🤝 Working with Local Authorities
Supporting effective, appropriate placements for pupils with SEND
At St Annes College Grammar School (SACGS), we work collaboratively with Local Authorities, families and professionals to provide high-quality, appropriate provision for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
We recognise the increasing pressures on local SEND systems and are committed to being part of a practical, sustainable and effective solution.
Right Provision. Right Support. Right Outcomes.
At St Anne’s College Grammar School, we provide a carefully balanced approach that combines strong academic expectations with highly individualised SEND support, including for pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). We work in close partnership with families and Local Authorities to ensure needs are clearly understood and consistently met through structured, evidence-informed provision. Our experienced staff are committed to ongoing training and to creating a calm, low-arousal environment where pupils feel safe, respected, and able to thrive. We are transparent in our practice, accountable in our delivery, and rigorous in implementing the support outlined in each EHCP, including reasonable adjustments. We welcome open and constructive dialogue and are happy to review EHCPs prior to admission to consider suitability, recognising that formal placement decisions rest with the Local Authority where applicable. Above all, every decision we make is guided by what is right for the child.
📄 EHCP Placements
SACGS supports pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) across a range of needs, including:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)
- Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs
- High levels of anxiety
- Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
- Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)
- Pupils transitioning from Elective Home Education (EHE)
- Associated learning, communication and processing differences
We ensure that:
- Provision specified within EHCPs is delivered effectively
- Support is tailored to individual needs
- Progress is carefully monitored and reviewed
🧠 A Specialist-Informed Mainstream Approach
SACGS offers a specialist-informed mainstream environment, bridging the gap between traditional mainstream and specialist provision.
Our model includes:
- Small class sizes
- Structured routines and predictable environments
- Low-arousal classrooms
- Scaffolded teaching and personalised support
- Strong pastoral care and emotional support
This approach is particularly effective for pupils with high anxiety, enabling them to feel safe, re-engage with learning and build confidence over time.
⚖️ Supporting Appropriate and Sustainable Placements
We understand that placement decisions must be:
- Appropriate to the child’s needs
- Sustainable over time
- An efficient use of resources
SACGS can provide:
- Stable, consistent placements
- Reduced need for out-of-area provision
- Continuity of education
- Lower risk of placement breakdown
We work constructively with Local Authorities during:
- EHCP consultations
- Annual reviews
- Reintegration planning
- Placement discussions
📊 Early Intervention, Anxiety, EBSA and Reintegration
We have particular experience in supporting pupils who:
- Experience high levels of anxiety linked to school or social environments
- Experience Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
- Have had prolonged absence from education
- Are transitioning from Elective Home Education (EHE) back into a school setting
- Experience anxiety-related needs linked to conditions such as ARFID, where consistency and emotional safety are essential
Our approach includes:
- Gradual and supported reintegration plans
- Flexible, child-centred transitions
- Close collaboration with families
- A strong focus on emotional safety, trust-building and regulation
This enables pupils to rebuild confidence, re-engage with education and sustain attendance over time.
🎯 Suitability of Placement at SACGS
We are clear and transparent about the pupils who are most likely to thrive at SACGS.
✔ SACGS is particularly suitable for pupils who:
- Are academically able or have the potential to access a mainstream curriculum
- Have ASD and/or ADHD with associated needs
- Experience high levels of anxiety, including EBSA
- Have needs linked to ARFID where consistency and emotional support are key
- Have been out of education or are returning from EHE
- Struggle in large, busy mainstream environments
- Require small class sizes and structured support
- Benefit from predictable routines and low-arousal settings
- Have experienced, or are at risk of, placement breakdown
- Need support with social communication and emotional regulation
⚠️ SACGS may be less suitable for pupils who:
- Require a highly specialised or clinical environment
- Present with high levels of medical need or require ongoing intimate care beyond what can reasonably be supported within a school setting
- Have needs that cannot be safely supported within a small-school environment
In such cases, we will always work honestly with families and Local Authorities to ensure that the most appropriate provision is identified.
💬 Working in Partnership
We maintain strong, professional relationships with:
- Local Authority SEND teams
- Educational psychologists
- Speech and language therapists
- Other external professionals
Our approach is collaborative, transparent and child-centred.
🌟 Our Commitment
At SACGS, we are committed to:
- Providing high-quality, inclusive education
- Supporting pupils to achieve their full potential
- Supporting reintegration into education where appropriate
- Working constructively with Local Authorities
- Ensuring that every placement is appropriate, effective and sustainable
💡 Efficient and Sustainable Provision
Our model provides a local, stable and sustainable alternative to higher-cost or out-of-area placements, supporting both positive pupil outcomes and the efficient use of resources.
🧠 Our Provision
SACGS provides:
- Small class sizes
- Structured routines and predictable environments
- Low-arousal classrooms
- Scaffolded teaching and differentiated support
- Strong pastoral care and emotional support
- Flexible, gradual reintegration programmes where required
Provision is tailored to meet the individual needs specified within EHCPs.
📊 Key Strengths
- High levels of pastoral support and relational practice
- Strong outcomes in re-engagement and attendance
- Experience supporting EBSA and anxiety-based needs
- Successful reintegration into education following absence
- Stable placements with reduced risk of breakdown
⚠️ Suitability
SACGS may be less suitable for pupils who:
- Require a highly specialised or clinical setting
- Present with complex medical needs or require ongoing intimate care beyond school-level provision
- Require provision that cannot be safely delivered within a small-school environment
🤝 Working with Local Authorities
We work collaboratively with:
- Local Authority SEND teams
- Educational psychologists
- External professionals
We support:
- EHCP consultations
- Annual reviews
- Reintegration planning
📞 Contact
For consultations or placement discussions:
📧 office@sacgs.co.uk
📞 01253 725815
🌟 Summary
SACGS provides a calm, structured and supportive environment for pupils with SEND – particularly those with high anxiety and EBSA – enabling them to re-engage with education, sustain attendance and achieve their potential.