What the Hub will look like
Each approved host school will facilitate either one or two classrooms within the SEND Hub, with a maximum of two classrooms per school. Each classroom will have capacity for up to ten places commissioned by the local authority via the EHC plan route, along with up to three places available for the host school to utilise at their discretion.
SEND Hubs are being collaboratively developed with each host school and therefore the offer may vary depending on school preference, capacity within the school and local demand.
Hubs may consist of formally agreed provision for key stage one and two within primary schools and key stage three and four within secondary schools. Or they may offer only one key stage which will move through the school with the cohort of allocated pupils. This will be decided with the individual school.
As a minimum, all Hubs will offer:
- a suitably sized classroom, within the school’s existing building
- direct access to a breakout space or sensory space to allow time for pupils to regulate and manage their feelings
- direct access to secure outside space to allow free-flow learning and opportunities for regulation outside of the classroom
Of the 11 primary schools chosen for this initiative, five are local authority maintained and are therefore subject to this formal consultation.
Host schools will receive funding which covers the full costs of facilitating the SEND Hubs, including the following staffing levels per classroom:
- one qualified teacher
- two teaching assistants
- one intervention worker
- enhanced leadership time
- enhanced SENDCo time
- additional midday supervisor time
- additional learning resources
The Hub will belong to the school, and be managed and staffed by the school.
The council will also be funding all capital costs associated with the development of SEND Hubs. Schools and academies will not be detrimentally impacted financially with the implementation of the SEND Hubs, nor will they impact the school’s ability or financial capacity to meet the needs of children and young people educated in the wider school.
We will begin opening SEND Hubs from September 2025 onwards. Some will be ready to open from this date and others may take longer due to the building works required. All schools will be opening their Hubs and admitting pupils throughout the 25/26 academic year.
Each school hosting a SEND Hub will be provided with an enhanced level of training and the offer of specialist expertise to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. A robust training offer has been developed for all host school personnel, aimed at governors or trustees, senior leadership, teaching and non-teaching staff and all specifically working directly with the SEND Hubs. This training has been developed by expertise from the local special school sector.
As part of this process we are proposing to reduce the Published Admissions Number (PAN) at Caistor Church of England and Methodist School from 45 to 30 to ensure that classroom accommodation remains available for use as a SEND Hub and ensure that there are sufficient mainstream school places for children from the local community. All other mainstream schools will retain their existing PAN.
