Local Authority funded MainstreamThese settings are oversubscribed and underfunded, placing enormous strain on the existing provision. For many children the provision does not meet need. Many of our children have particular sensory issues and learning needs and it is not uncommon for Senco’s to state that it is ‘too difficult to meet need and/or provision as detailed within an EHCP in a mainstream secondary. These children often need to be taught in small class sizes by specialist teachers and some children require additional 1:1 support to help them secure the foundations of a KS2 curriculum before they can access the KS3/4 curriculum. Where a child's academic level is so far behind age related expectations, bullying and mental health issues become all too common.
Local Authority Funded Specialist SchoolsOur children do not meet thresholds for local authority special schools. These are hugely oversubscribed and our research suggests that provision is often for only the most severe cases, and the local authority would not consider this type of setting appropriate for our children’s needs. These schools cater for children with more profound needs or children who have been excluded from mainstream, or cannot attend mainstream due to their social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. Local authorities do not fund Dyslexia/ADHD specialist secondary schools that could meet our children's needs.
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Independent Mainstream The mainstream private senior schools in Bath and surrounding area have a very limited number of SEN places. The provision is often considered unable to fully meet need and these schools are intensely over subscribed by SEN applicants. Additionally, children are often barred from entry if they have an EHCP. These schools can meet some needs due to the smaller class sizes, however many of our children would not pass entrance exams for selective independent schools and without specialist teaching, lessons and learning would likely be too fast paced. Also affordability is obviously an issue for many parents unless places are funded by the Local Authority as an EHCP named school.
South West Independent SpecialistThere are currently some special provision senior schools in the South West of England, but they are not easily accessible to families living in B&NES without long journeys. The distance of such special provision secondary schools is prohibitive for many living in this area. Additionally, many of the specialist senior schools located outside B&NES do not always offer a full breadth curriculum due to lack of facilities.
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