Sutton’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and Alternative Provision Strategy 2024-2027

A priority in Sutton Council’s Ambitious for Sutton Corporate Plan 2022-2027 [External Link] is to create an inclusive place for everyone where people from all backgrounds feel included, with support for young people, families, older people and vulnerable residents.

A central part of this ambition is to ensure that young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and those attending Alternative Provision (AP) in the Borough are well supported and receive high-quality education services within the resources the Council has available.

The Council’s three year SEND and AP strategy [External Link] is part of the Council’s ambitious for SEND programme and sets out how the Council, schools, health partners and parent-carers will work together to achieve the vision of providing all children and young people in Sutton with the best chances to achieve their best outcomes in life, whatever their starting point, and to prepare them effectively for adulthood.

The strategy which was co-produced with parents and carers and other key stakeholders from across the local area and signed off by the People Committee on the 26 September 2024. The strategy, identifies 5 key priorities:

1. Earlier identification and more timely support for children and young people with SEND and additional needs so that their needs don't escalate.

2. Embedded joined up and relational practice - so that parents and young people receive more coordinated support when they need it.

3. Strengthen access to education and vulnerable pupils to ensure a sufficiency of high quality specialist and Alternative Provision in the Borough.

4. Grow the voice and influence of children and young people / parents and improve the way we listen and act on feedback.

5. A more financially sustainable system so we can live within our means and prioritise resources on those children and young people that need them most.

What is happening next?

Following both the announcement of national SEND reform, as well as the Local Area SEND inspection in January, the local area will be updating the SEND and AP Strategy to guide the work that we want to do over the next three years to improve services for Children with SEND in the Borough. For more information please see Sutton's SEND Reform Plan.