Sutton SEND Reform Plan 2026

Sutton SEND Reform Plan

June 2026

Local Authority: London Borough of Sutton

ICB: South West London Integrated Care Board

Local SEND Reform Plan Senior Responsible Officer: Jonathan Williams, Director for Children’s Services

Contents

Executive Summary (500 words)

Section one - Vision and Goals

1.​ What the local area partnership is trying to achieve (250 words)

Section two - Strategy

2.​ Where the partnership expects to be in 3 years

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

4.​ Local Partnership Maturity Assessment

5.​ 3 Year roadmap

6.​ Year one delivery plan

7.​ How will the partnership deliver the first year plan? (250 words)

8.​ Other funding

a.​ Block Funding (250 words)

b.​ Capital (500 words)

9.​ Partners Stakeholder and engagement (500 words)

10.​Risks and mitigation

11.​Dependencies (500 words)

Section three - Monitoring and evaluation

12.​How will the local area partnership know delivery is on track? (500 words)

13.​Reporting to the DfE - Data Template

Section four - Governance

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

Section five - central government support (250 words)

15.​How can DfE help?

Signatories

Executive Summary

(500 words) 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

Sutton’s SEND Reform Plan sets out a three-year programme of system reform to move from a reactive model of support to a more integrated, preventative and financially sustainable 0-25 SEND system.

The local area has important strengths on which to build, including high-performing early years and portage provision, schools and post 16 settings, established SENCO clusters and early years collaboration, committed specialist and alternative provision and a strong and stable workforce. Over the last 10 years, Sutton has invested significantly in specialist and AP places, mainstream accessibility and inclusion bases creating strong local provision for Sutton’s children and young people. However, the partnership recognises that current arrangements are not yet sufficiently mature or consistent to meet increasing needs, rising complexity of need and secure long-term financial sustainability.

Based around 4 overarching goals we will build a 0-25 system where children and young people receive support to achieve and thrive through more inclusive educational and community settings. This will start with embedding our ‘Every Child, Every School/Setting’ ordinarily available provision guidance across all schools and settings creating more consistency in mainstream provision and inclusion practice reducing reliance on statutory assessment as the primary route to support.

Schools will be supported to be more inclusive by developing and strengthening our existing partnership based Team around the School operating models as well as increasing accountability in our system through the sharing of school level inclusion dashboards.

The Experts at Hand model will be central to our approach, by increasing capacity and capability in the mainstream part of our system by bringing multidisciplinary expertise, support and challenge into schools and settings through the appointment of SEND Inclusion Advisors, additional Educational Psychology and assistant EPs, Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy and CAMHS mental health support capacity. This will be supplemented through additional special and Alternative Provision outreach, a new team of professionals to support families and parents earlier, cluster arrangements for Early Years and post-16 settings and the innovative use of assistive technologies. This will be complemented by strengthened early years and Best Start in Life pathways, improved post-16 and Preparing for Adulthood arrangements, and the development of a dedicated SEND Family Hub and SEND Family help service as part of our Family First and Best Start in Life proposals.

Over time, this will improve the capacity of mainstream settings, and the confidence of more parents that their child’s needs can be met at a universal and targeted/targeted plus level. We aim to reduce the growth of requests for statutory assessment from 4% in 2026 ,down to 1% in 2029. Over time we expect to see a reduction in the rate of EHC needs assessment requests - both from schools and parents - which will in turn see a gradual reduction in the rate of growth in EHCPs from 2818 at end 2026 to 3206 by end of 2029. Over time, this will create a virtuous circle so that we can focus more resources at an earlier stage in the system. This will mean children’s needs met sooner and more locally, with less escalation and a reducing reliance on high-cost specialist provision and long journeys to get to school.

To build confidence in our system, our reform plan will be deliberately sequenced over time. Year 1 will establish the foundations and enablers for change, including strengthened local area governance, re-established co-production infrastructure, launch of Experts at Hand, development of an integrated SEND dashboard, and progression of inclusion and sufficiency planning. Years 2 and 3 will focus on scaling, integration and embedding, where we would expect to see increasing evidence of impact on inclusion, service access, placement sufficiency, family experience and financial sustainability.

Section One:

1.​ Vision and Goals (250 words)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

1.1.​ Sutton is a small London Borough in South West London with strong local partnerships, ambitious plans for the future and a committed, engaged workforce. We have a growing and changing population. Sutton benefits from strong community identities (places with a town or village feel) which help to make it a welcoming place for people from all backgrounds.

1.2.​ We are “collectively ambitious for our children and young people. Together we want to provide them with the best chances to achieve their best outcomes in life, whatever their starting point, and to prepare them effectively for adulthood”. Our SEND charter sets out how we want to work as a partnership to achieve this vision.

1.3.​ Children and young people with SEND do well in Sutton and the local area has many strengths, however improvement is required over the next three years to create a less reactive and more financially viable system with stronger multi agency governance arrangements in line with the national reform agenda. 1.4.​ We will focus our SEND reform plan around four overarching goals based on the co-produced local area maturity assessment undertaken in March / April this year:

Goal 1: Rebuild sustainable co-production and parental confidence - by summer 2027, establish a resilient and representative Parent Carer Forum supported with funded infrastructure working alongside our youth engagement framework and working closely with other parent groups in the Borough.

Outcome: an established Parent Carer Forum is in place with growing and representative membership. Increased parental confidence in Sutton’s SEND system. Parents feel that their voices, and that of their children’s, are heard.

Goal 2: Strengthen joint leadership, governance and system accountability - by Autumn 2026, implement an integrated governance, joint risk management, commissioning and data framework across education, health, and care.

Outcome: Stronger and shared accountability for system performance and joint commissioning informed by strong data.

Goal 3: Build on our inclusive practice in schools / settings and in the community - by summer 2027, implement a cross-agency workforce strategy, incorporating (i) Experts at Hand and SEND inclusion advisors in schools/settings and (ii) a sector leading Early Years SEND system where children are identified and supported at the earliest opportunity, and (iii) SEND Family help services at a new SEND Family Hub at the Robin Hood Lane site. This will be underpinned by training and CPD across both schools and settings leading to reduced variability in practice and more inclusivity within settings.

Outcomes: (i) More children will be able to access support earlier and without needing to wait for lengthy statutory assessments. (ii) More children and young people with SEND will feel that they belong in education and their communities, reducing negative experiences that result in absence, exclusions, missing education, ‘unwanted’ EHE, reduced timetables and NEET. (iii) narrowing the gap in attainment between those children with and without SEND

Goal 4: Create local, high quality and cost effective provision for SEND children in Sutton - expand mainstream support bases and create additional local specialist provision where needed. Commission AP and specialist outreach to support pupils in mainstream at risk of exclusion and for those with Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).

Outcomes: Greater financial sustainability and value for money. Reduced reliance on high-cost external placements over time leading to reductions in associated travel costs, meaning more children with SEND are educated in Borough and a reduction in Education Health and Care Needs assessments, where needs can be met through an improved mainstream offer.

Section two: 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.

2.1.​ Over the next three years, the Sutton SEND Local Area Partnership will move from a reactive system to a more integrated, preventative and navigable inclusion support model, aligned with national SEND reform principles. Our blueprint for change is described in the table below with our overarching goals linking closely to the 4 DfE buildings blocks identified above:

Local blueprint

areas other than special schools

• ​Therapy outcomes in the Borough are in line with national data (based

onTOMS outcome framework).

• ​Cognus operates a successful trading model but there is limited capacity for

EPS and Salt / Ot input outside of EHCP provision or traded work.

• ​Very limited school advisory capacity is held centrally at LA level which

hinders ability to hold schools to account on inclusion.

• ​Significant wait times exist across health providers for both children's

therapies and neurodevelopmental assessments.

• ​The neurodevelopmental one stop shop is starting to shift the focus from

diagnosis to needs led support while still recognising the importance of diagnosis for children.

• ​There is no universal health therapy offer for children over five, and schools

face insufficient access to children's therapies outside of the statutory EHCP process unless they pay for it from their own budgets.

• ​There are 4 family hubs in the Borough providing a firm platform for Best

Start in Life proposals.

• ​Previous years have seen EHCNA requests increasing year-on-year, with a

five-year average of over 5% increase each year to 2025

support which leads to an increase in inclusive practice in education settings and parental satisfaction

• ​Regular cycles of inclusion audits undertaken by EAH Inclusion advisors, an

action plan and review with every school to define inclusion targets and to support accountability for change.

• ​Annual moderation of OAP implementation through audits across EY, school

and post-16 settings

• ​A robust Team around the School model implemented in each school to

provide early support alongside increased accountability to schools

• ​A Team around the College model implemented in the mainstream college to

support universal and targeted support including for pupils whose EHCPs cease as they move into post-16

• ​A cross-borough post-16 cluster will be in operation to provide peer support

and deployment of EAH

• ​Further utilisation of SSAP to provide support at the targeted plus level to avoid

escalation to EHCP

• ​A system of support and quality assurance for support bases to avoid specialist

placements and increase inclusion in mainstream for more complex children

• ​Sutton will over time have rates of EHCNA and EHCPs / ISPs in line with

national averages and will over time reduce reliance on specialist provision in the borough through more mainstream provision that can meet needs.

• ​Children will have their needs identified early and support will be provided to

ensure that Early Years settings are inclusive.

• ​Workforce development pathways will be well established and pipelines of

recruitment and retention embedded.

• ​There will be a single strong training offer delivered across EAH and other

services for settings and parents. There will be expectations around attendance at training monitored through TAS meetings.

• ​There will be a core induction offer for professionals new to working in Sutton

featuring training about OAP and inclusion.

• ​Early Years advisors will work with settings to develop their practice and SEND

offer through a cycle of audit and monitoring visits with frequency defined following an assessment of need of the setting (through use of soft data, data about SEND prevalence and audit tools such as ECERS and ITERS)

• ​Early Years clusters will be created to support sharing of practice across

settings and to operationalise EAH support. These will link with Family Hubs to provide a strong parent/carer offer alongside

• ​Head teacher and SENCO collaboration will be strengthened further through

cluster models, the offer of headteacher supervision groups and showcasing of good practice through our SENCO newsletter.

• ​Inclusion advisors will develop a culture of sharing practice between schools

through facilitating discovery days to showcase exemplar inclusive practice

• ​Sutton has a higher proportion of requests for assessment 94 per 10,000, 0-24) than the London average 75 per 10,000, 0-24)
• ​Sutton has a higher rate of EHCPs when compared nationally and a lower proportion of children supported at SEN Support.
• ​Sutton has a lower % of children with EHCPs in mainstream settings when accounting for the high proportion of resourced provision in the Borough.
• ​Sutton has a high reliance on specialist provision in the Borough including NMI settings
• ​As such the local system is currently too ‘reactive’ and waiting for problems

to emerge before support is provided - this is being mitigated through Multi Agency structures to support more complex SEND support learners through the Sutton SEND Advisory Partnership.

• ​Recruitment and retention of professionals is good and most services are

fully staffed with the exception of Therapies.

• ​There is a good offer of training available to schools through fully funded

and traded offer. There is training for parents available through Cognus services and the Educational Wellbeing Service.

• ​Early Years settings are supported by an established Early Years team at

the setting and individual pupil level. There is a high number of referrals into the team and work is often reactive. There is a varied quality of practice across settings. There is one commissioned specialist nursery and one informal specialist setting.

• ​Head teachers and SENCOs are engaged well through forum activities.

There is keen support for working groups and a culture of collaboration and respectful challenge. SENCO clusters provide a forum for sharing of practice with Lead SENCOs driving peer learning and support

Delivery Strategy and Theory of Change

3.​ What is the local area partnership’s strategy for delivering on the above? (250 words)

-​ 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.’

3.1.​ The Context for Change: Sutton has strong, high performing schools that achieve strong educational outcomes. Our schools operate within a highly academised landscape which has led to reduced SEND support mechanisms that exist around settings as the role and resources within the LA have historically reduced. Whilst children with SEND typically do very well in Sutton schools, Sutton faces higher rates of EHCNA requests and EHCPs relative to our population than other areas. This suggests a lack of confidence in mainstream schools (by parents and settings) that needs can be met at a mainstream level. The initial phase of reform will strengthen the advisory and multidisciplinary support available to schools and settings to enable further inclusive practices as the cohorts of schools become more complex. 3.2.​ This has increased Sutton’s reliance on specialist provision in the Borough over time. To avoid expensive non-maintained or independent (NMI) placements, Sutton has increased specialist places by 40% since 2015. Whilst this has had a positive impact, a gradual reliance on specialist provision has over time undermined the development of early mainstream intervention, perpetuating EHCNA growth and with particular challenges at primary and secondary transition points. 3.3.​ Inputs: To break this cycle, we will build upon our strong SEND workforce and our SENCO clusters, integrating and expanding the offer for schools through Experts at Hand professionals and outreach support from specialist settings and AP as well as the development of support bases in more mainstream schools (Goal 3). System enablers will include a stronger approach to using data to target resources more effectively but also build stronger accountability mechanisms and a more unified local governance structure to oversee and drive system change and stronger joint commissioning arrangements with partners in health (Goal 2). 3.4.​ Outputs: This will ensure a stronger universal offer across all settings. The EAH model will deploy multidisciplinary expertise into schools to drive early identification and evidence-based interventions for autism, speech and language, and SEMH and provide accountability for

inclusion. Clear 0–25 pathways will be developed, a 3-tier AP system embedded and co-production will be restored through a newly established Parent Carer Forum and youth engagement framework (Goal 1). 3.5.​ Outcomes: These actions will establish consistent inclusion standards and accountability mechanisms across schools and settings. By successfully meeting needs earlier in mainstream environments, Sutton will increase parental confidence, reduce escalation and decrease reliance on EHCPs and specialist placements (Goal 4). Using iterative learning cycles, this strategy will deliver an equitable, financially sustainable system that ensures positive long-term outcomes for children and families. 4.​ Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool - please upload a completed copy of the Local Partnership Maturity Assessment Tool.

4.1.​ The local area maturity assessment tool was sent out to all stakeholders across the Sutton SEND partnership in March. The assessment below synthesis all of the responses that were received which has helped inform our SEND reform plan. A copy of the maturity assessment is included in Appendix A Doc Ref 1 (at the bottom of the document). 5.​ Three-Year Roadmap (2026–2029) - 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. (1000 words limit)

5.1.​ Sutton’s roadmap sets out a phased transformation from a system currently characterised by fragmented data, variable co-production, and reactive intervention, to a fully integrated, preventative SEND system.

5.2.​ Year 1 (2026–27): Foundations and Test-and-Learn​ Priorities will focus on rebuilding co-production through a new Parent Carer Forum supported by a voluntary sector partner, establishing stronger local area governance structures, and recruiting to the EAH model (see Appendix A, Doc Ref 7), budget held and managed by LBS. In Year one we will have designed a detailed delivery plan for the new SEND Family Hub at the identified Robin Hood Lane site and achieved the necessary approvals from the local area partnership. Work on the integrated data dashboard will begin, with health agencies working through commissioning arrangements to ensure providers provide key SEND data in the future.

5.3.​ Year 2 (2027–28): Scaling and Integration​ EAH will scale up, providing all schools and settings with a strong and consistent multidisciplinary team around the school support offer. Automated data systems will replace manual processes, enabling real-time performance tracking. Inclusion capacity in mainstream settings will expand through an ongoing audit and review cycle. Development of a package for support bases alongside monitoring and CPD will continue to reduce reliance on specialist and high-cost placements. Early Years clusters and a post-16 cluster will be formed. Joint commissioning arrangements with health will be strengthened and formalised.

5.4.​ Year 3 (2028–29): Embedding and Sustainability​ The system will operate as a more mature, integrated 0–25 model, with strong co-production, consistent workforce practice, and data-driven planning. Demand for EHCPs and out-of-area provision will reduce as early intervention becomes the norm. Financial sustainability will be strengthened through cost avoidance and local sufficiency. 5.5.​ The table below provides a high level summary and milestone plan against the relevant building blocks to an inclusive system as well as the enablers that will support the local area to get there. This roadmap reflects our maturity assessment by prioritising early action on Pillars 1–3 (co-production, leadership, data) as critical enablers.

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.

6.1.​ We have broken down our SEND reform planning work into key workstreams, aligned to areas for improvement identified by the Local Area SEND inspection that was undertaken in January 2026. Year 1 outline delivery for SEND Reform Plan

The table below provides a more detailed plan for year one, based on the work breakdown structure set out in Appendix A - Doc

Ref 5

Goal 1 - Rebuild sustainable co-production and parental confidence

Goal 2 - Strengthen joint leadership, governance and system accountability

Goal 3 - Build on our inclusive practice in schools / settings and in the community

Goal 4 - Create local, high quality and cost effective provision for SEND children in Sutton

Operational Group 1 Chair - Kieran Holliday, Director Education, Integrated Support and Safer Communities

oversee all EAH activity, run inclusion audits with school and Team around the School meetings to deploy other EAH support in a needs-led and data-driven manner. -​ Activities for all EAH

self-evaluation data too -​ Team around the

5 activities in each school -​ All school logged

-​ Improvement in outcomes for children and young people with SEND as measured through attainment data -​ Increased numbers of children accessing professional support at the pre-statutory level -​ A stabilisation of school EHCNA requests -​ Increased parental confidence in mainstream settings -​ Increased attendance for pupils with SEND -​ Increased inclusion scores for schools -​ Reduction in suspensions and exclusions for pupils with SEND

-​ Coverage of TAS -​ First TAS -​ Over 75% of meetings for at least 15 schools -​ EAH professionals meetings for tranche 2 initiated in which action plans and targets are identified -​ Develop early schools will agree that TAS meetings enable them to think strategically about their SEND support offer and to put in place a more inclusive offer. -​ All school leaders school cycle of plan and review in motion for highest need schools -​ Additional in and using Verbo -​ Outreach offer will have completed at least 2 activities (training, group work, consultation etc.) in each school -​ All schools enrolled provided to at least 5 schools to plan and begin to operationalise support bases -​ Primary EBSA years and post-16 partnership cluster arrangements -​ Launch inclusion universal and targeted offer from Therapies and EPS enacted in more schools -​ Next tranche of professionals defined (in line with DfE guidance) and clarified against statutory and traded offers.Work aligned to Lead SENCO role. -​ Lead SENCOs to with Verbo training and coaching programme through cluster model will agree that support has become more readily available to them since the introduction of EAH -​ EAH offer implemented in which Stars staff support onsite reintegration -​ 25% of children TAS school identified -​ Outreach package for support bases offered to schools -​ Schools continue open to Stars receiving CAMHS support (if deemed necessary) -​ At least 10 support with school audits and complete work with SENCOs identified through TAS meetings/school audits -​ Model to identify professionals will have completed at least 10 activities in each school -​ Outreach offer to receive regular EAH input -​ Enhanced Ebsa/Stars offer initiated -​ Roll out of schools identified for assistive tech roll out provided to at least 15 schools to plan and begin to operationalise support bases -​ Stars working assistive tech support to increase inclusive practice - first trance of schools identified -​ Assistive tech school level of need defined -​ Highest need schools identified and audited -​ Highest need with at least 3 primary schools -​ There will be a schools Team around the School initiated -​ Action plans with programme of roll out identified lower number of pupils who are severely absent -​ In 2026 there will targets for schools defined through TAS and audits around EHCNA numbers and alternative support -​ TAS models will be be no more than 667 EHCNAs -​ Fewer suspensions and exclusions for pupils with SEND (suspensions for EHCP pupils no higher than 5.5 created which reflect the level of need of schools e.g., highest support, prevention and monitoring -​ Universal and and 5.3 for SEND support. Exclusions for EHCP pupils no higher than 0.2 and 0.5 for SEND support) targeted therapies offer publicised to schools -​ Outreach offer initiated and available for all schools -​ All schools to begin receiving some EAH offer -​ Enhanced Stars/Ebsa offer planned

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Review of demand for support bases in Early Years and FE provision

• ​

Capital investment in expansion of existing specialist bases provision

• ​

Capital investment in expansion of special school places

• ​

Investment of capital in special schools to support recommissioning/ suitability

• ​

Tighter commissioning framework with Independent, Non Maintained schools to deliver improved placement efficiencies, and quality

• ​

Reduction in use of NMI due to improved state sector sufficiency

• ​

Reduction in use of independent unregistered tuition providers through commissioning state funded AP/ in house tuition/ AP provision.

• ​

Commission outreach provision from local state funded AP And Special school providers to support both EAH provision (pre-EHCP) and support with children with EHCPs in mainstream at risk of placement breakdown.

• ​

Quality Assurance framework developed for Support Bases.

• ​

SEND and AP commissioning strategy updated to reflect the roles of Support and Specialist Bases (Support for children within EHCP in mainstream not in a base, and for SEN Support learners to access, Specialist bases to cover SEN Resource Provision and SEN Units). Success measure

across EY, and FE provision Develop Education Capital strategy in Sutton, setting out strategic aims, aligning basic needs, High Needs Provision Capital, and capital maintenance across the local area into a single, cohesive deployment plan. Identify schools for potential Support bases in Primary, and schools for potential Support and specialist bases in Secondary (with an expectation all secondary school will have at least 1 type of base) Agree Stars commission for Secondary SEND tuition/ reintegration places Agree Stars and CAHMS outreach commissions Agree Link/ Carew OUtreach commissions Finalise School organisation plan. Develop education capital strategy 2026-2031 and SEND and AP sufficiency strategy 2028-2030.

Continue trajectory of reduced NMI placements

Agree £700,000 investment into mainstream school SEND suitability projects. Agree £700k specialist bases, and £700k special school investment Agree any necessary capital investment in Overton Grange to continue to expand the ASD resource base by 6 places annually. Special school/ bases funding moderations as agreed. Finalise SEND and AP commissioning strategy 2028-2030, and take it to People Committee. People committee to ratify School Organisation Plan Parent carer forum to be co-opted on to AMP steering group for SPCF decisions and inclusion bases working group. Hold PCNP meeting with providers Sep/ Oct to agree commissioned palace numbers, pathways, and funding, for 2027/28.

Reduction in PEX, and tuition hours delivered by unregistered tuition providers (particularly PEX of children with an EHCP Higher proportion of children resident in Sutton attending Sutton area special schools, Reduced proportion of children in NMI provision

commissioning strategy and school estates strategy. Agree 20% of support bases by this Quarter, which schools they will be in 20% of schools, commissioning agreements for these (including Capital funding arrangements). Prioritise Secondary schools, aiming for 5 Secondary support bases, and 5 Primary bases.

support, rather than with EHCPs Reduction in PEX, and tuition hours delivered by unregistered tuition providers (particularly PEX of children with an EHCP Data to be aligned with Reform plan target projections for end of 26/27 FY. Transport savings to be realised through this strategy. Cost avoidance fo fewer children in NMI provision, with more children supported with EHCPs in local Sutton schools, saving c£10k annually for every child not placed in NMI provision

• ​

Reduction in EHCP growth due to needs being met without additional top up funding - due to schools receiving greater support from commissioned services, and capital investment in schools to create more inclusive spaces.

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A higher proportion of children with EHCP’s having needs met in mainstream schools.

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A lower number, and proportion of learners with EHCP’s in specialist provision, in particular a lower proportion

and number of learners in Independent , non maintained provision.

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Independent, non maintained provision only to be used when no local state funded school can meet needs (i.e. we only use regional highly specialised NMI providers where we cannot reasonably, or more efficiently, meet needs through local state funded provision

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Average cost of placement in specialist provision reduces due to meeting more learners needs in local state funded bases and special schools

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Home to school transport costs for SEND learners reduces due to meeting needs more locally.

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Transport savings achieved through a higher proportion of learners in local state funded specialist provision, rather than NMI.

SEND provision gaps analysis - identify commissioning needs for SEp/ Oct PNCP meetings. Agree commissioned places for Sep 2027. Support base Quality Assurance framework to be agreed with all schools. This

AP and Outreach Workstream Outcome Alternative provision and outreach offers is strengthened to ensure more CYP remain on roll at their mainstream settings and a reduction in EOTAS cases Success measure -commissioning gaps closed -greater oversight and improved outcomes due to reduction in use of independent providers -swifter reintegration to settings -more effective use of funds as in house offer is developed

Alex Waring - SEND Programm e Manager

Sutton schools using less independent providers for AP. Greater offers within schools Greater collaboration and sharing of expertise / resources between Sutton schools Gaps in primary and early intervention AP offers identified and commissioned Sense of belonging to named school maintained through in house offer and swifter reintegration wherever possible

Lower spend per setting on external alternative providers Outreach through Link/ Stars to help design primary and secondary support base local area best practise models. Outcome would be a primary and secondary bases ‘model’ operational guide

Access to more of AP offer without EHCP and / or formal diagnosis A borough led, collaborative online school is developed, funding and staffing shared by settings.

Cognus Education Centre pilot to launch September 2026. In house tuition service to target EBSA and EOTAS cases from mainstream settings.

CEC will initially consist of a lead tutor and 2 tutors and will prioritise a small number of pupils (between 5-10 initially, dependent on package hours). On completion of successful pilot the programme can be extended to ensure greater reach

EBSA offer improved and rolled out to all settings, specifically targeted at early intervention before EBSA is entrenched

Outreach package from maintained special schools to be developed and confirmed

Further pathways to be developed by Limes for PEX EHCP pupils

Further pathways for pre statutory primary pupils, respite places to be available regardless of EHCP / diagnosis status

Reintegration support from Limes to be developed, based in schools to support reintegration after FAP

Stars additional tuition package. Stars to provide an additional 16 places from January 2027 for children requiring bespoke tuition/ EOTAS package, where those children also have an EHCP, reducing the use of unregistered tuition providers for all but those learners requiring such a bespoke provision package that this cannot be delivered within the capacity of Stars. The annual cost of this tuition provision will be £347,831.47. This equates to £21,800 per place (£10k place, £11.8k Top-Up, which is considerably less that the current per place placement cost in unregistered, independent tuition provision.

Strategic meeting to be held with Limes and Wandle Valley to develop holistic approach to SEMH support within Mainstreams and support bases

5.​Commissioning requirements re parenting foundations programmes scoped.

Operational Group 2 Chair - Jo Cassey, Managing Director Cognus

Sutton, and therefore the data workstream is vital to the success of the plan and accurate measurement of outcomes. In addition, the Data and Analytics Workstream will further develop existing data resources and methodologies, and create new data resources to further aid development and delivery of SEND Reform strategies. This will include a Multi-Agency Data Hub which will aim to bring together data from CSC (Children’s Social Care), Health and SEN data sources, utilising a Single Unique Identifier for each child/young person. A Data Officer, with specific responsibility to liaise with Health and CSC colleagues to explore and collate data for the Data Hub, will be recruited. Success measure A key measure of success will be feedback from the DfE in respect of initial and quarterly submissions of the SEND Reform Plan Data Template. In addition, successful roll-out of the Multi-Agency Data Hub and increased use of data resources by SEN colleagues and Workstream Teams will indicate positive progress.

Investigate potential for a multi-agency data hub encompassing CSC (Children’s Social Care), Health and SEN data, utilising a Single Unique Identifier for each CYP.

• Signposting internal

and external data resources to allow colleagues to access data relevant to commissioning and resource deployment.

• Schools Dashboard

(Primary & Secondary) Templates that have been compiled already will be updated with new data and shared with schools on a termly basis. Regularly reporting to Schools Forum and other stakeholders Maintaining SEND Dashboard

• Ensuring statutory

datasets are timely and highly accurate, including; SEN2 annual return Schools Census (termly) AP Census (annual)

• Identify Data Officer

(Health) as part of SEND Transformation Team

discuss feasibility and data available. Explore Single Unique Identifier options.

• Work with Data

Team to increase visibility and usability of data sources and ensure all teams are aware of data resources.

• Ongoing.

Encourage improvement suggestions and incorporate new data as needed.

• Ongoing. Liaise

with Finance and Data Teams to ensure best practice. Develop AI techniques to increase accuracy/efficiency.

• We should be

actively identifying / recruiting Data Officer lead at this point.

• Signposting internal

and external data resources to allow colleagues to access data - Regular updates for managers re data resources and ongoing improvements.

• Schools Dashboard

(Primary & Secondary) - Ongoing. Compiled and shared with schools on a termly basis. Regularly reporting to Schools Forum and other stakeholders Maintaining SEND Dashboard School leaders will be increasingly encouraged to monitor metrics relating to inclusion in their schools compared to other schools in the Borough to ensure all schools are equally engaged.

• Ensuring statutory

datasets are timely and highly accurate - Ongoing)

Further explore Single Unique Identifier options.

• Work with Data

Team to increase visibility and usability of data sources and ensure all teams are aware of data resources. Regular signposting.

• Ongoing.

Encourage improvement suggestions and incorporate new data as needed.

• Ongoing. Liaise

with Finance and Data Teams to ensure best practice. Further explore AI techniques to increase accuracy/efficiency.

• Health Data Officer

should be in-post at this point.

• Signposting internal

and external data resources to allow colleagues to access data - Regular updates for managers re data resources and ongoing improvements.

• Schools Dashboard

(Primary & Secondary) - Ongoing. Compiled and shared with schools on a termly basis. Regularly reporting to Schools Forum and other stakeholders Maintaining SEND Dashboard School leaders will be increasingly encouraged to monitor metrics relating to inclusion in their schools compared to other schools in the Borough to ensure all schools are equally engaged.

• Ensuring statutory

datasets are timely and highly accurate - Ongoing)

Further explore Single Unique Identifier options.

• Work with Data

Team to increase visibility and usability of data sources and ensure all teams are aware of data resources. Regular signposting.

• Ongoing.

Encourage improvement suggestions and incorporate new data as needed.

• Ongoing. Liaise

with Finance and Data Teams to ensure best practice. Further explore AI techniques to increase accuracy/efficiency

Outcome

• ​Every child with

SEND will have an ISP → new legal entitlement to a plan

• ​Applies across

Targeted, Targeted Plus, and Specialist levels - They are intended to describe “day-to-day” support, even for children with EHCPs

• ​ISP are

underpinned by National Inclusion Standards, which

• ​Define what

mainstream schools must ordinarily provide

• ​Set the “universal”

and lower-tier baseline

will be in practice is not fully defined

· ​ Increased uptake and effective use of digital ISPs · ​ Improved service accessibility and user experience · ​ Enhanced data quality and reporting consistency · ​ Reduced manual processes and operational inefficiencies

· Whether national packages risk over-standardisati on vs flexibility

· How funding will align with package specifications -​ Whether ISPs will genuinely reduce reliance on EHCPs

Success measure

· ​ % of services using national digital solutions · ​ User uptake rates (e.g., number of active users) · ​ Reduction in processing times · ​ Data completeness and accuracy rates · ​ User satisfaction scores · ​ Reduction in manual interventions · ​ Documents ‘talking’ to one another (i.e. ISP and National guidance criteria, ISP and provision maps, ISP and EHCP · ​ Fewer requests for EHCNA as OAP (through National guidance) is clear and implemented across all settings · ​ Young people mor involved in their IPS/EHCP as digital

• Stakeholder

engagement in developing digital ISP that meets the following criteria

• ​Digital, standardised

records that follow the child across settings

• ​Accessible and

updatable (not static paperwork)

• ​Designed to reduce

fragmentation when pupils move

schools/phases – might require aligning with neighbouring OLA

• ​Begin trial of ISP in

a few selected settings

· Create a Data reporting framework Devise workforce & Family training with families If National Inclusion Standards have not been published, ISPs will need to be underpinned by Sutton OAP as ISPs are personalised, but built from a standardised national menu of provision

Workforce Development Workstream Outcome:

Helen Gasparelli - Services Director, Cognus

All vacancies are filled and compliant with HR and safer recruitment processes, ensuring the workforce is fully in place for a September start. Improved workforce readiness, clarity of roles and expectations, and strengthened system connectivity, with staff working towards shared goals and delivering more consistent, coordinated practice across the partnership.

Workforce partnership survey shows increase in confidence in supporting SEND needs in mainstream Increased proportion of learners with EHCPs supported in mainstream schools

All staff are successfully onboarded, oriented, and have completed mandatory training, ensuring they are fully prepared to deliver from the outset A comprehensive coproduced assessment of CPD needs is developed and undertaken across the workforce to ensure full alignment with SEND reform and future service delivery expectations. Assessment to be coproduced Undertake a comprehensive review of how SEND reform impacts existing policies and practice, with a planned schedule for updates, ensuring robust cross-organisational co-production and system-wide connectivity Support workforce development across the Tep–Pep pathway: Enable

A robust, evidence base is established, providing a clear, data-driven understanding of workforce CPD needs and priorities, fully aligned with SEND reforms and future service delivery expectations.

A co-produced workforce development strategy is in development, spanning local area leadership through to direct delivery teams, and is supported by a comprehensive, co-produced training programme. This programme is informed by updated policies, evolving practice, and identified CPD needs, ensuring a coherent and system-wide approach to workforce development that enables effective and consistent implementation of SEND reform. Develop SEND Leadership Framework (aligned to OAP + inclusion expectations) Including to deliver SENCO leadership development (supervision + practice review) and Headteacher

Launch targeted recruitment campaigns for Therapies and EP roles, with adverts live from early June to secure timely appointments.​ ​ Design and deliver creative recruitment approaches (e.g. interactive ‘Why work with us?’ sessions) to promote Cognus, showcase opportunities, and attract high-quality candidates.

• ​

All required staff are recruited, appointed, and prepared, ensuring a skilled and fully resourced workforce ready to deliver from the start of September

• ​

A single, coherent SEND training and CPD system is established, underpinned by a comprehensive programme delivered consistently across the entire workforce. This ensures all staff, both new and existing, have a shared and up-to-date understanding of roles, expectations, systems, processes, and legislative requirements, supporting aligned practice and effective implementation of SEND reform across the system

• ​

Improved mainstream capacity and inclusion

• ​

Integrated multi-disciplinary workforce (“Experts at Hand”) Success measure

Increase in learners supported at SEND support, rather than with EHCPs Reduction in PEX, and tuition hours delivered by unregistered tuition providers (particularly PEX of children with an EHCP Reduction in EHE registrations for all children and by cohort (SEND, EHCP) Reduction in use of specialist & NMI placements due to children's needs being met in mainstream

Strong University Partnerships & Talent Pipeline, a)Established links with multiple universities for student placements,

• Regular

participation in careers events and occasional guest lectures c) providing placements, bursaries, assistant roles & professional development opportunities

• ​

Vacancies fully recruited to

• ​

New workforce, inducted, onboarded, and ready to deliver

• ​

CPD available to and delivered to all relevant staff

• ​

Strengthened system leadership and accountability

• ​

All leaders (Headteachers, SENCOs, LA, Cognus, Health system leaders) are accountable for outcomes for children with SEND and are Actively shaping system change, not just responding to it

Existing staff are mobilised as ambassadors to promote opportunities through their professional

• ​
• ​

Building parent confidence

• ​

Delivering financial sustainability through reduced escalation

• ​

Staff consistently demonstrate co-production behaviours

• ​

Frontline practitioners confident in engaging families early

• ​

Mainstream staff confident supporting higher needs

networks, enhancing recruitment and candidate attraction

Educational Psychologists to progress from trainee to principal level through supervision, mentoring, CPD, leadership opportunities, and involvement in service development—suppo rting both retention and future leadership. Support Therapies workforce development: Provide clinical and line management supervision, with staff aligned to a support hub and engaged in team and service-wide meetings and study days. Offer a structured preceptorship programme for newly qualified therapists to achieve required competencies, alongside journal clubs and evidence-sharing sessions to promote continuous learning and best practice.

inclusion briefings and leadership sessions Work Implemented a communication and engagement approach to ensure staff are aware of and can access existing OT and SaLT degree apprenticeships, aligned with national enrolment cycles Identify wider partnership practitioners such as Portage to strengthen workforce development - to include modelling interventions within settings, coaching practitioners Joint visits with SENCOs Transition planning Parent workshops and training Supporting inclusive practice across community settings Skilled, confident mainstream workforce with all schools/settings

A clear, system-wide approach to workforce expansion is established, with new roles mapped across partnerships and aligned to strategic priorities for SEND reform. Progress against recruitment is actively tracked and monitored, providing a robust, data-driven view of workforce growth, gaps, and coverage across the system. This data evidences not only the pace of recruitment but also the alignment of roles to priority areas of need and service transformation ambitions.

• ​ Specialist workforce used for:
• ​ Outreach
• ​ Capacity building (not just direct delivery)
• ​

Inclusion is actively celebrated across Sutton and seen as marker of school quality

• ​

Strengthened parental confidence that mainstream settings are equipped to meet their child’s SEND needs effectively and consistently.

A targeted and unified onboarding approach is implemented, ensuring all new staff have a consistent and shared understanding of the vision, objectives, and expected outcomes over the next three years. This includes structured induction, early-stage

CPD, and opportunities for cross-partnership networking, fostering strong relationships and a sense of shared purpose from the outset.

consistently implementing Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP), staff are able to identify and meet needs early without escalation and with a strong Team Around the School / College model embedded

protocols to eliminate gaps in support continuity.

• ​Launch a dedicated

Post-16 Provision and Pathways Steering Group with Terms of Reference. Tie meetings to measurable annual targets for student destination success, including employment outcomes..

• ​Refresh / setup

single PfA Operational Group group as part of (with strategic oversight) to prioritise the expansion and ongoing support of the PfA Hub, with emphasis on increasing access to post 16 information and pathways for both young people and their parents/ carers.

ensuring tailored support

• ​Families

experience a seamless handover, preventing young people from "falling through the cracks."

• ​High-level leaders

take collective ownership of post-16 SEND performance, breaking down organisational silos and developing pathways to reflect local need such as supported internships, employment, and independent travel

• ​The PfA Hub

expands from a concept into a fully functioning, well-resourced asset for the community.

moderation process to check OAP compliance across colleges.

• ​Communications

Strategy will implement a multi-channel comms plan to share Post-16 Provision and Pathways Steering Group outcomes with families and other stakeholders

• ​Increase local

post-16 SEND capacity through targeted provider commissioning and the expansion of inclusive pathways, supported internships, and reducing the SEND NEET rate

access to the OAP toolkit.

• ​Further education

staff feel better equipped to support diverse learning needs without requiring an EHCP.

• ​Reduction in

Top-Up Funding Requests: Colleges use the toolkit to meet needs from their core budgets

• ​Reduction in the

number of students who leave post 16 provision early and become NEET.

• ​Greater % of

young people supported across 4 areas of PfA pillars

development to all career advisors.

• ​Transition

Pathways: Standardise the post-16 handovers between health and social care,and ensure adult social care measures are in place.

• ​Independent

Travel Training (ITT) outcomes are measured by tracking student competency, system-wide financial savings, long-term community independence, and safety metrics.

• ​Consistent

PfA Delivery: Audit scores show uniform PfA curriculum adoption across settings.

• ​Improved

Destinatio n Data: More school leavers sustaining long-term education or training placement s.

• ​Young

people experience a smooth changeove r from children's to adult health and social services without losing their funding or care.

Success Measures:

• ​

Enhanced Independence: Young people acquire key life skills for greater daily autonomy, such as independent travel skills and adult social care transition support.

• ​

Employment Pathways: More young people transition successfully into paid work or volunteering, using pathways such as supported internships, foundation apprenticeships, occupational certification and pathways.

• ​

Community Inclusion: School leavers participate actively in local friendships and social networks, using adult social care support measures to enhance take up of services.

• ​

Health Management: Young people manage their own physical and mental well-being effectively, and will be supported to take up adult health and care services.

• ​

Establishment and progress made by the PFA steering group. This group will be chaired by the Head of SEND Family Help, with representation across PfA commissioning, post-16 Colleges and SPI, Local Offer Officer, Training providers, Volunteer Centre SUtton, Advocacy for all and Sutton SEND Parent Carer forum. The steering group will promote PfA best practices in Sutton, WA PfA aspects of the EAH service, and school and FE support bases, and promote greater inclusion of young people in FE colleges both in and out of borough and training providers. Outcomes will be measured through numbers of learners with SEND supported in mainstream post-16 provision and training providers, securing gainful employment and life skill outcomes to support independent living.

projects in school.

• ​2 primary and 2

secondary schools preparing projects for Year 2

Operational Group 3 Chair - Michelle Rahman, Place Director South West London ICB

Parent & CYP Coproduction Workstream Outcome Greater Parent/Carer confidence Stronger coproduction activity across CYP and Parents Success measures

Sutton Mencap

• ​Write and sign off

Service Specification for Sutton SEND Forum Development Partner.

• ​EofI, procurement,

Parent Panel selects preferred provider,

• ​Provider in place

and mobilisation Period

• ​Apply for PCF grant

by 3 July / negotiate revised deadline

• ​Develop and sign off

partnership agreement and review SEND Charter,

• ​Interim Chair of

Sutton SEND Forum to join the Reform and Improvement Board

Currently there are 2 members of the SSF steering group Establish new Sutton SEND Forum membership and register Parent representation to join governance boards in the local area

Additional members of the steering group recruited to on SSF (6-10) representative of Sutton local community (based on demographic metrics) 150 members signed up to Parent Carer Forum membership and on Facebook group Parent/Carer representation and attendance sustained at governance board meetings

Full establishment of steering group members on SSF (6-10) 300 number of members on SSF Facebook group 80% of strategic programmes demonstrating co-produced design and improved parent and CYP satisfaction.

• ​Establish

sustainable governance and operating model

• ​Regular attendance

at SEND Reform and Improvement Board meetings

• ​Refreshed / annual

SEND survey launched

• ​Scope Sutton 2026

Healthwatch survey of Children and Young People’s Wellbeing

• ​Develop you said,

we did feedback mechanisms

• ​Website and

communication channels established.

• ​Develop

co-production workstream for development of SEND Family Hub

• ​CYP engagement

framework established

• ​Parent representation

embedded within governance structures

• ​Specific

co-production structures within health services, including therapy pathway redesign groups and transition-to-adulthoo d lived experience advisory groups.

• ​Develop

borough-wide SEND parent champion network through existing parenting hub offer / Family Hubs

• ​Explore opportunities

to grow Autism Parenting Support programme to include other key need areas including anxiety, EBSA and PBS

• ​Introduce peer

support arrangements through Family Hubs

• ​Develop more

accessible information and digital resources and review Local Offer

• ​Strategic

coproduction activity undertaken with PCF based on parent led priority

• ​Increased parent participation in strategic engagement
• ​Improved parent confidence and satisfaction
• ​Formal co-production arrangements embedded
• ​Improved representation from diverse communities
• ​Membership Growth: to grow the existing Sutton SEND Forum membership over time enhancing parental voice.
• ​Service changes implemented as a result of parent and carer feedback

education and health to ensure future changes of special school places includes appropriate assessment of the budget for special school nursing and therapies. Projected Investment Spend Across 3 Workstreams

Projected Investment Spend per quarter Please specify funding source for each category Example categories: Programme oversight/additional leadership capacity. Workforce Recruitment Workforce training and development Data/Digital Total Spend Early Years and Best Start in Life Workstream

Mainstream / EAH Workstream For detailed three year breakdown Appendix A - Doc Ref 7 - SEND Data Template, Annex C Total Spend - £1,698,000

£566,000 £566,000 £566,000 Workforce, recruitment, training and development and leadership Workforce, recruitment, training and development and leadership Workforce, recruitment, training and development and leadership

Additional Investment to be Confirmed / Existing Funding Sources

●​ Early Years and Best Start in Life workstream costs.

●​ SEND Family Help / Family Hub capital renovation costs.

●​ Workforce Development CPD and training costs.

●​ Assistive Technology hardware and training costs

●​ Joint Commissioning resources from ICB and LBS.

●​ Any additional PfA workforce costs already embedded within existing establishment budgets.

Overall, the SEND Reform Plan currently identifies approximately £2.92 million of direct revenue investment, alongside a number of

capital-funded initiatives and existing staffing resources that have not yet been costed. Once the remaining areas are quantified, this

figure will provide the full Year 1 investment profile for the delivery plan.

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.

7.1.​ Delivery of the Year 1 plan will be underpinned by strengthened programme management, workforce capacity, and data capability across the partnership. 7.2.​ A dedicated SEND Transformation Programme Office will be funded through LBS and DfE transformation funding to oversee delivery, providing project management, risk tracking, and coordination across workstreams. This will ensure alignment with strategic priorities, support sequencing, and enable rapid escalation of issues through the SEND Reform and Improvement governance structure. This will utilise 10% of the grant allocated to transformation with additional investment through invest to save for new roles, three of which are being recruited to currently. Corporate functions—including finance, HR, and commissioning—will be fully integrated to support resource alignment and sustainability. 7.3.​ To build delivery capability, Sutton will adopt a blended model: strengthening internal capacity while commissioning external expertise where needed (e.g. for co-production infrastructure (Voluntary Sector partner) and digital development (LEO Academy). Named leads for each workstream will be accountable for delivery, supported by clear milestones and regular performance reviews. 7.4.​ Investment in data and analytics will be a critical enabler. A shared dashboard will provide real-time insights across education, health and care, enabling tracking against key metrics such as EHCP timeliness, inclusion rates, and service demand. Analytical capacity will be expanded through joint LA/ICB working including an additional data analyst post, ensuring data informs both operational decisions and strategic commissioning. 7.5.​ This approach ensures that delivery is coordinated, data-driven, and accountable, with the flexibility to adapt through learning cycles. By building sustainable capacity and embedding robust governance, Sutton will be well-positioned to deliver meaningful and lasting SEND system reform

8.​ Other funding Local Authorities

Block Transfers (250 words) 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.

Capital (500 words): 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.

8.1.​ Schools Block Transfers: Schools Forum approved a block transfer of 0.5% in 2026/27. This has supported the following activities:

-​ The ongoing funding of SENCO clusters through which the Experts at Hand service and SEND inclusion advisors will be organised (cohort and school level support). -​ Delegated funding for the multi agency Sutton SEND Advisory Partnership which provides support for more complex learners prior to statutory assessment to ensure quicker access to additional resources (pupil level support).

-​ The creation of additional specialist capacity in the Borough including provision planned at Carew Academy, Sherwood Park and at Overton Grange high school.

8.2.​ The local area has not yet agreed a position on 2027/28 or thereafter with Schools Forum regarding any further block transfers planned in the future. For the purposes of the submitted Reform Plan a further 0.5% block transfer has been allowed throughout the period of the Reform plan to support the programme as an assumption at this stage only. 8.3.​ Capital Specialist Provision (Special Schools, AP and Specialist Bases 8.4.​ A significant part of the Council’s existing capital strategy to date has been to expand the capacity of existing local special schools specialist bases. This has helped to reduce Sutton’s reliance on expensive, out-of-area, and independent placements. 8.5.​ Sutton currently has 4 special schools, 1 early years, 8 primary and 6 secondary specialist bases. In recent years, we have expanded the primary specialist provision at Explorer Base in Wallington using vacant mainstream accommodation. We have also built a new and expanded special school (Carew Academy) using their vacated site to expand Sherwood Park school from September 2025 onto a 3rd campus providing an additional 108 places once full. The opening of a new Special Free school (Fern Hill) from September 2027 will provide further capacity to meet the growing numbers of complex pupils coming through our primary provision. Finally, we are opening a new specialist base at Overton

Grange from 2026 (capital works to follow to adapt existing space arising from falling rolls). As a small borough, from a spatial mapping point of view, specialist provision is available within reasonable distance for all parts of the Borough. 8.6.​ Our commissioning strategy has proved successful in reducing the rate of increase in NMI settings with the number of placements slightly reducing from 241 in June 2025 to 238 currently (having previously grown from 110 over the last three years). More cost effective local provision has reduced the number of children having to travel long distances to get to school (home to school travel assistance from 950 pupils in 2024 to 850 today despite the number of EHCPs increasing over this period). 8.7.​ Whilst positive, local area leaders recognise that in isolation, this is not a sustainable long term strategy. The local area is clear that the following planned capital projects are essential to support the children currently coming through our primary specialist settings: 8.8.​ We know from our sufficiency planning and forecasting in our SEND and AP Commissioning strategy 2024-2027 (Appendix A, ref 4) that on current trends that the above provision is unlikely to be sufficient to meet forecast demand as presented. However, as our work in our reform plan matures we would expect the gap between existing supply and forecast demand for specialist provision to reduce over time as we strengthen mainstream provision. 8.9.​ Therefore, other than the provision identified above, we do not have any further plans to increase specialist provision or Alternative provision beyond existing commissioned amounts and will instead continue to focus our capital investment into mainstream provision to create more inclusive learning environments.

Mainstream provision

8.10.​ Over the last 5-6 years Sutton as part of the LA’s capital strategy, we have invested over £6m across early years and school settings to adapt existing mainstream spaces and or create informal support bases (e.g. installing sensory rooms, improving wheelchair/ mobility access, and upgrading acoustics to accommodate sensory processing needs). 8.11.​ We will continue to deploy Special Provision Capital Funding in this way and incentivise the creation of mainstream support bases once government guidance on this has been published. We are also working with Whole School SEND to run a Professional Development Group for SENCOs and Head teachers to develop their understanding of evidence based enhanced mainstream provisions during the Autumn term. 8.12.​ As part of our existing strategy, a co-opted working group of education and SEND professionals (Headteachers, SLT / EP, therapist and health representation) have met to develop how more support bases could be created in the Borough as well as to start to establish principles and minimum standards. This group will continue to meet and will review the government guidance when published with the intention of setting out a process by which schools are supported to develop support bases and receive additional support as part of our EAH offer from special school outreach and Therapies (training, coaching and capital) once they have satisfied a quality assurance process. Schools will be required to demonstrate board support when requesting capital investment to establish a new support base. 8.13.​ As part of our SEND reform plan, in partnership with local schools and settings, we will aim for 20% of secondary schools to have a support base in place by Sept 2027, 50% by Sept 2028 and 100% by Sept 2029. To provide the same number of places in Primary, 20% of primary schools will have a support base by Sept 2027, 50% by Sept 2028 and 100% by Sept 2029. Developing a Pedtech approach to strengthening mainstream provision 8.14.​ In year one we have agreed an innovative pilot between Cheam Academies Network who will enter into a partnership with the LB Sutton and LEO Academy and Silverwing to introduce the use of assistive technology (piloted in Year 1 by Cheam Academies Network in partnership with LB Sutton, LEO Academy and Silverwing).

8.15.​ This will enable the well established and internationally renowned practice in LEO schools to extend into the secondary phase for pupils with SEND. Through the course of the pilot, the partnership will develop a partnership model where innovative approaches to the use of assistive technologies and inclusive practice can be developed in other school settings across Sutton. We will use capital funding to support this programme but there will be links with EAH service to coordinate and promote with other schools across the Borough. Alternative Provision

8.16.​ We have a Graduated Response to meeting Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs in Sutton which forms the basis of a 3 tier AP framework across universal, targeted and specialist support.

8.17.​ In 2025, Limes College in partnership with LBS introduced a Specialist AP taskforce meeting the needs of the most complex young people with social and emotional/behavioural difficulties. As part of our SEND reform programme and EAH proposals, we will set up an equivalent AP taskforce working out of Stars (medical PRU) to support the high numbers of pupils we have in Sutton that are struggling with emotionally based school non-attendance. This will build on the strong practice provided by the setting in reintegrating pupils, enabling them to work with a larger number of pupils, to work more systemically with their families and to work with schools and families in more preventative ways. This taskforce will provide joint mental health and educational support. 8.18.​ Capital investment will be provided to state-funded AP providers in Sutton to provide enhanced and additional accommodation to provide strengthened section 19 provision for Primary learners who also have SEND needs. This is recognition that increasingly AP settings are supporting children with EHCPs and SEND. Where this happens this will be based on existing rather than additional planned capacity. 8.19.​ We will explore the possibility of creating in house tuition and AP provision for learners with SEND requiring part time tuition or Education Other Than at School (EOTAS) Provision. This will reduce reliance on unregistered, independent tuition provision ensuring a cohesive inclusive offer with a focus on reintegration is available. Reintegration provision will reduce the risk of irrevocable mainstream placement breakdown and permanent exclusions, to support more learners with additional needs within mainstream provision. 8.20.​ Capital funding and investment will continue to be distributed to schools and settings through a combination of the Asset Management Panel (AMP) steering group and Sutton SEND Advisory Partnership (for lower value projects) through a bidding process, where applications are assessed against viability, suitability, impact, and projected outcomes, with the impact monitored periodically to determine efficacy.

Community Provision 8.21.​ We will use capital funding to support the development of two key SEND related facilities in the community:

-​ Our proposed SEND Family Hub at Robin Hood lane -​ A SWL London based community provision for children and young adults with Learning Disabilities and or Autism with significant multi agency needs (See Appendix A, Doc Ref 10). 9.​ System partner and stakeholder engagement, and co-production

(500 words)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. 9.1.​ Sutton’s reform plan programme has been developed through engagement with children and young people, families, education settings, health providers, social care services, voluntary and community sector organisations and wider stakeholders, and will continue to be shaped by these groups throughout the ongoing development and delivery of this plan. 9.2.​ Sutton benefits from a range of established partnership structures that support collaboration across the system. Engagement across education is strong, particularly within mainstream schools, specialist settings and early years services. Sutton benefits from well-established SENCO networks, collaborative school relationships and active participation from education leaders in strategic discussions through the Education Leadership Group (ELG). Early years partnership working is particularly positive, with strong collaboration between schools, health visitors, therapy services, Cognus, PlayWise and voluntary sector organisations via the EY Operational Group.

9.3.​ These structures have been used to inform development of the reform plan and will continue to provide the foundation for ongoing engagement, implementation and review. Details of engagement activity undertaken during plan development to date are set out in Appendix A, ref 6). 9.4.​ Despite these strengths, the loss of a functioning Parent Carer Forum (PCF) in the local area has created a significant gap in strategic parent representation and coproduction and is a key priority within our reform programme. Work is underway to establish a new representative Parent Carer Forum with independent development support and joint funding from the local authority and Integrated Care Board. 9.5.​ Until a representative Parent Carer Forum is fully established, parent and carer voice will continue to influence decision-making through existing engagement routes, including Cognus Family Voice events, surveys, SENDIASS feedback, complaints and compliments analysis, focus groups, school-based engagement, creation of a parent OAP and targeted workshops linked to specific reform workstreams. Feedback from these mechanisms will be routinely reviewed through programme governance arrangements and used to shape priorities, delivery plans, commissioning decisions and service improvements. 9.6.​ Over the next three years, the LAP will implement a structured communication and engagement strategy to support delivery of the reform programme. This will include regular updates through the Local Offer, Ambitious for SEND newsletter, Sutton Education Bulletin, social media channels and stakeholder networks, alongside thematic engagement events, co-production workshops, lived-experience advisory groups and targeted engagement with education leaders, health providers and families. Annual engagement plans will be developed and aligned to key milestones within the reform programme. Clear "You Said, We Did" reporting will demonstrate how stakeholder feedback has influenced decisions and provide transparency regarding progress and impact. 9.7.​ The partnership is committed to moving beyond consultation towards genuine co-production, ensuring that children, young people, families and partners that represent the diverse population of Sutton are involved not only in designing services but also in monitoring progress, evaluating impact and shaping future priorities as the reform programme develops. Additional support from the Department for Education to engage education leaders and parent representatives during implementation would be welcomed as the partnership strengthens its co-production infrastructure and delivers systemic reform.

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.

10.1.​ We have created a single partnership risk register in Sutton covering risks across both the SEND Reform plan, day to day service operations and financial context. The risks in the table below are drawn from the risk register where they relate to SEND Reform.

11.​ Section 11: Dependencies (500 words)

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

11.1.​ Delivery of Sutton’s SEND three-year roadmap is closely interdependent with a range of national and local reforms, requiring a coordinated, whole-system approach to ensure alignment, mitigate risks and maximise impact. 11.2.​ NHS 10 Year Plan - The NHS 10 Year Plan, with its focus on neighbourhood health models, prevention and digital transformation, is a critical enabler for Sutton’s Experts at Hand (EAH) model. The shift toward community-based, multidisciplinary teams aligns strongly with Sutton’s ambition to embed health professionals within Family Hubs and education settings. However, ongoing Integrated Care Board (ICB) structural changes present a short-term risk to leadership capacity, commissioning continuity and workforce stability, particularly within therapy services. 11.3.​ The SWL ICB restructure has concluded and the structure has been significantly strengthened to better support SEND, in particular the ICB’s statutory responsibilities and partnership working. Designated Clinical Officer for SEND (DCO), key worker, Children’s Continuing Care and Complex Care for Children functions will now sit together within the Chief Nurse and Quality Officer Directorate. To strengthen clinical leadership and oversight for SEND there are new leadership roles across SWL (Deputy Director of SEND; Director of SEND, Complex Care and Neuro-Rehabilitation), and each borough will have a full time DCO role.Implementation of the restructure and development of the ICB’s clinically led commissioning approach for children and young people will impact on some timelines in Sutton’s SEND Reform implementation, specifically the Joint Commissioning workstream, as sign-off for the proposed Joint SEND Commissioning Strategy in Sutton will need to follow the ICB’s updated policies being confirmed.

Mitigation: Sutton will maintain close alignment with SWL ICB, embedding SEND priorities within emerging neighbourhood teams and securing joint commissioning agreements where needed. A shared governance framework and joint risk register will ensure visibility and escalation of risks linked to NHS restructuring. 11.4.​ Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) - while LGR is not expected to significantly alter London borough structures, there remains potential impact on sub-regional commissioning and partnership arrangements.

Mitigation: Sutton will continue to prioritise South West London collaboration, particularly for workforce planning, sufficiency and high-cost placement management, ensuring flexibility to adapt to any future structural changes. 11.5.​ Best Start in Life and Family Hubs - Family Hubs are central to Sutton’s Helping Early strategy and the delivery of the EAH model. They provide a platform for early identification, integrated support and co-production with families. Alignment with the Best Start in Life Strategy will ensure a strong focus on the 0–5 cohort, where early intervention can have the greatest long-term impact.

Mitigation: Sutton will embed SEND pathways within Family Hubs, including a SEND Family Hub, align commissioning across early years and SEND services, use shared data to target need and prioritise workforce development supported by specialist outreach. 11.6.​ Curriculum and Assessment Review - National reforms to curriculum and assessment may influence expectations around inclusion and attainment for children with SEND.

Mitigation: Sutton will ensure that its Ordinarily Available Provision and inclusion strategy remain aligned with national standards, supporting schools through training, guidance and EAH support. 11.7.​ Whole-System Coordination and Governance - To manage these dependencies, Sutton will adopt a proactive, integrated governance approach bringing together leads from SEND, health, social care, Family Hubs and education. Shared data systems, joint commissioning and co-production will ensure coherence across programmes. Regular cross-partnership reviews and adaptive planning will enable Sutton to respond dynamically to reform changes while maintaining focus on delivering improved outcomes for children, young people and families. 11.8.​ Local Area CQC / SEND Inspection - i.e. any recommendations will be aligned directly within the SEND reform programme and governance structure to ensure coordinated delivery and oversight.

Section 3 - Monitoring and Evaluation

12.​ Monitoring, Evaluation and Continuous Improvement (500 words)

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.

12.1.​ Sutton’s SEND Reform and Improvement Board will adopt a robust, data-driven monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure delivery remains on track, outcomes improve over time, and resources are used effectively. The approach directly addresses the priorities identified through the Local Partnership Maturity Assessment, particularly strengthening co-production, improving integrated data and intelligence, embedding partnership accountability, and supporting financially sustainable decision-making. 12.2.​ Progress will be monitored through the SEND Reform and Improvement operational group supported by the Project Management Office. The programme will be set up around a shared performance dashboard, integrated risk management process and a clear cycle of review, challenge and improvement. Performance information will be used not only to monitor delivery, but also to inform commissioning decisions, prioritise resources, identify emerging risks and test whether anticipated benefits are being realised.

Monitoring Framework and Data Systems 12.3.​ Progress will be tracked through a shared SEND performance dashboard, using KPIs tracked via the SEND reform programme as well as supplementary measures building on Sutton’s existing SEND data dashboard (password Dashboard - Appendix A ref 9) and monthly performance reporting arrangements using SEND data reports (Appendix A ref 9). Over the three-year programme, the dashboard will increasingly integrate education, health and care data, moving from retrospective reporting towards more automated and timely performance intelligence. Health data, including therapy and neurodevelopmental waiting times, will be incorporated into the integrated SEND dashboard and used to inform joint commissioning decisions, provider improvement discussions and future deployment of EAH and Family Hub support. 12.4.​ Data, benefits tracking and KPIs will be reviewed monthly at operational level and quarterly through the SEND Reform and Improvement Board, Sutton SEND Partnership and wider governance structures. Exception reporting and tolerance thresholds will be established for key indicators and will trigger recovery plans and adjustment of commissioning plans. Where performance falls below agreed levels, the board will agree to corrective action including escalation through the joint risk register and/or revision of milestone delivery. Action plans will be developed, monitored and escalated through the governance framework. Financial forecasts will track the assumptions and mitigated and unmitigated forecasts as part of quarterly returns (see Appendix A Doc Ref 8). Dispute management between partners will also be managed through the SEND Reform and Improvement board.

12.5.​ A dedicated SEND analytics function across the local authority and Integrated Care Board will support data quality, forecasting, benchmarking and evaluation. School-level inclusion metrics will continue to be developed termly and used through SENCO clusters and inclusion reviews to support peer challenge, identify effective practice and target support where it is most needed. 12.6.​ Improved use of school level inclusion metrics have been developed and shared with primary and secondary schools in the Borough to support schools to identify areas where they may need to improve, or to identify other schools with similar profiles to share ideas, successes and challenges through cluster working. 12.7.​ Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) - we will use the following headline KPIs to evaluate the success of our SEND reform programme:

Core Performance Indicators

12.8.​ Performance will also be monitored through a balanced scorecard aligned to the reform programme, maturity assessment and national expectations:

Goal 1 - Rebuild sustainable co-production and parental confidence

●​ Parent/carer forum membership and representation leading to meaningful co-production ●​ Parent/carer experience - through annual survey ●​ Feedback from children and young people through Youth Engagement Framework ●​ Complaints, mediation and tribunal trends.

Goal 2 - Strengthen joint leadership, governance and system accountability

●​ EHCP and annual review timeliness.

●​ 95% attendance from designated senior leaders across the Local Authority, NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB), and Cognus at newly established governance boards, with evidence of joint sign-off on all major strategic decisions. ●​ Joint Risk Register reviewed twice monthly, 80% of cross-agency risks resolved or mitigated within agreed timescales. ●​ Annual surveys of staff across the Council, Cognus, and Health partners shows a 10% year-on-year increase in respondents agreeing that "there is clear, shared accountability for SEND system performance across agencies. ●​ Use of data to inform decision making and accountability

Goal 3 - Build on our inclusive practice in schools / settings and in the community

●​ Implementation of OAP and inclusion audit ratings ●​ Reduce rate of growth in EHCNAs over time through increasing numbers of pupils supported without requiring statutory assessment ●​ Reduction in number of children out of education focussing on exclusions but monitoring attendance, reduced timetables, NEET, CME and EHE/EOTAS. ●​ Attainment gap between SEND learners and non SEND learners - GLD, Phonics, KS2 (Rwm), KS4 E&M 9-5) ●​ Setting leaders views of inclusion - through annual survey

Goal 4 - Create local, high quality and cost effective provision for SEND children in Sutton

●​ Decreasing net unit costs of EHCPs from current baseline of £25,413 (2025-26) ●​ Coverage of specialist support bases in primary and secondary schools ●​ Reduce numbers of young people educated in expensive non-maintained or independent placements outside of Sutton ●​ Reducing wait times for children’s therapies and neurodevelopmental assessments

Outcomes

●​ An established Parent Carer Forum is in place with growing and representative membership. Increased parental confidence in Sutton’s SEND system. Parents feel that their voices, and that of their children’s, are heard. ●​ Stronger and shared accountability for system performance and joint commissioning informed by strong data. ●​ More children are able to access support earlier and without needing to wait for lengthy statutory assessments. ●​ More children and young people with SEND will feel that they belong in education and their communities, reducing negative experiences that result in absence, exclusions, missing education, ‘unwanted’ EHE, reduced timetables and NEET. ●​ Narrowing the gap in attainment between those children with and without SEND ●​ Reduced reliance on high-cost external placements over time leading to reductions in associated travel costs

●​ More children with SEND are educated in Borough ●​ Greater financial sustainability and value for money (High Needs Block deficit position, improving in-year DSG variance, reduced travel assistance expenditure, cost avoidance through greater inclusion).

Evaluation, Learning and Continuous Improvement

12.9.​ Performance data will be triangulated with qualitative feedback from children, young people, families, schools and practitioners through the Parent Carer Forum, SENDIASS, co-production activity, surveys and targeted engagement. Findings will be reviewed through regular partnership learning cycles and shared through SENCO clusters, provider forums and operational networks. 12.10.​ Alongside performance monitoring, quarterly benefits realisation reviews will assess whether anticipated improvements in inclusion, demand management and local sufficiency are translating into measurable financial and service benefits. Where expected benefits are not being realised, commissioning priorities, investment decisions and delivery plans will be adjusted accordingly. 12.11.​ Benchmarking against national datasets, statistical neighbours and regional partners will provide external challenges and help identify areas for further improvement. We will play an active role in the London Improvement Alliance as our SEND reform progresses. 12.12.​ Through this approach, Sutton will ensure that data informs decision-making, performance drives accountability, commissioning is evidence-led, and continuous improvement remains embedded across the SEND system. 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.

13.1.​ The SEND data template has been completed and sets out the estimated financial impact of the work in our SEND reform plan over time. This data template, like our SEND reform plan will iterate and evolve over time - (See Appendix A, Doc Ref 7). Section 4 - Governance 14.​ How will the local area partnership ensure delivery remains 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.

14.1.​ There are a range structures in place to support engagement and collaboration throughout the local area, including the Sutton SEND Partnership (SSP), Headteacher Boards, SENCO clusters, Schools Forum, operational commissioning meetings, the Health Professionals Network, Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) arrangements and SEND Transformation governance structures.

14.2.​ However, leaders have taken the opportunity to review and strengthen SEND governance arrangements in the local area as a result of SEND reform proposals but also following recommendations arising from the Local Area SEND inspection that took place earlier in the year. This is to ensure that senior leaders across the local area partnership have clearer lines of sight into the development and implementation of the SEND reform plan but also to oversee the areas for improvement identified following inspection. 14.3.​ Delivery will be overseen through a significantly strengthened governance and assurance framework. The Director of Children’s Services will act as the Senior Responsible Officer and will oversee the operational board. Christine Davies (CBE) will independently chair the new SEND Reform and Improvement Board (Local Area Partnership board). The first of the Sutton Reform and Improvement Board (LAP) meetings was held on 11 May and work is underway to programme future meeting cadence and reporting in line with anticipated reporting deadlines into the DfE.

14.4.​ The SEND Reform and Improvement Board (LAP) will be supported by a central programme office jointly funded across the LA and ICB. The programme office will maintain a joint SEND risk register incorporating clinical, financial, and operational risks across partners, with risks reviewed monthly and escalated as required. Risks will be drawn from individual organisational risk registers across the partnership.

14.5.​ Workstreams will be organised into 3 operational groups overseen by Directors across Education and Health (see Appendix A, ref 5) for governance work breakdown structure. Co-production will be embedded throughout each workstream, with the Parent Carer Forum playing a formal role in the SEND Reform and Improvement Board. A clear escalation pathway will operate from operational groups through to the Programme Board to the SEND Reform and Improvement board (LAP) and SRO, ensuring timely resolution of issues. This framework will strengthen accountability, enable timely decision-making, and ensure effective oversight of system-wide reform.

14.6.​ A description of the main governance arrangements are set out in the table below setting including decision-making authority at each level.

●​ A governance map of the programme and main governance arrangements is included in Appendix A doc ref 5) ●​ Regular performance reviews at Operational Board level will track delivery against milestones, with 6 weekly assurance reporting to the LAP Board and as required to elected members.

Governance

Purpose/

Membership

Cadence

Decision Rights

Escalation Route

Mechanism

Responsibilities

Who does this governance mechanism comprise of?

How regularly does What decisions can this Where can this This may be a What is the function of [should include health and PCF representation] What this governance governance mechanism governance mechanism governance group, or this governance stakeholders are represented at this governance mechanism meet?

make?

escalate issues or an individual (e.g.

mechanism? What are mechanism? Please indicate who chairs this.

decision to?

Sro).

they accountable for (Include n/a if an individual).

overseeing? What information is reported to this governance mechanism?

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 (250 words).

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

15.1.​ Continued support from DfE advisers, opportunities for peer learning, and access to effective practice from other local areas would further strengthen delivery and reduce duplication of effort. Sutton would also benefit from clearer national guidance and consistency around thresholds, accountability, and inclusion expectations across education, health, and care partners to support more equitable practice nationally. 15.2.​ There is also a significant opportunity for DfE to work jointly with NHS England and wider health partners to ensure that the emerging national NHS reforms maintain a strong strategic focus on SEND. As health systems evolve, it will be essential that SEND expertise and accountability are embedded within integrated care structures and decision-making arrangements to ensure that children and young people with SEND

remain a priority sufficient within commissioning, service planning, and early intervention pathways. Stronger national alignment between education, health, and care reforms would support more joined-up delivery locally and reduce fragmentation across the system. 15.3.​ In addition, local authorities would benefit from further national consideration regarding the SEND Tribunal process and the wider impact this has on system sustainability. Whilst tribunals are an important safeguard for families, there is increasing concern across the sector regarding the financial and operational impact of decisions which can, at times, place limited weight on the sufficiency of local provision, wider educational context, or long-term sustainability of the system. Greater access to specialist education expertise within tribunal processes, alongside clearer national guidance and strengthened mediation approaches, could help ensure decisions remain balanced, equitable, and focused on securing appropriate outcomes for children and young people whilst supporting the effective use of public resources.

Section 6 - Appendix A - Additional documents (sharing settings allow anyone to view)