SEND - Local offer

The SEND&AP Improvement Plan is a 3-tier model for AP and mainstream settings based on earlier identification of need and targeted support in mainstream schools to address needs early and reduce preventable exclusion.

Activity and Future Plans

Regional Summary:

A West Midlands AP Development plan has been developed and is now being delivered following agreement at Board level.  The plan has been shared with stakeholders via CPP Alternative Provision Conference where views and feedback were gathered in response to proposed activity.  The creation of an AP CPP Steer group continues to share best practice and facilitate key actions outlined within the central plan.

The APST model (T&W and Shropshire) is currently being developed with recruitment for key services underway.  A Task Force Manager has been recruited and agencies have been consulted in consideration of APST construction and their defined role within it.

Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin only

ELSEC seeks to support education settings by modelling how they might access a more flexible, responsive workforce for children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs within Early Years and Primary School Settings.

Activity and Future Plans

Telford and Shropshire

Children Supported:

• EYFS 452
• Primary 1388

Regional Summary:

Talk boost interventions are well underway and are halfway through the 10 week intervention in all 16 school settings.  Pre school children in all 13 PVI nurseries have all been tracked. 

Communication Audits have taken place in 15 of the school setting and 12 of the PVI settings. Feedback to staff has taken place and targets have been jointly made with reviews set for Spring 25.

Parent and School Staff questionnaires have been completed to measure confidence in support children with SLCN.  This questionnaire will be re sent in July 25.

ELSEC support staff have commenced the Level 3 training delivered by Course Beetle.

Training in BEST has been given to all ELSEC staff via Dr Sean Pert this training will be cascaded to ELSEC settings in Spring 25. With BEST interventions happing in all settings as appropriate once children have completed Talk Boost and have been retracked and identified as needing further support.

ELSEC support staff will be trained in narrative therapy in Spring 25

School and PVI settings will receive CPD training on a jointly identified SLC training need in Spring 25.

Parent information sessions have run in 14 school settings with feeder nursery parents also invited to these sessions. The information session in the other 2 schools and feeder nursery settings are booked for January 25.

HLTA support staff will receive training to run parent child interaction groups to commence in Spring 25.  This will be a set of 4 sessions.

Children who are having targeted TB interventions will be re – tracked and placed in further groups (TB, BEST, narrative) as appropriate.  Pre and post intervention data will be measured.  Children requiring BEST will be formally assessed using the CELF Pre 3 (receptive language subtests). 

Future Plans:

The ELSEC Pilot will continue as normal in each of the participating local authorities. All areas are now in the delivery phase, identifying and providing interventions for those children with SLCN within selected Primary and Early Years settings, testing the Workforce Training and planning tool and continuing to develop the ELSEC ‘Set Up Manual’ and Supporting Documents repository established to capture best practice. Since the summer, significant numbers of children have received support and a large cohort of setting staff have also received training. Early indicators are that interventions are proving effective in meeting need early and preventing the need for some children to end up on waiting lists, or to seek an EHC Plan.

Work on National Standards is being planned with a view to setting clear national expectations for what ‘good’ looks like in identifying and supporting the four areas of special educational needs.

Activity and Future Plans

Across the Partnership we have reviewed what our current understanding is around Ordinarily Available Provision at a Local Authority level.

We are now developing Regional Inclusion Service Development plans which will seek to engage a wide range of stakeholders across the partnership.  This will include:

• A ‘deep dive’ analysis of the current offer. 
• Broad consultation
• Review of current practice
• Parent and carer feedback opportunities.
• Mapping best practice and connecting appropriate services
• Supporting a culture of inclusive leadership in settings.