Use this page to find out more about how we will work to support our children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Keeping you informed
We want to help everyone understand what we’re doing in B&NES to improve people’s lives. This is important for everyone, but especially:
- children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) aged up to 25, and their families
- anyone who cares for, lives with or works alongside children and young people who have Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) from birth to 25
What we are trying to achieve
We work hard to make sure that every child and young person has the best possible start in life and can achieve their ambitions and goals. We aim to support children, young people and families at the earliest opportunity.
From early years to further education, we want learning to be a positive experience for our children and young people. We want all our children and young people to feel like they belong – and that there is a consistent, inclusive experience for every child and young person, no matter where they are educated.
We know that there are always opportunities to improve how we do that – whether that’s doing more or just doing things differently.
Context
The number of children and young people needing support with SEND has been steadily rising. We know everyone around the country is facing similar challenges. In the academic year of September 2024 to July 2025, we had 31,881 children and young people go to school in B&NES. Around 18.8% of those children and young people needed support with SEND. This is 0.7% higher than the national average.
We need to use the funding that is available to us as effectively as possible. To do this, we need to look at different ways to make improvements. By working together, we work smarter, save time and make things happen more quickly.
There is no single action that sorts everything out, so we have Our Plan for SEND to focus the work. This makes it easier to share what’s planned, what’s been achieved and what’s left to do
How we will do this
The list below shows all the different partner organisations who have been working together. We’ve been looking jointly at how we can deliver the best results for our children and young people with SEND.
- Sendias Bathnes
- Livewell B&NES
- BANES Parent Carer Forum
- HCRG Care Group
- Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
- Bath and North east Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshires Integrated Care Board
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
At the Local Area Inclusion Partnership (LAIP) Board, we meet to discuss what we can do with the resources we have. The LAIP is a SEND partnership group that brings together parents, carers, school and college leaders, the local authority, health and charities. We work together to make sure children and young people with SEND (or who are in Alternative Provision, AP) and vulnerable learners get the support they need.
We also have representatives from Sendias Bathnes, B&NES Parent Carer Forum (PCF), and Off The Record BANES across our SEND meetings. You can learn more about these organisations in the Find out more section below.
What we are doing
Our Plan for SEND reflects the 3 areas we’re focusing on. Expand the sections below to find out more about each area.
Supporting settings (schools and other education providers) to identify children and young people with SEND as early as possible, provide the right support at the right time and build a consistent culture of inclusion. We call this our System of SEND Support.
This includes:
- building confidence in the classroom around inclusive practice (see our SEND Commitment, known nationally as Ordinarily Available Provision) and delivering a graduated approach (the Graduated Approach)
- supporting with key stage transitions, focusing initially on the move from primary to secondary school (Years 6 into 7)
- delivering training and providing peer support opportunities (such as Inclusion and SEND Conferences and other networks) for educators
Meeting statutory expectations and considering the wishes of families (we call this our Statutory SEND System).
This includes:
- working in partnership across agencies focusing on quality Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs) so that children and young people make excellent progress towards their outcomes
- improving ways of working (our systems) and taking advantage of IT developments
Creating more SEND places in schools so that more children and young people can stay in their local area, now and in the future (we call this our SEND Capital and Sufficiency programme).
This includes:
- using data, research and feedback from children, young people and families to work out what’s needed
- increasing the number of places for our children and young people with SEND by building 4 new Resource Bases and increasing capacity in 1 of our current settings (see more on this in our Road Map below)
- working with the Department for Education to open more special free schools
By everyone working together – families, carers, the local authority, healthcare and voluntary groups – we can make sure that things happen in the best way possible to make a difference.
We will do our best to listen to you and act on what you have told us. Our aim is to work with you and partners so that you get the support that you need.
Our 6 pledges
Underpinning all of this work are our 6 pledges. These pledges guide our work, show us what we want to achieve, and help us check how well we are doing. Expand the sections below to find out more about each pledge.
We are committed to supporting every child and young person to achieve, thrive, and be prepared for their future.
Families, carers, children, and young people are involved in decisions that affect their lives. We will actively listen and respond to their views.
We foster a shared culture of inclusion, making sure our children and young people feel they belong, are safe, and are valued in their community.
We identify and respond to needs, ensuring families and carers are confident that children and young people can access the right support, in the right place, at the right time.
We honour the participation promises made to our children and young people.
Leaders drive improvement in outcomes for our vulnerable learners and those with SEND, holding each other accountable through our annual Self-Improvement Plan.
Our roadmap
Over the last few years, we have:
- opened a new Resource Base in Peasedown St John Primary School with 12 places for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- launched the Inclusion and SEND Advice Service and Parent Carer Peer-to-Peer support line
- published SEND-specific documents, such as the Graduated Approach and the SEND Commitment
- created new plans and strategies, including the Children and Young People’s Plan 2024-2030, Attendance Strategy and the Virtual School Development Plan
- partnered with Dingley’s Promise to provide training for Early Years Practitioners on SEND and Inclusion
2025
Completed
2025 saw:
- Alternative Provision (AP) strategy
- Launch of Families First programme
- Best Start in Life Family Hubs
- HCRG Care Group Needs-led approach launch
- Trauma-informed guidance and toolkit
- SENDCo Network (peer support opportunity) launch
- Ralph Allen Secondary School and St Mark’s Secondary School Resource Bases opened in September for young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Margaret Coates Centre SEN Unit increased current capacity for young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder from September
2026
Active
From September 2026:
- Mulberry Park Primary School Resource Base opening for children with social, emotional and mental health needs
- Margaret Coates Centre SEN Unit, plans to increase capacity further for young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder
2027
On target
From September 2027:
- Wellsway/IKB 11 to 18 Studio School Resource Base for young people with social, emotional and mental health needs
- Charlton House (11 to 18 SEND School for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and social, emotional and mental health needs and 2x Children’s Homes)
2027/28
On target
Culverhay redevelopment – 120 place Special Free School (for children and young people aged 4 to 19 years) and 55 place AP Free School (for ages 7 to 16) – currently designated for the Culverhay site in Bath. We are awaiting confirmation of funding from the Department for Education,
Find out more
If you want to know more about our Local Offer, you can go to Livewell B&NES.
You can also go to supporting children or young people with additional needs (SEND) if you want to find out more.
Sendias Bathnes offers free, impartial, and confidential information, advice, and support to children and young people between the ages of 0 to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and their parents and carers. The advice provided is legally based and covers all aspects of SEND. For more details, please visit Sendias Bathnes website.
B&NES PCF is the local parent carer forum (PCF). PCF exists nationally to work closely with, and advocate for, parent carers, ensuring that the voices of families, children and young people are heard at key strategic groups. If accessing their support would help you, please get in touch.
Off The Record Advocates can offer independent advice and support to young people with an EHCP around the time of transitions and in year 11. They help young people to explore their work/training and education options and participate in the annual review of their EHCP. Advocates can also support young people with appeals and tribunals. For more information or to make a referral visit their website.
Education settings and professionals can access further support via the Inclusion and SEND Support Offer.