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Enhancing Inclusive Practice Fund Projects

Three people standing, one person sat in a chair and one person sat in a wheelchair, around a table. One of the children is wearing ear defenders.

Overview

East Sussex Schools’ Forum made funding of £5 million available for projects listed on this page. This is from the Schools’ High Needs Block fund. This funding is for:

These groups will collaborate to pilot new and innovative projects in their locality. The aim of these projects is to develop and enhance high quality inclusive practice for children and young people with SEND.

Please note, SEND is a short way of saying Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

We have created an overview video. You can view this, below:

Schools’ Forum identified the outcomes that the pilot projects should address:

The Local Authority co-ordinated a steering group. This group consists of Headteachers, Trust CEOs and SENCos (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators). The group decided on the following five areas to explore:

We will review the impact of all projects so that we can share any learning across the county.

Two rounds of applications have taken place. The steering group reviewed these applications. Across the projects, 16 applications were successful, involving over 100 schools.

It was agreed to commission 16 projects through grant agreements. All funding goes to the schools who directly:

Working groups manage the projects. This involves Educational Psychologists and Local Authority officers, who provide support and challenge. The working groups across each project provide a platform for:

These projects will take place over 2 academic years. This started in September 2023.

The Aim

The aim of the project is to promote an inclusive mainstream education system in East Sussex. This includes:

Monitoring and Evaluating the Programmes

Parent and pupil feedback are vital to the monitoring and evaluation process. We will collect feedback for the SEND pupils involved in the projects via:

This will include:

Third and Final Round of Application

The steering group approved a third round of applications in November 2023. These applications aim to be targeted, according to need. The steering group will consider these applications.

For more information or to express interest in discussing a potential project, email:

This page will provide information about the projects that were successful.

Development of an Enhanced Family Support Offer for Children With SEND

Why we chose this project

This project aims to address the challenges which often present themselves to families. These challenges then impact on the child. 

We have created a video to explain why the Rye Alliance has chosen to deliver this project. You can view the video, below:

This project is commissioned for:

Rye Alliance - working with:

St Richards Catholic College - working with:

University of Brighton Trust - working with:

Wealden & Ashdown Alliance - working with:

Early Identification and Early Intervention in Nursery Provision To Support Transition Into EYFS

Why we chose this project

Early identification makes sure provision is in place for children with SEND before gaps emerge. This can include gaps in progress and development.

We have created a video to explain why the Fellowship of St Nicholas has chosen to deliver this project. You can view the video, below:

This project is commissioned for:

Fellowship of St Nicholas Nurseries:

Improving Expertise and Availability of SEND Support for Local School Alliances

Why we chose this project

Improving expertise and availability of SEND support is important. It can ensure schools are more effective in helping pupils with SEND. This will help them to achieve their best outcomes.

We have created a video to explain why the Chailey Alliance has chosen to deliver this project. You can view the video, below:

This project is commissioned for:

Chailey Alliance – working with:

STEP Academy Trust - working with:

Heathfield Community College – working with:

Creating a Workforce Development Programme for Support Staff

Why we chose this project

Increasing the skill of support staff will ensure every child receives the support that meets their needs.

We have created a video to explain why the Eastbourne Alliance has chosen this project. You can view the video, below:

This project is commissioned for:

Eastbourne Alliance 2 - working with:

Uckfield College - working with:

Langley Primary Academy - working with:

Supporting Transition to Secondary School

Why we chose this project

Transitioning to a new school can be a concern for children and young people. Concerns may include:

These can be even more challenging for pupils with SEND.

We have created a video to explain why Seaford Head School has chosen to deliver this project. You can view the video, below:

This project is commissioned for:

Seaford Schools – working with:

Hailsham Alliance – working with:

Seahaven Academy/Denton – working with:

Beacon Academy – working with:

Supporting Transition from Secondary to 16+

Why we chose this project

Transitioning from secondary to 16+ can be a concern for children and young people. Concerns may include:

These can be even more challenging for pupils with SEND.

We are creating a video with Plumpton College. The video will explain why they have chosen to deliver this project.

This project is commissioned for:

Plumpton – working with:

Please note:

If you have any thoughts or queries about the projects on this page, please email:

Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms

We explain some of the terms used on this website on our page, Glossary of East Sussex SEND Terms.

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