Specialist Provision in Mainstream Schools - Overview

Specialist Provision in Mainstream Schools - Overview Operational Plans

Operational Plans translate the vision of the strategy into practical area planning actions through short and medium term work streams.

Operational Plans will enable the Education Authority to bring forward proposals to establish, close or change specialist provision, to dovetail with the Special Educational Needs Annual Plan of Arrangements, when it is agreed and fully implemented.  The Operational Plans will seek to bring forward proposals for Specialist Provision in Mainstream Schools to meet capacity needs as well as to address geographical, sectoral and linguistic inconsistencies.

2.1    Objectives for Specialist Provision in Mainstream Schools

The objectives for Specialist Provision in Mainstream Schools are to:

  • Ensure consistency with the Framework for Specialist Provision in Mainstream Schools and confirm continued need. This includes consistency of language used, replacing the former terms, ‘Learning Support,’ and ‘Autism,’ with the new terms, Specialist Provision (Learning) and Specialist Provision (Social Communication);
  • Ensure consistency with the Special Education Strategic Area Plan 2022-27, and to dovetail with area planning for special schools, in order to assess impact on places in special schools in providing for children and young people to attend their nearest suitable school;
  • Ensure that the new process provides opportunity for interested parties (including affected schools) to have their views considered before final decisions are taken; and
  • Develop recommendations for the Education Authority’s Strategic Planning and Policy Committee to consider based on a report on the outcomes.

2.2       Consultation

The Education Authority wishes to engage with the governors, staff, pupils and parents of the identified schools to consult on the formal approval of resource provisions already established, and/or in providing pathways consistent with meeting the needs of an area.  Given the number of schools across the region, the Education Authority will inform all schools and seek their views as part of consultation. Area Planning will provide a link to the Annual Plan of Arrangements and the Education Authority’s Public Consultation web pages, in order that members of the public may respond to the consultation.