SEND and Cambridge schools

Thing that is hard here is to find a space for a kid who needs a very safe place with a small class size, but good academic teaching in 8 GCSE subjects. It doesn't seem to exist now that Sancton Wood is so full.

I'm not sure you'll find class sizes of 14 outside a special school; most mainstream private schools have larger classes than that.
I've had maths sets that size, but only because we skewed the numbers to have large top sets and small bottom sets, and nowadays the schools are so full that you probably wouldn't manage to get the bottom set down to 14 doing that. For mixed ability subjects it just wouldn't happen.

What you would find is that in a bottom set, the teaching is geared to the ability of the pupils - so that would automatically give you reduced study outcomes, more time to complete tasks, appropriate study materials, use of resources. If the teaching is at an appropriate level, constant help might not be needed, depending on exactly what their needs are.

Landmark (private, mainstream) looks like it might have small classes. I've known one pupil who got on well there, but I've also seen some negative press on here.

I know nothing about it, but Holme Court School (private, special) looks like it has the small classes. It caters mainly for dyslexia, but it looks like there might be a bit of flex on that.

Yes, I think that what the OP is looking for doesn't exist in Cambridge either state or private unfortunately. I think things are incredibly hard at the moment.

Private schools, with extra small group help are likely to be extraordinarily expensive after the general election if Labour come in too. King's Ely would then be £27k + 20% VAT and I think their website says £60 per hour for extra tuition if needed.

I'm hoping to get an EOTAS package to home school but otherwise may end up EHE.

A lot of people with SEND kids seem to end up home educating with King's Interhigh, or Wolsey College or similar.

I slightly wonder if people in the OP's position may end up hiring a governess, as though it was the 1850s again.

Their class sizes are larger than 14 more like 24

I'm a bit confused op as to why you're asking how long it will take to get an EHCP, but then you say she already has one anyway

Landmark? DS still mainstream primary, but thinking slowly about secondary. Don't really know what to do. Comberton seems to have a lot of Send.

Others experience would be very welcome

Ive been asking exactly the same questions and I understand that King's Ely is probably the good option. They are full, but you might possibly get a place with an EHCP. They cost £27k for a day pupil.

I don't think there is any other good option tbh. In the past everyone would have said Sancton Wood but I rang up and they said they are past their ears in SEND kids.

And has your educational adviser told you that what you want exists in the state sector Cambridge? Or are they just helping you with independent schools?

SEP is detailed, specified and quantified in F because a child reasonably requires said provision. Moving LAs wouldn’t change their needs or the SEP they require. Similar for moving schools. If a pupil with an EHCP moves LA the new LA becomes legally responsible for the EHCP. Then the new LA reviews the EHCP and potentially amends, reassess or cease to maintain - although parents would have the right of appeal.

I can see where it would work in those specific circumstances, but what if the child moved schools/LA-would that provision have to stand if that is what the child is deemed to require?

@Redlocks28 the 22s were/are in independent MS (or in small state primary where it isn’t so uncommon to have tiny classes compared to state secondary MS).

The 25 I have seen was in a state secondary MS that has a PAN of 50.

I wonder how mainstream schools organise it from a funding view if a class size of 22 or 25 was specified and the child moved to a larger school. We struggle massively if our classes aren’t all at 30 to fund a teacher per class-our budget just doesn’t have any wriggle room.

It isn’t rare, but often takes an appeal to get the necessary quantification. The sizes I have supported parents to get quantified range from 3-22. Obviously the lower end would be delivered in a SS or via an AP, but the higher sizes can be delivered in independent MS (or for primary age DC in smaller schools). I have also seen 25 quantified which was met in a very small state secondary.

The small group work phrasing you have seen is written in poor EHCPs. It is too woolly to be enforced.

I haven’t seen a reference to smaller class sizes in an EHCP in the 25+ years I’ve been teaching. I’ve seen plenty of small group work or carefully worded phrases about group sizes though where special is being suggested.

What sort of quantified numbers for class sizes have you seen included, can I ask?

Smaller class sizes (it would need to be quantified rather than just small/smaller) absolutely can be included in F of an EHCP. Although many parents have to appeal in order to get the wording watertight.

What sort of additional support are you hoping for, @GoldQuoter ? The smaller class sizes isn’t something that would be written into an EHCP.

We have had paperwork sent for a child recently who all professionals agree cannot currently be in a room with more than 5 others as they get too overwhelmed, yet the LA have named us as a mainstream setting meaning they would be in a class of 32.

And you can apply in advance I believe as I know somebody who did just that, but it still took them a few months to start in a school. An online tutor was allocated whilst they were waiting.

Cambridgeshire is sadly in an absolute state for the SAT team. If rumours are to be believed they have about 2 caseworkers out of a possible 12, and if not a lot are off sick, including at management and higher management level. They have got more (pos temporary) caseworkers starting after Easter which will hopefully clear some of the backlog. There is a SEND Cambridgeshire facebook group which is worth joining. A lot of people are out of the statutory timelines and have had to fight to even get the finalised EHCPs actually send out so that we can appeal and go to Tribunal. I really don't mean to be negative but it is really hard work at the moment to get anything. There is nothing in the UK to reduce class sizes for SEND pupils or to prevent them going over the usual 30.

JR proceedings work. It isn’t instant but parents can force the LA to act sooner than 50 weeks. The problem is many don’t realise this.

We have had parents take legal action, involve the MP etc, it has made no difference. They barely even reply much of the time.

I saw there was an LA recently on Twitter who had admitted to getting just 1% of Statutory Assessments completed within the legal 20 week cut off.