Area Resource Bases in Cornwall
Services and organisations that have the Local Offer flash have filled out inclusion information, meaning that they meet the needs of people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
Most children and young people with special educational needs and / or disabilities (SEND) attend a mainstream school. There are a small number of learners with severe and / or complex learning difficulties who attend a more specialist provision. These learners will usually have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan.
In Cornwall there are several different types of state funded specialist provision for learners with SEND.
These include:
- Area Resource Bases
- Special Schools
Area Resource Bases in Cornwall
Some children and young people with SEND attend Area Resource Bases (ARB). These bases are hosted by 21 schools across Cornwall. ARBs support pupils with more complex needs.
Pupils in ARBs benefit from a more individually tailored, specialist provision. This can include small group work and access to specialist resources and services. One of the many strengths of ARBs is that pupils can still access parts of the mainstream school, as well as having more specialist support. As ARBs are spread across Cornwall it means it is more likely that children and young people can attend a school which is in, or near to, their home. This means they can learn alongside their friends and peers.
Cornwall’s ARBs are located at the following primary and secondary schools.
Primary schools
- Beacon ACE Academy
- Bude Junior School
- Burraton School, Saltash
- Camelford School
- Delaware School
- Falmouth Primary Academy
- Mount Charles, St Austell
- Penryn Primary Academy
- St Stephen’s Community Academy, Launceston
- Tregolls School,Truro
- Trevithick School, Camborne
Secondary schools
- Bodmin Academy (Greenfields)
- Brannel School, St Stephen, St Austell
- Budehaven Community School (The ARBour)
- Cape Cornwall School (Kites)
- Hayle Academy
- Launceston College (Castle Unit)
- Liskeard School and Community College
- Penryn Community College
- Richard Lander School
- Saltash Community School
Children accessing a special school Foundation Stage class have long-term complex needs. A child can be considered for a place from 3 years once they have an Education, Health and Care plan. We fund places at:
- Curnow (Redruth)
- Doubletrees (near St Austell)
- Nancealverne (Penzance)
- Pencalenick School (near Truro)
Find out more about these schools on the Special Partnership Trust website.
Who to contact
- Contact name
- Special Educational Needs
- send@cornwall.gov.uk
- Website
- Area Resource Bases in Cornwall (Cornwall Council website)
Where to go
- Address
-
County Hall
Truro
- Postcode
- TR1 3AY
Other details
Availability
- Referral required
- Yes
- Referral details
The admissions process for an Area Resource Base (ARB) or special school place is via an education, health and care (EHC) statutory assessment or through the information and evidence gathered at an annual review meeting.
The decision about allocation of these places is the responsibility of the Special Educational Needs Resource Panel (SERP). There is no longer a separate application form or admissions panels for special schools and ARBs.
Key points about special school and ARB admissions:
- Information from annual review meetings need to include clear evidence about current provision, pupil progress and any available parental preference for school placement. Any change of provision eg from mainstream to ARB, will be considered at SERP. There will be extraordinary panel meetings at particular times of the year to manage the increased number of applications eg prior to secondary transfer
- Information about children in the early years who may require a specialist placement when starting school is collated by professionals who work with children and families in the early years. This information is shared with the SEN Assessment and Provision Team.
- In some rare circumstances eg when a family move into Cornwall from abroad, a child or young person with very complex needs may be placed in a special school or ARB prior to the conclusion of an EHC assessment. This is an assessment placement and is also agreed by SERP.
- Information from annual review meetings need to include clear evidence about current provision, pupil progress and any available parental preference for school placement. Any change of provision eg from mainstream to ARB, will be considered at SERP. There will be extraordinary panel meetings at particular times of the year to manage the increased number of applications eg prior to secondary transfer
Inclusion details
- How we make our service inclusive
Please see each individual school for their Local Offer and/or Special Educational Needs Information report