New guidance for schools around Send provision

Inclusive spaces to help pupils with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (Send) enter mainstream education are being created.

The scheme is part of new guidance for schools in Wolverhampton and has been created by the city council along with the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and primary and secondary schools.

A network for schools has also been established enabling them to exchange ideas, and learning, the council added.

Jacqui Coogan, cabinet member for children, young people and education, said the number of children with education, health and care plans (EHCP) had risen significantly in recent years and the council aimed to ensure inclusivity for pupils.

"The number of children with education, health and care plans has risen significantly in recent years and, by supporting the development of high‑quality Internal Resourced Provisions in schools across the city, we can help meet the needs of more pupils in mainstream settings in ways that are inclusive, ambitious and rooted in best practice," Coogan said.

The new guidance uses statutory information, local support, and practical tools to help mainstream schools develop internal resourced provisions (IRPs) – inclusive spaces designed for pupils with care plans.

The number of Wolverhampton pupils with an EHCPs in the city has increased by 58% between 2020 and 2025, from 1,549 to 2,453, the city council has said.

A public consultation on changes and improvements to Send services in Wolverhampton is currently under way, closing on 22 February.

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