Consultation on Enhanced Learning Provision

We are seeking views on proposals to clarify the designation status for schools to include Enhanced Learning Provision (ELP).

Thank you for submitting your views on the consultation. We have now reviewed all of the responses and prepared a report which detailed the findings, which were overall positive. The proposals have now been agreed and will be implemented with immediate effect.

Background

Together, Durham County Council, Belmont Community School and Gilesgate Primary School, in line with the Department for Education (DfE) guidance are seeking views on proposals to clarify the designation status of the schools to include Enhanced Learning Provision.

We have a duty to keep our special education provision under review and ensure there is the right type of provision and enough places to meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Our vision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities is the same as it is for all children and young people in County Durham: That they are safe and part of their community, have the best start in life, have good physical and mental health, and gain the education, skills and experiences to prepare them for adulthood,

We know that there are more children and young people being identified as having special educational needs in County Durham and we expect this increase to continue. We need to make sure that we have the right type of education provision in the right place to meet their needs.

We have previously carried out a consultation exercise on the SEND Strategic Plan from July - October 2019 and then subsequently from 6 February 2020 to 15 March 2020 on the specific issue of establishing Targeted Mainstream Provisions. The outcome of this was to provide more specialist support in mainstream schools.

Have your say

We are asking the public for views on our proposals, specifically the following groups:

parents, carers and young people
school staff, governors and other education professionals
local council staff

Please read all the information at Proposal to clarify the designation status of Belmont School and Gilesgate Primary School to include an Enhanced Learning Provision (PDF) [17KB] first.

The closing date for comments was 5.00pm on Thursday 21 July 2022.

What happens next

Once the consultation has closed, we will review all of the responses and prepare a report for members of the Local Authority. They will consider the feedback on the proposals at a meeting during the summer of 2022.

Information about Equalities Impact Assessment

An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) been started and we will review this following comments received during the consultation and our decision makers will consider it again before they agree to any changes.

The EIA has identified that there will be an impact on young people with SEND and if changes are made to current SEND education services, we will offer support to families to adapt to those changes.

We anticipate that, if the proposals are implemented, it may bring positive impacts to young people and their families, particularly by enabling more young people with SEND to be educated in their own community and achieve better outcomes.

We also anticipate that with more local provision children and young people with SEND will have more opportunities to attend a local school that is closer to home and will help them achieve better educational and social outcomes.