At Ormiston, we believe that long-term, sustainable improvement in SEND provision is only possible through meaningful collaboration between schools, trusts and local authorities. Wasim, Dan and Craig outline how we have put this belief into practice in Wolverhampton to co-develop tailored specialist provisions that directly respond to the needs of their communities.
Dan describes collaborating with Wolverhampton Council to develop a high-quality, in-house pupil support unit at Ormiston SWB Academy open to all schools in the area.
Working together, we agreed on the scope, referral pathways and long-term vision for the unit and to agree a blended funding model between the school and local authority. This enabled Wolverhampton Council and Ormiston SWB to collaborate on pupil placements and the suitability of the provision, and ultimately look at reintegrating pupils back into mainstream education, whether this be at Ormiston SWB (where many have already been successfully taken on roll) or another school within the council.
Craig describes collaborating with the local authority to establish a specialist resource base for SEND students at Ormiston NEW Academy.
Recognising a clear gap in local provision, Ormiston NEW collaborated with Wolverhampton Council to design a dedicated specialist resource base called Arcadia that would serve as a commissioned specialist setting within a mainstream school environment. This would ensure that students receive intensive support while remaining part of a wider school community. Places are allocated by the local authority, and the school is responsible for the education of each child, receiving requisite funding accordingly. Admissions to the base are managed through a coordinated pathway between Wolverhampton Council and the school, with referrals coming via the council s SEND team.