Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Mainstream Schools

Wherever possible and appropriate, we try to meet special educational needs (SEN) in local mainstream schools, or at a school or unit which has additional resources to meet particular needs.

 Most children with SEN have these needs in their local mainstream school in accordance with the SEN Code of Practice. 

If a Statement is issued, parents may express a preference for any maintained school (or City Technology College) they wish their child to attend or make representations for a placement outside the maintained sector. Local Education Authorities (LEAs) must comply with a parental preference in accordance with the provision of section 316 of Education Act 1996 and Schedule 27. Before they issue the final statement, LEAs must consider parental representations and arrange any meeting(s) parents seek.

LEAs and schools have a qualified duty to ensure that pupils with SENs, including those with statements, are educated within mainstream settings, unless:

• this is incompatible with their parents' wishes:
• a school or local authority cannot take reasonable steps to adapt its provision to secure a place for them in a mainstream setting without:
• prejudicing the efficient education of the children with whom they will be educated; or
• incurring unreasonable public expenditure.

The LEA has to consider very carefully a preference stated by parents for a denominational mainstream maintained school and representations made by parents for a denominational non-maintained special school or independent school. Denominational considerations cannot override the requirements of section 316 of the Education Act 1996.