Mainstream schools

Many children and young people with additional learning needs can make better, more sustained progress academically and socially if they are able to attend mainstream schools with their peers.

Mainstream schools and early years settings provide education for most children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including those who have difficulty learning to read and write, learning how to manage their behaviour and/or how to listen and communicate.

Mainstream schools have specific funding to support children and young people with SEND and every school should have information (a School SEN Information Report) about how they provide this support clearly visible on their website.

Where special education provision for a young person or appropriate arrangements cannot be met in a maintained or academy mainstream school, consideration will be given to a placement in more specialist arrangements.

If a child or young person needs a more specialist setting, they will need to have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). The assessment for the EHC Plan will include consideration as to the most suitable special school or specialist resource provision for them.