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All schools should be able to provide for children with Special Educational Needs. In most cases, it should be possible for your child to be educated in their local, mainstream school.
If you want to request a place at a Nottinghamshire mainstream school, you can do this by going to school admission pages or by requesting a booklet from the LA Admissions department on tel: 0115 854 61 61 or 01623 433 433.
There is a separate booklet published for primary and secondary schools and it is updated every year. It is full of useful information on transport, school uniform, examinations and free school meals, as well as providing contact details for all schools in Nottinghamshire.
If your child is moving from primary to secondary school, you could attend one of the Transition Information sessions that the Parent Partnership Service runs. These are aimed specifically at parents with children with SEN and usually take place in September. For further information, contact Parent Partnership on tel: 0115 9482 888 or go to www.ppsnotts.org.uk.
We also have an Admissions Forum in Nottinghamshire, where schools and representatives from the LA to ensure admissions are carried out in a fair and open way.
If your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs, the transfer from one school to another, (for example from primary to secondary school), will be overseen by an Assistant SEN Officer (ASENO), based at County Hall. Part 4 of the Statement will need to be amended to record the change of school placement. Please call SEN Strategic Services on tel: 0115 977 3779, you will be put in touch with the ASENO for your area, so that you can discuss your preference for a school place.
Some mainstream schools may have an Individual Needs Centre (INC) attached to them. They provide for a very small number of pupils with particular types of SEN, such as communication or a hearing or visual impairment. They have specialist equipment and extra staff with specialist knowledge.
Your child would be with children with similar SEN and would be able to take part in some school activities with other children. If you want your child to attend an INC, they must be undergoing a 323 Assessment or have a Statement of Special Educational Need.
In a small number of cases, mainstream schools may not be suitable and we will discuss other possibilities with you. All schools can provide you with additional information if you ask for it.
Here are the other types of provision we make for children in Nottinghamshire:
Nottinghamshire Special Schools
These schools provide a full educational programme to children who attend, as well as giving specialist advice to mainstream schools. All children in special schools will have significant special educational needs. All staff will have specialist knowledge and expertise. Classes are small and specialist equipment is also available. There may also be speech and language, physiotherapy and nursing help available. Some of these schools have places available from age 3. In order to get a place in a special school, your child must have a Statement of Special Educational Needs.
The LA will only fund transport to and from the nearest Nottinghamshire Special School that can meet the needs of a child and has a place available.
The LA is currently developing the role of Special Schools in Nottinghamshire. It recognises that special schools are effective and popular. It is currently looking at all special schools and trying to identify their current needs, as well as planning for the future. The LA is looking improve facilities by having some special schools and mainstream schools on the same site. This will enable both schools to learn from each other.
The LA is also looking to work in partnership with other organisations to enable them to create more provision for a wider range of children. This means that more children with SEN will be able to go to school in Nottinghamshire, rather than having to travel long distances out of the county.
Special school prospectuses are available by contacting the schools directly or SEN Strategic Services on tel: 0115 977 3779.
Independent and non-maintained schools
These are not Local Authority schools. If you think that your child should attend a non-maintained or independent school, you can suggest the name of the school and tell us why you think that school should be named in your child’s statement. The LA would then look at whether a maintained school could meet the needs of your child and also consider the cost of such a placement. In exceptional circumstances, the LA will agree to place a child in a residential school and this often joint funded with Health. Many of these children are 'looked after' by the Local Authority.
