Specialist SEND provision in mainstream schools

Some of our mainstream schools have additional funding to put in place additionally resourced provision for children and young people with specific types of SEND. We call these ‘ARPS’ and they are available only to young people who have an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) 

The types of needs that these provisions cater for are:

• Hearing Impairments (HI)
• Speech, Language and Communication Needs including complex communication needs, and the needs of children and young people who are on the Autistic Spectrum/are neurodiverse (SLCN/ASD)

Placement in an ARP is considered by a panel of professionals from education, health and social care and is based on the admissions criteria of the ARP. The council will then make an application to the school on behalf of the child or young person. All ARPS have access to additional training and support to ensure the best possible outcomes for the young people placed in them.

The following primary schools have specialist provision:

Nursery and primary schools

Secondary and sixth form

Independent schools, colleges and post-16 providers

Brent supports the principle that children and young people’s education and training needs are usually best met through local mainstream provision.

In a very small number of cases it may not be possible or appropriate within the borough to do so.

A list of independent special schools and colleges approved by the government under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act can be found on the GOV.UK website.

If your child has an EHC plan, our Special Educational Needs 0-25 Team will need to consider any request to attend an independent school or college.