North Yorkshire Council

 

Corporate Director meeting with Executive Members

 

17 March 2026

 

Review of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Provision:

Targeted Mainstream Provision

 

Report of the Corporate Director for Children and Young People’s Service

 

1.0      PURPOSE OF REPORT

 

1.1  To seek Member approval to consult publicly on school organisation proposals to add provision for Special Educational Needs by providing new Special Resourced provision in the form of Targeted Mainstream Provisions (TMP) at St Martin’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Scarborough and Selby High School, Selby.

 

1.2  To seek Member approval to consult publicly on school organisation proposals to transfer the responsibility of the existing Special Resourced provision in the form of Targeted Mainstream Provision (TMP) at based at Thirsk School and Sixth Form from the Hambleton and Richmond Pupil Referral Service to Thirsk School and Sixth Form.

 

1.3  To seek Member approval to consult publicly on school organisation proposals to increase the number of places at the existing Special Resourced provision in the form of Targeted Mainstream Provision (TMP) at Alverton Primary School, Northallerton, from 8 to 16 places.

 

 

 

 

2.0      BACKGROUND

 

2.1     In 2020 the Local Authority launched the first phase of Targeted Mainstream Provisions that were approved as part of the Strategic Plan for SEND Provision 2018-2023. The next phase of Targeted Mainstream Provisions was approved as part of the Strategic Plan for SEND 2023-2027. The focus for each being either Communication and Interaction (C&I) or Social and Emotional Mental Health (SEMH).  There are currently 16 Targeted Mainstream Provisions, creating 142 places across North Yorkshire.  The proposed developments for September 2026, including these maintained schools and some academies will see the number of Targeted Mainstream Provisions increase to 22, with 198 places in total.  The next wave of applications has recently opened, with 15 enquiries within the first week.

  

 

 

2.2     This report seeks approval to:

         

          2.2.1 Consult publicly on establishing a new C&I Targeted Mainstream provision at Selby High School, Selby and new C&I and SEMH provisions at St Martin’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Scarborough.

 

          2.2.2 Consult publicly on the transfer of responsibility of the existing Targeted Mainstream Provision for SEMH based at Thirsk School and Sixth Form from the Hambleton and Richmond PRS to Thirsk School.

 

          2.2.3 Consult publicly on the increase of commissioned places for the existing Targeted Mainstream Provision for C&I at Alverton Primary School, from 8 to 16.

 

2.3     The schools will have the flexibility to refine their model of delivery but in general the new provision will:

 

·     Provide 8 full time places for 6 children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan and 2 ‘flexible’ places for children needing to access the provision for short term assessment and support.

 

·         Specialise in meeting the needs of children and young people with Social and Emotional Mental Health needs or Communication and Interaction needs.

 

·         Have access to a range of therapies and training opportunities to ensure children are fully supported.

 

·         Increase the opportunities for children and young people with SEND to access mainstream education together with more specialised small group interventions and support.

 

·         Be funded on a ‘place’ basis similar to special schools and in line with national guidance.

 

 

3.0      PROPOSED CONSULTATION PROCESSES AND TIMESCALES

 

3.1        This proposal represents a strand of the SEND Strategic Plan.

 

3.2       Draft consultation documents for the proposals are attached in Appendix 1.

 

3.3        The proposed timescales are set out below:

 

Consultation opens

25 March 2026

Public meetings

Week beginning 20 April 2026

Consultation closes

15 May 2026

Council’s Executive considers consultation response

16 June 2026

Statutory Proposals published (4 weeks for representations to be made)

25 June to 23 July 2026

Final decision by Council’s Executive (or the Executive Member for Education and Skills, if there are no objections to the statutory proposals)

4 August 2026

Implementation

1 September 2026

 

 

 

4.0      CONTRIBUTION TO COUNCIL PRIORITIES

 

4.1      The implementation of Targeted Mainstream Provisions is one aspect of the wide- ranging Strategic Plan for SEND Education Provision 2023-2026. The implementation will have an impact upon the identified gap between mainstream and special school provision and provide families with an additional option. This is one aspect of the approved strategic plan that will, once fully implemented, enable the LA to better meet needs across the continuum of SEND provision and the county.

 

4.2      This development will also have impact upon SEND Transport, for those who qualify,  as the LA seeks to provide more local options in line with the Strategic Plans principle of Right Support, Right Place, Right Time

 

 

5.0      FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

REVENUE

 

5.1       The financial model for this service has been based on the following assumptions:

 

-          The service will operate with 8 place provisions with each provision attracting planned place funding of £6,000 plus per pupil funding allocations where pupils are on roll in the unit, or £4,000 where places are empty at the point of the October census. This guarantees resources of circa £10,000 per place – in line with Special school funding arrangements

 

-          Schools will receive “top-up funding” allocations in line with the assessment of need defined in the individual pupils EHCP using the banded funding methodology, introduced in April 2019.

 

-          It is assumed that the “top-up funding” allocations are expenditure that the authority would have incurred regardless of this development because the EHCPs are already in place.

 

-          Start-up costs up to a maximum of £10,000 earmarked for each new provision to cover learning resources, IT Revenue costs and a provision for staff learning and development.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAPITAL

 

5.2       It is anticipated, from the information provided by the schools, that there will need to be capital requirements, as follows: 

 

-          The requirement at St Martin’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Scarborough is for a new, purpose built TMP. 

 

-          At Selby High there is a requirement for the refurbishment of their SEND provision.  This is proposed to include replacement and additional doors, refurbishment of the toilets, installation of a kitchen area and the reconfiguration of the smaller spaces. 

 

-          There are no capital requirements at Thirsk School and Sixth Form as this is currently being used as the TMP space.

 

-          The increase in numbers at Alverton Primary School requires the refurbishment and development of a classroom and surrounding area.  This will include partition walls, toilet refurbishment and reconfiguration to create storage and a sensory room. 

5.3      Further work is now being conducted to verify costs with each school subject to approval from Executive.

 

5.4       The local authority has allocated a proportion of the High Needs Provision Capital to support the roll out of TMPs which is part of the delivery of this aspect of the Strategic Plan. This resource can be used for both academies and maintained schools.

 

 

6.0      LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

6.1        Adding provision for Special Educational Needs by providing Special Resourced provision in the form of new Targeted Mainstream Provisions at St Martin’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Scarborough and Selby High School constitute prescribed alterations to maintained schools and will require public consultation and then the publication of statutory proposals, following the DfE’s statutory guidance for proposers and decision makers.[1] 

 

6.2      The changes proposed to the existing TMPs at Thirsk School and Sixth Form and Alverton Primary School can be made outside of the statutory process following public consultation.

 

 

 

 

 

7.0      EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

 

7.1       Equalities Impact Assessments (EIA) have been carried out to consider the impact of this review and these can be found in Appendix 2.  There are no concerns raised by the EIAs.

 

7.2      The Equalities duty is ongoing and will be reviewed throughout the planning, review, and procurement stages as well as prior to the award of any contracts.

 

 

8.0      CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS

 

8.1       Climate Change Impact Assessments (CCIA) have been carried out to consider the impact of this review and these can be found in Appendix 3.  No implications were identified.

 

8.2      This will be reviewed throughout the planning, review and procurement stages as well as prior to the award of any contacts.

 

8.3      The Council Plan encourages sustainable and connected places. The framework’s requirement for local provision (within NYC travel policy) supports reduced travel distances, contributing to lower emissions and a more environmentally responsible service delivery.

 

 

9.0

RECOMMENDATIONS     

 

 

i) The Executive Member for Schools is recommended to give approval:

 

·         to consult publicly on school organisation proposals to add provision for Special Educational Needs by providing new Special Resourced provision in the form of Targeted Mainstream Provision at St Martin’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Scarborough and Selby High School.

 

·         to consult publicly on school organisation proposals to transfer the responsibility of the existing Special Resourced provision in the form of Targeted Mainstream Provision (TMP) at based at Thirsk School and Sixth Form from the Hambleton and Richmond Pupil Referral Service to Thirsk School.

 

·         to consult publicly on school organisation proposals to increase the number of places at the existing Special Resourced provision in the form of Targeted Mainstream Provision (TMP) at Alverton Primary School, Northallerton, from 8 to 16 places.

 

 

 

 

El Mayhew

Corporate Director – Children and Young People Services

County Hall

Northallerton

February 2026

 

Report Author – Wendy Butterfield, Lead SEND Development Officer

Presenter of Report – Chris Reynolds, Head of SEND Strategic Planning Resources

 

 

Note: Members are invited to contact the author in advance of the meeting with any detailed queries or questions.

 

 

Appendices

 

Appendix 1a: Draft consultation document – St Martin’s CofE Primary School

Appendix 1b: Draft consultation document – Selby High School

Appendix 1c: Draft consultation document – Thirsk School and Sixth Form

Appendix 1d: Draft consultation document – Alverton Primary School

 

Appendix 2a: Equalities Impact Assessment – St Martin’s CofE Primary School

Appendix 2b: Equalities Impact Assessment – Selby High School

Appendix 2c: Equalities Impact Assessment – Thirsk School and Sixth Form

Appendix 2d: Equalities Impact Assessment - Alverton Primary School

 

Appendix 3a: Climate Change Impact Assessment – St Martin’s CofE Primary School

Appendix 3b: Climate Change Impact Assessment – Selby High School

Appendix 3c: Climate Change Impact Assessment – Thirsk School and Sixth Form

Appendix 3d: Climate Change Impact Assessment – Alverton Primary School

 

 

 

 


[1] DfE, Making significant changes (‘prescribed alterations’) to maintained schools Statutory guidance for proposers and decision-makers (Oct 2018).