Education

We also provide other advisory work to schools including consultancy, training and development.

As well as providing the services detailed below, we also provide many other support services - see our schools and colleges and children and families pages for more information. 

Admissions and transport

The admissions and school transport team is responsible for:

• general admission to school
• home to school transport entitlement
• elective home education 

Attendance and exclusions

 The attendance and exclusions team is responsible for:

• School attendance and school transfers
• Advice on exclusion of pupils
• home education
• Family holidays during term time
• Employment of children

SEND and Inclusion Service

We are responsible for:

• Statutory Requirements (including Placement and Provision) for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) 
• Educational support for Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and our Local Offer
• Educational support for equalities and interventions (including Educational support for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children (GRT)) 
• Support for children with English as an additional language
• Support for children with health needs
• The Durham Virtual School - supporting our looked after and previously looked after children and young people

Teams that provide SEND support  gives an overview of our teams that are able to support your school or setting to include children and young people with special educational needs, disabilities, or adjustments to be made under Equality Act legislation.

Education development service (EDS)

The Educational Development Service promotes high standards in schools through monitoring, challenging and intervention, and through providing services including consultancy, training and development, and other advisory work.

It also includes the county's school music service which provides instrumental tuition, ensemble work and music-related professional development. In addition, the EDS inspects schools outside County Durham for Ofsted, and works with national and international organisations to deliver accredited programmes across and beyond the county. 

School organisation and capital projects

The School Organisation and Capital Projects Team has a duty to ensure that there are sufficient school places for the number of children we expect to have in the county, and also to ensure we promote diversity and increase parental choice in the type of schools available. Investment will help to further raise standards by improving the condition of school buildings, the life chances and well-being of children and providing extended services in schools. 

Priority School Building Programme

The Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) is a national programme for councils to bid for resources to replace or remodel those schools in worst condition. We successfully bid for new replacement schools for West Cornforth, Durham Trinity, St. Joseph's RCVA Primary, Coundon and Seaham School of Technology. West Cornforth and Durham Trinity new builds opened in November 2014. St. Joseph's RCVA Primary, Coundon is due to open in February 2016 and Seaham School of Technology in September 2016. We have also successfully bid  for major refurbishments to be carried out at Vane Road Primary School, Bishop Barrington School and Durham Community Business College. The scope of work at these three schools is currently being discussed with the Education Funding Agency (EFA).

School and governor support service (SGSS)

The School and Governor Support Service provides support for schools in their governance responsibilities, including the recruitment of governors. It also advises schools, head teachers, governing bodies, other council teams and councillors. In addition, SGSS provides a range of services to governing bodies via service level agreements. It also supports the work of the Durham County Association of Governors by providing clerical assistance to the executive and its network of 10 cluster groups.