Isle of Wight Local SEND Reform Plan 2026

Annex A: 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: Isle of Wight Council

Name of Integrated Care Board: NHS Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

Local SEND Reform Plan Sro: Ashley Whittaker (Director of Children’s Services, Isle of Wight Council)

Signatories

Role Name Signature Email contact Date

Chief Executive, Isle of Wight

Wendy Perera

Wendy.Perera@iow.gov.uk 17/6/26

Council

Section 151 Officer, Isle of Wight

Chris Ward Chris.Ward@portsmouthcc.gov.uk 17/6/26

Council

Director of Children’s Services,

Isle of Wight Council and Local

Ashley Whittaker

Ashley.Whittaker@iow.gov.uk 18/6/26

SEND Reform Plan Sro

Chief Executive, NHS Hampshire

and Isle of Wight Integrated Care

Maggie MacIsaac

Maggie.MacIsaac@nhs.net 18/6/26

Board

Deputy Director of Children’s

Care, NHS Hampshire and Isle of

Anthony Harper Anthony.Harper@nhs.net 18/6/26

Wight Integrated Care Board

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)

The Island’s SEND system has existing strengths, with families highlighting the skill and dedication of staff, a well-regarded community and voluntary sector and Ofsted recently identifying support for disabled care leavers as a strength. However, families report that waiting times for some services are too long and the expansion of specialist education provision has been too slow. The rate of EHCPs is high, reflecting the need to strengthen early identification and inclusive practice within mainstream schools. Outcomes for children with SEND are a concern, with lower attendance, higher exclusion rates, and poorer educational outcomes than their peers. The very high level of elective home education on the Island is, in part, indicative of parental dissatisfaction with SEND support within mainstream schools. There are currently about 2,100 EHCPs, forecast to increase to 2,990 by 2029.

Despite these challenges, there is a strong, shared ambition across organisations to deliver rapid improvement, and a determination to embed co-production mechanisms so that the lived experiences of families directly inform this change. Stakeholder workshops, surveys and written submissions have informed the Plan, including the Expert at Hand (Eah) model which will be jointly led and coordinated by the LA and the Icb, with staff employed across both organisations and support also commissioned from local specialist providers.

Baseline data has informed Eah staffing (aligned to major primary needs of autism, Semh and speech, language and communication) and real time data (e.g. attendance / sources of EHC need assessments) will inform a multi-agency panel for targeted deployment. SEND practitioners within every Family Hub, working closely with Sendiass, neighbourhood health services, and multi-disciplinary early help teams, will complement Eah with both direct work and workforce development.

The Island’s relative isolation demands a bespoke Eah and workforce development programme. Existing best practice will be strengthened, and Island residents supported to develop careers in specialist roles for which there is currently a local shortage and reliance on mainland support (e.g. educational psychology).

Year 1 focuses on stabilising demand through implementation of the Ordinarily Available Provision (Oap) framework and rollout of the Experts at Hand (Eah) model as the central delivery mechanism for reform with strengthened governance and data systems. Years 2 and 3 focus on reducing need escalation, requirement for EHCPs and specialist provision, and increasing mainstream capacity and workforce capability, embedding sustainable inclusive practice.

Specialist provision will be expanded with the capital funding available, primarily via inclusion bases in mainstream schools, including maximising the use of available space within mainstream school sites arising from falling rolls. The number of mainstreams school places needs to be realigned with the number of children to improve school finances and enable investment in earlier identification of need and more effective support without escalation.

Over the next three years, opportunities to integrate and leverage opportunities arising from wider programmes such as Best Start in Life, Families First and the NHS Integrated Neighbourhood planning will be explored. These will include joint commissioning of education, health and social care services and potentially integration of workforce structures.

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)

Our Pcf have told us that families want a joined-up, preventative, needs-led system, co-produced with them, that supports the whole child and whole family, and demonstrates real accountability through delivery. Need identification and support must happen earlier, and our multi-agency children’s workforce must grow and become more skilled so that a graduated response, supported by Eah, through universal, targeted, targeted plus and specialist support is more embedded. Experiences of children with SEND within mainstream educations settings will improve, attendance become more regular, exclusions decrease, and academic outcomes improve. Children accessing the right support at the right time, often without a formal diagnosis, will increase. Families choosing elective home education not for philosophical reasons but because of lack of confidence in mainstream provision will decrease. Specialist provision in mainstream settings will expand so that every child can access an inclusion base close to where they live and attend school alongside peers, and EOTAS and independent placement rates reduce. EHCP annual growth rate will reduce from 12% to ≤7% annually, bringing EHCP rates in line with statistical neighbours, and increase the proportion of children successfully supported in mainstream settings. By better aligning provision to need, parent carer satisfaction will improve and complaints and tribunals will decrease. Staff supporting transitions to adulthood will integrate across vocational pathways, housing, health and community inclusion, Neet rates will decrease. All

organisations will provide sufficient funding and resources for their statutory duties to be met and use evidence-based interventions to maximise impact and value for money.

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.

expectations in schools and inclusion audits with accountability measures. Across age groups the data and system evidence demonstrate that early support is not yet consistently strong enough to prevent escalation. Access to specialist support (e.g. Salt, Ot, Semh) remains variable and is often accessed later through statutory pathways, contributing to increasing EHCP demand. This is reflected in current access data, with approximately 482 children receiving Speech and Language Therapy and 270 receiving Occupational Therapy without an EHCP, and no consistently recorded Educational Psychology offer at SEN Support level. In addition, there is no consistently applied inclusion framework across settings, limited infrastructure to support inclusion (e.g. no existing early years inclusion bases), and no integrated dataset to track early outcomes, access to support or transition effectiveness. Mainstream schools are increasingly supporting children and young people with complex Semh, neurodivergent and communication needs, but leaders report inconsistency in confidence, training and access to specialist advice. There is currently no single agreed island-wide Ordinarily Available Provision (Oap) framework to define the expected standard of universal inclusive practice across all schools. The local area has positive relationships with schools and trusts, and school improvement processes increasingly focus on inclusion, attendance and SEND, however further alignment is required to ensure inclusion is understood as a core responsibility of every setting. Some parents and carers report that their child’s mainstream school is unable to meet their child’s needs and that this is having an impact on their attendance, emotional wellbeing and mental health, and in some case is the reason why they have decided to electively home educate their child.

Enhanced support will be available for children with identified SEND and those requiring additional planning prior to school entry. By 2029, children with emerging SEND will be identified earlier, families will experience improved access to support and more children will enter school with needs identified and appropriate provision already in place. Success will be evidenced through improved school readiness, reduced escalation into statutory processes, improved speech and language outcomes, increased parental confidence and stronger inclusion within mainstream early years provision. The Isle of Wight will have a clearly defined and embedded island‑wide Ordinarily Available Provision framework which establishes consistent expectations for inclusive practice across all education settings and is formally aligned to a co‑produced Universal Offer agreed across the Local Area Partnership. All schools will operate within a shared graduated response model linked to adaptive teaching, attendance, behaviour regulation and preparation for adulthood outcomes. Inclusion will increasingly be understood as a leadership responsibility rather than solely a SEND function and will be embedded as a core accountability across schools, MATs and post‑16 providers. This will be supported through aligned school improvement processes and monitored through annual inclusion quality assurance and implementation reviews of the Ordinarily Available Provision framework, ensuring consistent delivery across all settings. Schools will have improved confidence and capability to meet needs earlier through strengthened Quality First Teaching, workforce development and access to multidisciplinary advice through the Experts at Hand model. The Experts at Hand (Eah) model will underpin this system by providing timely, equitable access to multi‑disciplinary expertise, including Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Semh support, without requiring escalation to statutory assessment. This will increase the number of children and young people able to access specialist support without an EHCP from current baseline levels (approximately 750 across Salt and Ot combined) to over 1,000 annually by 2029. Eah will operate as the primary mechanism through which settings access multidisciplinary support. Schools, early years providers and post-16 settings will access support through either the monthly Eah panel (data-led deployment) or defined referral pathways. Support will focus on workforce development, consultation and targeted intervention, enabling needs to be met at SEN Support without escalation to statutory processes.

Children with SEND are overrepresented in exclusion data and subject to reduced hours provision. A significant “spike” in requests for EHC needs assessments is seen post phase transfer e.g. in Years 7 and 8. Attendance data further evidences this pressure, with SEN Support attendance at 88.9% and EHCP attendance at 85.4%, alongside persistent absence rates of 31.2% and 38% respectively. Staff report that they are currently unable to meet the needs of some children, that there is a lack of clarity about what the child’s underlying needs are, and that an EHCP is required to access the additional funding required to provide support. For example for children aged 5 years and over the only way to access speech and language support is through an education health and care plan. Baseline EHC needs assessment requests are 383 per annum (2025), projected to rise to 571 by 2029 (+49%), indicating increasing system pressure and unmet need within universal provision. EHCP numbers are 2,006 (2025), with projected growth to 2,990 by 2029, equating to sustained annual increases between 12% and 9%. Considering this within a particular age range, the early years system is experiencing rapidly increasing demand, with the number of children supported by the Early Years SEN Team rising from 101 in 2024 to 283 in 2026, indicating both improved identification and growing levels of need. Early years EHCPs are forecast to increase 48% by 2029, indicating increasing unmet need at the earliest stage. The post‑16 SEND system is under increasing pressure as more young people with complex needs transition into further education and adulthood, with growth in EHCP demand continuing into the post‑16. Post-16 EHCP numbers are projected to increase from 492 to 733 (+49%), alongside SEND cohort not in education rising from 30 to 44, indicating increasing system pressure

The Eah model will be jointly commissioned and governed by the Local Authority and Integrated Care Board, with strategic oversight provided by the SEND Partnership Board and operational delivery overseen through a dedicated Eah Operational Board. Deployment of specialist capacity will operate through a combination of proactive, data‑led identification of need and clearly defined referral pathways across early years, schools and post‑16 settings. A regular multi‑agency Eah panel will use shared data (including attendance, exclusions, EHCP demand and emerging need) to target support earlier and ensure equitable access across all settings. Through Eah, specialist expertise will be used to:

• build workforce capability across settings
• support earlier intervention at SEN Support
• reduce reliance on EHCPs to access support

As a result, variability between schools will reduce, fewer children will require escalation to statutory assessment due to unmet universal need, and more children and young people will remain successfully educated within their local mainstream communities wherever appropriate. This approach is optimal for the Isle of Wight given geographic challenges, workforce constraints and reliance on out‑of‑area provision, enabling specialist expertise to be deployed more efficiently and equitably across the Island. The local area will align its approach with emerging National Inclusion Standards, ensuring that inclusion is embedded within everyday practice and that expectations are consistent across all education settings. This will support greater equity of provision and reduce variation in experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. A strengthened Universal Offer will be developed across the Island. This will bring together education, health and family support services to provide earlier intervention and reduce escalation of need. The Universal Offer will be co‑produced with schools, trusts, early years providers, post‑16 settings, health partners, Family Hubs, Sendiass, parent carers and young people, formally agreed across the partnership and reviewed annually against performance data and stakeholder feedback. The Universal Offer will include access to:

at transition into adulthood Reducing the number of young people with SEND who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (Neet) is a key priority. Data and intelligence needs to be used to identify young people at risk of becoming Neet and targeted support will be provided through education providers, careers services and wider partners. Alternative Provision spend is forecast to increase from £2.24m to £4.4m (nearly doubling), demonstrating growing reliance on high-cost reactive provision. Whilst some children with SEND so very well, the system is not yet consistently delivering these outcomes at scale. Participation in education, employment and training for young people with SEND remains variable, and Neet is identified as an ongoing system pressure. Provision locally is limited in range, with some reliance on specialist or out‑of‑area placements, and preparation for adulthood outcomes are not yet systematically measured or tracked. This is reflected in current capacity, with approximately 735 specialist places available in 2025, which is insufficient to meet projected demand without planned expansion. Transition planning from Year 9 onwards is also inconsistent, with variability in how effectively education, health and care partners align support. The key change required is to shift from a reactive statutory system to a preventative one, with a consistent early support model, where need is identified and supported prior to escalation, with a focus on outcomes including young people being supported into sustained education, employment and independence.

• workforce development
• consultation and coaching
• evidence‑based interventions
• communication and interaction support
• attendance support
• Semh support
• neurodiversity‑informed practice

By 2029, all education settings will be operating within a shared inclusion framework, supported by a strong Universal Offer and a workforce equipped with the skills, knowledge and confidence to meet a broader range of needs successfully within mainstream education. Through the Experts at Hand model, settings will receive structured workforce development, consultation and specialist advice to enable delivery of the Universal Offer consistently across the Island. This strengthened model will reduce reliance on independent placements and out‑of‑area provision by increasing mainstream capacity to meet need locally, contributing to improved financial sustainability and reduced transport demand. Early years support will be a particular priority. Working as part of the Best Start in Life Programme and through Family Hubs, health visiting services, early years providers and schools, the partnership will strengthen early identification and intervention pathways. This will ensure that speech, language and communication needs, neurodevelopmental differences, sensory needs and social, emotional and mental health needs are identified and responded to at the earliest possible stage. The local area will continue to maximise the impact of evidence‑based programmes including Nuffield Early Language Intervention (Neli), Early Language Support for Every Child (Elsec) and wider communication and language initiatives. These programmes will support improved school readiness, language development and early support for children experiencing speech, language and communication difficulties. Autism and Semh support will be strengthened through the development of inclusive practice across all settings. Practitioners will be supported through workforce development, consultation, coaching and access to specialist expertise through Eah to ensure that children and young people can remain successfully included within mainstream provision wherever appropriate. Children and young people identified as vulnerable to attendance decline,

emotionally based school avoidance, exclusion or placement instability will receive enhanced transition support through the Experts at Hand model. This will ensure that transitions are experienced as planned and supported periods of continuity rather than points of escalation. Family Hubs, working closely with schools as community anchors, will play a critical role within the inclusion system, providing accessible support for families and acting as a key route into early support services. Through stronger integration between education, health and family support services, the local area will create a more coordinated and preventative approach to meeting need. Integrated health support for SEND will include an increasingly community based neighborhood delivery model across the Island’s three primary care networks (PCNs) as per the NHS Ten Year Plan, including a Primary Care Pediatric Hub in each Pcn. Delivery and improved outcomes will be driven by the Island’s Health and Care Partnership, and strategic oversight provided by the Health and Wellbeing Board. Staff working across early years, primary, secondary and post‑16 settings will demonstrate increased confidence and capability in identifying and meeting SEND through a structured workforce development program. Transitions between early years, primary, secondary and post‑16 education will be recognised as key points of vulnerability within the SEND journey and will form a core component of the Island’s Inclusive Culture and Behaviours programme. Through cluster‑based working, schools, colleges and partners will develop shared transition protocols, joint planning arrangements and earlier information sharing. Transition planning will begin earlier and be supported by stronger multi-agency coordination. The local area will ensure that transitions between school, college, adult services and employment pathways are planned effectively and that young people and families are fully involved in decision-making. Adult Social Care and health partners will be engaged earlier in the transition process to reduce delays and improve continuity of support. Post-16 providers will access the Experts at Hand model through the same pathways as schools, ensuring continuity of support and access to specialist expertise beyond statutory school age. Over the next three years, the local area will strengthen collaboration between schools, colleges, training providers, employers, Adult Social Care, health services and community partners to develop a more coordinated and ambitious approach to preparation for adulthood.

Further education providers will be integral partners within the SEND system. The Iw College and training providers will have access to the Experts at Hand model, ensuring that specialist expertise is available beyond statutory school age. Educational Psychologists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Semh practitioners and specialist outreach teams will work alongside college staff to strengthen inclusive practice and improve outcomes for young people with SEND. By 2029, more young people with SEND will successfully progress into further education, apprenticeships, supported internships and employment. Young people will report greater confidence about adulthood, families will experience smoother transitions and more young people will achieve positive outcomes relating to employment, independence, housing and community participation. Families will experience a more consistent system, reflected in reduced complaints, mediation and tribunal escalation and improved parental confidence. Overall, the system will shift from one characterised by variability, reactive intervention and escalation to one defined by:

• early identification and intervention
• consistent inclusive practice
• strong workforce capability
• equitable access to specialist expertise

This will ensure that significantly more children and young people can achieve positive outcomes within their local mainstream communities. The Iow is committed to ensuring that all young people with SEND are prepared for successful adulthood and have access to high-quality pathways into further education, employment, independent living and community participation. The local area recognises that SEND reform must extend beyond compulsory education and that preparation for adulthood should be embedded throughout the education journey.

Local blueprint for the next 3 years

Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years

2.1 Inclusive system pillar 1: Strengthening inclusion across education settings

2.1.2 Enablers

Early years workforce capacity is under increasing pressure due to rapid growth in demand (101 to 283 children supported) Access to specialist support (e.g. Salt, Ot, Semh) is: Inconsistent and often accessed through escalation rather than proactive early support No system-wide baseline measure exists for early years workforce confidence or capability Increasing pressure on SENCO capacity and specialist advisory services.

Increased Island-based workforce aligned to Eah model:

• Salt
• Ot
• Ep
• Semh support

Early years practitioners fully included in SEND workforce development program “Grow Your Own” pathways Workforce deployed proactively rather than reactively, reducing escalation Inclusion-first capital strategy in place; inclusion bases in all secondaries and locality-based primary provision; mainstream estate adapted to meet SEND need

Proactive use of SEND needs analysis and forecast data to identify priority areas, ensuring capital investment aligns with current and projected local demand.

Variable workforce confidence; capacity pressures in schools and specialist services; limited access to specialist advice without EHCP

Early engagement with key stakeholders, including education settings, families, and partners, to inform planning and ensure proposals are shaped through meaningful consultation.

Fragmented data systems; limited ability to track inclusion, attendance, EHCP demand and escalation

Value and inclusion outcomes are prioritized so that system allocates funding to projects that align with our vision to expand local provision, reduce out-of-area placements, and improve accessibility and inclusive environments.

Variability in:

transition planning (Year 9+)

coordination between education, health and adult services Limited specialist workforce capacity supporting:

A phased, sustainable investment plan with projects sequenced based on urgency and deliverability, factoring in affordability, lifecycle costs, and opportunities for co- funding or partnerships. Align with Education Estates Strategy. A transparent, needs-led process for setting criteria and managing expressions of interest for new specialist bases is embedded.

• employment pathways
• independence and life skills

Limited consistent data on:

Skilled and confident workforce across all phases; increased Island-based Ep, Salt, Ot and Semh workforce; embedded Cpd and “Grow Your Own” pathway

• post-16 participation and sustained outcomes
• supported employment
• independence outcomes

Neet identified as a priority but not consistently tracked

Early and coordinated workforce planning for transition, including Icb partnership working Integrated multi-agency SEND dashboard; real-time tracking of inclusion metrics; data used to inform school improvement, commissioning and intervention,

Persistent absence (EYFS SEND): SEND attendance (EYFS): Not separately recorded in current dataset (no age-phase disaggregation available) Persistent absence (EYFS SEND): Not systematically captured at EYFS phase Early identification of SEND: No quantified baseline in current dataset Evidence of increasing EHCP demand indicates unmet need not consistently identified early EHCPs issued in early years phase: Increasing trend (linked to overall EHCP prevalence of 7.7%) Access to specialist support in EYFS (e.g. Salt, Ot): Not quantified in dataset Evidence indicates access more likely post-escalation to EHCP EYFS SEND outcomes (Gld / expected levels): Not explicitly disaggregated in current dataset Transition from EYFS to Reception (SEND): No system-wide performance measure in place EYFS SEND workforce capability/confidence: No baseline measure currently collected In 2024/25 16% of children on SEN Support and 5% of Island children with an EHCP reached or exceeded the expected standard in reading writing and maths, compared to 28% and 9% nationally respectively. On the Island 16.3% of SEN Support children and 6% of EHCP children achieved 5+ in English and maths, compared to 22.3% and 7.5% in England. Attendance for pupils with SEND is below expected levels,

• Baseline established Year 1 with reduced year-on-year

Early identification rate:

% of children identified at SEN Support without escalation (baseline Year1) EHCP demand from EYFS:

• Reduction in EHCP requests originating from unmet early provision

Access to specialist support (without EHCP):

Increasing proportion of EYFS children receiving Salt/Ot/Semh support without statutory pathway EYFS SEND outcomes:

Measurable improvement in SEND attainment at EYFS (baseline established Year 1) Transition quality:

• 100% of SEND children with documented transition plans into Reception

Workforce confidence (EYFS):

• Baseline Year 1 to measurable improvement annually

Strengthening Inclusion Across Education Settings

Success measures by 2029 will include:

SEND attendance for SEN Support pupils increasing from 88.9% to above 92%;

SEND attendance for pupils with EHCPs increasing from 85.4% to above 90%;

SEND persistent absence reducing below national averages;

reduction in suspensions involving pupils with SEND by at least 30%;

100% of schools completing annual inclusion quality assurance and Oap reviews;

increased workforce confidence measures across all phases;

reduction in requests for EHCPs linked to unmet universal provision.

Neet (SEND): Measurable reduction (baseline confirmed Year 1; Kpi already referenced in plan) Post-16 participation: Increased % of SEND learners in sustained education, employment or training EHCP trajectory (Post-16): Stabilisation of EHCP growth as earlier intervention improves Supported internships / employment: Year-on-year increase in participation (baseline established Year 1) Local provision sufficiency Increased proportion of SEND learners accessing provision locally Preparation for Adulthood outcomes:

with SEN Support attendance at 88.9% and EHCP attendance at 85.4%, alongside high levels of persistent absence (31.2% SEN Support; 38.0% EHCP). Exclusions disproportionately impact pupils with SEND, with 43% of suspensions and 47% of permanent exclusions involving pupils at SEN Support. Attainment outcomes are also below national expectations, indicating that needs are not consistently met through universal provision. EHCP prevalence (7.7%) is above statistical neighbours (5.9%), and requests for statutory assessment continue to increase, suggesting that unmet need within mainstream provision is leading to escalation rather than being addressed earlier through inclusive practice. There is currently no consistently applied Ordinarily Available Provision (Oap) framework or shared expectation of inclusive practice across all schools. During the autumn and spring terms of academic year 2025/26, children on SEN Support comprised 43% (537/1263) of all exclusions and 47% (8/17) of all permanent exclusions. For those with EHCPs the proportions were 16% and 12% respectively. As a proportion of all children attending Iow state schools, 17% of children are registered for SEN Support and 7.5% have an EHCP. In 2024/25 16% of children on SEN Support and 5% of Island children with an EHCP reached or exceeded the expected standard in reading writing and maths, compared to 28% and 9% nationally respectively. On the Island 16.3% of SEN Support children and 6% of EHCP children achieved 5+ in English and maths, compared to 22.3% and 7.5% in England. Attendance April 2026

% of young people achieving outcomes in:

employment

independent living

community participation (baseline established Year 1) Transition quality (Year 9+): 80% EHCP learners with clear PfA outcomes and transition plans

• SEN Support: 88.9%
• EHCP: 85.4%
• Overall: 91.8%
• Special School: (85.26% v England 87.11)

Persistent absence

• SEN Support: 31.2%
• EHCP: 38.0%
• Overall: 22.4%
• Special School: 39.5%

Severe absence

• SEN Support: 5.8%
• EHCP: 10.4%
• Overall: 3.5%

Exclusions

SEN Support: 43% of suspensions; 47% permanent exclusions

EHCP: 16% suspensions; 12% permanent exclusions Outcomes

SEN Support achieving expected standard: 16% (vs 28% national)

EHCP: 5% (vs 9% national) Demand indicators

EHCP prevalence: 7.7% vs 5.9% statistical neighbours

Rising: Ehcna requests, Section 19 use, Ehe (non-choice) Neet (SEND):

Identified as a key measure in plan

Baseline referenced but not consistently quantified in current dataset (gap) Participation in education/employment post-16 (SEND):

Variable sustained participation (no single quantified dataset measure currently embedded) EHCP prevalence (Post-16):

Increasing in line with overall EHCP prevalence of 7.7% (v 5.9% stat. neighbour average) and rising demand Access to post-16 pathways:

• Limited range of local provision (qualitative

baseline from plan) Supported internships / employment pathways:

• Not quantified in current dataset

Preparation for Adulthood (PfA outcomes):

Not systematically measured across employment, independence, community inclusion Transitions (Year 9+ planning):

Variable quality; no system-wide performance measure

25% of families choose Ehe for philosophical reasons with most of the remainder doing so following adverse experiences in mainstream.

Baseline Issue Driver Intervention Yearly Incremental Output Outcome Metric 3-Year Impact Low SEND attendance (88.9% / 85.4%) Unmet need in mainstream Oap + Eah % schools implementing Oap Attendance ≥92% / ≥90% High persistent absence (31–38%) Weak early support Ebsa & attendance strategy Schools trained Persistent absence Below national High exclusions (SEND overrepresented) Inconsistent inclusive practice Relational practice + workforce dev Staff trained Exclusions -30% High EHCP prevalence (7.7%) Escalation due to unmet need Graduated response + Eah Schools engaged EHCP growth ≤7% growth Rising Ehe (non-choice) Parental dissatisfaction Improved inclusion practice Engagement measures Ehe Reduced

Local blueprint for the next 3 years

Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years

2.2 Inclusive system pillar 2: Access to specialist support and local placements 2.2.1Building Blocks

The Isle of Wight continues to experience significant pressure in relation to specialist placements, outreach capacity and access to specialist support services. Demand for specialist placements, independent provision and alternative provision has increased alongside rising complexity of need. Schools report challenges in accessing timely specialist

A balanced model of therapy and other support will be embedded whereby the most qualified staff, in addition to direct work with children and young people, support the upskilling of the wider workforce as well as parents, carers, and wider family members, including for children without an EHCP. This will ensure that specialist expertise is deployed to build system capacity rather than solely respond to crisis or statutory demand. The Experts at Hand (Eah) model is a system-wide operating model for delivering

advice, particularly around Semh, neurodiversity, speech and language, sensory needs and emotionally based school avoidance. There are positive examples of partnership working and specialist expertise across the island, including special schools, outreach services and multidisciplinary teams, however pathways are not always sufficiently joined up or consistently understood by schools and families. Independent placements and transport costs continue to place pressure on the High Needs Block. The local authority has begun developing the Experts at Hand model to strengthen early support, multidisciplinary planning and local capacity-building within mainstream settings. There is increasing recognition that specialist expertise should support mainstream inclusion earlier rather than only responding at the point of crisis or placement breakdown. A shortage of specialist provision means that some children are in settings that are not optimal for their needs. The Pcf have asked for a review of social care and health services to be reviewed and for gaps in provision (e.g. Ld assessments) to be identified and filled. The local area does not have an agreed whole system capital investment / sufficiency strategy for SEND. The special school estate is in the main of inferior quality to that in the mainstream sector and requires investment at the same time that mainstream schools require investment to make them more inclusive settings. Staff in mainstream schools report that they are currently unable to meet the needs of some children. Variable relational and inclusive behaviour practice between schools. Increased use of reduced timetables and alternative provision pathways. Baseline number of children with an EHCP not in education is 84 (2025), rising to 124 by 2029 (+48%), evidencing increasing placement breakdown and exclusion from

early support and specialist support without reliance on statutory processes. It provides a single point of coordinated access to multidisciplinary expertise for early years settings, schools and post-16 providers, enabling needs to be identified and addressed earlier. The model operates through three core components:

• A clearly defined workforce model. A multidisciplinary team comprising

Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Semh services, neurodiversity specialists, outreach services and school improvement colleagues, working as a single coordinated system rather than separate services.

• A structured deployment model. Specialist capacity is deployed through:
• 70% proactive, intelligence-led deployment, using shared multi-agency data to identify risk early
• 30% referral-led support, ensuring timely response to individual school concerns with focus on supporting the setting to upskill
• A system capacity-building approach. Support is delivered primarily through:
• consultation and coaching
• modelling and workforce development
• targeted support where required

This ensures that expertise remains within settings after involvement ends, increasing long-term system capacity. The multi-agency workforce delivering Experts at Hand (Eah) support will be comprised largely of Island residents who have benefitted from structured upskilling over the previous three years. This workforce will operate across universal, targeted and specialist levels, and will be informed and directed by embedded qualitative feedback mechanisms, including the lived experiences and views of children, young people, parents, carers and practitioners, alongside quantitative analysis from holistic, joined-up and accurate multi-agency data. The local area will operate through a strengthened continuum of provision where specialist expertise is increasingly deployed to build mainstream capacity and support earlier help. The Experts at Hand model will provide coordinated multidisciplinary support to children and young people at risk of escalation, helping schools maintain placements and improve outcomes. Outreach from specialist settings will be strengthened and consistently available across the Island, and pathways into support services will be clear, transparent and consistently understood by schools, families and partners.

education pathways. Independent and non-maintained placements are projected to increase from 92 to 137 by 2029 (+49%), alongside special school placements increasing from 396 to 537, demonstrating sustained pressure on specialist provision and system capacity. Current specialist workforce capacity comprises 2 Fte speech and language therapists for school age children (plus assistants) and 1.8 Fte educational psychologists, highlighting limited system capacity to meet rising demand. Baseline access to specialist support without EHCP is limited, with approximately 482 Cyp supported via speech and language therapy and 270 via occupational therapy annually, and no consistent educational psychology offer for non-EHCP cohorts. Alternative provision expenditure is forecast to increase from £2.24m to £4.4m, demonstrating growing reliance on high cost, reactive provision. Alternative provision will be reviewed and recommissioned in line with national expectations, including alignment to a three tier graduated model and best practice from Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforces. Alternative provision will be positioned as part of a continuum of support, with clear entry and exit pathways, quality assurance arrangements and reintegration expectations. Where recruitment is constrained, we prioritise assistant- led delivery, school workforce development, and Eah consultation to extend impact.

The Eah model will operate through a jointly commissioned and governed partnership between Isle of Wight Council and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board along with setting and schools, with clear shared accountability for delivery and outcomes. Strategic oversight will be provided by the SEND Partnership Board, supported by a dedicated Eah Operational Board (including Ey and schools) responsible for workforce deployment, performance monitoring, commissioning and quality assurance. The model will combine expertise from Educational Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Semh services, neurodiversity services, specialist school outreach, attendance services, school improvement service and alternative provision within a single coordinated framework. Delivery will operate through a clearly defined operating model, combining proactive, intelligence-led deployment with structured referral pathways. Seventy percent of specialist capacity will be deployed proactively through a data- and intelligence-led model. A monthly multi-agency Eah Panel will review education, SEND, health and family intelligence, including attendance, exclusions, reduced timetables, alternative provision usage, elective home education, EHCP requests, annual reviews, tribunals, complaints, therapy demand and parental feedback. This intelligence will be used to identify schools, localities, cohorts and emerging themes requiring support before needs escalate, ensuring equitable access to support across all settings, including early years and post-16 providers. The remaining capacity will operate through clearly defined referral pathways. School-led referrals to the Rest Team will support attendance, emotionally based school avoidance, Semh needs, behaviour and reintegration. Parent and school referral routes into the Neurodiversity Team will remain in place to support autism, Adhd, neurodevelopmental differences and family support. All schools, colleges and early years providers will have access to the Eah offer through consistent and transparent pathways, ensuring support is not disproportionately accessed by the most proactive settings. This approach is optimal for the Isle of Wight given workforce constraints, geographic isolation and reliance on out-of-area provision, enabling specialist expertise to be deployed more efficiently across the system and reducing duplication and fragmentation. The successful delivery of the Eah model will depend upon recruitment, retention and development of a sustainable Island workforce. During Year One, the local area will prioritise recruitment and mobilisation of specialist staff, alongside the

A “Grow Your Own” strategy will establish local career pathways into Ep, Salt, Ot and Semh professions through apprenticeships, assistant roles and postgraduate routes, reducing reliance on agency staffing and improving long-term workforce sustainability.

establishment of governance, pathways, workforce supervision and quality assurance systems. The workforce model will include:

an expanded Educational Psychology service comprising Educational Psychologists, Trainee Educational Psychologists and Assistant Psychologists

a structured Speech and Language Therapy model including Clinical Lead, Band 6/7 Therapists, Band 5 Therapists and Therapy Assistants

an Occupational Therapy model including senior therapist and assistants, with approximately 3 Fte posts focused on sensory regulation, independence and environmental adaptation

a strengthened Semh workforce, including an expanded Rest Team with a target of 8 practitioners The Eah workforce will operate at scale across the Island, combining existing and newly commissioned capacity. The model will include:

Educational Psychology workforce (qualified, trainee and assistant psychologists)

Speech and Language Therapy workforce (clinical lead, therapists and assistants)

Occupational Therapy workforce (therapists and assistants)

Semh practitioners including the Rest Team and specialist outreach Deployment assumptions for the model are:

each practitioner will support an average cohort of children and settings across a half termly support programme (timebound with measurable success criteria)

support will be delivered through a combination of consultation, coaching, group support and targeted support

overall system capacity will support approximately 1,500 children and young people annually, including over 1,000 supported without an EHCP This level of capacity represents a significant increase in access to specialist support without reliance on statutory processes. The Eah model will not be relying on 1:1 delivery, the Eah model prioritises consultation and workforce spillover. Each practitioner supports multiple settings, not just individual Cyp. Estimated structure of Eah and complementary teams: Eah will operate with 3 x Fte Educational Psychologists and 4 x Fte Educational Assistants

1 x Fte Speech and Language Clinical Lead (commissioned by Icb) and 4 x Fte Speech and Language Assistants. 1 x Fte Occupational Therapy Clinical Lead (commissioned by Icb) and 4 x Fte Occupational Therapy Assistants Rest 4 x Fte Equivalent Advisory Teachers and 3 x Fte Specialist Advisory Assistants Specialist Outreach x4 Fte Practitioners Neurodiversity Team 1 x Fte Team Manager, 2 x Education specialists and 4 x Assistants 1 x Fte Programme Coordinator 1 x Fte Administration Coordinator. Specialist outreach will form a core component of the inclusion infrastructure. Medina House School, St George’s School and Lionheart will deliver coordinated outreach to mainstream settings, providing specialist advice, coaching and support alongside practitioners to build local capacity. Lionheart will operate as the Island’s Semh and Alternative Provision hub, delivering both specialist placements and outreach support, with a clear focus on early support, preventing exclusion and supporting reintegration. A strengthened sufficiency strategy and capital investment plan will ensure that provision is aligned to need. This will include:

• inclusion bases in every secondary school and local access for primary- aged children
• targeted development of specialist provision where need cannot be met in mainstream
• improved mainstream accessibility and adaptation
• consideration of rurality, travel and local context

The local area has an agreed whole-system capital investment strategy for SEND, and required funding has been identified. Planned growth in capacity will reflect local need and contribute to reducing reliance on independent and out-of-area placements, including through improved local specialist provision and outreach. Placement pathways will be informed by robust needs analysis and data, ensuring that commissioned provision reflects local demand profiles. Travel impact will be considered as part of sufficiency planning to reduce journey times and reliance on transport. As a result, reliance on high-cost independent placements, EOTAS and crisis provision will reduce. Children and young people will increasingly remain educated

within their local communities, maintaining family connections and improving outcomes. By 2029, children and young people on the Isle of Wight will experience faster and more equitable access to specialist expertise, improved local provision, reduced reliance on crisis support and a more integrated system in which specialist knowledge is available at the point of need. Overall, the system will shift from one characterised by reactive support, fragmented pathways and reliance on high-cost specialist provision to one defined by:

• early, targeted support
• coordinated multi-agency delivery
• equitable access to specialist support
• a strong and sustainable local workforce
• a sufficiency-led system aligned to need

This will ensure improved outcomes for children and young people and a more sustainable SEND system across the Isle of Wight.

Local blueprint for the next 3 years

Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years

2.2 Inclusive system pillar 2: Access to specialist support and local placements 2.2.2 Enablers

Capital investment rebalanced to include early years inclusion capacity, including:

Current capital investment is primarily focused on school- age provision, with limited dedicated early years inclusion infrastructure. There are currently 283 children under 5 supported by the Early Years SEN Team (up from 101 in 2024), indicating rapidly increasing demand for early years SEND provision. There are no existing inclusion bases in early years settings, and sufficiency planning is at an early stage. 71% of planned capital investment directed towards specialist settings; insufficient mainstream-based inclusion capacity; gaps in local provision contributing to EOTAS and

• localised specialist and support-based provision
• improved accessibility within early years settings

Early years fully included within the whole-system sufficiency strategy Balanced sufficiency model achieved: inclusion bases in all secondary schools and locality primary provision; targeted specialist expansion aligned to need; reduced reliance on high-cost independent placements

placement pressure Limited access to Salt, Ot and Ep without EHCP; workforce shortages across therapies and Semh services; reliance on statutory pathways Fragmented access routes; inconsistent understanding of pathways; reliance on escalation to access support; AP and Section 19 not consistently aligned to graduated model Limited ability to forecast demand; weak connection between data and commissioning; insufficient oversight of EOTAS and independent placements Current provision includes 8 existing specialist post-16 places, with planned expansion of specialist and mainstream inclusion capacity Increasing numbers of young people with complex needs are moving into post-16 provision, creating pressure on sufficiency planning Reliance on out-of-area and specialist provision remains in some cases Workforce not yet fully aligned to Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) outcomes Increasing use of independent specialist placements.

Fully implemented Eah workforce model; increased Island-based Ep, Salt, Ot and Semh capacity; majority of Cyp supported without EHCP; workforce deployed proactively (70% data-led) Single integrated Eah model with clear access routes; consistent pathways across education, health and care; AP and outreach embedded in graduated response model Real-time sufficiency planning through SEND dashboard; predictive modelling of demand; commissioning decisions aligned to need profiles and trend data Capital is targeted to reduce EOTAS, long-distance placements and AP pressure by increasing local inclusion capacity. Expansion of local post-16 inclusion and specialist provision, including:

• additional specialist bases
• integration within mainstream settings

Capital investment aligned to:

• reducing independent placements
• improving local accessibility

Post-16 provision embedded within whole-system sufficiency strategy Workforce aligned to PfA outcomes across:

• education
• adult social care
• health

Increased specialist support in:

• supported employment
• independent living pathways

Local blueprint for the next 3 years

Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years

2.2 Inclusive system pillar 2: Access to specialist support and local placements

2.2.3 Success measures

EOTAS (Section 61): increasing use year-on-year (trend baseline) Section 19 provision: Variable hours and models of delivery Not consistently full-time equivalent Independent placements: increasing (volume and cost pressure within High Needs Block) Outreach access: variable across schools; not consistently available system-wide Cyp accessing specialist support without EHCP: limited (majority require statutory pathway to access therapies) Eah reach: not yet established Placement stability: increasing placement breakdown and crisis escalation SEND transport demand: increasing (linked to out-of-area placements)

Success measures by 2029 will include:

at least 1,500 children and young people annually supported through Eah;

over 1,000 children annually accessing specialist advice or support without requiring an EHCP;

reduction in independent placements by 25%;

reduction in placement breakdowns and crisis escalations;

improved attendance within Eah cohorts by an average of 5%;

all mainstream schools accessing linked multidisciplinary support;

reduction in SEND transport pressures through increased local provision.

Baseline Issue Driver Support Yearly incremental

Outcome Metric Trajectory / 3-Year Impact

output

Rising EOTAS and Section 19 use unmet need and placement breakdown

Eah + AP reform + Section 19 framework

framework codesigned and implemented; early targeted cohorts supported (capacity constrained)

EOTAS / S19 usage Stabilised in Y1, Reduced Y2 and 3

Independent placements increasing

lack of local provision Capital & sufficiency strategy Sufficiency plan agreed

pipeline of new local places initiated (delivery from Year 2)

independent placements Growth stabilised in Year 1; - 25% over 3 years

Limited access to therapies without EHCP

workforce constraint and model design

Eah workforce model + targeted support pathways

Initial cohorts supported through existing and emerging

therapy access Increasing in targeted cohorts Year 1; significantly increased Years 2–3

capacity; pathways established (not system-wide) Placement instability reactive system response outreach + Mdt planning (via Eah/AP model)

Pilot outreach and Mdt planning operational in priority cohorts and settings only

placement breakdowns Stabilised in Year 1; reduced in Years 2–3

Weak pathway clarity fragmented system Eah + pathway redesign Pathways co- designed, published and tested in early implementation phase

access equity Improved consistency in Year 1; fully consistent Years 2–3

Local blueprint for the next 3 years

Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years

2.3 Inclusive system pillar 3: System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production 2.3.1 Building Blocks

The local area partnership has strong commitment across education, health and care services to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, however system leadership arrangements remain variable in consistency and maturity. Families continue to report that processes can feel difficult to navigate and communication between agencies is not always sufficiently joined up or transparent. The local area continues to experience increasing pressure across statutory SEND systems, complaints, tribunals, placement sufficiency and high-needs funding. Whilst there is strong partnership working in individual areas, there remains a need for clearer shared accountability, improved data oversight and greater alignment between education, health and care planning. Workforce capacity pressures continue across SEND casework, Educational Psychology, therapies and operational delivery services. The local authority has begun to strengthen governance, inclusion oversight and school partnership arrangements, but further system-wide cultural alignment is required to embed collective ownership of inclusion and SEND reform.

The Isle of Wight local area partnership operates through a mature and transparent system leadership model with clear shared accountability across education, health and care services. Governance arrangements support strategic oversight, challenge and joint ownership of outcomes for children and young people with SEND. Decision-making pathways are clearly defined and consistently applied across the system, improving transparency and confidence for practitioners and families. Leaders focus on a vision that includes the whole child, the whole family, and has a whole-life focus. Quality of life and wellbeing are central outcomes, and SEND Reform extends beyond education. Whole child and whole family approach aligned with co-produced multi agency outcomes framework that includes wellbeing and quality of life. The SEND Partnership Board will provide overall strategic leadership and will be informed by a quarterly multi-agency performance dashboard spanning all of education, health and care from pre-conception to age 25, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data. Representation across early years, schools, multi-academy trusts and post-16 providers will ensure that all parts of the system are engaged and accountable for delivery.

The systems and reporting mechanisms for the multi- agency data required to inform improvement and target investment and activity is lacking and needs considerable work, and some financial investment is required to achieve a satisfactory standard. Whilst some areas of the system are already benefitting from consistent inclusion of and input from children and young people and parents and carers, information is not collected and used in a strategic way and co-production is not embedded

Co-production with families, children and young people will be embedded across strategic planning and service design, with participation extending beyond consultation to active involvement in commissioning, delivery and evaluation. Co- production mechanisms involving children, young people, parents and carers will be embedded in the continuous improvement and commissioning cycles of assess, plan, do, review across all services. A co-production maturity model will be adopted and reviewed annually, ensuring that practice continues to develop and that feedback is systematically used to inform strategic and operational decision-making. Co-production is a central principle of ongoing reform. The local area will adopt a co-production maturity model to support continuous improvement and ensure that participation moves beyond consultation towards genuine partnership. Children and young people, parents and carers will be involved in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of services and reforms. Progress against the maturity model will be reviewed annually and reported through governance arrangements, ensuring transparency and accountability. Workforce development will strengthen leadership capacity across schools and services, ensuring SEND reform is understood and delivered as a whole-system responsibility, including across MATs, early years providers and post-16 settings. Partnership working between schools, trusts, health services and the local authority will support earlier support, improved communication and greater consistency for families. The required data will be accurate, collected systematically and shared regularly so that it can be used to drive improvement. A fully integrated multi-agency SEND dashboard will provide real-time visibility of system performance and will be used not only for monitoring but to inform proactive support, including deployment of the Experts at Hand model, commissioning decisions and sufficiency planning. A dedicated Experts at Hand (Eah) Operational Board will oversee the implementation and delivery of the Eah model. This board will be responsible for workforce planning, deployment of specialist resources, performance monitoring, quality assurance, commissioning arrangements and delivery of the annual implementation programme. It will operate to a defined cadence and report directly to the SEND Partnership Board, ensuring clear oversight of funding, workforce capacity and equitable access to support across all settings, including early years and post-16.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board will be a key strategic partner in delivering reform. Through joint commissioning arrangements, the Icb will work alongside the Local Authority to develop integrated pathways, align workforce planning, support recruitment and ensure that health expertise is embedded within the Eah model. Joint planning will support improved access to Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, neurodevelopmental services and emotional wellbeing support whilst reducing duplication and fragmentation across services. This will ensure a coherent system where education and health operate as a single partnership to meet need earlier and more effectively. Clear escalation routes will be established to ensure that emerging risks, barriers to delivery and concerns raised by families or practitioners are addressed at the earliest opportunity. Operational issues will be escalated through service management arrangements, whilst strategic risks will be considered through the SEND Partnership Board and wider governance structures. This approach will support timely decision-making, consistent application of policy and clear accountability across partner organisations. The local area is committed to strengthening dispute prevention and early resolution. Sendiass will continue to provide independent advice, information and support in line with national standards, ensuring that children, young people and families are able to participate meaningfully in decision-making and are supported to understand their options. The partnership will promote early conversations, collaborative problem solving and transparent communication to reduce conflict and improve trust between families and services. Where disagreements arise, mediation and disagreement resolution services will be actively promoted as part of a graduated approach to dispute resolution. The local area will seek to resolve concerns at the earliest possible stage, reducing the need for formal escalation wherever possible. Timeliness, resolution rates and outcomes of complaints, mediation and tribunal activity will be monitored through the performance dashboard, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement. Learning from these processes will be routinely reviewed to identify themes, inform service development and strengthen practice across the system. Engagement with all providers, including early years settings, schools, MATs and further education providers (including those attended out of area), will be strengthened through formal partnership arrangements and clear communication structures, ensuring collective responsibility for inclusive practice and equitable access to support across the system.

The local area will expand opportunities for supported internships, apprenticeships and employment pathways. Working with local employers and business partners, the partnership will seek to increase the number of young people with SEND progressing into meaningful employment and training opportunities. Employment aspirations will be promoted from an early stage and embedded within Education, Health and Care planning. Preparation for adulthood pathways will place equal emphasis on independent living, community participation and health outcomes. Young people will be supported to develop the skills, confidence and independence required for adult life, including travel training, independent living skills, community engagement and self-advocacy. Housing pathways will be strengthened through closer collaboration between Children’s Services, Adult Social Care, housing providers and community organisations. Young people with SEND will benefit from earlier planning and improved support to access suitable housing and independent living opportunities where appropriate. Families will report increased confidence in the SEND system, complaints and tribunal escalation will reduce, and services will work more effectively together to deliver consistent, coordinated support. Leaders across education, health and care will be jointly responsible for improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND, and SEND reform will be fully embedded as a whole-system priority. By 2029, the Isle of Wight will have established a mature partnership culture characterised by:

shared accountability across Local Authority, Icb and education partners

transparent governance and clearly defined decision-making pathways

embedded co-production across all areas of service design and delivery

high-quality, integrated data used to drive improvement and commissioning

strong engagement across early years, schools, MATs and post-16 providers

Local blueprint for Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years

the next 3 years

2.3 Inclusive system pillar 3: System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production 2.3.2 Enablers Variable maturity; inconsistent accountability; SEND Board established but needs strengthening Activity present but not systematic; Limited strategic impact; maturity assessment = 0 for co-production Weak multi-agency data integration; limited ability to track outcomes systematically Competing priorities; system-wide leadership not fully aligned to SEND

Fully mature SEND Partnership Board; clear shared LA–Icb accountability; aligned governance across all partners Embedded co-production across all workstreams; Cyp and parent voice informing commissioning and Qa Fully operational multi-agency dashboard; data used for real-time decision-making and strategic planning Strong distributed leadership; SEND reform embedded across all partner organisations Undertake the statutory consultation process in line with legislative requirements, ensuring transparent communication, appropriate publication of notices, and meaningful opportunities for stakeholder feedback to inform decision-making.

Local blueprint for the next 3 years

Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years

2.3 Inclusive system pillar 3: System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production 2.3.3 Success measures

Parental confidence is low. Whilst there is a desire for early and meaningful involvement in co-production, trust in statutory partners is variable, and some see engagement as tokenistic. Increasing complaints, mediation and tribunal activity No quantified confidence measure currently in place Complaints / tribunals: increasing trend year-on-year Co-production maturity: Not systematically embedded

Success measures by 2029 will include:

co-production embedded as structural not optional

improved parental confidence in the SEND system by at least 40%;

reduction in complaint escalation and tribunal activity to below national averages;

operational multi-agency SEND dashboard used across all governance structures;

all workstreams evidencing embedded co-production and “you said, we did” reporting;

measurable improvements in workforce recruitment and retention across

Educational Psychology, Salt and Ot;

all strategic commissioning decisions informed by integrated multi-agency data analysis.

No consistent “You Said, We Did” evidence across all workstreams Data maturity: Fragmented datasets across services No integrated multi-agency dashboard Performance reporting: Not consistently aligned across education, health and care Strategic accountability: Governance structures in place Variable clarity in decision-making accountability

Baseline Issue Driver Support Yearly incremental output Outcome Metric Trajectory / 3-Year Impact

Co-production structures established and initial participation activity underway (not yet consistent across all workstreams)

Early improvement in targeted groups in Year 1; +40% over 3 years

Low parental confidence inconsistent experience co-production model

Parental confidence governance + Sendiass strengthening Early resolution approach defined and introduced; initial pathways tested and refined with partners complaints Stabilised in Year 1; reduced over Years 2–3 Rising complaints weak early resolution Dashboard prototype developed and introduced in early phase, with core datasets available and improving in completeness data quality Improving in Year 1; high reliability achieved in Years 2–3 Weak data fragmented systems SEND dashboard New governance structures established and operating in initial phase, with roles and escalation routes tested decision-making Increasingly consistent in Year 1; fully consistent in Years 2–3 System inconsistency unclear accountability governance reform Improving in Year 1; strong alignment achieved in Years 2– 3 Limited stakeholder alignment fragmented leadership partnership forums Engagement structures established with increasing participation from providers (not yet system-wide) system alignment

Local blueprint for the next 3 years

Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years

2.4 Inclusive system pillar 4: Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours

2.4.1 Building Blocks Schools and services across the Isle of Wight are increasingly not able to support children and young people presenting with complex Semh needs, emotionally based school avoidance, anxiety-related barriers and dysregulated behaviour. Attendance for pupils with SEND remains a significant challenge, particularly for those with Semh and neurodivergent profiles. Schools report increasing pressure in balancing inclusion, attendance expectations and behaviour regulation approaches whilst responding to growing complexity of need. There are positive examples of relational practice and inclusive pastoral support across the island, however practice remains variable between settings. Families can experience inconsistency in how needs are understood and responded to, particularly where behaviour is linked to unmet SEND or anxiety-based presentations. The local authority has strengthened focus on attendance, inclusion and emotionally available practice, but there remains a need for a more consistent shared culture across the system which promotes belonging, participation and emotionally safe learning environments. Baseline EHCP elective home education is 61 children (2025), projected to rise to 89 by 2029, indicating increasing parental disengagement linked to unmet need. Total Ehe is 850 children (over 5% of total cohort v national average of 1.4%), with approximately 75% related to adverse mainstream school experiences. Baseline tribunal activity is 102 appeals annually; however, a consistent appeal rate is not currently established due to limitations in data methodology. A standardised measure will be implemented in Year 1 to establish a robust baseline for monitoring. Over the next three years, the local area will strengthen the

The Isle of Wight will establish a more inclusive and relational culture across education settings where children and young people experience belonging, participation and emotionally safe practice. Attendance strategies for pupils with SEND will be aligned to inclusion, regulation and earlier support rather than solely compliance-based approaches, ensuring that children remain connected to education wherever possible. Schools will have clearer guidance and stronger confidence in responding to Semh, emotionally based school avoidance (Ebsa) and neurodivergent presentations through adaptive, trauma-informed and relational approaches. Children and young people will increasingly remain engaged in education through strengthened pastoral support, earlier support and coordinated multi-agency working through the Experts at Hand (Eah) model. Inclusive behaviour cultures will support reduced exclusions, improved attendance and stronger participation outcomes, with families experiencing greater consistency in understanding, communication and support across schools and services. Additional peer support groups, spanning different areas of the Island and types of need, will complement the existing support available from statutory and community and voluntary sector services. Children and young people, and parents and carers, will report a stronger sense of belonging within their education setting and their wider community. Over the next three years, the local area will develop a culture in which children and young people with SEND are viewed first and foremost as members of their local communities, with all partners working collectively to ensure they can attend, participate, achieve and belong. This will require a shift away from a culture of referral and escalation towards a culture of shared problem-solving, early support and collective accountability. Early years settings will be fully integrated within the reform programme. Providers will be supported to strengthen inclusive practice, identify needs earlier and work collaboratively with families and specialist services. Through Family Hubs, health visiting services and early years networks, the partnership will promote a consistent approach to inclusion from the earliest stages of a child’s development, ensuring children develop a strong sense of belonging and engagement from the outset. A structured and consistent school and provider engagement model will support

early years SEND system through closer integration between Family Hubs, health visiting services, maternity services, early years providers, schools, Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology, Occupational Therapy and wider SEND services. This will ensure that children receive support at the earliest possible stage and that families experience a coordinated and accessible pathway through services.

this cultural change. Through regular engagement with school leaders, governors, SENDCOs, early years providers, post-16 leaders and wider staff teams, the partnership will establish a shared understanding of inclusion expectations, local priorities and system responsibilities. Schools and providers will be supported through workforce development, peer collaboration, specialist consultation and the Experts at Hand model to strengthen confidence in meeting a wider range of needs within mainstream and community settings. Qa is linked to school improvement and Mat accountability, and non-compliance triggers escalation through governance Post-16 providers will play an increasingly important role within the SEND system. Colleges, training providers and apprenticeship providers will be actively engaged in reform delivery, including those attended out of area by Isle of Wight young people. Post-16 providers will have access to workforce development, specialist advice and Eah support, ensuring consistent expectations and improved outcomes for young people as they move towards adulthood. Multi-Academy Trusts will be key partners in delivering cultural change. The local area will work closely with Trust leaders to develop shared approaches to inclusion, workforce development, attendance and behaviour, ensuring that inclusive practice is embedded within organisational priorities and leadership accountability frameworks across all trusts operating on the Island. The Experts at Hand model will play a central role in enabling this cultural shift. Through coordinated multi-agency working, Eah will provide early Semh, Ebsa and behaviour support, combining proactive data-led support with clear referral pathways. A multi-agency panel will use attendance, exclusion and demand data to identify children and settings at risk, ensuring support is targeted earlier and consistently. This will enable schools and providers to move from reactive responses to preventative, relational approaches. A key priority will be the prevention of conflict and dispute. The partnership recognises that families are more likely to have confidence in the system when concerns are addressed openly, honestly and at the earliest opportunity. Services will place increased emphasis on listening, collaboration, transparent communication and early problem-solving. Families will be supported to participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their children and young people, reducing the need for formal escalation. The local area will promote a culture of collective accountability for outcomes.

Success will not be measured solely through the performance of individual services but through the extent to which partners work together to improve outcomes. Education, health, social care and wider partners will share responsibility for attendance, inclusion, wellbeing, preparation for adulthood and family experience, supported through aligned governance and performance monitoring. This will be underpinned by a consistent and integrated data approach, with attendance, Ebsa, exclusions, reduced timetables, participation and belonging tracked through the multi-agency SEND dashboard. This data will be used to inform Eah deployment, identify emerging risks and monitor the effectiveness of cultural change interventions. By 2029, the Isle of Wight will have established a more inclusive system culture characterised by high aspirations, shared responsibility and strong partnership working. Children and young people with SEND will experience greater belonging within their local communities, practitioners will have increased confidence in meeting need, and families will report greater trust in the support available to them. Inclusion will be recognised as everyone’s responsibility and embedded within the everyday practice of all organisations across the local area. The Isle of Wight recognises that improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND begins in the earliest years of life. Early identification, timely support and effective support for families will reduce escalation of need and improve long-term outcomes.

Local blueprint for the next 3 years

Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years

2.4 Inclusive system pillar 4: Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours 2.4.2 Enablers

Variable relational and inclusive practice; inconsistent response to Semh and Ebsa Ebsa and attendance not consistently aligned; behaviour systems variable Pupil Voice Not systematically measured; variable

Workforce trained in relational and neurodiversity-informed practice; consistent approach across all settings Integrated SEND attendance and behaviour pathways embedded Cyp belonging measured and embedded in Qa processes

participation Inclusion not consistently a whole-school responsibility

Inclusion embedded as core leadership responsibility

Local blueprint for the next 3 years

Where we are Where we will be in the next 3 years

2.4 Inclusive system pillar 4: Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours 2.4.3 Success measures

Encouraging Inclusive Culture and Behaviours Success measures by 2029 will include:

Persistent absence (SEND):

• SEN Support: 31.2%
• EHCP: 38.0%

Severe absence (EHCP): 10.4% Exclusions (SEND):

SEND persistent absence reduced below national averages;

severe absence for pupils with EHCPs reduced from 10.4% to below 5%;

reduction in Ebsa escalations by at least 40%;

reduction in reduced timetables involving pupils with SEND by 50%;

improved pupil participation and belonging measures across schools;

improved family confidence regarding inclusive practice and emotional wellbeing support;

increased rates of successful reintegration from Ehe and alternative provision.

• SEN Support: 43% suspensions; 47% permanent exclusions

Ebsa: increasing trend (no consistent quantified baseline currently captured) Reduced timetables: increasing; no consistent system-wide dataset Belonging (Cyp voice): not measured consistently across the system Reintegration (Ehe/AP/Section 19):

Limited successful reintegration into full-time education

No consistent performance tracking

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 Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool identifies a SEND system with some examples of high-quality practice across a range of organisations and strong outcomes for some children. However, too many children are not achieving and thriving, and too many families are dissatisfied with their experiences and how prepared their children are for adult life. There are significant determination and ambition to drive improvement and system transformation over the next 3 years and beyond. The local system’s theory of change is based on Kotter’s 8-step process for leading change, specifically creating a sense of urgency; building a guiding coalition; forming a strategic vision and initiatives, enlisting a volunteer army; enabling action by removing barriers; generating short term wins; sustaining acceleration of change; and institutionalising change within the system including as a culture.

The local area partnership does have some elements of the above already in existence, but these need to be adapted, improved and added to in the context of the Schools White paper and the key principles of the SEND Reforms. For example, a SEND Transformation Plan was published in 2025, but it currently lacks urgency in some areas, has insufficient whole system representation and engagement within its guiding coalition, and requires an updated strategic vision and new initiatives.

Examples of changes and improvements already underway in response to the above are the establishment of the Island Education Forum in May 2026, the appointment of new participation and engagement officers for both children and young people and parents and carers by the Isle of Wight Council in June 2026, and the plans for a whole system “Every Child Achieving and Thriving” conference before the end of 2026/27.

The SEND Partnership Board will lead this change, escalating barriers to both the Health and Wellbeing Board (e.g. for matters relating to lead statutory agencies the Iow Council and NHS Hampshire and the Iow) and the Island Education Forum (e.g. for matters relating to multi academy trusts (MATs) and the Department for Education) when they cannot be resolved without.

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

Attached as a separate file due to size of file

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.

Activities across the three-year roadmap are sequenced to:

• establish core infrastructure and system alignment in Year 1 (Stabilise)
• enable delivery at scale and shift system behaviour in Year 2 (Shift)
• embed consistent practice and sustain improved outcomes in Year 3 (Embed) Year 1 does not assume system-wide delivery or impact, with improvements

focused on targeted cohorts and early adoption settings. All trajectories are derived from the SEND Reform Plan data template and local modelling, ensuring alignment between baseline, delivery and forecast outcomes. Roadmap 2026/27 (Stabilise) 2027/28 (Shift) 2028/29 (Embed)

5.1 Inclusive system pillar 1: Strengthening inclusion across education settings Milestones 5.1.1 Oap and Universal Offer – Development and Sign-off Draft Oap framework (all phases EYFS–Post 16) Define inclusion expectations for: adaptive teaching, Semh, communication, attendance Develop Universal Offer framework Undertake co-production activity with: Qa cycle begins to drive consistent system improvement:

• Qa repeated across all schools with increasing consistency
• Lowest-performing schools receive intensive, sustained support Inclusion system fully embedded:
• Oap operating as consistently applied system standard across all settings
• schools/MATs
• early years
• Qa increasingly integrated into

Mat accountability and safeguarding Oap implementation moves from awareness to consistent practice:

• Increasing proportion of schools

applying Oap expectations consistently

• SEN Support planning improving

across phases

• Reduction in variability emerging

(not yet eliminated) Workforce capability enabling behaviour change:

• Training embedded into Cpd

cycles

• Coaching model expanding

(dependent on Eah workforce growth)

• Improving consistency in adaptive

teaching and Semh support Transition system beginning to reduce demand:

• Consistent use of transition

protocols increasing

• EAH-supported transition planning

emerging

• Early reduction in post-transition

escalation in targeted cohorts Locality system increasingly driving consistency:

• Inclusion partnerships actively

managing variation

• Qa, workforce and

school improvement fully aligned

• Consistent SEN

Support practice across all schools Sustained workforce capability:

• Relational and

inclusive practice embedded across workforce

• Cpd, coaching and

supervision operating as standard

• High workforce

confidence and reduced variability Transition and early support system mature:

• Early identification

and support consistent across phases

• Transition-related

escalation significantly reduced

• Eah fully integrated

into early support pathways System-wide consistency achieved:

• Minimal variation

between schools

• Inclusion embedded

in Mat and school accountability

• Fe providers
• Icb + parents/Cyp

Revise documentation following consultation Secure formal multi-agency sign-off

5.1.2. Oap Implementation System Design inclusion Qa framework Develop Qa tools and evidence model Train Qa reviewers (LA + school improvement staff) Complete baseline Qa across All schools Introduce annual Oap self-evaluation process Embed Qa into school improvement, safeguarding, Mat accountability

5.1.3 Workforce Development Programme Design workforce training programme Commission providers / internal delivery model Develop training materials Deliver training across HTs, SENCOs, teachers Introduce SEND competency framework Monitor participation (target 90%) Establish workforce confidence baseline

5.1.4. Transition System Redesign Develop phase transfer protocols Define minimum transition data requirements Identify at-risk cohorts using attendance + SEN data Train school staff on transition model Implement across all schools Introduce EAH-supported transition planning

5.1.5. Reduce Variation Between Schools Establish locality inclusion partnerships Create cluster accountability structures Launch inclusion leadership network Introduce peer review processes Share best practice system-wide

publication of notices, and meaningful opportunities for stakeholder feedback to inform decision-making.

line with the Education Estates Strategy.

Prepare detailed design briefs for new provision and commission Property Services to progress design and delivery.

Refine and embed network arrangements to ensure sustainability, quality assurance, and consistent practice across all bases.

Identify and address any residual gaps in provision through targeted feasibility and planning work.

Ensure all projects are formally closed, with lessons learned captured to inform future capital strategy and programme development.

Update the medium-term capital strategy to reflect delivery outcomes, emerging needs, and long-term sustainability considerations.

Workforce

Sustained Cpd delivery model

Eah supporting workforce development. Ep baseline currently 0; expansion begins from Year 2 as workforce is developed

Data

• SEND dashboard live
• Data used for Qa, intervention and accountability

Success measures Drawing on metrics from the accompanying data template

SEN Support attendance 88.9% to ≥90% EHCP attendance 85.4% to ≥87% 100% schools engaged in Oap rollout and Qa baseline established ≥250 Cyp supported through Eah without EHCP Ehcna demand stabilised at ≤360 (from baseline 383) Baseline established:

Persistent absence: SEN Support 31.2% to <26% EHCP 38% to <32% ≥15% reduction in EHCP requests at SEN Support level ≥20% reduction in post-transition requests Workforce confidence improves ≥20%

SEN Support attendance ≥92% EHCP attendance ≥90% Severe absence (EHCP) 10.4% to <5% ≥30% reduction in SEND exclusions Ehcna demand reduced to ≤345

• reduced timetables
• participation and belonging
• inclusion Qa

Leading indicators

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

• % schools completing Qa
• % workforce trained
• Cyp supported via Eah
• % schools using transition protocol

Reduced timetable usage downward trend 25%

Transition-related Ehcna reductions

Consistent Qa scores across system

Reduced escalation rates

Local roadmap for the next 3 years

2026/27 (Stabilise) 2027/28 (Shift) 2028/29 (Embed)

5.2 Inclusive system pillar 2 Access to specialist support and local placements Milestones Eah is designed as a capacity- building model for settings rather than a direct replacement for specialist provision.

5.2.1. Build and commission the Experts at Hand (Eah) model Design Eah operating model (scope, thresholds, delivery expectations) Agree formal LA–Icb joint commissioning agreement, including funding model, workforce allocation, performance metrics Establish governance:

Eah scaling and beginning to influence system behaviour:

• Eah operating across phases with

increasing workforce capacity

• Workforce expansion (Ep, Salt,

Ot, assistants) enabling broader reach

• Shift from pilot to increasingly

proactive deployment (not yet fully mature) Workforce now enabling delivery at scale:

• Expanded workforce aligned to

Eah and locality delivery

• Reduced reliance on agency

staffing

• Increased capacity to support Cyp

without EHCP AP system beginning to reduce demand:

• AP operating consistently within 3-

tier model

• Reduction in new long-term

placements emerging

• Reintegration rates improving in

targeted cohorts

• Lionheart increasingly functioning

as outreach and reintegration hub Sufficiency pipeline enabling system change:

• Inclusion bases becoming

operational across secondary schools

Integrated Island-wide system fully established:

• Eah established as

core system mechanism across all phases and fully integrated into early support pathways

• Workforce capacity

aligned to demand across all localities Sufficient local provision meeting need:

• Inclusion bases and

specialist provision meeting majority of demand

• Outreach fully

integrated into mainstream support

• Post-16 pathways

fully established locally AP operating as short- term support only:

• High reintegration

rates to mainstream

• Minimal reliance on

EOTAS and long-term placements Sustainable local system:

• Minimal reliance on

independent and out- of-area provision

SEND Partnership Board (strategic) The Integrated Care Board will co-commission and co-deliver the Eah model, including responsibility for Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and neurodevelopmental services, with shared accountability for outcomes and performance.

• Eah Operational Board (delivery, Qa, workforce oversight)

Define delivery model: 70% proactive / 30% referral model Set up monthly multi-agency Eah panel

• define membership (education, health, social care)
• define dataset used (attendance, EHCP requests, AP, EOTAS, etc.)

Develop and publish Eah access pathways:

• schools
• early years providers
• post-16 (including out-of-area Fe)

Establish monitoring framework:

• referrals
• outcomes
• equity of access

5.2.2 Workforce expansion and sustainability Complete workforce needs analysis aligned to: EHCP growth (2006 to 2990), therapy demand Recruit:

• Ep (including trainees and assistants)
• Salt (Band 5–7 + assistants)
• Ot workforce

Develop workforce structure: assistants therapy support roles Establish supervision model, Cpd framework and retention strategy Launch “Grow Your Own” programme including apprenticeships and degree pathways

5.2.3 Alternative Provision (AP) recommissioning

Complete full review of:

• Primary provision expanding in

priority areas

• Early increase in local placement

capacity Non-EHCP pathways increasingly used:

• Schools routinely accessing

therapy and Semh support without EHCP

• Reduced reliance on statutory

pathways in targeted cohorts System shift:

• Movement from statutory-led

system to earlier support

• Increased proportion of Cyp

supported locally

• Early reduction in Ehcna demand

(targeted cohorts, not system-wide)

• Reduced transport

demand and improved accessibility

• Financial

sustainability improved through reduced external placements System impact:

• Majority of Cyp

supported without escalation

• Sustained reduction in

Ehcna demand

• High proportion of

Cyp educated locally across all phases

• AP
• Section 19
• EOTAS usage

Design new AP model aligned to 3-tier framework:

• Tier 1: in-school support
• Tier 2: short-term placements
• Tier 3: specialist AP provision

Define entry criteria and exit / reintegration criteria Agree role of Lionheart:

• AP hub
• Semh outreach
• reintegration support

Establish monitoring including placement duration and reintegration outcomes

5.2.4 Sufficiency and capital strategy Complete SEND sufficiency review aligned to data:

• EHCP growth
• placement trends
• transport demand

Map existing provision baseline 735 specialist places Identify gaps in:

• early years provision
• mainstream inclusion capacity
• post-16 pathways

Develop 3-year sufficiency plan for inclusion bases (all secondaries), locality- based primary provision and specialist expansion (where justified) Align capital investment:

• accessibility adaptations
• sensory environments
• reduced travel distances

5.2.5 Develop specialist non-EHCP pathways Design therapy access pathways (no EHCP required):

• Salt
• Ot
• Semh
• Neurodiversity (Ndt Team)

Integrate into Eah delivery model

Define eligibility and thresholds Communicate to all schools and families

Enablers

Capital Inclusion base rollout across secondary schools Local primary inclusion capacity Post-16 provision expansion Estate adaptation aligned to SEND needs Workforce Expanded Ep, Salt, Ot, Semh workforce Island-based workforce model Reduced agency dependence “Grow Your Own” fully embedded Data / Digital Integrated SEND dashboard used to:

• drive Eah deployment
• inform sufficiency planning
• monitor AP and placements

Success measures Drawing on metrics from the accompanying data template

≥250 Cyp supported through Eah Salt reach increasing from 482 to 496 Ot reach increasing from 270 to 278 Independent placement growth stabilised Baseline established:

≥750 Cyp supported annually through Eah ≥500 receiving Salt / Ot / Ep support without EHCP Exclusions down ≥15% Reduced timetables ↓ 25% Independent placement growth stabilised Reduction in AP / EOTAS usage

≥1,500 Cyp supported annually ≥1,000 supported without EHCP Independent placements down 25% Capacity expanded: 734 to 1214 places Salt reach increased to 527 Ot reach increased to 294 Transport demand reduced. More Cyp educated locally and reliance on out of area provision is reduced.

• AP usage
• EOTAS
• independent placements
• therapy access without EHCP

Capacity trajectory: 735 to 882 places Increased therapy access outside EHCP AP placements stabilised below forecast growth Reintegration planning established across priority cohorts Early reduction in long-term placements (targeted cohorts) Reduction is driven by three primary levers: 40% from Eah early support (reducing escalation)

35% from improved SEN Support through Qa/Oap 25% from transition and attendance stabilisation

Reduction in AP placement duration Increased reintegration rates to mainstream Reduction in EOTAS / Section 19 usage Leading indicators

Eah partially operational (panel functioning monthly) Workforce recruitment milestones achieved (by discipline) % schools accessing Eah support Reduction timetable transparency established % AP placements with reintegration plan

Increased outreach activity (target +80%) Increase in non-EHCP therapy referrals Reduced placement breakdown rates Improved attendance in Eah cohorts

Sustained reduction in escalation to EHCP Improved placement stability Increased local placements vs Ooa Workforce retention improved across disciplines

Local roadmap for the next 3 years

2026/27 (Stabilise) establish core system infrastructure (Oap, Qa, workforce, transition

2027/28 (Shift) 2028/29 (Embed)

5.3 Inclusive system pillar 3: System leadership, local partnership collaboration and co-production Milestones 5.3.1. Governance reset and system accountability Review and redesign SEND Partnership Board structure: Governance driving system delivery:

• SEND Partnership Board operating

as primary strategic decision-making forum

• Eah Operational Board driving

delivery, workforce and Qa alignment

• Joint LA–Icb accountability

embedded through shared reporting and decision-making Multi-agency data system enabling decision-making: Governance fully embedded and accountable:

• Governance

structures operating consistently across all SEND activity

• Joint LA–Icb

accountability embedded with shared ownership of outcomes

• Decision-making fully

aligned to system priorities and performance data

• confirm membership (LA, Icb, schools, MATs, EYFS, Fe)
• define roles, responsibilities and decision-making powers

Map all SEND governance groups and rationalise to clarify escalation routes and remove duplication Establish clear accountability model:

• LA and Icb joint accountability for Eah and key outcomes

Define governance cadence:

• SEND Partnership Board (strategic)
• Eah Operational Board (delivery)

Develop and publish governance framework document and reporting structure

5.3.2. Build the multi-agency SEND data system Define full dataset for SEND dashboard:

• SEND dashboard operational with

increasing completeness and reliability across core datasets

• Dashboard routinely used to inform

commissioning (Eah, AP, sufficiency)

• Data increasingly used to identify

high-risk cohorts and inform targeted support (alongside professional judgement) Data processes improving system control:

• Majority of workstreams submitting

consistent, timely data

• Monthly and quarterly reporting

embedded

• Data quality improving through Qa

processes Co-production influencing system design:

• Cyp and parent participation

embedded across core workstreams

• “You Said, We Did” reporting used

to inform service changes

• Increased transparency in

decision-making System-wide partnership engagement strengthening delivery:

• Island Education Forum driving

alignment with schools and MATs

• Early years and Fe providers

increasingly engaged in SEND system

• Providers participating in Qa, Oap

and data processes System shift:

Data fully integrated into system operation:

• SEND dashboard

embedded across all workstreams

• Data consistently

used in commissioning, workforce planning and sufficiency decisions

• High levels of data

completeness and reliability Data processes sustained and embedded:

• Near full compliance

with data submission across all partners

• Consistent reporting

embedded across governance and delivery

• Data quality assured

through routine Qa processes Co-production embedded as standard system practice:

• Cyp and parent voice

consistently influencing service design and evaluation

• Co-production

integrated into Qa, commissioning and system improvement

• Sustained

improvement in

• attendance (SEN Support + EHCP)
• exclusions and reduced timetables
• EHCP demand and timeliness
• AP / EOTAS / Ehe
• therapy access (Salt, Ot, Ep)
• parental confidence
• workforce confidence

Map existing data sources across:

• education
• health
• social care

Design dashboard structure for reporting format and user access Establish data-sharing agreements across partners Build and test dashboard (phased rollout) Introduce consistent data definitions across services

5.3.3 Embed data collection and reporting processes Define data collection responsibilities across all workstreams Establish reporting cadence:

• monthly operational
• quarterly strategic (SEND Board)

Train staff in data input and data interpretation

• Introduce Qa process for data accuracy

5.3.4 Build co-production infrastructure Define co-production model Identify and recruit:

• Cyp participation groups
• parent/carer representatives

Establish:

• Parent Champion networks
• locality engagement forums

Design engagement cycle:

• consultation
• feedback
• decision-making input

Introduce “You Said, We Did” reporting across all workstreams

5.3.5 Expand and formalise system-wide partnership engagement

Drawing on metrics from the accompanying data template

Tribunal activity stabilised or reduced Workforce confidence upward trend ≥20% Parent participation increased across all forums

Tribunal escalation reduced 100% commissioning decisions data-driven Evidence of co- production in all major service changes Leading indicators

• parental confidence
• complaints, mediation, tribunals
• workforce confidence

Governance structure fully implemented Co-production groups established in all localities

% partners attending SEND Partnership Board % services contributing data to dashboard co-production activities completed % workstreams using “You Said, We Did” Data completeness and accuracy scores

% decisions in SEND Board supported by data Eah deployments triggered by dashboard data Increased parent engagement participation Timeliness of data reporting

Consistent use of dashboard across all governance levels Improved data quality and completeness Sustained improvement in parent feedback Reduced escalation to dispute routes

Local roadmap for the next 3 years

2026/27 (Stabilise) 2027/28 (Shift) 2028/29 (Implement/Embed)

5.4 Inclusive system pillar 4: Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours Milestones 5.4.1. Develop and implement SEND Attendance and Ebsa Strategy Analyse attendance, Ebsa and exclusion data to identify high-risk cohorts Design Island-wide SEND attendance strategy aligned to: SEND attendance and Ebsa strategy driving early support:

• Ebsa pathway consistently applied

across schools

• Attendance thresholds used to

trigger early support

• Increased use of Eah for

attendance and Semh support Workforce capability changing practice:

• Relational and inclusive practice

embedded through Cpd cycles Relational and inclusive practice fully embedded:

• Workforce consistently applying relational and trauma- informed approaches
• Behaviour and inclusion competency embedded in school systems
• early support
• regulation and Semh support
• belonging and participation

Define thresholds for support vs escalation and consistent expectations for schools Develop Ebsa pathway including:

• identification criteria
• referral process (linked to Eah)
• stepped support model

Consult with schools and MATs, early years and post-16 and Icb and families

Finalise and launch strategy Embed into:

• Coaching and supervision model

sustained through Eah

• Improved staff confidence in

managing behaviour and Ebsa Reduced timetable system reducing inappropriate use:

• Central tracking system fully

operational

• Reduction in new reduced

timetables where not justified

• Improved reintegration planning

and review processes Belonging and participation framework informing support:

• Framework rolled out across

majority of schools

• Schools identifying pupils at risk of

disengagement

• Data used to target Semh and

attendance support Eah driving behaviour and attendance support:

• Eah routinely used for behaviour

and attendance support

• Shift from reactive to early support

model

• Reduced escalation to exclusion

and AP in targeted schools Peer and community support strengthening early help:

• Increased access to Family Hubs

and peer support groups

• Schools routinely signposting to

community provision

• Early reduction in escalation in

supported cohorts

• Sustained workforce

confidence and reduced variability Attendance and behaviour system aligned:

• Attendance, Ebsa

and behaviour systems fully integrated

• Eah embedded as

core mechanism for behaviour and attendance support

• Reduced reliance on

exclusion, AP and EOTAS Reduced timetable and oversight system sustained:

• Consistent use of

reduced timetable policy across all schools

• Minimal use of

inappropriate part-time provision

• Strong reintegration

outcomes for all pupils Belonging and participation embedded:

• Framework fully

integrated into Qa and school improvement

• Sustained

improvement in

• school policies
• attendance guidance
• safeguarding frameworks

5.4.2 Build workforce capability in relational and inclusive practice Design Cpd programme for:

• Semh and trauma-informed practice
• neurodiversity-informed approaches
• adaptive behaviour responses
• Ebsa management

Identify delivery model of internal specialists, Rest and Eah practitioners Deliver training across:

• teachers
• SENCOs
• pastoral and leadership staff

Introduce behaviour/inclusion competency framework Establish coaching and supervision model via Eah

5.4.3 Establish reduced timetable and AP oversight system Define Island-wide policy for reduced timetables and part-time provision Re-introduce a mandatory reporting system and central LA tracking Define approval and review process:

• entry criteria
• timescales
• reintegration expectations

Align reduced timetable usage with:

• Ebsa pathway
• Eah support
• AP and reintegration planning

5.4.4 Develop belonging and participation measurement framework Define indicators for:

• belonging
• engagement
• participation

Design tools:

• pupil surveys

engagement and participation

• Early identification of

disengagement embedded across system Community and peer support embedded:

• Strong locality-based

support networks across all areas

• Families accessing

support without escalation

• Reduced reliance on

statutory services for lower-level need System impact: Sustained improvement in attendance across SEN cohorts Reduction in exclusions, Ebsa and reduced timetables Majority of pupils successfully supported in mainstream settings Ehcna demand stabilised and reducing over time Enablers

System shift: Improved attendance stability across SEN cohorts Reduction in Ebsa escalation in targeted groups Increased proportion of pupils supported in mainstream

• qualitative feedback
• Qa observation measures

Pilot in schools and refine Integrate into inclusion Qa and school self-evaluation

5.4.5. Embed Eah in behaviour and attendance support Define Semh and attendance as core Eah priorities Develop Eah deployment model for:

• attendance risk
• Ebsa
• behaviour escalation

Train schools on Eah access for behaviour support

5.4.6 Strengthen peer and community support offer Map current community and voluntary support Identify gaps across Island localities Establish additional peer support groups:

• by geography
• by need type

Link:

• schools
• Family Hubs
• voluntary organisations

Capital Investment in inclusive spaces (sensory, regulation, inclusion bases) Workforce Sustained relational practice training Eah coaching and specialist support Data Dashboard tracking:

• attendance
• Ebsa
• behaviour
• belonging

Data used for early identification and targeted support Success measures

SEN not in education stabilised at ≤94 (from 84 baseline) Attendance decline halted in targeted cohorts Early reduction in Ebsa escalation (priority groups) Reduced timetable baseline established and monitored Where baseline data is incomplete (Ebsa, reduced timetables), we are establishing a Q2 baseline using new central reporting, with early estimates of range. Decisions in Year 1 are informed by proxy indicators (attendance, Qa, exclusion). Baseline established:

Reduced timetables down ≥25% Ebsa down (trend reduction) Attendance improves in EAH- supported cohort Workforce confidence upward trend ≥20% Participation and belonging measures improve

Persistent absence below national Ebsa downward trend ≥40% Exclusions downward trend ≥30% Sustained improvement in belonging measures Increased mainstream retention

• Ebsa
• reduced timetables
• belonging

100% schools reporting reduced timetable usage Early identification of attendance/Semh risk improved Eah referrals include Semh/attendance cohort

Leading indicators

% schools implementing SEND attendance strategy % workforce trained in Semh/Ebsa % reduced timetables with review plans Cyp supported via Eah for Semh/attendance baseline belonging scores collected

Increased early support cases vs crisis referrals Reduced escalation to exclusions/AP Increased pupil voice participation Eah outreach activity increased

Improved inclusion Qa outcomes Reduced escalation into EHCP/AP pathways High parental confidence Stable attendance trajectories

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.

2026-27 Local Delivery Plan Year 1 delivery is structured around the DfE core minimum requirements, ensuring alignment between national expectations and local system reform.

Q2 All Year 1 baselines and trajectories are derived from the SEND Reform Plan data template and local system modelling. Year 1 focuses on establishing baselines, stabilising demand and delivering early targeted impact, with system-wide outcomes achieved from Year 2 onwards.

Q3 Q4

Outcome and success measure

Responsible lead per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream 6.1 Inclusive system pillar 1: Strengthening inclusion across mainstream settings Mainstream settings are the default for the majority of children and young people with SEND, with specialist provision used where needs cannot be met within inclusive mainstream environments. 6.1.1 Oap and Universal Offer – Development, sign-off and implementation Year 1 delivery approach: Year 1 will focus on system design, co- production, and initial phased implementation. Delivery will prioritise highest-risk cohorts and schools, with no assumption of system- wide delivery in Year 1. Full system coverage

Accountable: Service Director Education, Inclusion and Access Delivery leads: Workforce Development Lead, School Improvement Lead (teacher practice)

Oap Framework document produced by Service Manager Inclusion with Eps and School Improvement, setting Island-wide expectations for adaptive teaching, Semh, communication and

Ehcna baseline confirmed at 383 EHCP growth trajectory confirmed (+12%) System now has agreed inclusion standard ready

Universal Oap training delivered through phased rollout (cluster- based delivery), co-delivered with schools and Mat partners by Workforce Development

Ehcna trajectory stabilising towards ≤360 (no assumption of reduction driven by Eah at this stage) EHCP conversion stabilising towards ≤128

Qa moderation sessions delivered by Qa Lead with Mat partners, aligning scoring, defining consistent standards and reducing system variation

Ehcna showing stabilisation towards ≤360, with reduction to ≤345 delivered in Years 2–3 EHCP conversion showing stabilisation

attendance across EYFS–Post‑16 Universal Offer developed by SEND Strategic Lead with Icb (Salt, Ot) and Family Hubs, mapping access to services available without an EHCP Threshold and escalation framework defined by Inclusion Lead with Eps and School Improvement, clarifying SEN Support expectations, Eah triggers and statutory thresholds Co-production programme delivered by Participation Lead with schools, MATs, Ey, Fe and Pcf, including locality sessions and partner forums, producing structured feedback Oap and Universal Offer revised by Service Manager

and sustained impact will be delivered in Years 2–3. Outcome: Develop, agree and phased implementation a single Island-wide Oap and Universal Offer enabling all settings to meet need at SEN Support and reduce escalation into statutory processes. Success measures:

Eps Lead (adaptive teaching) Salt Lead (communication) Eah Operational Lead (coaching and Semh practice) Data Lead (monitoring participation and confidence) Partners: School Improvement, Eps, Salt, Ot (Icb), MATs, Ey, Fe, Pcf

for phased implementation from Q3

Lead with Eps, Salt and School Improvement, covering Oap expectations, adaptive teaching, communication strategies, Semh/Ebsa and threshold decision- making All schools complete Oap self-evaluation led by Headteachers and SENCOs, with Qa validation conducted for priority cohorts of schools in Year 1, resulting in scoring and categorisation (top 20%, bottom quartile) Qa dataset produced by Data Lead, identifying weakest domains and informing

SEN not in education growth halted ≤94

Qa findings increasingly embedded into accountability for core workstreams (school improvement, safeguarding and Mat oversight), with full system alignment planned for Year 2 Annual Oap self- evaluation process formalised and issued to all schools, establishing expectation for repeat cycle Eah early delivery phase (workforce dependent): Initial newly recruited practitioners begin contributing to delivery where appointments have been made Delivery remains targeted and

towards ≤128, with reduction to ≤125 delivered in Years 2–3 SEN not in education ≤94 vs forecast 104

Ehcna: 383 to stabilised towards ≤360 in Year 1, with reduction to ≤345 in Years 2–3

EHCP conversion: 131 to stabilised towards ≤128 in Year 1, with further reduction to ≤125 in Years 2–3 SEN not in education: 84 to ≤94

Inclusion following co-production and presented by Director of Children’s Services to SEND Partnership Board for formal multi- agency sign-off Oap self-evaluation tool produced by Qa Lead with School Improvement, including domain scoring (A–D) and evidence requirements Recruitment process initiated for Eah Operational Lead (new post) and associated practitioner roles, recognising standard recruitment and onboarding timelines, with no assumption of delivery capacity until roles are filled.

system response Eah mobilisation phase begins: Eah Operational Lead (subject to recruitment timelines) begins coordination of model Eah panel and pathways tested with schools and partners Workforce onboarding commences for newly recruited practitioners (where appointments have been made) Limited delivery (capacity constrained): Targeted support delivered using existing workforce capacity (Eps,

cohort-focused, not system-wide Model refined through co- production with schools and partners based on early implementation learning System position: Early improvement evident in priority schools and cohorts only Eah not yet operating at scale Full delivery and system impact dependent on workforce capacity in Year 2

Salt, School Improvement) Focus on highest-risk cohorts only (attendance, Semh, transition) No assumption of system-wide delivery at this stage Targeted improvement plans co- developed and implemented by School Improvement Lead with Mat partners and school leaders in lowest- performing schools, with structured support and follow-up 2026-27 Local Delivery Plan Q2 Q3 Q4 Outcome and success measure

Responsible lead per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream 6.1 Inclusive system pillar 1: Strengthening inclusion across mainstream settings 6.1.2 Workforce development programme

Outcome: Design and implement a system-wide Workforce Development Programme that builds staff capability to meet SEND needs at SEN Support, increasing early support and reducing reliance on statutory processes. Success measures:

Accountable: Programme Development Lead Delivery leads: School Improvement Lead (teacher practice) Eps Lead (adaptive teaching) Salt Lead (communication) Eah Operational Lead (coaching and Semh practice) Data Lead (monitoring participation and confidence) Partners: Schools, MATs, Icb (Salt, Ot), Eah practitioners

Workforce Needs Analysis completed by Workforce Development Lead with Data Lead and School Improvement, analysing EHCP growth, Ehcna trends and Qa pilot findings to identify gaps in adaptive teaching, Semh and communication Workforce Training Programme designed by Workforce Development Lead with Eps, Salt and Eah leads, producing a full curriculum including: adaptive teaching module (scaffolding, differentiation) – developed by Eps communication module (language modelling, classroom strategies) – developed by Salt Semh/Ebsa module (regulation, behaviour cycles) – developed by Eah/Rest

Workforce baseline established: Salt reach confirmed at ~482 to 496 forecast Ot reach confirmed at ~270 to 278 forecast Ep baseline currently 0; expansion begins from Year 2 as workforce is developed Workforce capability gaps clearly identified (no immediate demand reduction yet), with delivery model and training programme ready for phased implementation from Q3

Universal training delivered to all schools through phased rollout (cluster-based delivery), co- delivered with schools and Mat partners by Workforce Development Lead with School Improvement, Eps and Salt, including structured sessions on Oap implementation, adaptive teaching, communication strategies and Semh/Ebsa Training delivered to Headteachers, SENCOs and classroom staff in phased rollout, with attendance tracked centrally by Data Lead Targeted SENCO and

Workforce participation approaching progression towards ≥90% Salt reach increasing towards ≥510 (through existing service expansion) Ot reach increasing towards ≥285 Improved early support practice emerging in priority schools, contributing to stabilisation of Ehcna demand (no assumption of reduction driven by workforce changes in Year 1 alone)

Qa findings analysed by Qa Lead and Workforce Development Lead to identify workforce skills gaps across schools Targeted retraining modules developed by Eps, Salt and School Improvement, focusing on identified gaps such as advanced Semh practice, complex communication needs and attendance support Targeted training delivered to lowest performing schools, co- developed with Mat partners and school leaders, including follow-up support and coaching EAH-supported coaching begins

Salt reach increasing towards ≥510, with trajectory to ≥520 in Years 2–3 Ot reach increasing towards ≥285, with trajectory to ≥290 in Years 2–3 Workforce confidence shows measurable improvement (≥20%) Ehcna demand showing stabilisation, with sustained reduction to ≤345 delivered in Years 2–3 supported by improved workforce capability

Salt reach: 482 increase towards ≥510 in Year 1, with further increase to ≥520 in Years 2–3

Ot reach: 270 increase towards ≥285 in Year 1, with further increase to ≥290 in Years 2–3

Workforce confidence baseline established and improved

Contribution to stabilising and reducing the Ehcna demand trajectory over time

threshold decision- making module (graduated response and escalation) – developed by Inclusion Lead SEND Competency Framework developed by Workforce Development Lead with School Improvement and Eps, defining expected knowledge and skills for teachers, SENCOs and leaders Training materials produced by delivery leads (Eps, Salt, Eah, School Improvement) including slide decks, facilitator notes, recorded sessions and implementation guides Delivery model commissioned by Workforce Development Lead with Icb and internal services, confirming delivery responsibility for each training

leadership training delivered by School Improvement Lead with Eps and Inclusion Lead, focusing on SEN Support planning, support design and threshold decision- making Initial in-school coaching and modelling delivered through existing capacity (Eps, Salt and School Improvement), focused on priority and highest-need schools identified through Qa and data analysis Eah mobilisation for workforce support: Eah Operational Lead (subject to

to emerge (workforce dependent): Initial newly recruited practitioners contribute to coaching where available Delivery remains targeted and focused on priority schools Full coaching model dependent on workforce capacity in Year 2 Cpd model established across most schools, with full embedding achieved in Year 2, aligning training to Qa cycles and school improvement priorities Workforce confidence re- surveyed and analysed, measuring improvement and

module and agreement of training schedule with all schools and MATs Baseline workforce confidence survey designed and issued by Data Lead, establishing starting point for measuring impact of the programme

recruitment timelines) begins coordination of coaching model Workforce onboarding commences for newly recruited practitioners (where appointments have been made) Eah practitioner-led coaching not yet operating at scale in Year 1 Workforce participation monitored by Data Lead and Workforce Development Lead, ensuring progression towards ≥90% participation and identifying gaps in attendance Workforce confidence baseline analysed to

identifying remaining areas of need Workforce development increasingly aligned to system accountability, with full integration into Qa and school improvement in Year 2

behaviour and Semh needs current support and strategies Standardised Transition Template produced by Inclusion Lead with schools and Mat representatives, ensuring consistency in how pupil information is recorded and transferred across settings At-risk cohort identification model developed by Data Lead using attendance, SEN, and behavioural data, producing criteria for identifying pupils at risk of transition failure (e.g. persistent absence, Semh needs, complex SEN) Transition training package produced by School Improvement Lead with Eps and Eah practitioners, including:

and Salt, ensuring staff understand how to:

• use transition

templates

• identify risk

early

• plan targeted

support Schools complete transition planning for identified at-risk pupils, prioritising highest-risk cohorts in Year 1, led by SENCOs, using the standardised template and incorporating attendance, Semh and SEN Support strategies EAH-informed transition planning approach established: Transition planning supported

Targeted support for schools with weakest transition practice delivered by School Improvement, supported by existing specialist services (Eps, Salt) EAH-supported transition delivery begins to emerge (workforce dependent): Initial newly recruited practitioners contribute to transition planning where available Delivery remains targeted and focused on priority cohorts Full Eah integration into transition pathways achieved in Year 2 Transition system established within the annual cycle, with full

Improved attendance in identified transition cohorts Increased proportion of transitions supported through SEN Support and Eah

6.1 Inclusive system pillar 1: Strengthening inclusion across mainstream settings 6.1.4 Reduce variations between schools Outcome: Establish a structured Island-wide system of locality partnerships, peer challenge and leadership collaboration that reduces variation in inclusive practice between schools and ensures consistent delivery of the Oap. Success measures:

Accountable: School Improvement Lead Delivery leads: Inclusion Lead (alignment to Oap expectations) Qa Lead (use of Qa data to identify variation) Workforce Development Lead (shared learning and Cpd) Partners: Mat leaders, Headteachers, SENCOs, Eps, Eah practitioners, Diocesan Boards, School Improvement partners

Locality Inclusion Partnership structure established by School Improvement Lead with Mat leaders, grouping schools into 6–8 locality clusters with defined membership and leadership representation Cluster accountability model developed by School Improvement Lead with Inclusion Lead, setting expectations that each locality cluster is responsible for improving inclusion outcomes and reducing variation across member schools Inclusion Leadership Network launched by Inclusion Lead with School Improvement, bringing together Headteachers and SENCOs across all schools to provide a formal forum for

System structures for collaboration and challenge established, with partnerships and peer review model ready for phased implementation from Q3

Locality Inclusion Partnerships operationalised with each cluster beginning regular implementation cycles focused on priority areas and schools, co-led by School Improvement Lead with Headteachers and SENCOs Cluster accountability processes implemented by School Improvement Lead, requiring each cluster to review Qa data and identify schools requiring support and improvement actions Inclusion Leadership Network meetings

Increased consistency in practice emerging across participating schools and clusters Early improvement in lowest- performing schools Contributes to stabilisation of Ehcna demand towards ≤360 (no assumption of system-wide impact in Year 1)

Cluster accountability established across all clusters, with full maturity achieved in Year 2, led by School Improvement Lead with Mat leaders Repeated peer review cycles implemented across representative schools and clusters in Year 1, with full system coverage achieved in Year 2, coordinated by Qa Lead Variation in Qa scores analysed by Data Lead and Qa Lead, identifying remaining gaps between schools and directing further support Targeted support deployed by School Improvement

Measurable reduction in variation across Qa scores beginning in Year 1, with sustained reduction achieved in Years 2–3 Reduction in proportion of schools graded C/D (initial improvement in Year 1) Consistent application of Oap increasingly evident across participating schools and clusters Ehcna demand showing early stabilisation, with sustained reduction to ≤345 delivered in Years 2–3

Reduction trend in variation between schools established (measured through Qa scores), with sustained reduction achieved in Years 2–3

Decrease in proportion of schools graded C/D over time, with initial improvement in Year 1 Improved consistency in SEN Support practice across all clusters

shared leadership, communication and system-wide alignment to Oap expectations Peer review model designed by Qa Lead with School Improvement and Mat representatives, including: peer visit structure agreed observation focus (aligned to Oap domains) feedback format and reporting expectations Best practice identification process agreed by School Improvement Lead and Workforce Development Lead, defining how effective practice (e.g. adaptive teaching, Semh strategies) is captured and shared across schools

delivered by Inclusion Lead, focusing on:

• sharing

system priorities

• aligning

interpretation of Oap expectations

• reviewing

emerging Qa findings Peer review visits conducted by trained school leaders coordinated by Qa Lead, with representative group of schools and clusters participating in Year 1, focusing on:

• adaptive

teaching practice

• SEN Support

planning

• Semh and

attendance approaches Best practice shared across the system,

Lead, supported by existing specialist services (Eps, Salt), focusing on improving weakest domains in priority schools and clusters EAH-support begins to emerge (workforce dependent): Initial newly recruited practitioners contribute to targeted support where available Delivery remains targeted and focused on priority schools and clusters Full Eah contribution to variation reduction achieved in Year 2 Best practice systematised and embedded within participating clusters and priority schools, with full system embedding

initially focused on priority themes identified through Qa and peer review, co- developed with schools and Mat partners through cluster meetings, training and shared learning activity

achieved in Year 2, ensuring successful approaches are incorporated into training programmes and expected practice across all schools

2026-27 Local Delivery Plan Q2 Q3 Q4 Outcome and success measure

Responsible lead per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream 6.2 Inclusive system pillar 2: Access to specialist support and local placements This model enables children and young people to access specialist support earlier and without requiring an EHCP, reducing escalation into statutory processes. 6.2.1 Build and commission the Experts at Hand (Eah) model Year 1 will focus on mobilisation of the model, including recruitment, onboarding and pathway development, with only limited targeted delivery using limited existing capacity. Full delivery and system impact will be achieved progressively through Years 2–3 as workforce capacity is established. Outcome: Design, commission and mobilise a multi-agency Experts at Hand (Eah) model, providing early multidisciplinary support, with phased implementation and delivery dependent on workforce recruitment and onboarding. On the Isle of Wight, this model is critical to

2.1.1 Eah Operating Model developed by SEND Strategic Lead with Icb partners, producing a formal specification including scope (Salt, Ot, Ep, Semh), thresholds for access, and expected delivery activities (consultation,

Accountable: SEND Strategic Lead Delivery leads: Icb Commissioning Lead (health partner delivery) Eah Operational Lead (model setup and deployment) Data Lead (dataset and monitoring) Partners:

Eah system fully designed and governance established, with delivery infrastructure in place to commence phased rollout from Q3 System prepared to

Eah mobilisation phase begins: Eah Operational Board begins oversight of model (subject to recruitment timelines for Chair/Lead)

Initial Eah activity established (volume dependent on workforce availability) Early increase in access to Salt/Ot/Ep through existing services and pilot activity

Eah early delivery phase (workforce dependent): Initial newly recruited practitioners contribute to delivery where appointments have been made

Up to ≤250 Cyp supported through Eah in Year 1 (dependent on workforce availability) Increased access to Salt/Ot/Ep without EHCP in targeted cohorts Ehcna showing

reducing reliance on mainland services, ensuring equitable access across dispersed rural communities and supporting small schools with limited internal specialist capacity. Year 1 delivery will focus on system design, commissioning, recruitment and initial mobilisation, with only limited targeted delivery using existing and emerging capacity. Full system delivery and impact will be achieved progressively through Years 2–3 as workforce capacity is established.

Icb (Salt, Ot, neurodevelopmental services), Schools, Early Years, Fe, Social Care, School Improvement

modelling, targeted support) with design explicitly reflecting Island constraints, including geography, workforce availability and the need to minimise travel to mainland provision. Joint LA–Icb commissioning agreement agreed by Director of Children’s Services and Icb Commissioning Lead, setting out funding model, workforce allocation (Salt, Ot, Ep), and agreed performance metrics (volume, outcomes, equity of access) Eah Governance structure established by SEND Partnership Board, including: SEND Partnership Board oversight (strategic governance with shared LA–Icb accountability) Eah Operational Board (delivery, Qa and workforce

commence early support at targeted scale in Q3 (no demand reduction expected in Q2)

Monthly multi- agency panel established and operational, testing processes using real cases Panel uses agreed dataset (attendance, EHCP demand, AP, EOTAS) to identify highest- risk cohorts and refine targeting approach Workforce mobilisation: Initial recruitment outcomes realised where possible (subject to market and timelines) Workforce onboarding begins for newly recruited practitioners (where appointments have been made)

Ehcna trajectory stabilising towards ≤360 No assumption of reduction driven by Eah in Year 1

Delivery expands within targeted cohorts and priority localities only Model refined based on Q3 implementation learning and co- production with schools and partners Eah deployment remains constrained by workforce capacity and is not yet system- wide Eah increasingly aligned to system priorities: Deployment informed by Qa findings, workforce capacity and school improvement priorities Integration into wider system functions (Qa, workforce, attendance) begins

stabilisation towards ≤360, with reduction to ≤345 delivered in Years 2–3 Early reduction in escalation within targeted cohorts only No system-wide reduction expected in Year 1

oversight chaired by Eah Operational Lead) Eah delivery model defined by Eah Operational Lead, confirming a 70% proactive / 30% referral approach, with proactive targeting based on system data Multi-agency Eah panel designed and set up by Eah Operational Lead with Data Lead, including defined membership (education, health, social care) and a standard panel pack containing referral template and agreed dataset (attendance, EHCP demand, AP, EOTAS indicators) Eah access pathway guidance produced and published by SEND Strategic Lead, covering access routes for schools, early years providers and post‑16 (including out-of-area Fe), and

No assumption of full workforce capacity in Q3 Limited delivery (capacity constrained): Targeted support delivered using existing workforce capacity (Salt, Eps, School Improvement, Icb services) Focus on highest-risk cohorts and priority settings only. Delivery not system- wide Schools, led by Headteachers and SENCOs, begin engaging with Eah pathways, testing referral and engagement processes Monitoring established:

Monitoring framework operational: Regular reporting on: - Cyp supported - types of support - equity of access Data used to inform Year 2 scale-up planning System position: Early increased access to specialist support in targeted cohorts No assumption of full system coverage in Year 1 Foundations in place for scaling in Year 2

skilled, Island-based workforce across Ep, Salt and Ot services, supporting the development of the Eah model, with capacity growth dependent on recruitment, onboarding and retention. Year 1 will focus on workforce mobilisation, recruitment pipeline development and initial capacity growth, with only early increases in operational capacity realised in Year

• Full workforce

sufficiency and sustained impact will be achieved in Years 2–3. Success measures:

Delivery leads: Hr Lead (recruitment and workforce planning) Icb Workforce Lead (Salt, Ot workforce delivery) Eps Lead (Ep workforce) Workforce Development Lead (Cpd and retention) Partners: Icb, Hr, universities, training providers, schools, Eah Operational Board

completed by SEND Strategic Lead with Hr Lead, Icb Workforce Lead and Eps Lead, using EHCP growth data (2006 to projected 2990), therapy demand and current workforce capacity to identify required staffing levels across Ep, Salt and Ot Recruitment plan developed by Hr Lead with Eps Lead and Icb Workforce Lead, defining required roles including: EPs (including trainees and assistant EPs) Salt (Band 5–7 therapists and assistants) Ot workforce (qualified therapists and support staff) Workforce structure model designed by SEND Strategic Lead with Icb and Eps, including: assistant roles

capacity confirmed expansion programme ready to deliver, with recruitment pipeline established and initial capacity increases planned from Q3

continues, led by Hr Lead with Eps Lead and Icb Workforce Lead, including national and local advertising, engagement with training providers, and targeted recruitment activity for shortage roles Initial recruitment outcomes achieved where possible (subject to recruitment market and timelines), with some roles filled and others progressing through recruitment pipelines Workforce onboarding begins for newly recruited staff (where appointments have been

capacity emerging (dependent on recruitment success) Salt reach increasing gradually towards ≥510 (through existing provision and initial expansion) Ot reach increasing gradually towards ≥285 Eah capacity limited and constrained by workforce availability Contribution to stabilisation of Ehcna demand (no direct impact assumed in Year 1)

begins to stabilise (subject to recruitment timelines), with newly recruited staff contributing to service delivery where in post Workforce aligned increasingly to system priorities, with SEND Strategic Lead, Icb Workforce Lead and Eah Operational Board coordinating deployment to highest-need areas and cohorts Retention strategy begins implementation, including:

• ongoing Cpd
• supervision
• workload

management

• career

progression pathways Workforce performance and

increasing but not yet at full required levels Salt reach progressing towards ≥510 (trajectory to ≥520 in Years 2–3) Ot reach progressing towards ≥285 (trajectory to ≥290 in Years 2–3) Early improvement in workforce stability and retention Eah capacity emerging and constrained (not yet at planned levels) Ehcna demand showing stabilisation, with reduction to ≤345 delivered in Years 2–3

Increased Salt / Ot / Ep capacity supporting non- EHCP pathways

Reduced reliance on agency staffing over time

Improved workforce retention and stability

Eah capacity increasing to support up to ≥250 Cyp in Year 1, with expansion

towards ≥400 in Years 2–3

Contribution to stabilising and reducing Ehcna demand over time (from 383 towards ≤345 in Years 2–3)

Contribution to Ehcna reduction (383 to ≤345)

therapy support workers clear team structures aligned to Eah delivery Supervision and Cpd framework developed by Workforce Development Lead with Eps and Icb leads, defining supervision expectations, training pathways and professional development requirements Retention strategy created by Hr Lead with Workforce Development Lead, including career development pathways, supervision support and workload management approaches “Grow Your Own” programme designed by Hr Lead with universities and training providers, including: apprenticeship routes

made), including:

• structured

induction programme

• role-specific

training

• initial

alignment to Eah model Supervision model begins implementation for both new and existing staff, providing early support structures and case discussion Cpd programme rollout begins, delivered by Workforce Development Lead with Eps, Salt and Ot leads, focusing on:

• effective

support approaches

multidisciplinary working

capacity reviewed, analysing:

• workforce

stability

• caseloads
• service

coverage Further recruitment and pipeline activity continues where gaps remain “Grow Your Own” programme continues development, strengthening future workforce pipeline rather than immediate capacity System position:

• Workforce

capacity improving but not yet sufficient for full Eah model delivery

• Early

contribution to improved access to specialist support in targeted areas

Outcome: Recommission Alternative Provision to operate as a structured, short-term support within a clear 3-tier system, with phased implementation in Year 1 and full system embedding and sustained impact delivered in Years 2–3. Delivery in Year 1 will prioritise system review, model design, and initial implementation of key pathways, with full system embedding and sustained impact delivered in Years 2–3. Success measures:

Accountable: SEND Commissioning Lead Delivery leads: AP Lead (model design and delivery) School Improvement Lead (school-facing pathways) Inclusion Lead (threshold alignment) Data Lead (monitoring and reporting) Partners: Lionheart (AP provider), Schools (HTs and SENCOs), MATs, Eah Operational Lead, Social Care

Full system review completed by AP Lead with Data Lead and SEND Commissioning, analysing: all AP placements Section 19 provision EOTAS usage including reasons for placement, length of stay, and reintegration outcomes AP Model Design document produced by AP Lead with SEND Commissioning Lead, defining a 3‑tier framework: Tier 1: in-school support and outreach expectations Tier 2: time-limited AP placements with clear reintegration plans Tier 3: specialist AP provision for high- need cases Entry and exit criteria framework developed by Inclusion Lead with AP Lead and School

Baseline established for AP, EOTAS and Section 19 usage Clear system design in place (no immediate reduction yet) All future placements intended to be governed by defined criteria from implementation in Q3, with system prepared to transition to new model

New AP pathways introduced through phased implementation led by AP Lead with School Improvement Lead, with initial focus on priority cohorts and schools Schools begin applying entry and exit criteria (co-developed with Headteachers and SENCOs), with support from School Improvement to ensure consistent understanding and use of thresholds Existing AP placements reviewed in priority cohorts by AP Lead and schools, with:

• each pupil

assigned a reintegration plan

AP placements stabilised within priority cohorts (no system-wide reduction assumed) Reduction in new long-term placements begins in targeted cohorts Reintegration planning established across reviewed cases Initial improvement in EOTAS usage in targeted cohorts only

AP model implementation strengthened and extended across schools and clusters, with full system embedding achieved in Year 2 Reintegration processes implemented and monitored by School Improvement Lead and AP providers, ensuring pupils are planned back into mainstream where appropriate Lionheart delivery model continues to develop: Increased Semh outreach activity in priority areas Growing coordination role in placements and reintegration Full system hub function to be established in Year 2

AP placements maintained below forecast growth trajectory Reduction in average placement duration (early improvement) Increase in reintegration rates to mainstream (early improvement) Reduction in EOTAS and Section 19 usage in targeted cohorts Ehcna demand showing stabilisation, with reduction to ≤345 delivered in Years 2–3

AP placements stabilised below forecast growth in Year 1, with sustained reduction in Years 2–3

Reduction in duration of placements over time Increase in reintegration rates to mainstream (initial improvement in Year 1)

Improvement, specifying: eligibility thresholds for AP required SEN Support interventions before entry clear reintegration expectations and time limits Role of Lionheart agreed by SEND Commissioning Lead with AP Lead and provider leadership, defining: Lionheart as AP hub Semh outreach provider to schools reintegration support service Monitoring framework developed by Data Lead, including: tracking of placement numbers duration of placements reintegration outcomes EOTAS and Section 19 usage

• initial time

expectations established (where appropriate) Lionheart (Semh) mobilisation phase: Lionheart begins transition towards AP hub and outreach model Initial Semh outreach support introduced in priority schools Full operational capacity dependent on service readiness and workforce availability Schools supported to strengthen in- school provision: Support delivered through School Improvement and existing

Monitoring and review embedded: Data Lead and SEND Commissioning analyse: - placement duration - reintegration outcomes - EOTAS and Section 19 trends Targeted support deployed: Led by School Improvement with support from existing services Focused on schools and cohorts with highest AP usage Eah contribution emerging where workforce capacity allows System position: Improved consistency in use of AP pathways Reduced variation in

• Reduction in EOTAS / Section 19 usage over time

Contribution to stabilising and reducing Ehcna demand (from 383 towards ≤345 in Years 2–3)

accessibility, and reduces reliance on out- of-area placements and long-distance travel. Delivery in Year 1 will prioritise sufficiency analysis, consultation, strategic planning, and initiation of capital projects, with capacity delivery and sustained impact achieved in Years 2–3. Success measures:

Service Manager – Strategic Development (sufficiency of school places, admissions and transport) Capital Programme Lead (capital planning and delivery) Data Lead (forecasting and demand analysis) Property Services Lead (estates and adaptation) Partners: Schools, MATs, Icb, Property Services, Finance, Early Years, Fe providers, Childrens Services Committee

and Finance, analysing: EHCP growth trends (2006 to projected 2990) placement patterns (mainstream, specialist, independent) transport demand and travel distances Baseline provision mapping completed by SEND Commissioning Lead with Property Services, identifying current capacity of 745 specialist places, including distribution across phases and localities Gap analysis report produced by SEND Commissioning Lead, identifying shortfalls in: Early years SEND provision, and mainstream inclusion capacity (particularly secondary and locality gaps) post‑16 pathways and local options

Planned capacity expansion trajectory defined (no immediate capacity change yet) Foundation established for reducing out- of-area placements, with impact expected as new capacity is delivered in subsequent years Agreed approach and strategy for managing the introduction of inclusion bases (including brief, and funding) Agreed approach and strategy for specialist bases (including Eoi process, evaluation and award)

Partnership Board, led by SEND Commissioning Lead with Capital Programme Lead, confirming priority projects, phasing and deliverability Capital programme initiated by Capital Programme Lead with Property Services, including: Design brief Feasibility work for inclusion bases in secondary schools and planning for primary locality provision design work for identified specialist expansion Detailed design briefs produced by Property Services Lead,

activated, with delivery pipeline confirmed including brief and design period. Procurement defined, including routes to market, prior information notices, and formulation of documentation Improved alignment between demand and planned provision through strategic planning Early stabilisation of pressure on independent placements as planning and commissioning align Statutory guidance for new provision

Services Committee. Capital delivery plan finalised and locked by Capital Programme Lead with SEND Commissioning, confirming sequencing, timelines and resourcing across all projects. This includes projects due to commence over school holiday period. Pipeline of inclusion bases and provision projects fully established, with: confirmed delivery timelines named responsible leads for each project Provision network model developed by SEND Commissioning Lead with School

Stabilisation of independent placement growth trajectory Reduced transport demand growth and greater independence for Cyp Increased proportion of Cyp placed locally Reduced demand on special schools. School estate aligned with DfE guidance

Specialist capacity trajectory: 745 planned growth to ≥882 over the 3-year period

Reduction in independent/out- of-area placements (growth stabilised in Year 1, reduction in Years 2–3)

Reduced transport demand over time, greater independence for Cyp Increased proportion of Cyp educated locally over time

Draft 3-year Sufficiency Plan developed by SEND Commissioning Lead with Capital Programme Lead, setting out: An agreed approach to obtaining expressions of interest in areas of need. Including evaluation process. Form brief for inclusion base development across all secondary schools, locality-based primary provision, and targeted specialist expansion where evidenced Capital investment principles agreed by SEND Commissioning and Capital Programme Lead with Property Services and Finance, focusing on: Re-utilising of school estate Alignment to the DfE Education Estates Strategy

Capital programme formulised, including property resource, planning and procurement (if required).

aligning with the DfEs Education estates strategy and with SEND Commissioning specifying requirements for: Accessibility improvements, sensory environments, inclusive classroom design etc. Engagement with schools and MATs led by SEND Commissioning Lead, confirming sites, readiness, and partnership for inclusion base development Initial adaptation works commissioned by Capital Programme Lead, focusing on priority schools/settings where early

followed and consultation processes initiated

Improvement and Mat partners, providing a coordinated approach to the placement of children and ensuring new capacity is linked to: locality need outreach support inclusive practice models Monitoring of sufficiency and placement patterns undertaken by Data Lead, tracking: use of local vs out-of-area provision transport distances emerging gaps and/or training needs i.e. independent travel training Targeted planning for remaining gaps completed by SEND Commissioning

Year 1 will prioritise pathway design, integration into the Eah model, and initial phased implementation using existing and emerging capacity, with full embedding and sustained reduction in statutory demand delivered in Years 2–3. Success measures:

Inclusion Lead (thresholds and eligibility) Data Lead (monitoring access and outcomes) Partners: Icb (Salt, Ot, Neurodevelopmental Team), Schools (HTs, SENCOs), Early Years providers, Fe providers, Family Hubs

Lead with Icb partners, setting out:

• what needs can be

met at SEN Support

• what triggers

access to targeted specialist support

• how this aligns

with Oap and Eah thresholds Integration with Eah model designed: Access routes aligned to Eah panel and proactive deployment model Pathways designed to enable both referral and proactive identification Standardised request and information templates produced, ensuring consistent information from schools and equitable access across settings Guidance developed for schools and families, setting out:

• available support

reduction in demand expected in Q2

cohorts and highest levels of need Approach tested and refined through early implementation EAH-informed targeted support model: Eah Operational Lead (subject to recruitment timelines) begins coordinating approach Full delivery dependent on workforce availability Eah panels test use of thresholds to prioritise support Initial targeted delivery (capacity constrained): Support delivered through existing services (Salt,

stabilising towards ≤360 No assumption of system-wide reduction in Year 1

(capacity dependent) Approach refined based on Q3 learning and feedback EAH-supported delivery emerging (workforce dependent): Newly recruited practitioners contribute to targeted support where available Delivery remains focused on priority cohorts Full system integration achieved in Year 2 Schools increasingly using targeted support before escalation: Requests more aligned with SEN Support expectations Earlier identification improving consistency of access

Ehcna demand stabilising towards ≤360, with reduction to ≤345 in Years 2–3 Improved equity of access across priority areas (early improvement in Year 1)

Increased access to Salt, Ot and Semh support without EHCP

Increased proportion of Cyp supported through non- statutory pathways

Ehcna: 383 stabilised towards ≤360 in Year 1, with reduction to ≤345 in Years 2–3 Increased referral and access via Eah pathways

• how to access

targeted support

• expected response

and outcomes Recruitment and mobilisation of Eah workforce initiated, with no assumption of full delivery capacity until workforce is in post

Ot, Eps, Icb teams) Focus on highest-need cohorts (Semh, communication, attendance, neurodiversity) Delivery not yet system-wide Schools trained and supported: Delivered by School Improvement and existing services Focus on using thresholds, identifying need early and accessing support appropriately Monitoring established: Data Lead tracks access, cohort profiles and support delivered Data used to refine model rather than demonstrate system-wide impact

Monitoring and equity review: Data Lead analyses variation in access across schools and localities Gaps identified and targeted for improvement System alignment: Targeted support increasingly aligned with Qa, workforce and school improvement Full integration into system processes in Year 2 System position: Increased access to specialist support in targeted cohorts Improved consistency of access processes Foundations established for full system

embedding in Year 2 2026-27 Local Delivery Plan Q2 Q3 Q4 Outcome and success measure

Responsible lead per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream 6.3 Inclusive system pillar 3: System Leadership, local partnership collaboration and coproduction A clear and accountable system leadership model is established across education, health and care, with shared responsibility for outcomes and strong partnership working at all levels. Children, young people and families are actively involved in shaping, delivering and reviewing services, ensuring that co-production is embedded within decision-making and system improvement. 6.3.1 Governance reset and system accountability Outcome: Establish a clear, streamlined and accountable SEND governance structure across the Island, enabling joint LA–Icb ownership of outcomes and improved alignment between strategy and delivery. Year 1 will focus on governance redesign and initial implementation, with full system embedding and sustained impact delivered in Years 2–3. Success measures:

Accountable: Director of Children’s Services Delivery leads: SEND Strategic Lead (overall coordination) Icb Director / Commissioning Lead (joint accountability) Eah Operational Lead (delivery governance) Data Lead (reporting and accountability data) Partners: Local Authority services, Icb, Schools, MATs,

SEND Partnership Board structure reviewed and redesigned by Director of Children’s Services with Icb Director and SEND Strategic Lead, confirming membership including LA, Icb, schools, MATs, Early Years, Fe and diocesan representative Roles, responsibilities and decision-making powers defined by SEND Strategic Lead with governance partners, producing clear terms of

Governance system clearly defined and agreed with structures ready for implementation from Q3 Roles and responsibilities clarified No immediate change in outcomes, but system prepared for effective oversight

SEND Partnership Board begins operating under revised structure, chaired by Director of Children’s Services with Icb representation, reviewing system performance, key risks and strategic priorities Eah Operational governance structure established:

Governance increasingly driving delivery decisions across key workstreams Improved alignment between Eah, Qa and school improvement systems Earlier identification and response to system pressures (contributing to stabilisation of Ehcna towards ≤360)

Governance model strengthened and applied consistently across programme workstreams, with full embedding achieved in Year 2 SEND Partnership Board increasingly used as primary forum for strategic accountability, reviewing outcomes, approving system changes and

Governance operating consistently within core structures in Year 1 Joint LA–Icb accountability increasingly evidenced through shared reporting Decision- making increasingly informed by data Contribution to improved system alignment and oversight

SEND governance structures aligned and functioning with clear roles

Early Years, Fe providers, Pcf

reference for each governance group including escalation routes and authority levels Full mapping of SEND governance groups completed by SEND Strategic Lead, identifying all existing boards, meetings and forums, and analysing duplication and gaps Rationalised governance structure produced by SEND Strategic Lead with Director of Children’s Services, removing duplication and clarifying a single escalation pathway from operational delivery to strategic decision- making Joint LA–Icb accountability established and operationalised through shared reporting on Eah performance and workforce delivery and key outcomes

Eah Operational Board begins operating (subject to recruitment timelines for Eah Operational Lead) Interim leadership arrangements used where required to ensure continuity Early focus on testing reporting, escalation and coordination processes Governance meetings run to defined cadence by SEND Strategic Lead, using standard reporting templates and agreed data inputs Data dashboards introduced into governance processes by

holding partners to account Eah Operational Board increasingly aligned with delivery systems:

• integration with

Qa, workforce and AP developing

• coordination

improving as systems mature

• full alignment

achieved in Year 2 Performance reporting strengthened: Data Lead produces regular standardised reports Improved visibility of variation, performance and delivery progress Governance effectiveness reviewed: Remaining duplication or gaps identified

Ehcna demand showing stabilisation, with reduction to ≤345 delivered in Years 2–3

LA–Icb joint accountability established for Eah and key outcomes

Majority of key SEND decisions taken through defined governance routes in Year 1, with full compliance in Year 2

Evidence that data informs decisions across governance structures Improved alignment between strategy and operational delivery

Governance cadence defined by SEND Strategic Lead, setting out: SEND Partnership Board (strategic oversight, quarterly) Eah Operational Board (delivery oversight, monthly) Governance Framework Document produced and published by SEND Strategic Lead, including: structure diagrams reporting lines decision-making processes Recruitment and confirmation of Eah Operational Lead role progressed, recognising dependency for full operation of delivery governance structures.

Data Lead, including:

• Ehcna

demand

• early Eah

activity (where available)

• AP usage
• attendance

and EOTAS indicators Escalation routes begin to be used:

• Issues

identified through operational delivery escalated to governance forums

• Processes

tested and refined based on early use Joint LA–Icb accountability begins to be operationalised: Shared reporting initiated Roles and responsibilities

Structure refined based on implementation learning Accountability increasingly embedded into wider system processes:

• school

improvement reviews

• Mat

performance discussions

• commissioning

discussions System position: Improved consistency in decision-making Better alignment between strategy and delivery Foundations in place for full system accountability model in Year 2

increasingly used in Year 1, with full dataset integration in Year 2

≥90% partners submitting data regularly (initial compliance achieved in Year 1)

Data increasingly used in governance decisions (SEND Partnership Board and Eah Operational Board), with full consistency in Year 2

Improved data completeness and consistency across services

Evidence that data informs support and deployment decisions

and social care systems, identifying where each dataset currently sits, data owners, update frequency and data quality issues Dashboard structure designed by It/Digital Lead with Data Lead, defining: reporting format (strategic vs operational views) user access levels (Board, operational leads, schools) visualisation of key metrics (traffic light indicators, trends) Data-sharing agreements developed and agreed by Director of Children’s Services and Icb partners and settings enabling lawful and consistent sharing of data across LA, health and other services Common data definitions agreed by Data Lead with all partners,

additional datasets integrated progressively, recognising variation in data availability and quality across partners Training delivered by Data Lead to governance and operational leads, focusing on:

• how to

interpret dashboard data

• how to begin

using data in decision- making

• understanding

data limitations and completeness Dashboard begins to be used in governance and operational settings: Data presented to SEND Partnership Board and

outcome impact expected in Year 1

(subject to service maturity) Performance reporting strengthened by Data Lead:

• regular

reporting cycles established

• improved

visibility of trends, variation and delivery progress Advanced reporting begins to be introduced:

• trend analysis
• locality

comparisons

• variance

against forecast Data quality assurance processes strengthened:

• regular

validation checks introduced

• partner

engagement to improve consistency and completeness

system implementation) Contribution to improved system oversight, with Ehcna stabilisation in Year 1 and reduction to ≤345 in Years 2–3

6.3.3 Embed data collection and reporting processes Outcome: Embed consistent and improving data collection and reporting processes across SEND workstreams, ensuring increasingly accurate, timely and reliable data is available to support operational and strategic decision-making. Year 1 will focus on establishing processes, ownership and reporting cadence, with full consistency, compliance and data maturity achieved in Years 2–3. Success measures:

Accountable: Data Lead Delivery leads: SEND Strategic Lead (alignment across workstreams) Workstream Leads (accountable for their data submission) Qa Lead (data quality assurance) Partners: Education, Health (Icb), Social Care, Schools, MATs

Data collection responsibilities defined by Data Lead with SEND Strategic Lead and all Workstream Leads, producing a clear allocation of ownership for each dataset (e.g. attendance, Ehcna, AP, therapy access), including named roles responsible for submission, validation and updating Data collection templates and reporting formats produced by Data Lead, standardising how each workstream records and submits data (including agreed formats for attendance, AP usage, Ehcna demand, Eah activity and workforce data) Reporting cadence defined by Data Lead with SEND Strategic Lead, establishing:

All data responsibilities and processes clearly defined Baseline data collection system established, with processes ready for phased implementation from Q3

Monthly operational reporting introduced by Data Lead, with core workstreams beginning to submit data using agreed templates, recognising variation in compliance and completeness in early implementation Quarterly strategic reporting introduced to SEND Partnership Board, providing structured reporting packs including:

• performance

against trajectory

• emerging

risks and pressures

• early

identification of variation across localities

Majority of core datasets being submitted, with progress towards ≥90% completeness Improved consistency across priority workstreams Data increasingly used to identify trends and risks (not yet fully driving decisions) Confidence in data quality improving, but not yet fully established

Data collection and reporting processes increasingly embedded across workstreams, with full consistency and compliance to be achieved in Year 2 Regular reporting cycles established and sustained:

• monthly

operational reporting

• quarterly

strategic reporting Data increasingly integrated into governance and delivery processes: SEND Partnership Board using data to inform discussions and planning Operational teams using data to support

High proportion of partners submitting data regularly (progressing towards ≥90%) Improved data completeness and reliability across core datasets Data increasingly used to support planning and prioritisation Evidence of improving consistency in reporting across workstreams Contribution to improved system oversight, with demand stabilisation in Year 1 and reduction to ≤345 in Years 2–3

Clear data ownership established across all workstreams

≥90% completeness and timeliness of core data submissions achieved in Year 1, with full compliance across all datasets in Year 2

monthly operational reporting (Eah Board, delivery teams) quarterly strategic reporting (SEND Partnership Board) Staff training on data input and interpretation delivered by Data Lead, covering: how to complete data templates data definitions (aligned to 3.2 data dictionary) how to interpret and use data in practice Initial data quality assurance process designed by Qa Lead with Data Lead, setting out: validation checks escalation of missing or inconsistent data roles in verifying accuracy

Workstream Leads supported to improve data submission: SEND Strategic Lead working with workstreams to address delays and gaps Support provided to build consistency where needed Data begins to be used in operational and governance settings: Data presented in governance and delivery forums Early use to highlight trends, pressure points and variation Use tested and refined rather than fully embedded Initial data quality assurance

prioritisation and coordination Data quality assurance strengthened:

• Regular

validation processes in place

• Improved

accuracy and consistency across core datasets

• Ongoing work

to address remaining gaps Continuous support and training delivered: Data Lead supporting staff to improve submission and interpretation Increased confidence in use of data across services Performance monitoring strengthened:

• Improved ability

to track trends over time

Data reported consistently monthly (operational) and quarterly (strategic)

Data accuracy improving through Qa processes Evidence that data increasingly informs decision-making in governance and delivery

processes implemented: Qa Lead begins validation checks for core datasets Gaps and inconsistencies identified and improvement actions agreed System position: Data availability improving but not yet consistent across all services Processes in place but still developing in reliability and completeness

• Increased

visibility of variation across settings and localities System position: Data increasingly informing planning and prioritisation Improved alignment between data, delivery and governance Foundations in place for full data maturity in Year 2

2026-27 Local Delivery Plan Q2 Q3 Q4 Outcome and success measure

Responsible lead per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream

Milestones per workstream

Target trajectory per workstream 6.3 Inclusive system pillar 3: System Leadership, local partnership collaboration and coproduction Children, young people and families are actively involved in shaping, testing and refining services, with their input demonstrably influencing decision-making across the system 6.3.4 Build co-production infrastructure

Outcome: Establish a structured, system-wide co- production infrastructure that enables children, young people and families to meaningfully influence design, delivery and evaluation of SEND services. Year 1 will focus on establishing structures and initial implementation of co- production activity, with full system embedding and consistent impact delivered in Years 2–3. Success measures:

Accountable: SEND Strategic Lead Delivery leads: Participation Lead (co‑production delivery) Inclusion Lead (alignment to system reform) Data Lead (monitoring engagement and confidence) Partners: Parent Carer Forum (Pcf), Cyp groups, Schools, MATs, Early Years, Fe providers, LA services

Co-production structures in place (including system awareness of “Partnership Principles for Working Together” agreement, previously co- produced by Pcf, Iow Council and Pcf) and ready for phased implementation from Q3 by Participation Lead with SEND Strategic Lead and Parent Carer Forum, setting out how Cyp and families will influence: service design commissioning decisions evaluation of services Cyp participation groups identified and recruited by Participation Lead with schools, youth services and Family Hubs, ensuring representation across age ranges and needs Parent/carer representatives

Baseline participation established Co‑production structures in place Initial parent and Cyp engagement underway

Co-production model introduced through phased implementation led by Participation Lead with SEND Strategic Lead and Parent Carer Forum, with initial focus on core workstreams and priority areas Initial engagement cycles delivered: Locality forums and participation groups begin regular engagement activity Schools and partners support participation through existing relationships Feedback gathered on priority system changes (e.g. Oap, Eah,

Baseline participation levels increasing across priority groups Early improvement in engagement and transparency Initial evidence of “You Said, We Did” in selected workstreams Early improvement in parental confidence in targeted areas (no system- wide improvement assumed)

Co-production activity strengthened and extended across workstreams, with full system embedding achieved in Year 2 “You Said, We Did” reporting increasingly applied: More workstreams using standard approach Improved consistency in how feedback is recorded and reported Parent Champion network and locality forums sustained and expanded: Increased coverage across localities Greater reach into communities Analysis of engagement outcomes undertaken:

Sustained increase in parent and Cyp participation Early measurable improvement in parental confidence in participating groups Initial downward trend in complaints and dispute escalation in targeted areas Increasing evidence of co- production influencing service design and delivery Full system impact expected in Years 2–3

Co-production structures established

Increased parent and Cyp participation in SEND processes

Evidence of “You Said, We Did” emerging across key workstreams in Year 1, with full coverage in Year 2

Improved parental confidence (early

improvement in Year 1) Reduction in complaints, mediation and tribunal escalation over time

recruited by Participation Lead with Parent Carer Forum, including representation across localities and key SEND cohorts Parent Champion network established by Participation Lead with Family Hubs, identifying and supporting parent volunteers to act as peer support and engagement leads Locality engagement forums designed and launched by Participation Lead with School Improvement and Pcf, aligned to locality inclusion partnerships and providing regular opportunities for discussion and feedback Engagement cycle designed by Participation Lead, defining a consistent process across all workstreams:

targeted support) “You Said, We Did” reporting introduced in early phase: Workstreams begin recording feedback and responses Initial examples of influence on decisions captured Approach tested and refined before full rollout Participation introduced into governance: Cyp and parent representation begins within SEND Partnership Board and key forums Participation supported and embedded progressively Parent Champion network

Data Lead reviews participation levels and feedback themes Links explored between engagement and complaints, mediation and tribunal activity Co-production increasingly integrated into system processes: Contribution to Qa, commissioning and service design begins Alignment with school improvement and delivery systems developing System position: Increased participation across Cyp and parent groups Improved consistency of engagement activity

consultation (gather views) feedback (share responses) input into decision- making (influence outcomes) “You Said, We Did” reporting format developed by Participation Lead with Data Lead, outlining how feedback will be tracked and communicated Co-production structures designed and prepared for phased implementation, with no assumption of full system engagement or coverage in Q2.

becomes active:

• Initial activity

in priority areas

• Feedback

routed into system discussions Monitoring established: Data Lead tracks participation levels, themes and early feedback Data used to understand engagement patterns rather than demonstrate system-wide impact System position: Participation increasing but not yet consistent across all workstreams Early evidence of influence emerging in targeted areas

Clearer links between feedback and decision-making Foundations in place for full system embedding in Year 2

achieved in Year 2

Providers increasingly contributing to delivery of the Universal Offer

Consistent participation in Qa and data collection processes (with improvement through Year 1)

Improved system alignment and reduced variation across providers over time

engagement sessions. Review and agree system priorities (Oap, Eah, Qa, attendance) . Commit to participation in Qa, data submission and Universal Offer development

Implement agreed actions within their settings, including: Completion of Oap self- evaluation Participation in Qa processes Submission of required data sets Engage in Eah pathways where appropriate Participate in peer review and locality partnership activity

participation reinforced Variation in compliance identified and addressed

Ehcna demand stabilising in Year 1, with reduction to ≤345 delivered in Years 2–3

Partners are expected in participation in Qa, data and Universal Offer delivery Full participation and accountability achieved in Year 2

Support and challenge strengthened:

Majority of providers actively implementing agreed actions Increasing consistency of participation in Qa, data and Universal Offer delivery Full participation and accountability achieved in Year 2

School Improvement and SEND Partnership Board supporting and challenging providers Engagement used to improve delivery consistency

Structured engagement model defined for all provider groups (schools, MATs, Early Years, Fe)

Provider expectations framework developed, setting expectations for participation in Universal Offer, Qa and data

• Early Years

providers engaged in initial sessions led by Early Years Lead

• Fe providers

(including out- of-area) begin engagement on transition and SEND pathways

Engagement with Fe and out-of- area providers strengthened:

Delivery against these expectations is monitored through Qa processes, data submission and governance reporting

Engagement plans developed for each provider group

• Improved

alignment with Island systems

• Increased

participation in transition and SEND processes

Communication issued to all providers outlining expectations and engagement approach

Feedback loop established:

Providers begin early implementation of expectations:

Variability in engagement and delivery is identified and

• Provider

feedback

System position:

• Structures and

expectations defined

• Providers informed

but not yet fully engaged in delivery

• Readiness

established for phased implementation from Q3

• Initial use of

Universal Offer expectations in priority settings

• Early

participation in Qa and data processes (not yet consistent across all providers) Support provided to providers:

• School

Improvement and Inclusion Leads supporting understanding of expectations

Implementation focused on priority cohorts and settings Data submission processes introduced:

• Majority of

providers begin submitting data

• Variation in

engagement

increasingly used to refine system delivery

• Issues

escalated through governance System position: Improved consistency of engagement across providers Greater alignment in expectations and delivery approach Foundations in place for full system consistency in Year 2 Partners are expected to: Deliver improvement actions identified through Qa and Forum discussions Demonstrate implementation of Universal Offer expectations in practice Contribute to system evaluation

addressed through School Improvement, SEND Partnership Board and Mat/diocesan leadership structures

6.4 Inclusive system pillar 4: Encouraging inclusive culture and behaviours A consistent culture of inclusion is established across the system, with all settings expected to adopt relational, trauma-informed and inclusive approaches. Schools are supported to create environments where children and young people feel safe, valued and able to participate, enabling needs to be met earlier and reducing escalation into exclusion, absence and statutory processes. 6.4.1 Develop and implement SEND attendance and Ebsa strategy Outcome: Develop and implement a consistent, Island-wide SEND Attendance and Ebsa strategy that enables early identification and support, strengthens in- school support, and reduces escalation to EOTAS, AP and statutory processes. Delivery in Year 1 will prioritise strategy development, pathway implementation and targeted support for highest-risk cohorts, with sustained improvements in attendance and reduced escalation delivered in Years 2–3. Success measures:

Accountable: Inclusion Lead Delivery leads: Attendance Lead (attendance strategy and monitoring) Eah Operational Lead (Ebsa and Semh support) Data Lead (cohort identification and tracking) School Improvement Lead (school compliance and implementation) Partners: Schools (HTs, SENCOs, Attendance Leads), MATs, Icb (health and Semh services), Family Hubs, Social Care

Attendance, Ebsa and exclusion data analysed by Data Lead with Attendance Lead to identify high-risk cohorts Island-wide SEND Attendance and Ebsa Strategy developed by Attendance Lead with Inclusion Lead, Icb partners and Parent Carer Forum (Pcf), ensuring lived experience informs design of:

• early support

approaches

• Semh and

regulation support

• expectations for

belonging and participation Thresholds for support vs escalation defined with schools and Pcf input, ensuring clarity on expectations and proportionality

Strategy co- produced with Pcf and partners System ready for phased implementation No immediate attendance impact expected in Q2

SEND Attendance Strategy introduced through phased implementation led by School Improvement Lead with Headteachers and Attendance Leads, focusing on priority schools and highest-risk cohorts Ebsa pathway implemented in early phase:

• schools begin

identifying at- risk pupils

• initial use of

defined thresholds and support approaches EAH-informed approach (workforce dependent):

Attendance decline halted in targeted cohorts Early stabilisation in Ebsa escalation in priority groups Initial increase in early support activity No system- wide improvement expected in Year 1groups

SEND Attendance Strategy strengthened and extended across additional schools and cohorts, with full embedding achieved in Year 2 Ebsa pathway use increasing:

• more consistent

application across participating schools

• improved

alignment with SEN Support expectations EAH-support begins to contribute (subject to workforce availability):

• newly recruited

practitioners support targeted

Attendance stabilised at ≤94 (vs 104 forecast) Early improvement in EBSA-related absence in targeted cohorts Increased proportion of pupils retained in mainstream Evidence of co- production (Pcf) influencing delivery Ehcna demand stabilising, with sustained reduction delivered in Years 2–3

SEN not in education: 84 stabilised at ≤94 in Year 1 (vs 104 forecast), with further improvement in Years 2–3

Ebsa pathway designed collaboratively with Pcf, schools and Icb partners, including:

• identification

criteria

• accessible referral

processes

• graduated support

model Targeted co- production with Pcf and families undertaken:

• structured

engagement sessions focused on Ebsa experience

• identification of

barriers to attendance and engagement

• feedback used to

shape strategy design Strategy finalised and published, with Pcf engaged in validating accessibility and clarity of approach

• Eah

Operational Lead (subject to recruitment timelines) begins coordinating approach

• Support

delivered primarily through existing capacity (Education, Eps, Salt, Icb services)

• Full Eah

delivery not yet operating at scale Targeted support delivered:

• focus on

highest-risk cohorts

• emphasis on

early specialist support and in- school support Training delivered to schools by Attendance Lead and existing services, focusing on:

cohorts where available

• delivery

remains focused on highest-risk pupils Pcf and family feedback embedded into improvement cycle:

• feedback from

families analysed

• barriers

identified and addressed in delivery refinement

• evidence of co-

production influencing changes to practice Attendance and Ebsa outcomes reviewed:

• Data Lead

analyses trends, variation and early outcomes

• supported by

qualitative insight from families and schools Strategy refined based on:

Reduction in EBSA-related absence over time

Improved attendance in identified cohorts

Increased proportion of pupils supported in mainstream

Contribution to stabilising and reducing Ehcna demand over time

• early

identification of Ebsa

• consistent

support approaches

• applying

graduated response

• data trends
• school feedback
• Pcf and family

input

System position:

• improved

consistency in approach across participating schools

• early

improvement in attendance within targeted cohorts

• strengthened

early support model

• foundations in

place for sustained improvement in Year 2

Pcf and families engaged in early implementation review:

• feedback

gathered from families of pupils in Ebsa cohorts

• early

experience used to identify barriers and refine delivery

Monitoring established:

• Data Lead

tracks attendance trends and Ebsa indicators

• data used to

understand early patterns

improvement over time)

Reduction in SEND-related exclusions over time

Reduction in behaviour escalation and Ebsa cases (initial improvement in targeted cohorts)

Increased proportion of pupils successfully supported in mainstream Contribution to stabilising and reducing Ehcna demand over time

Salt, Semh), Icb, Virtual School

training modules covering: Semh and trauma- informed practice (co-regulation, understanding behaviour triggers) neurodiversity- informed approaches (autism, Adhd, sensory differences) adaptive behaviour responses (graduated response to behaviour and regulation needs) Ebsa identification and management Delivery model defined by Workforce Development Lead with Eah Operational Lead, confirming how training will be delivered Behaviour and inclusion competency framework developed by Workforce Development Lead with School Partners defining expectations for:

(whole-school approaches) Delivery focused on:

• understanding

relational practice

• applying

strategies in classroom settings

• aligning to

Oap and attendance expectations Initial practice change in schools:

• priority

schools begin applying relational approaches

• early use of

strategies in classroom and pastoral settings

• practice

supported through existing services Coaching and support model (early phase):

• initial

involvement of newly recruited Eah practitioners where available

• delivery

remains targeted and capacity- dependent

• full model not

yet operating at scale Behaviour and inclusion competency framework introduced into practice:

• expectations

increasingly understood by staff

• early integration

into school systems and processes Ongoing support:

• School

Improvement and Workforce Development Lead support schools

• focus on

consistency in application of approaches

Ehcna demand stabilising, with reduction delivered in Years 2–3

teachers (classroom practice) SENCOs (planning and support) pastoral and leadership staff (system oversight and behaviour culture) Coaching and supervision model designed by Eah Operational Lead with Workforce Development Lead, setting expectations for: in-school modelling reflective supervision sessions ongoing practitioner support

• coaching

delivered through existing capacity (Rest, School Improvement, Eps)

• Eah

Operational Lead (subject to recruitment timelines) begins to coordinate future model

• Eah

practitioner-led coaching not yet operating at scale Supervision and reflection:

• early reflective

sessions introduced in priority schools

• focus on

building confidence rather than embedding consistency Monitoring:

• Data Lead

tracks training participation

Monitoring and review:

• Data Lead

analyses links between training, practice and early indicators

• qualitative

feedback from schools used to assess implementation System position:

• improved

consistency in practice across participating schools

• increased

confidence in managing behaviour and Semh needs

• early signs of

improved stability in targeted cohorts

• foundations

established for full embedding in Year 2

provision, ensuring all arrangements are time-limited, appropriately approved, aligned to support pathways (Ebsa, Eah, AP), and focused on reintegration into full-time education.

Attendance Lead (policy and monitoring) Data Lead (tracking and reporting system) School Improvement Lead (school compliance and support) Eah Operational Lead (support for identified pupils)

Lead, School Improvement, Headteachers, Mat leaders and Parent Carer Forum (Pcf), ensuring the policy reflects operational realities and lived experience.

compliance and central tracking established by Data Lead with School Improvement Lead, requiring all reduced timetables to be recorded centrally with complete data submission

identified and addressed Reduction in new reduced timetables where not justified (early impact) Early reduction in duration of arrangements in reviewed cases Improved reintegration planning across participating schools Contribution to stabilising attendance and reducing Ebsa escalation

consistent application achieved in Year 2 by School Improvement Lead and MATs, ensuring consistent application across all schools and inclusion in behaviour and safeguarding policies

15% over time Reduction in average duration of arrangements (initial improvement in Year 1) Increased proportion of pupils with clear reintegration outcomes Reduced escalation to AP/EOTAS linked to part- time provision (early improvement in targeted cohorts) Improved attendance stability across SEN cohorts

Clear expectations established and understood

No immediate reduction in reduced timetable use expected in Q2

Delivery in Year 1 will prioritise establishing policy, reporting systems and oversight processes, with full compliance and sustained reduction in inappropriate use delivered in Years 2–3.

Policy development includes:

• clear definition of

reduced timetable and part-time provision

• legal expectations

and safeguarding considerations

• expectation of full-

time education as the default

Partners: Schools (Headteachers, SENCOs, Attendance Leads), MATs, AP providers, Eah practitioners

Approval and review process implemented and monitored by Inclusion Lead and Attendance Lead with new reduced timetables expected to include:

Ongoing oversight and monitoring led by Inclusion Lead and Attendance Lead, with regular review of all reduced timetable cases and escalation where policy not followed

Success measures:

Majority of reduced timetables reported and tracked centrally in Year 1 with 100% compliance achieved in Year 2

Reduction in number and duration of reduced timetables over time (initial improvement in Year 1)

Increased proportion of

Approval and review process co-designed with school leaders and Pcf, including:

evidence of support prior to approval defined timescale and review date clear reintegration plan

• entry criteria based

on SEN Support and evidence of support

• proportionate

approval routes with school and LA oversight

• clear timescales,

review points and reintegration expectations

Integration with AP and EOTAS oversight strengthened by SEND Commissioning Lead and Eah Operational Lead, ensuring reduced

Existing reduced timetables reviewed in

reduced timetables linked to reintegration plans

Reduction in escalation to AP/EOTAS linked to unmonitored part-time provision over time

Mandatory reporting approach co- designed with settings:

• central tracking

developed with input from schools to ensure feasibility

• agreement on

required data fields (hours, reason, duration, review date, plan)

• phased

implementation approach agreed with sector Engagement and agreement secured:

• structured

sessions held with Headteachers, Mat leaders and Pcf

• feedback used to

refine policy and reporting approach

• shared

commitment established across settings to implement agreed approach Alignment with Ebsa, Eah and AP processes defined with partners, ensuring:

priority cohorts by School Improvement Lead with schools, ensuring: all pupils have a documented plan unnecessary or prolonged arrangements are reduced Eah practitioners deployed by Eah Operational Lead to support pupils on reduced timetables, providing: Semh support behaviour interventions attendance planning Reduced timetable data monitored by Data Lead, tracking: number of pupils

timetables are increasingly not used as a substitute for appropriate provision Data analysis and reporting undertaken by Data Lead, reviewing trends in: number of reduced timetables duration and outcomes links to AP and EOTAS usage Targeted support delivered by School Improvement and Eah teams in schools with highest usage, addressing underlying practice issues

6.4.4 Develop belonging and participation measurement framework Outcome: Develop and embed a consistent, system-wide framework for measuring belonging, engagement and participation, enabling schools and services to identify risk early, improve inclusion, and ensure children and young people feel connected and supported within mainstream settings. Delivery in Year 1 will prioritise framework design, pilot implementation and initial rollout, with full system-wide embedding and sustained impact on inclusion and engagement achieved in Years 2–3. Success measures:

Accountable: Inclusion Lead Delivery leads: Qa Lead (integration into Qa and self- evaluation) Participation Lead (pupil voice and qualitative feedback) Data Lead (measurement and tracking) School Improvement Lead (implementation in schools) Partners: Schools (HTs, SENCOs, pastoral teams), MATs, Cyp participation groups, Eah practitioners

Baseline review of current practice undertaken by Inclusion Lead with School Improvement and Participation Lead, identifying how schools currently measure belonging, engagement and participation, including surveys, pupil voice and qualitative approaches Findings used to identify existing strengths across schools and ensure the framework builds on current effective practice rather than replacing it Co-production with children and young people (Cyp) and Parent Carer Forum (Pcf):

• Cyp engaged

through participation groups to define what belonging, engagement and participation mean in practice

Framework co- produced with Cyp, schools and Pcf Baseline of current school practice understood Common approach agreed (not yet implemented) No change in belonging or participation outcomes expected in Q2

Belonging and participation tools piloted in a representative group of schools, co- designed with Cyp and supported by School Improvement and Participation Lead Cyp actively engaged in pilot:

• surveys

completed and feedback sessions held

• Cyp provide

feedback on tools and experience

• findings used

to refine approach Schools implement pilot using agreed tools:

• Headteachers

and SENCOs

Baseline belonging and participation data established Improved identification of pupils at risk of disengagement Early feedback from Cyp shaping framework refinement Early improvement in participation in pilot schools only No system-wide impact expected in Year 1

Belonging and participation framework rolled out across schools, with majority participation achieved and full rollout completed in Year 2 by School Improvement Lead, with expectation that all schools conduct regular pupil surveys and collect qualitative feedback Framework integrated into Oap self- evaluation and Qa processes by Qa Lead, requiring with increasing consistency over time to: evidence belonging and participation data demonstrate how findings inform improvement actions

Improved belonging and participation scores across participating schools, with system-wide improvement over time Increased engagement and participation in school life Early reduction in exclusions, reduced timetables and Ebsa linked to disengagement in targeted cohorts Sustained contribution to improved attendance, with Ehcna demand stabilised in Year 1 and reduction delivered in Years 2–3

Baseline belonging, engagement and participation measures established

Improved scores across indicators over time (initial improvement in pilot and early rollout schools)

• Cyp shape the

development of survey questions, language and approach

• Pcf engaged to

ensure framework reflects lived experience and family perspectives Belonging, engagement and participation indicators co- developed with Cyp, schools and partners, producing a shared definition of:

• belonging

(connection, safety, inclusion)

• engagement

(participation in learning and school life)

• participation

(attendance and wider involvement) Measurement tools co-designed:

• pupil surveys

developed with Cyp input (age- appropriate and accessible)

lead implementation

• focus on

identifying pupils at risk of low belonging and disengagement Existing school approaches combined with new framework:

• schools

continue to draw on current practice

• framework

provides consistency across settings Framework refined:

• Inclusion Lead

and Data Lead update tools based on Cyp and school feedback

• usability and

accessibility improved Support and intervention:

• schools begin

to use findings

Data collected and monitored by Data Lead, tracking trends across: localities schools pupil groups Targeted support deployed by Eah practitioners and School Improvement teams, focusing on schools and cohorts with lowest belonging and engagement scores Findings reported into SEND Partnership Board by Data Lead and Inclusion Lead, ensuring belonging and participation are considered in system decision- making

Increased pupil participation and engagement in school

Reduction in exclusion, reduced timetables and Ebsa linked to low belonging (early impact in targeted cohorts)

Contribution to improved attendance and reduced escalation into Ehcna over time

• qualitative tools

(focus groups, pupil voice) shaped with participation groups

• Qa observation

measures aligned with school practice Alignment with Oap and Qa framework agreed with schools and Mat leaders, ensuring consistency between measurement and improvement processes Common framework agreed with schools:

• approach refined

through engagement with Headteachers and Mat leaders

• agreement

secured to adopt a shared, standardised approach over time

• flexibility retained

to reflect context in early implementation Guidance co- produced and issued, supporting schools to:

to inform early improvement actions

• support

provided through School Improvement and existing services Monitoring established:

• baseline data

collected

• variation and

early trends identified

• no

assumption of system-wide impact at this stage

introducing Eah into behaviour and attendance support for priority cohorts, with full system-wide adoption and sustained impact achieved in Years 2–3. Success measures:

implementation and compliance) Rest / Semh Lead (behaviour practice expertise) Partners: Schools (HTs, SENCOs, pastoral and attendance teams), Icb (Salt, Ot), Eah practitioners (Ep, Semh), Social Care

schools and partners, specifying:

• triggers for

involvement (attendance risk, Ebsa indicators, behaviour escalation)

• proportionate use

of Eah dependent on workforce capacity

• integration with

existing school- based support Alignment between Eah, Ebsna pathway and attendance strategy agreed with schools and partners, ensuring clarity of roles and escalation routes School guidance co- produced with schools and Mat leaders, ensuring:

• clarity of

expectations

• feasibility of

implementation

• alignment with

current practice Training materials developed to

No immediate change in behaviour or attendance outcomes expected

• initial use of

defined thresholds and referral processes EAH-informed support (capacity constrained):

• coordination

led by Eah Operational Lead (subject to recruitment timelines)

• support

delivered primarily through existing services (Rest, Eps, School Improvement, Icb services)

• Eah

practitioner-led delivery not yet operating at scale Initial targeted support delivered:

• consultation

for schools on behaviour and attendance

Improved identification of pupils at risk of escalation Early increase in early support activity vs crisis response No system- wide reduction in exclusions, Ebsa or attendance absence expected in Year 1

(workforce dependent):

• newly recruited

practitioners contribute where available

• delivery

remains targeted and capacity- constrained Improved alignment across systems:

• attendance

strategy, Ebsa pathway and AP processes increasingly coordinated

• greater

consistency in escalation routes emerging Support for schools strengthened:

• School

Improvement and services provide ongoing guidance

• increased

consistency in applying thresholds and approaches

(not system- wide) Increased use of early support vs crisis response Improved coordination across attendance and behaviour systems Ehcna demand stabilising, with reduction delivered in Years 2–3

Increased number of Cyp supported through Eah for Semh and attendance

Reduction in behaviour- related exclusions over time (initial improvement in targeted cohorts)

Reduction in Ebsa escalation (early impact in supported cohorts)

Increased early support cases vs crisis referrals

Contribution to improved attendance and stabilising and reducing Ehcna demand over time

support understanding of Eah in behaviour and attendance pathways

• support for

planning interventions for Ebsa and Semh

• focus on early

support approaches

Monitoring and review:

• Data Lead

analyses trends in usage and early impact indicators

• variation

between schools identified and addressed

System position:

• Eah positioned

within system pathways

• Expectations

understood by schools

• No assumption of

delivery capacity at this stage

Training delivered to schools by Attendance Lead, School Improvement and existing services, covering:

System position:

• increased use

of early support approaches

• improved

coordination between services

• early signs of

improved stability in targeted cohorts

• foundations

established for full embedding in Year 2

• identification

of risk

• use of

thresholds

• application of

early support strategies

Eah panels begin to use data to identify priority cohorts:

• early testing

of proactive approach

• not

consistently applied across system

Schools implement initial support plans:

• SENCOs and

pastoral teams apply strategies

• consistency

varies across settings Monitoring established:

• Data Lead

tracks engagement with Eah pathways

• early patterns

identified

• no

assumption of robust or complete data System position: Early use of Eah pathways established in priority cohorts Delivery constrained by workforce and system maturity No expectation of system-wide

and community support across localities

Reduced reliance on statutory escalation for lower-level need over time

Increased parental confidence and self-support

Improved engagement with Family Hubs and community provision

Contribution to stabilising and reducing Ehcna demand over time

communication needs)

Improvement Lead and Family Hubs Lead, ensuring schools can:

and voluntary support is included within:

Peer support model designed by Participation Lead with Parent Carer Forum, defining how:

SEN Support planning Eah intervention planning attendance and Ebsa responses

signpost families to support refer to community provision use peer networks as part of support plans

parent/carer peer groups will operate Cyp support groups can be sustained support aligns to local need

Ongoing coordination established, with consistency strengthened through Year 2 between schools, Family Hubs and voluntary organisations embedded, with clear referral and communication routes

Family Hubs coordinate community response at increasing scale by Family Hubs Lead, acting as central point for:

Framework for linking services developed by SEND Strategic Lead with Family Hubs Lead, establishing how schools, Family Hubs and voluntary organisations connect and refer between each other

Impact of community support reviewed by Data Lead and Participation Lead, analysing:

hosting peer groups connecting parents and Cyp coordinating voluntary sector provision

participation levels gaps in provision links to reduced escalation

Voluntary organisations engaged and aligned by

Targeted development of

Participation Lead, ensuring their support complements Eah, attendance and inclusion systems Access to community support monitored by Data Lead, tracking: participation in peer groups locality coverage unmet need

further groups where gaps remain, ensuring full coverage across need types and geography

6.5 Projected Investment Spend per quarter 6.5.1 Local Inclusion Partnership Grant Transformation funding (Total £85,000)

£5,500 £3,500 £2,000 £2,000

£16,500 £10,000 £5,000 £5,000

£16,500 £10,000 £5,000 £4,000

• Transformation Lead Officer
• Transformation Support Officer
• Workforce development lead
• It system improvements

Experts at Hand Administration (Total £85,000) £5,500 £3,500 £2,000 £2,000 £16,500 £10,000 £5,000 £5,000 £16,500 £10,000 £5,000 £4,000 Experts at Hand Offer Delivery Funding (additional resource) (total £678,000)

• Eah Operational Lead
• Eah Support Officer
• Eah Data improvements
• Eah system improvements

£2,000 £6,000 £6,000

Advanced Speech and Language Practitioner

Total Spend £847,000 £121,000 £363,000 £363,000

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)

Leadership from Dcs, Icb Deputy Director and council Service Director for Education. Resources funded by Reform funding (programme management / support, It and data system improvements (10% of Eah) and Eah administration (10% of Eah)); high needs capital funding (review of mainstream school fabric in Q3); corporate budgets (two new participation officers for children and parents / carers (started June 2026), additional project officer, Hr, It and data insights); and South East Sector Led Improvement Partnership (Seslip) (data insights). Implementation already started with e.g. Seslip project plan agreed, headteacher / SENCO workshop on inclusive mainstream practice done, expressions of interest from mainstream schools re inclusion bases for September 2027 received. Recruitment underway with e.g. three new assistant educational psychologists appointed / starting Q2 / 1st September.

Dedicated delivery infrastructure being established (e.g. corporate funded project officer advert live), including SEND Reform Programme Manager starting in Q3 (support workstream aligned e.g. attendance, Ebsa). Better data quality vital enabler, Seslip

support secured (design / maintain SEND dashboard + predictive). Ict and digital capacity required for same and to integrate across education, health and care, for real-time performance visibility.

Dedicated administrative capacity will support multi-agency panels (including Eah from Q3), track reduced timetables, coordinate transition planning and maintain consistent communication with schools and families.

Reform transformation grant methodology ignores economies of scale inherent in transformation and consideration of scale of change required. Iow impacted by both and corporate budgets therefore feature significantly. The Dcs would welcome a discussion on this point with DfE.

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 words)

Value of 2026/27 Schools Block to Hnb transfer is £485,243. Council will request same for years 2 and 3. Part funds council’s

Regulation, Engagement and Support Team (Rest) which strengthens primary mainstream inclusion through early direct support

and workforce development, aligned to core principles of SEND Reforms. Rest team complements the multi-disciplinary

neurodiversity team and new Eah offer and from Q3 will be directed by same LA and Icb chaired and data informed panel from

Q3. Supporting before difficulties escalate is better for child and reduces need for Education, Health Care Plans and specialist

placements. Central aim of Rest is supporting before patterns of persistent absence, exclusion risk or placement breakdown

become embedded. Team works directly alongside schools and families to support emerging needs including those linked to

social emotional and mental health (Semh), emotionally based school avoidance (Ebsa) and behaviour regulation, as well as

reintegration following periods of absence. Emphasis on preventative and relational practice, supporting schools to respond

quickly when needs begin to emerge. Rest also upskill schools’ workforce in confidence and capability so wider range of needs

met within mainstream provision (practical advice, modelling strategies in the classroom, teacher / SENCO coaching, and

facilitating school access specialist services). Rest complements layers of support above universal through targeted, and

targeted plus alongside improvements led by school improvement team on Qtf, universal provision guidance and graduated

response, all key to a more sustainable and inclusive system in which children receive support earlier and schools better

equipped to meet need.

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)

Hn capital grant is £1.2m in 2026/27 (assumed same for future). £4m in lieu of previously planned Semh free school also available and is pooled with this giving combined total of £8.9 million 2026/27 to 2029/30.

Expanding mainstream provision is core to sufficiency strategy:

Mainstream expansion will be across Island so all can access. Primary priority is specialist bases and every secondary school will have a support and specialist base. There may be capital related synergies with inclusive mainstream fund spend. Academies are engaged via Island Education Forum. Governance is new SEND Sufficiency Board. Summary of spend is:

£600k spend is mainstream school suitability surveys to target enhancing acoustics, improving accessibility, and ensuring Equality Act (Dda) compliance, prioritising settings with the greatest need to reduce barriers and support inclusive learning.

Mainstream specialist bases will offer a smaller, structured and supportive environment with specialist staff, while enabling pupils to maintain access to wider mainstream learning and social opportunities. Needs supported will align with the three most significant primary needs which are speech, language and communication needs, autism and social emotional and mental health.

Expansion of special school places based on a needs analysis of children in Ey and primary settings who may require a special at secondary; an analysis of children currently placed in mainstream settings whose needs may be better served in a specialist setting; an analysis of the needs of children currently educated other than at school (EOTAS) as an indicator of current gaps in the local offer.

Discussions are ongoing with the DfE regarding rebuilds for both special schools, which could include satellite provision co-located with mainstream, especially in areas of highest need.

Independent and non-maintained special schools usage is low (4.6% of total EHCPs) and most are at the one Inms on the Island where 78 (including 6 post 16) attend. All are likely to remain at the school for their entire school career. Only 11 Cyp with EHCPs attend mainland provision, most relating to specialist need for which unviable to establish such on the Island. Data suggests those with significant needs moving into the post 16 phase will increase over the next three years, hence the plan to expand post 16 specialist bases.

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)

Since March’s SEND Reform Plan commissioning notification, in March, LA has acted as convener to ensure all system partners work together to develop and deliver reform. Dcs is SEND Reforms Sro. As well as series of bespoke meetings (e.g. with Pcf), workshops (e.g. with Headteachers, SENCOs and Post 16 partners) and online surveys (e.g. for schools), SEND Reform prioritised across existing partner and stakeholder arrangements (e.g. briefings for Early Years providers and childminders; SENCO forums; main agenda item at existing SEND Partnership Board in March and May, extraordinary additional meeting of Schools Forum in June; annual Together for Children Conference with community and voluntary sector, in June), and this will continue. DfE colleagues and representatives have attended many of these, which have shaped SEND Reform Plan content by e.g. clarifying type of support schools need in Eah offer (hence Eah structure of Ep, SaLT, Ot and specialist outreach) and informing the workforce development programme (e.g. supporting neurodiversity in both children and parents / carers, Semh (e.g. Pace training) and speech, language and communication needs).

The need for greater system engagement with MATs and dioceses identified and new Island Education Forum established (also with Independent Chair, DfE and Island Headteacher representation). Forum first met in May with senior representation from all

four mainland-based MATs already active on the Island and both dioceses. Forum will meet termly and ensure whole system transparency and accountability on matters such as attendance; exclusions; impact of inclusive mainstream funds; standards and disadvantage gaps. It will also hold settings to account for new roles and responsibilities in Schools White Paper e.g. strengthening anchor roles of schools in communities, ensuring children have a rich a broad experience, and checking that children previously sidelined are included and engaged. School Improvement Team responsible out of area setting Qa.

Co-production was scored at lowest level in maturity matrix, but foundations in place. Children and young people contributing through community and voluntary sector and council initiatives e.g. Young Inspectors, and from June extra support from Council’s new Children and Young People Participation Officer exists. As Pcf becomes established (supported by the Council’s new Parent and Carer Participation Officer) local area will work with them and through other mechanism (e.g. Parents and Carers Together (Family Hub cohort and services such as Targeted Family Support team (edge of care)) to improve coproduction.

Isendiass involved (Q2/3) in co-production of SEND expert roles (Best Start Inclusion Practitioners) within all Family Hubs and production of accessible support information. Sendiass recommissioning due April 2027 will ensure adherence to minimum Sendiass standards.

All partnership governance arrangements will be reviewed in Q2/3 so terms of reference and workplans optimal for SEND Reform e.g. SEND Partnership Board requires strengthened early years representation. SEND Performance dashboard to be reviewed quarterly at SEND Partnership Board, termly by the Island Education Forum, and the maturity matrix annually by both. Escalation as needed to Health and Wellbeing Board where SEND Reform standing item six monthly.

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.

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)

Majority of national reforms relating to children are seen as positive for those with SEND on Island, and opportunities to integrate improvement and transformation already taking place e.g. Best Start in Life funding to have a children and family services professional specifically trained in working to support inclusion for children with additional needs in every Family Hub. Similarly, the partnership believes reforms to children’s social care are hugely complementary to SEND Reform, with a focus on early identification and early support in line with what is needed for all children with SEND. On the Island children with SEND are significantly overrepresented in all sectors of the social care and criminal justice systems, for example those requiring a child protection plan to keep them safe, children in the care of the local authority and care leavers. Improvements in all those areas will be positive for SEND Reform.

The implementation of NHS 10-year plan and specifically the promotion of neighbourhood working and integrated neighbourhood teams, is seen as positive. For example, on the Island, and aligned with the move towards more care within the community and closer to where people live, each primary care network will have a Community Gp Paediatric Hub to support early identification and intervention. A hospital paediatric consultant and the Gp leading the Paediatric Hub will co-deliver the Multi-disciplinary Team and Children and young people clinics.

Re. local government reorganisation, Isle of Wight not directly involved as continuation as a separate entity as per the previous structure confirmed in March. However, Island is involved in devolution within a footprint that includes the current LAs of Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth. The most likely relevance to SEND is the skills agenda as it may improve access to a wider range of employers both on the Island and the mainland.

Regarding NHS reform, whilst in some respects as per above seems positive, there are concerns about the Icb covering a larger footprint and the potential for a move to centralise commissioning decisions (potentially with fewer providers) which may risk bespoke needs of Island residents becoming less prioritised.

Regarding local government funding reform, the Island is in a significantly worse financial state as a result of the changes that were implemented starting in 2026/27 financial year and these are significant factor behind why the council needed to request exceptional financial support from the government to set a balanced budget in 2026/27. Whilst the additional funding provided by government relating to the SEND reforms is welcome, there is a risk that the council’s weak underlying financial position, and the impact this might have on core related services, undermines the impact that such additional investment can have.

Given the Island fits the definition of coastal and has some of the lowest education outcomes in England, it is hoped that additional government support will be available through Misson Coastal. Improving inclusion and education standards in Island mainstream schools is perhaps the biggest single factor that will improve outcomes for SEND children.

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)

Partnership will update the existing whole system multi agency SEND Transformation Plan and the terms of reference of the SEND Partnership Board to create a new Island SEND Reform Plan to fully reflect the content of Every Child Achieving and Thriving and the SEND Reforms. This will include where the partnership intends to be in three years’ time, the roadmap for the next three years, and actions for year 1 broken down on a quarterly basis.

A performance dashboard aligned to the work of the SEND Partnership Board and the new Island SEND Reform Plan will be developed, structured according to the work of the SEND Partnership Board and each workstream. This will be in place in Q3 2026/27, with some elements available before then (this time is needed to improve local data collection systems). The dashboard will be updated quarterly.

SEND Reform Plan workstream leads will submit an update report to every SEND Partnership Board (every two months), identifying areas of strength and progress, areas of concern and challenge, priorities for the next two months, and matters for escalation. The Council’s new children and young people and parent carer engagement officers will be responsible for a report to every SEND Partnership Board updating what children and young people and parents and carers, including the Pcf, are saying about services. This will provide qualitative feedback to complement the quantitative assessment in the performance dashboard.

The performance dashboard and reports will be scrutinised at every meeting of the SEND Partnership Board, published online, and shared at other meetings as per the governance arrangements, as will the quarterly reporting required by the DfE. Our aspiration is to create accessible versions of as much of the above as possible.

To track need (demand), data for the workstream for improving statutory EHC process will include number of requests for EHC needs assessments on monthly basis, broken down by source (school or parent / carer); age of child and primary need. This will also allow opportunities to target Eah specialists to support improvements to confidence and competence of colleagues in particular schools / phases. It will also allow targeted work to improve support for transitions if for example an increase in the need for an EHCP occurs in Year 7.

Service delivery metrics will include capacity (e.g. number of additional colleagues or support base places), numbers of children receiving support without an EHCP, waiting times broken down by time to assess and time to treatment. Service quality will include both quantitative data (e.g. rates of attendance and exclusions for children with SEND) and qualitive feedback (e.g. systematic collection of child and parent carer voice) as per the bi-monthly reports to SEND Partnership Board. Workstream leads responsible for ensuring quantitative and qualitative information considered within workstream. E.g. workstream responsible for joint commissioning responsible for ensuring this information, including voice, is included in contract monitoring and re-commissioning cycle.

Each workstream will have bespoke action plan updated every six months to reflect evolution of SEND Reform Plan.

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.

Attached as separate file due to file size

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.

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

Attached at Appendix 2a

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)

Isle of Wight is a small unitary council facing unique need and delivery challenges and already subject to government exceptional financial support due to budget challenges. Travel to and from the Island is time consuming, unreliable and expensive. Transformation funding is allocated primarily on a per total child cohort basis against statistical neighbours averages and does not take account of the lack of economies of scale nor high levels of need relative to the intended end state (e.g. very high rates of Iow EHCP and Ehe relative to statistical neighbours) and therefore the quantum of transformation needed. In real terms, 10% of the Iow’s Eah grant (£85,000) is arguably insufficient to lead and deliver SEND Reform of the scale required and corporate resources are also challenged (although are being accessed). Additional transformation funding would improve transformation capacity and deliver faster and better outcomes for children. It would also support the development of the Island resident specialist workforce to replace short term import of specialism in e.g. educational psychology. We continue to build experience and expertise within data and intelligence team but are building from

scratch following the end of the partnership with Hampshire. Support in that area would also be welcome. Realignment of the mainstream school system to restore financial health is critical to improving mainstream inclusion and support that process is also imperative. The Dcs would welcome a meeting with DfE colleagues to discuss opportunities for additional transformation funding. Peer learning and regional collaboration is already established.

Appendix 2a

Multi-agency Iow SEND Governance, June 2026

(i.e. excluding governance within individual organisations)

Iow Health and Wellbeing

Board

Iow Health and Care

Icb Integrated Assurance

Partnership

Committee

Iow Council Children’s Services, Education and Skills

Committee

Schools Forum

SEND Partnership Board

Co-chairs: Dcs and Icb Deputy Director

Iow Education Forum

Schools Forum Hnb Subgroup

Workstream 4

Workstream 5

Workstream 6

Workstream 3

Workstream 2

Workstream 1

Statutory processes

Preparation for Joint Commissioning Local Offer Early support and prevention Co-production and participation Adulthood

SEND Reform: Capital investment

SEND Reform: Experts at Hand Panel

Appendix 2b This document sets out the Isle of Wight Council’s proposed programme for the expansion of specialist inclusion bases within mainstream schools (formerly resourced provisions) and the development of additional capacity within maintained special schools. These proposals form a key component of the Council’s wider SEND and place sufficiency strategy, responding to increasing demand and the need to strengthen inclusive, high-quality provision across the Island. The aim is to ensure that more children and young people can access appropriate support within their local communities, reducing reliance on distant or out-of-area placements while improving outcomes and experiences.

The proposals outlined reflect a strategic approach to developing a balanced continuum of provision, ensuring the right mix of mainstream, specialist base, and special school places. They are informed by current and projected demand, including the continued growth in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), and the increasing complexity of need. By expanding provision in a planned and phased way, the Council seeks to build sustainable capacity while supporting schools to deliver inclusive practice effectively.

Phasing and Implementation of Places

It is important to note that the establishment of new specialist provision and the expansion of maintained special schools are subject to statutory processes, including consultation and, where required, formal decision-making procedures. As a result, new places will typically be consulted upon and, if approved, made available from the beginning of an academic year to align with school admissions cycles and ensure a smooth transition for children and families.

However, not all places will necessarily be filled immediately upon opening. A phased approach to occupancy will be adopted to support the successful establishment of new provision. This will allow sufficient time for the recruitment and training of specialist staff, the development of appropriate practice and provision models, and the careful integration of children and young people into their new settings. This approach is essential to ensuring that provision is of high quality from the outset and is able to meet the needs of children effectively as it grows.

Consultation and Expression of Interest

We will implement a structured, transparent, and accessible Expression of Interest (Eoi) process to identify and establish new specialist bases, ensuring that provision is aligned with identified local needs and the wider strategic priorities of the area. Clear guidance will be published at the outset, setting out eligibility criteria, expectations for delivery, funding arrangements, and the evaluation framework. A defined submission window will be provided, supported by briefing sessions and written materials to help potential applicants develop strong proposals. We will actively engage with a broad range of stakeholders including Dioceses, maintained schools, academy trusts, early years providers, and post-16 institutions to ensure the process benefits from sector expertise and reflects the diversity of provision.

All EOIs will be assessed against robust and clearly defined criteria linking to the aspirations within the SEND Reform plan, including the suitability and adaptability of premises, leadership capacity, workforce expertise, experience in delivering high quality SEND provision, and a demonstrated commitment to inclusive practice. A moderated evaluation approach will be used to ensure fairness, consistency, and objectivity in decision making. Shortlisted applicants may be invited to participate in further discussions, present their proposals, or host site visits to validate the feasibility and quality of their plans. Final recommendations will be considered through established governance arrangements, ensuring accountability and alignment with strategic planning processes. Constructive feedback will be provided to all applicants, supporting continuous improvement and enabling settings to strengthen future applications, while fostering a collaborative and system wide approach to developing specialist SEND provision.

Proposed expansion of places:

Total: 68 128 168 168 *Indicative proposals, subject to Eoi process