SEND local offer - Enhanced Mainstream Schools

Some children and young people may have their needs met at an Enhanced Mainstream School (EMS) for children and or young people with a particular special educational need. These children will have or be in the process of getting an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP). 

The purpose of EMS is to ensure that children receiving support from the enhanced provision make progress that is at least in line with national prior attainment. 

Any gaps in attainment on entry to the school should be narrowed by: 

• the child or young person receiving the educational support they require from appropriately qualified and or experienced specialist staff 
• ensuring children receive the specialist assessments required to understand their needs, identify potential barriers to making progress and inform support and intervention strategies 
• ensuring that mainstream staff receive the training and advice they require to enable them to meet the needs of the children  
• ensuring staff in partner agencies provide any additional services required  
• involving families in the decision making and education of their child or young person 

Support from an EMS is assessed on an individual basis after an application to the ONE Point Panel. ONE Point Panels are held weekly for each area of need on a four-weekly cycle. 

For more information on the ONE Point Panel view the: 

• The Early Years One Point Referral Process Information for Parents and Carers
• The One Point Referral Process Information for Parents and Carers

Criteria for accessing support

Common criteria for accessing support from all EMS are: 

• evidence of partnership work with parents and carers 
• multi-agency active involvement 
• clear evidence of the voice of the child 

Communication and interaction

Criteria is: 

• communication and interaction is their primary need
• their audit band for other categories of need should not exceed 3
• their audit band for communication and interaction is 4 or 5 from the SBC provision guidance 

Cognition and learning

Criteria is:

• cognition and Learning is their primary need
• has a substantial level of learning difficulty, developmentally they are performing at or below the 2nd centile
• their audit band for cognition and learning is 4 or 5 from the Stockton Borough Council (SBC) provision guidance

Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH)

Criteria is:

• SEMH is their primary need
• EHA is in place with regular TAC meetings
• their audit band for SEMH is 4 or 5 from the SBC provision guidance 

Sensory and Physical 

Criteria is:

• sensory or physical is their primary needs
• their audit band for sensory and or physical is 4 or 5 from the SBC provision guidance
• there is evidence of significant physical and or medical need from a medical professional
• a medical and or personal care plan is in place with significant adaptations from the home and school
• hearing impairment (HI) and or visual impairment (VI) is their primary needs
• their hearing and or visual impairment is diagnosed as severe
• their audit band for HI and or VI is 4 or 5 from the SBC provision guidance sensory and/or physical
• their audit band for other categories of need does not exceed 3
• a qualified teacher of the HI and or VI has been involved

Within each EMS there are staff who will have the appropriate qualifications and or experience to: 

• undertake specialist assessments of the child to accurately identify need, inform teaching and learning strategies and monitor progress 
• deliver training and advise mainstream colleagues on pupil need and teaching and learning strategies and monitor progress 
• understand the social emotional impact of the particular area of need 
• advise on strategies to build self-esteem, resilience and develop social skills, friendships and independence 

For the placement to be considered, the young person: 

• is either going through statutory assessment or has an EHCP (the pupil will be dual registered until the EHCP is finalised) 
• has previously accessed support and guidance from the EMS to enable the home school to include and meet need 

Each pupil who is being offered a placement (in-Reach, dual registration or placement in EMS) will receive a bespoke transition plan (with timescales) with the agreement to offer a place. 

To browse the current Enhanced Mainstream Schools by the 4 SEND areas of need visit the Stockton Information Directory.