We asked, you said, we did

We asked

We asked for your views on the Barnet Special Educational Needs Places Plan 2021/22.

We asked you to comment on the proposal to maintain the same balance of provision for children and young people with special educational needs with Education, Health and Care Plans across mainstream schools, Additional Resource Provisions (ARPs) and Special Schools?

You said

We received 48 responses to the online questionnaire.

• 58% agreed that we should maintain the same balance of provision across mainstream schools, ARPs and special schools.
• 98% agreed with the proposal to offer more high-quality specialist places (ARPs and special school places) locally in Barnet.
• 78% agreed with our proposals to deliver extra specialist SEN places in Barnet.
• 88% agreed with our proposals for allocating the Special Provision Fund to the projects outlined in the Plan.

Responses were provided with the following issues noted:

• acknowledged the increase in the numbers of children with SEND

• acknowledged that parental preference should guide provision
• acknowledged the need for additional specialist places in Barnet
• acknowledged the need for specialist provision to be developed in Barnet to enable children to attend school locally in their own area
• acknowledged the need for additional provision for secondary aged pupils
• acknowledged the need for greater choice of specialist provision
• acknowledged the need for additional provision for children with Autism
• concern that the need for provision for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs is being overlooked.
• concern that the provision being proposed is not evenly spread across the borough which will impact on transport.

We did

We expanded Northway School on 6 September 2022 to reassure them that the building works were completed, and the school was fully operational for the start of term.

We opened an ARP provision at Friern Barnet School for secondary aged children with Learning and Cognition Needs. The first cohort of children were admitted into Year 7 in September 2022. Cohorts will be introduced at the start of each new academic year until 2026 when the ARP will be able to take its full capacity.

The Windmill School is planned to open in academic year 2023/24. This is a special school which will meet the needs of children with Autism who are unable to access a mainstream school environment even with an ARP provision but do not require a special school placement for significant learning and cognition needs associated with their autism.