Local context
Southend-on-Sea City Council (SCC); the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS) and Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT) work alongside a range of schools and settings, providers, partners, voluntary organisations, and other stakeholders to provide high quality provision for all children and young people with SEND.
To understand the prevalence of special educational need across Southend this section provides data about the numbers of children and young people with SEND and their needs* and some context on the range of provision available across education, health, social care and local services at a universal, targeted and specialist level.
- specialist level: services or provision that is highly specialist and usually for children or young people with significant and complex needs
- targeted level: services or provision that is offered to children and young people who need targeted support for a specific type or level of needs
- universal level: services or provision that is offered and is available to all children and young people
*Different time points for data collection and reporting periods mean that there is not a consistent time point at which data is reported, for example a mixture of calendar, academic and financial years. The published schools census and the Department for Education (DfE) SEN2 return provides the major source of data collected on children and young people with SEND. This data has been used alongside with Southend's internal reporting dashboard. Some figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to comply with suppression rules.
SEN Support
Pupils who have an identified special educational need and require additional (targeted) provision in school are categorised as receiving SEN Support.
Data from the January 2023 schools census shows us those pupils who are recorded as receiving SEN Support in Southend:
- there were 3225 children at SEN support in our local schools; this equates to 9.9% of the school population
- this is 3.10% lower than the national average of 13.0%
- 64.3% of those pupils at SEN support are male, which is consistent with the national picture (62.8%)
- the largest cohort of pupils at SEN Support are in year 4 (9.9%)
- pupils at SEN Support eligible for free school meals is 41.9%, above the national average of 37.5%
Education Health and Care Plans
Education Health and Care Plans (sometimes called an EHC plan or EHCP) are for children and young people up to the age of 25 who require special educational provision (over and above that which is provided at universal and targeted level), to meet their special educational needs.
Data from the January 2023 school census shows those pupils who have an EHC plan in Southend schools:
- the largest cohort of pupils with an EHC plan are in year 7 (10.8%)
- pupils with an EHC plan that are eligible for free school meals is 44.3%, compared to 41.1% nationally
- 73.8% of pupils with an EHC plan are male which is consistent with the national picture (72.4%)
- the percentage of pupils who have an Education Health and Care plan attending Southend schools is 4.0%. This is similar to the national average of 4.3%
- 13 pupils with an EHCP are Electively Home Educated
As of August 2023:
- southend maintained 1641 EHC plans
- approximately 180 pupils with a Southend maintained EHC plan attend out of area schools
- of all pupils in Southend special schools, 80% have a Southend maintained EHC plan
When looking at the combined picture of all pupils at SEN Support and with an EHC plan we know that prevalence of SEND in Southend is highest amongst pupils at the end of primary school and start of secondary school, and this has been consistent over the past 3 years. The percentage of all SEND pupils in Southend schools categorised as having a Social, Emotional and Mental Health primary need is 22.1% and is the most prevalent need in Southend.
Education Provision
In Southend there is a wide range of educational provision to meet pupil need at a universal, targeted or specialist level:
- 45 mainstream schools spanning infant to secondary age
- 4 independent schools
- 5 special schools
- a special free school, colleges, and a university
As of August 2023, 91% of LA Maintained schools (all primary phase) were judged Good or Outstanding in addition to 94% of Primary phase, 83% of Secondary phase and 80% of Special schools (published on the Ofsted website).
Special Schools in Southend cater for a range of needs and age groups:
|
School Name |
Categories of Need |
Age Range |
|---|---|---|
| Kingsdown School | Type of need - Physical Difficulties, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties, Severe Learning Difficulties | Age range 3 to 14 years |
| Lancaster School | Type of need - Physical Difficulties, Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties, Severe Learning Difficulties | Age range 14 to 19 years |
| St Nicholas School | Type of need - Autism, Moderate Learning Difficulties | Age range 11 to 16 years |
| Sutton House Academy | Type of need: Social Emotional and Mental Health | Age range 5 to 16 years |
| St Christopher School | Type of need - Autism Spectrum Disorder, Moderate Learning Difficulties, Social Emotional and Mental Health | Age range 3 to 19 years |
Alternative education provision in Southend is made by the 2 following registered settings:
| School name | Categories of Need | Age range |
|---|---|---|
| Victory Park Academy | Type of need: Social Emotional and Mental Health | Age range 5 to 16 years |
| Southend YMCA Community School (free school) | Type of need: pupils who have, by reason of illness, disability, social, emotional or mental health issues, require alternative educational arrangements | Age range 14 to 18 years |
In addition to mainstream and specialist settings Southend Local Authority commission a number of Resource Bases (sometimes called Enhanced Provision) that provide targeted support for pupils with:
- Autism
- Speech, Language and Communication Needs
- Learning Difficulties
| School Name | Provision Type | Age Range |
|---|---|---|
| Hamstel Infant School | Autism Resource Base | Age Range 3 to 7 |
| Temple Sutton Primary School | Autism Resource Base | Age Range 3 to 11 |
| Blenheim Primary School | Autism Resource Base | Age Range 3 to 11 |
| Greenways Primary School | Autism Resource Base | Age Range 4 to 11 |
| Southend High School for Boys | Autism Resource Base | Age Range 11 to 16 |
| Fairways Primary School | Speech, Language and Communication Resource base | Age Range 4 to 11 |
| Chase High School | Learning Resource Base | Age Range 11 to 16 |
| Shoeburyness High School | Learning Resource Base | Age Range 11 to 16 |
The SEND Strategic Partnership commits to increasing the number of Resource Bases in Southend during the life of this Strategy.
There are a number of pupils that are Electively Home Educated (EHE) in Southend. As of July 2023, there were 507 pupils recorded as EHE.
In Southend there is a range of Post 16 education, apprenticeships, traineeships and supported internships offering AS/A-levels, vocational qualifications at all levels, apprenticeships, traineeships, supported internships and bespoke packages of learning. There are also 16 to 19 academies, and vocational learning and training providers.
The local area encompasses:
- School sixth forms (both mainstream and special schools)
- South Essex College - a further education college offering a variety of courses, apprenticeships and supported internships.
- Southend Adult Community College offers apprenticeships and SEND provision in addition to their specialist Westcliff Centre for 19 to 21 year olds.
To view the range of educational provision in Southend visit the SEND Local Offer and search for the type of setting you are looking for.
Social Care and Early Help
There is a range of support available for families requiring Social Care input.
- At a universal level 0-19 the Early Help Support Service provide for children, young people and their families with a range of targeted needs including parenting, family support and youth work. All children and young people are assessed and supported according to their individual specific needs, whether that is SEND, diagnosed or not.
- Children's social care provide services under a statutory framework of the Children Act 1989 and Working Together 2018 which include the Children with Disabilities Team. The team provides advice, support, and practical help to families with children up to the age of 18 years with a disability, who are substantially affected in their everyday living by profound and severe disabilities.
- The Children with Disabilities team supports children with various care packages that may consist of direct payments for Personal Assistance support, care or activities at home, care or activities away from home such as after school or holiday clubs; or overnight (short term) breaks away from home.
- The Children with Disabilities Team will link closely with all professionals involved in the young person's life from Health, Education and Adult Services and facilitate a transition for a child/young person into adult services beginning preparation from the age of 14 years to the transfer to adult services.
To view the range of social care support and provision in Southend visit the SEND Local Offer and search social care support.
Health provision
Health services for children and young people including those with SEND are also delivered at a universal, targeted and specialist level and include the following services:
- Universal care is provided by Primary Care Networks and GP services.
- A Better Start Southend (ABSS) offer targeted Speech and Language Therapy through the Let's Talk programme provided in 6 ABSS ward areas of Southend.
- The Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) provides a targeted offer for those under 20 expecting their first baby. A family nurse offers pregnancy support, after the birth advice and guidance for up to 2 years.
- The multi-disciplinary team at The Lighthouse Child Development Centre provided by Essex Partnership University Foundation Trust (EPUT) offer targeted and specialist services for:
- Specialised outpatient care for children and young people up to the age of 19 years of age wtih significant delay or concern and have, or are likely to require, the support from more than one service or discipline.
- Targeted and specialist support from Community Paediatricians, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy.
- An integrated pathway for neurodevelopmental assessment for children and young people with suspected Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) pathways or other neurodevelopmental needs.
Visit the EPUT website for more information.
- The core mental health service for children and young people is Southend, Essex and Thurrock Child and Adolescence Mental Health Service (SET CAMHS). SET CAMHS offer targeted and specialist community-based assessment and treatment. The service is provided by North-East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) and includes a central single point of access (SPA) for referrals providing clinical triage leading to; advice and guidance, onward referral to specialist teams (i.e., Eating Disorder, Learning Disability etc.), locality teams and signposting to other services.
- NELFT also provide targeted support in Southend through schools Mental Health Support Teams (MHST). Targeted support is currently offered across 8 mainstream school settings and one further education setting as part of a national pilot.
- Southend University Hospital delivers support as part of Mid and South Essex Partnership Foundation Trust (MSEFT). The hospital offers targeted and specialist services from urgent and emergency treatment, acute paediatric care, outpatient, and audiology services.
- Specialist referral routes with regional condition specific tertiary centres such as Great Ormond Street, South London and Maudsley, Evelina and Addenbrookes NHS Foundation Trusts.
- Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT) offer a range of targeted and specialist community paediatric services to support the needs of children and families in Southend:
- The Paediatric Community Nursing Team provides clinical nursing care for children with complex and on-going health needs.
- An integrated Diabetes Service (in partnership with MSEFT).
- Continence Service.
- Paediatric Asthma and Allergy Service plus dedicated asthma, eczema and allergies training for patients and families.
- Epilepsy Nursing provision.
- Service provision is also in place for Specialist School Nursing and Specialist Health Visitors.
- Community Learning Disability Services.
- Children, Young People and Families 0-19 Public Health Services (Southend-on-Sea City Council) offers a universal service for all families, children, and young people which includes Southend Health Visiting Team and the School Nursing Service. They also offer targeted services for the following:
- The Health Visitor targeted pathways for those children that have specific needs.
- Specialist Public Health Nurse (SCPHN - EHE) for children who are Home Educated.
- Targeted provision from GP practices for Annual health checks for people with a learning disability (from 14 years of age)
- The Development and Play Children's Service (Jigsaws) is part of the specialist health visitor service and are part of the wider Lighthouse Child Development Centre Team. They offer specialist support to families from maternity to age 5.
Support Services and the voluntary sector
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice Support Service, SENDIASS Southend is jointly commissioned by Education, Health and Social Care is well established and well used by families who require advice and support on SEND issues.
The Department for Education funded parent carer forum; Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF) were established at the end of 2020 and provides a great deal of community support and advice to SEND parent carers.
There is also a range of voluntary sector organisations based in or local to Southend that provide a range of universal, targeted and specialist services to support children and young people with SEND and their families. The SEND Local Offer provides information, advice and guidance on local services and details of organisations and groups in the local area.