Building Communities of Specialist Provision for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Lincolnshire   

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find out more about the proposed strategy and model?

Details of the new proposed strategy for SEND provision on Lincolnshire can be found by following the links on this website.

These include a summary of the strategy, a handbook outlining our joint commitment to the new vision for SEND provision and the full strategy document.

If you are the parent or carer of a pupil who is already at a Lincolnshire special school, your Head Teacher will be able to answer any questions you may have about the proposed strategy and model. Please feel free to contact your school direct with any queries.

You can email the SEND Communities Project Office at SENDCommunities@lincolnshire.gov.uk .
Or by calling 01522 552439, leaving your contact details and a brief description of your enquiry and the Project Office will respond as soon as possible.

I have read the strategy and I am concerned that my child be forced to change school?

LCC and all other stakeholders can confidently reassure parents and all concerned parties that, at no point in the implementation of this strategy, will any pupil be expected or forced to change school against their wishes.

All opportunities to move to a school closer to home will be on a voluntary basis and transition will only occur as part of an agreed and fully supported process, at a time in their education that is least likely to cause upset. If this strategy is agreed, it is an opportunity for pupils and families, not a requirement.

I like the idea of my child attending their nearest school. 
How do I go about getting my child's school changed?

Transition may be possible if the nearest school currently has spaces available and can meet your child's needs.
This would be agreed through the Annual Review process.
However, in order to meet all needs some of the Special Schools require modification to the buildings and enhanced resources.
Some schools also require expansion.
This is a 5 year strategy and will take time to fully implement.

When the Special Schools are ready to admit all needs and have increased their capacity, any school transition will be managed through your child's EHCP process.
Please feel free to discuss this with your school so they can log your interest of a potential change.

What's going to happen to my child's school?

We would advise that you contact your child's school directly with any school specific enquiries.

Are all special schools in favour of the changes?

This strategy has been developed in full collaboration with all Lincolnshire special school Head Teachers, Lincolnshire Parent Carer Forum and Children's Services Officers.

We are all fully committed to the key principles of the strategy and believe they will enhance the lives of children and young people with SEND and their families.

How is this going to impact on my child's transport?

There are no proposed changes to Lincolnshire County Council's school transport policy.

My child is at an SEMH school. Will they be able to go to our nearest school?

The County has 4 Special Schools designated for children whose primary need is Social, Emotional and Mental Health.

However, there are also young people with SEMH that attend other Special Schools.
The decision about which Special School your child attends will be dependent on their specific need and whether it is agreed that the designated SEMH school would be more appropriate to meet their needs.

This can be reviewed through the Annual Review of your child's Education, Health and Care Plan.

What about the residential unit at St Francis and St Bernard's? 
Is that going to be affected?

The way in which the residential units are currently used to support educational outcomes will be considered through this project so that we can ensure that they are being used to best effect to support young people and their families. There is no immediate change. 

The strategy talks about developing satellite sites…what are they?

The strategy proposes to improve the way special and mainstream schools work together to enhance the educational experience of pupils with SEND in both settings.

By developing satellites of special schools within mainstream schools, pupils with SEND would have the opportunity to access elements of the mainstream curriculum through an integrated and personalised timetable, where it is deemed appropriate as part of their EHCP. Access to mainstream could be educationally or socially focused but the ultimate aim would be to broaden our pupil's educational experience and enable them to access wider curriculum opportunities. These satellite sites could also support pupils who are considering a return to mainstream school by introducing elements of this setting, through a gradual and considered approach.

Additionally, the mainstream school hosting the satellite would be able to refer pupils on their roll to a specialist outreach provision, hosted within the satellites. Where mainstream pupils with EHCP's are identified as requiring some additional support with elements of their learning and would benefit from the nurturing environment of the special school, a program of targeted, time-limited intervention would be provided. This would require LCC agreement as any places in the satellites would be accessed through LCC SEND processes, ensuring the right pupils access this specialist support.

This approach would support workforce development, with special school staff sharing skills and knowledge with their mainstream colleague, enhancing the mainstream skill set.

The strategy talks about significant development of special schools, 
with expansion and increased school places. What does this mean?

I am pleased to confirm that the Council have committed significant investment which will enable change and the capital outlay required to implement the proposed model.

It is important that families have confidence that our special schools will be equipped to meet the wide ranging and complex needs of some of our children.

Why have you involved LPCF and no other parent groups?

Parent Carer Forums are specifically tasked, under the SEND Code of Practice (2015), with working alongside Local Authorities to ensure that the services they plan, commission, deliver and monitor meet the needs of children.

The forum has worked in partnership to develop this proposal and has listened to and represented the views of parents on our membership.

To join our membership please see the sign up page on our website