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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

SEN hubs

3 replies

Cheeseand2veg · 24/05/2025 10:23

My primary school is changing the model for working with SEND children from a 1:1 approach to a SEND/SEMH hub approach. This is due to financial reasons and to keep things more sustainable as we have an ever growing need of children with additional needs. I’m in the running for redundancy - they are cutting 2 in 3 of the TAs. I love being a 1:1 but that role will no longer exist. I struggle to see how a hub with several children, all with very differing needs and abilities, care plans and triggers will work. The idea is 1 hub for EY/KS1 and another for KS2, each with a few TAs in. Does anyone have positive experience to share of working in a hub, or being in a school that has introduced these successfully? Thanks

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BoleynMemories13 · 24/05/2025 11:28

I am sorry to hear you risk redundancy, but in answer to your question we have a similar model at my school which has been successful (for the children, I understand it's awful for 1-1 TAs who end up losing their job).

The 1-1 system isn't viable in the current financial climate. The child's funding usually doesn't cover the full wages of a 1-1 TA, meaning the school are running at a deficit and are also able to provide no additional support for that's child in order to meet their needs (such as resources which could help them) as all their funding purely goes on staff wages.

Yes the children do all have differing needs but these are managed by the qualified SEN teacher and the two TAs we have in the unit, same as they would be in a special school. The 1-1 support enables children to remain in a mainstream classroom, but if you take them out of the classroom and teach them in a small hub which caters for their needs, the need for 1-1 lessens.

If children have needs so extreme they require 1-1 even in a small hub, I'd question why they are not already in specialist provision. I know places are in very short supply, but these are the children who absolutely should get them first.

We currently have 8 children in our hub, taught by one teacher and 2 TAs. It's more cost effective than 8 1-1s and enables the children to be more independent while accessing learning appropriate for them.

Obviously schools need to have space for such a facility, but for schools which do have a spare classroom it does make sense.

I sincerely hope you are able to keep your job. If you do, I hope you find the hub system a positive experience and are able to see the benefits.

ThesebeautifulthingsthatIvegot · 24/05/2025 11:59

They can and do work. After all, that's what a special school is. The big question is: who will be planning the learning? They need access to a teacher. Not necessarily in the provision full time, but either their teacher or another teacher needs to be planning and assessing.

Cheeseand2veg · 25/05/2025 14:35

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. It’s really helpful to hear a positive take. It’s so different to how we work at the moment that it’s hard to imagine and understand how this might benefit the children. I know the current system is not financially viable and we don’t have many other options, but I’m relieved to hear how it can and does work. Thanks again.

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