals:

• Decrease in number of Cyp with an EHCP experiencing suspensions from mainstream provision during the academic year • Decrease in number of Cyp with EHCPs accessing part-time/reduced timetables • Reduction in the number of Cyp with EHCPs who are persistently/ severely absent • Reduction in average travel time of Cyp from home to setting • Improved feedback from parents, carers and Cyp reporting that needs are supported early in mainstream settings (measured through surveys and co-production events) • Reduced spend on independent placements

Additional feedback mechanisms

• Co-production forums (to be developed through the Localities, Appendix 8) and existing co-production groups within Children’s Services, will provide opportunities to engage with Cyp, parent carers, third sector and wider partners • Feedback themes will be reported from the Locality Groups to the SEND Reform Board (and, where appropriate, to the Laip) • Surveys and open feedback forms on ‘You said, we did’ webpages will create continuous feedback opportunities to increase representation from families ‘not yet in the system’ or who access services less

13. Reporting to DfE

Using the attached data template, the local area partnership is required to provide quarterly data returns to DfE against selected key metrics. DfE will, in turn, provide quarterly data reports with

visualised analysis and benchmarking that will support your local delivery, monitoring and evaluation. This will include data the department holds on Attendance, Exclusions, and Unauthorised

absence.

Please use the attached data template to upload your initial data return to DfE.

See separate attachment.

Section 4 – Governance

14. How will the local area partnership ensure delivery of plans remain on track?

Please outline the governance structures in place to oversee delivery. Clearly set out who is responsible for overseeing reform delivery, what each governance group or individual is accountable for,

and how these arrangements ensure progress is monitored and decisions are made transparently. Please identify where the named Sro for the Local SEND Reform Plan sits within the governance

structure and ensure your response incorporates the core minimum requirements.

Representatives from the co-production forums (e.g. Cyp, independent Practitioners)

escalation is being managed appropriately.

If you have a diagram to show the relationship between these governance mechanisms, please upload this here.

See Appendix 8

Section 5 – Central Government Support

15. How can we help you?

Please outline any practical support you need from central government to implement your plan effectively.

This may include:

▪ Access to specialist expertise or advisory support

▪ Help with workforce development or recruitment challenges

▪ Tools or templates to support data collection, reporting, or evaluation

▪ Facilitation of peer learning or regional collaboration

▪ Support with system-level coordination across education, health, and care

▪ Guidance on navigating regulatory or policy barriers

250 words

Help with workforce development or recruitment challenges/ regional collaboration/ system-level coordination

- It would be helpful for the DfE to organise a regionalised Mou for the recruitment of Statutorily Regulated Professions – i.e. how we can pool resources across the region, and how we need to agree to use the same Pay Bandings, contracts etc. This will prevent an unlevel playing field where, for example, North Somerset recruit more Salt/Ot/Ep roles at a higher band for a longer contract than B&Nes.

Guidance on navigating regulatory or policy barriers

- We would appreciate DfE creating and enforcing scrutiny guidance for Academy Trusts, so that there are agreed and mandatory ways that Academy Trusts have to contribute to shared problem-solving across the Local Partnership.

Access to specialist expertise or advisory support

- Understanding the timeline for the delivery of the special free school (designated for the old Culverhay site) is critical for our Deficit Management Plan and sufficiency programme, so we would value having that Asap.

Annex B - Supporting Documents

Annex C – Risk Matrix

Appendix 1 – Context to the Local Partnership

Strengths:

• In 2024/25, attainment was higher than England in all SEN cohorts and those with EHCPs at all levels from EYFS, KS2 to KS4.

• Among 16–17-year-olds with SEN Support, the Neet rate in B&Nes was just 2.0% (Sept 2025), less than half the South West and national figure (4.3%).

• Similarly, B&Nes had a slightly lower Neet rate for 16–17s with EHCPs (2.8% vs 5.4% England).

• Permanent exclusion rates for pupils on SEND support and those with EHCPs decreased in 2023/24 and 2024/2025 placing us below the national average.

• Virtual School OFSTED Ilacs (2025) ‘Children are helped to achieve their aspirations and are well supported in education, training or employment. The virtual school is effective in identifying the educational needs of children in care and ensuring personal education plans are in place to help them make progress. There has been effective work by the virtual school to reduce the number of exclusions and suspensions for vulnerable children in need’

• OFSTED Ilacs (2025): ‘Education leaders have robust systems in place to monitor the safety and wellbeing of children who are missing education or electively home educated’

Areas for Development:

• Our suspension rate for all vulnerable groups, including pupils with SEND remains above the national average. Whilst suspensions dropped in 24/25 for our secondary cohort, our primary suspensions continue to rise.

• Our educational attainment for disadvantage pupils in EYFS & in KS2 is below regional and national averages. Whilst these outcomes improve to be in line with national in KS4, we need to do better in early phases of education.

• For our pupils with an EHCP, both persistent absence and severe absence sits slightly above the national levels. But our unauthorised absence sits below regional and national.

• Primary Need of Semh is increasing, with 570 children in 2024 compared to 223 in 2019, +156%.

• A continued increase in mental health challenges experienced by Cyp, as evidenced by the increase in emotionally-based school avoidance (Ebsa) and the proportion of Cyp accessing Hospital Education Reintegration Service (Hers) with a primary mental health need.

• The number of EHCPs in B&Nes has increased by 12% per year between 2014 and 2024, on average. This is higher compared to national and regional growth during the same period (9%national, 10% South West).

• Our special schools are full. This lack of sufficiency of places has led to an increase in Cyp with an EHCP being educated under Section 19 while they wait for a specialist placement.

Progress to date

The experiences for Cyp with SEND in our local area mirror many of the issues outlined in the Reform consultation and both the principles of the SEND Reform consultation and the plans for reform are wholly supported across the B&Nes partnership.

We have already made good headway in addressing these issues and our areas of focus align with:

• Building a 0-25 system where Cyp receive support to achieve and thrive through (a) more inclusive settings; and (b) stronger local partnerships.

o Our Laip, which is alternately chaired by the local authority (LA) and Integrated Care Board (Icb), is the foundation from which we collaborate and become more effective as a partnership. See Appendix 3.

o The LA’s Safety Valve Programme Plan (effective since 2023) has strengthened our provision for Cyp, and includes significant investment in:

▪ The building of inclusive practice through the Inclusion and SEND Advice Service. The Team has established ‘Ordinarily Available Provision’ (i.e. the Universal Offer)

▪ SEND Capital programmes – see Appendix 4.

▪ Increasing the capacity of the Statutory SEND Team and tightening up consistent EHCP quality through the multi-agency Quality Assurance Framework and Panel. We call this ‘waiting well’ – see Appendix 5.

o Health partners’ contributions have supported our Cyp ‘waiting well’ within the system and their focus has been on an all-age continuing care team and rolling out Pins. See Appendix 5.

• Improve capacity and capability of the mainstream and specialist workforce to identify and meet need

o The Inclusion and SEND Advice Service has developed a comprehensive Cpd offer to settings to support their ability to identify and meet need.

• Stabilising finances and improving value for money

o Through the Safety Valve programme, the LA has established a Deficit Management Plan with comprehensive forecasting and financial modelling that gave us a positive projection of removing the current deficit.

Our intention is for the Local SEND Reform Plan to therefore build on our existing work and focuses on where we can provide additionality. As outlined above, we have to date focused more on supporting settings to provide inclusive support. This has meant our relationship with families has been principally supported through B&Nes Parent Carer Forum. We therefore have an opportunity to create long-lasting impact quite quickly by focusing on how we can improve confidence of children, families, and stakeholders in reform and readiness of the system – please refer back to the Executive Summary and 1-year plan and 3-year roadmap.

Survey Results of our Cyp, April-May 2025

This survey is a snapshot in time and was completed by Cyp attending Holiday Activities and Food (Haf) programme, as well as Off the Record Youth Forum. These Cyp are already ‘in the

system’ and experiencing issues around belonging.

Transphobia - constant misgendering, denial of my identity, Deadnaming, even knowing my real name, Forced me to share bathrooms and changing rooms with people not of my gender. Ableism - Autism - Actively causing me sensory harm, Disallowing me use of my ear defenders, Disallowing me use of my clip on sunglasses, "Quiet room" provided are not quiet, Not explaining things which I did not understand I instead got called "smarty pants" Ableism - Physical health - Denying me access to my pain killers (I have chronic pain), Forcing me to do things I physically and mentally cannot do (I am asthmatic and have chronic fatigue) Ableism - mental health - No appropriate mental health support, Environment of "don't talk about it", I have known people forced to bare their upper bodies to staff to "reveal self-harm scars" - no wonder I would not approach the pastoral team about my own struggles, "just go to CAMHS"

No, I am currently waiting for a placement at a non- Banes residential college.

No I am currently waiting for a placement at a non-BANES residential college.

My school did nothing to help me feel as though I belonged Yes see question 3 No Conrad HEIN-HARTMANN No

Special school . Till end of this academic year then I will be attending a mainstream sixth form

Allow me not to attend lessons . Do work in my tutor room instead of classroom . Talk to a teaching assistant

I feel confident getting around however I still sometimes feel very different from others

The school I currently attend everyone is autistic Give students a voice in decisions

By some like teaching assistants some teacher some therapist team . But not by the slt Mostly accept slt

Yes The environment of my first secondary school I didn't find I belonged as it was a school for the special needs and I didn't learn anything for several years and found it challenging socially. The second school I went to was far more successful particularly socially however the support additionally was sometimes lacking like I was thrown in the deep end.

No I had a TA in college and she had bizarre idea that didn't work for me. My tutor was helpful but didn't like me and was evident. It was often hard to access support as I couldn't make it in for the times offered

Not much in fact I have found other group of young people to small support groups rather than including them integrating us into the larger school

My first school which was for those with special needs was person to listen and nothing ever came for it or promises for change. Later on in college it was much more down to my person effect.

Inclusion rather than exclusion try including neurodivergent young people into clubs and more classes

College in September

Wrote a one page support document without my knowledge or input that didn't help

No

Focus on Vulnerable Groups

• There is a persistent attainment gap between Free School Meal (Fsm) and non-FSM young people at all key stages. This gap is most prominent at KS2, although it closes significantly at KS4.

• Overall absence in the Fsm eligible cohort is higher in B&Nes than national.

• Both the suspension and permanent exclusion rate for Fsm pupils is higher than the national average.

• Previously suspension rates were highest amongst Black and Mixed/multiple ethnicity pupils for a number of years. However, since 2022/23, the suspension rate has been highest in Mixed/multiple ethnicity pupils followed by White pupils.

• The permanent exclusion rate is highest for Mixed/multiple ethnicity pupils followed by White pupils.

• Plans for children with a social worker need strengthening in relation to education to include early support and intervention to prevent suspension or poor attendance.

• Children looked after placed out of area with an EHCP face delay when securing school places and can lead to a reliance of alternative provision.

What we observe across our local system is that:

• Access to support is not early enough – that needs can escalate because the system is geared towards tackling urgency rather than early intervention.

• Our Cyp on average travel 49 mins to their setting (with the furthest distance for one child being 120 minutes) due to a lack of sufficiency of local places, which is too far and sets our Cyp to have long, tiring days.

• A lack of fair access to support amongst families, creating an unlevel playing field that disadvantages our most vulnerable Cyp.

• A local partnership system that needs better support from its data and outcomes framework in order to be more effective – and a Local Area Inclusion Partnership Board (Laip) that should be more equally shared across the LA, health and settings.

Appendix 2

SEND Reform Plan – Core Team – Roles and Purpose

Appendix 3a

Running since 2021, the Laip has been iteratively improving its practice over this time. This Board has representation across the LA and health partners, as well as settings from Early Years (Ey) through to Post-16.

Appendix 3b – separate attachment.

Appendix 4 – separate attachment.

Appendix 5

Appendix 6 – Information about High Needs Targeted Support

From 1st April 2013 and as part of the introduction of the school funding reform, LA’s have been allowed flexibility to use their high needs block to target funding to mainstream schools that may have a greater than average number of pupils that

receive top up funding for an Educational Health Care plan (EHCP).

B&Nes call this LA grant High Needs Targeted Support (Hnts). The grant is allocated 3 times a year and is in addition to the mainstream schools funding formula.

The allocation for Hnts for FY2025-26, is intended to support mainstream schools that have more than the average expected number of pupils on roll who are in receipt of top up funding for an EHCP, Emergency Funding and from 1st April 2019 for

pupils with medical funding but excludes pupils who receive top up funding for early years transition and those that are in a mainstream special unit.

This funding supports the general notional SEN budget in the mainstream school and is not intended to fund a pupil’s individual additional need. If the mainstream school do not qualify for Hnts they should continue to support the pupil’s additional

need up to the first £6,000 from the LA budget and above the first £6,000 from the top up funding provided for the individual pupil.

The methodology for the calculation of Hnts for FY2025-26 is as follows:

The LA will use the top up funding marker data from the January 2025 census, for Ncy Reception to Year 11 to create a ratio of the expected average number of pupils on roll, who receive top up funding above a threshold per mainstream school

(excluding pupils in receipt of early years transition funding (Eytf), and those in a special unit). From 1.4.19 onwards the LA has also taken into account pupils who receive medical top ups as these pupils are now funded above the threshold of

£6,000 pa.

For new mainstream schools opening during the financial year an average will be created using this ratio applied to the pupil numbers recorded on the first available Census.

The average created for FY2025-26 using January 2025 census data is 1 in 29 mainstream primary pupils and 1 in 26 mainstream secondary pupils.

The overall funding available to allocate to all mainstream schools for FY2025-26 of £746,230 will be split into 3 terms, 5/12ths (1.4.25 to 31.8.25) for the first allocation, 4/12ths (1.9.25 to 31.12.25) for the second allocation and 3/12ths (1.1.26 to

31.3.26) for the third allocation. The amount of funding will be fixed for each term and funding to mainstream schools will be scaled back to avoid any overspend.

The first allocation for the period 1.4.25 to 31.8.25 will be based on the actual May 2025 census top up funding marker data, for Ncy R to 11 (adjusted for exclusions for pupils in receipt of Eytf and those pupils in a special unit). The adjusted May

2025 census data will be compared to the expected average created for each mainstream school using the January 2025 census data.

The second allocation for the period 1.9.25 to 31.12.25 will be based on the actual Oct 2025 census top up funding marker data, for Ncy R to 11 (adjusted for exclusions for pupils in receipt of Eytf and those pupils in a special unit). The adjusted

Oct 2025 census data will be compared to the expected average created for each mainstream school using the January 2025 census data.

The third allocation for the period 1.1.26 to 31.3.26 will be based on the actual Jan 2026 census top up funding marker data, for Ncy R to 11 (adjusted for exclusions for pupils in receipt of Eytf and those pupils in a special unit). The adjusted Jan

2026 census data will be compared to the expected average created for each mainstream school using the January 2025 census data.

As the Hnts funding is scaled back and is allocated based on the most recent census data, it is difficult to indicate exactly how much further funding mainstream schools will receive per pupil above the average created for the school.

It is estimated that a total of £3,500 per pupil per annum may be allocated for budgeting purposes only for FY2025-26.

Appendix 7

Priority Outcomes Identified in the ‘Sufficiency & Place Planning Content Working Groups’ – April & May 2026 Outcome: Priority Area 1 — Data, Sufficiency & Planning Framework A shared, data-led understanding of need and a consistent planning framework to guide decisions on inclusion bases, specialist bases, and capital investment. Success Measures: •Sufficiency narrative agreed and signed off (internally and with partners) •Demand trends mapped by phase, need type, locality •Decisions demonstrably aligned to data (documented rationale) Priority Area 2 — Inclusion Bases: Model, Standards & Delivery Approach Outcome: A clear Banes model for inclusion/support bases and specialist/resource bases, including quality standards, governance, and a delivery approach across MATs and phases (including primary “access” and post 16 considerations). Success measures • Agreed definitions and quality standards in place • Current provision mapped (what exists already across phases) • Pilot sites/approach identified for implementation sequencing Priority Area 3 — Capital & Estate Strategy (Sites, Pipeline, Prioritisation) Outcome A pipeline of deliverable projects and adaptations that prioritise maximum inclusion impact and value for money, using existing estate (including falling rolls) wherever possible. Success measures • Agreed definitions and quality standards in place • Current provision mapped (what exists already across phases) • Pilot sites/approach identified for implementation sequencing Priority Area 4 — Travel Impact, Rurality & Deliverability Outcome: A consistent approach to assessing travel impact for proposals and designing provision that works for rural communities, with mitigations built in early Success Measure: • Travel impact method agreed and applied to pipeline proposals • Rurality flex approach defined (cluster/hub-spoke/satellite options) • Risks and mitigations documented for the plan

Appendix 8-12 – separate attachments.