The SPT will provide a team of Specialist SEND advisors who offer a practical service to mainstream schools to support colleagues to deliver Quality First Teaching and further develop whole school inclusive educational practice through therapeutically informed approaches. This will include direct face to face engagement, modelling and demonstration of practical inclusion strategies alongside providing access to a specialist SEND advice line.

This could include:

• Supporting professionals to access advice, information and support from specialists, so they can increase their knowledge and skills and work more effectively to make decisions and identify early intervention opportunities.
• Ensuring needs are identified early and support is offered in the right place at the right time.
• Contributing to the intelligence and data within localities in respect of SEND need of children and young people.

The move comes in response to a series of engagement sessions with SEND system leaders from health, social care and education including teachers, classroom practitioners and school senior leaders who identified the need for more practical specialist support in the classroom 

In a statement, Cornwall Council said,

We are excited to be able to offer this service, funded through the DfE’s Delivering Better Value Programme. This service will allow the further development of SEND knowledge and skills for classroom practitioners and school based staff which in turn will lead to better experiences and outcomes for children and young people.

The Special Partnership Trust CEO Guy Chappell added,

“We’re delighted to be working alongside Cornwall Council to deliver this service and we know it will have a tangible impact both on teachers and young people across the County.”

This service is funded by the DfE DBV programme until March 2025.