A council plan to improve SEND support across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is moving forward locally while ministers prepare their response to wider reform proposals for schools. Early SEND support in local schools is being pushed forward while ministers consider BCP's reform plan. The council sent its three year Local SEND Reform Plan to the government on June 19, with proposals for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that were developed with families and practitioners. It aims to move provision away from crisis led support and towards earlier help, so Education, Health and Care Pla
Early SEND support in local schools is being pushed forward while ministers consider BCP's reform plan.
The council sent its three year Local SEND Reform Plan to the government on June 19, with proposals for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that were developed with families and practitioners.
It aims to move provision away from crisis led support and towards earlier help, so Education, Health and Care Plans remain focused on children who have complex needs within local schools.
A key part is the Experts at Hand model, which would give timely access to speech and language support, occupational therapy and educational psychology, alongside more specialist mainstream capacity and a proposed special school backed by the Department for Education.
Councillor Richard Burton told cabinet on September 30 that the process had become “a little more complicated”, and said members “can’t pause our improvement” while they wait for confirmation from government.
A recommendation on funding for the Targeted Cluster Funding Model, which would support early intervention and inclusion in local schools, is understood to be going to full council on October 13.
