SEND Local Offer - Education

School and nursery admissions

Our main Council website has lots of information about applying for school and nursery places, appealing placement decisions and  other education options. Find out more about our school admissions process.

Moving between phases of education 

Moving between phases of education can mean a move from early years settings into primary school, primary school to secondary school, from one school to another, and from one year group to the next. 

Stockton SEND and Inclusion Team help schools to support all children and young people with SEND through periods of transition to minimise the anxiety about moving into a new situation. Schools currently offer a range of additional support for children with SEND and their families. 

Support might include: 

• additional visits to the new school or class  
• a pupil passport to help the new teachers to understand the child's needs 
• a 'buddy group' of other children to support the child with SEND through the transition 
• a map and photographs or a video of the new school 

To find out about the support a school provides between phases of education then please contact the school directly. 

For further information view our Guide to Primary and Secondary Transfers. 

School exclusion and the law 

Reports and statistics indicate that children with SEND are much more likely to be excluded than children without SEND.  The law around exclusions can seem complicated and the implications of going along with informal (illegal) exclusions affect children's and young people's rights. 

View the Department for Education (DofE) guidance on Suspension and permanent exclusion from maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England, including pupil movement.

Stockton Borough Council-Annual Behaviour Report  

National data tells us that 1 in 2 pupils who are permanently excluded have mental health difficulties. Children in Care are 10 times more likely to be excluded and children who qualify for free school meals are 4 times more likely to be excluded.  

These children have had a very challenging start to life. They are angry, resentful and anxious, which puts them in a position where it is extremely difficult to regulate themselves and therefore challenging behaviour occurs. The child's behaviour is a communication of their feelings and the result of their experiences. 

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council works very closely with all schools in the Borough to: 

• offer advice, support and challenge in relation to the use of exclusion 
• to try to reduce the level of exclusions and promote alternative strategies and interventions to support pupils' education 

For further information and statistics please see our Annual Behaviour Report Summer 2023 (PDF) [499KB]