Are you a leader in a mainstream school wondering how best to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)? Our Leading Enhanced Provision programme helps you think deeply about the offer that's right for your setting and pupils.
This article explains what the programme includes, why we've created it, what you’ll learn and how. Apply by 11:59pm, Tuesday 6 October, to start this term.
What is the Leading Enhanced Provision programme?
Leading Enhanced Provision is a professional development programme for leaders in mainstream schools who are thinking about setting up, or have recently set up, an enhanced provision or inclusion base. It supports you to work through the questions this can raise in your own context.
The programme builds on the knowledge and experience of schools that have created and led high-quality enhanced provision. These insights were shared through our Enhanced Provision Community of Practice, which brought together leaders to explore what this work can look like in practice.
Drawing on sector expertise, the programme brings together models of emerging practice and the latest available resources, giving you time and space to explore difficult questions about this provision.
What is enhanced provision?
Mainstream schools use enhanced provision to provide an enhanced offer for pupils with complex needs. This may involve a separate, dedicated space, repurposed space, or flexible use of spaces across the school. Pupils remain part of the school’s mainstream offer, with support arranged in different ways depending on the setting.
Enhanced provision looks different in each school. It may include smaller classes, teachers trained in meeting a range of needs, and classrooms that are better adapted to pupils’ needs. Other names for enhanced provision include inclusion base, resource provision, specialist resource provision, alternative resource provision, resource bases or SEN or SEND units.
Why Leading Enhanced Provision exists
The number of schools with SEN units and resourced provision is growing, and many mainstream schools are exploring different ways to support pupils with more complex needs. Teachers and school leaders tell us they want support to think through the questions this raises in their own context. That’s why we created this programme.
What will you learn on Leading Enhanced Provision?
On this programme, you’ll develop the skills to design, oversee and improve your enhanced provision. You’ll explore what it looks like, reflect on your aims and adapt what you learn to your setting and pupils’ needs.
The programme gives leaders the guidance and space to reflect on aspects such as:
- Modelling inclusive leadership and establishing a culture where enhanced provision may have a strong, positive impact.
- Designing intentional learning environments, both in dedicated spaces and across mainstream settings.
- Deploying qualified teachers and teaching assistants effectively, engaging your wider staff team, and providing targeted professional development.
How will you learn on Leading Enhanced Provision?
Whether you’re considering how best to set up an enhanced provision or inclusion base, or build on your existing practice, the programme offers a guided journey across the school year. It’s structured to help you work through what you learn in a way that's right for your setting.
Over 12 months you’ll learn through:
- One in-person conference day.
- Five one-hour online twilight sessions, facilitated by our experts to learn and discuss new approaches and ideas.
- Six one-hour online sense-making twilight sessions to discuss what you’ve learned and how to adapt it to your setting.
- Two one-to-one calls with a peer to help you solve a challenge in your setting.
- Digital school visits to bring theory to life by seeing how teachers and leaders are implementing enhanced provision in their setting.
- Engaging with research, current models of practice and case studies – and adapting them for your setting to help you avoid common pitfalls and maximise impact.
How can Leading Enhanced Provision benefit pupils and schools?
- It increases your understanding of whole-school inclusive educational practices and what enhanced provision can look like.
- It supports you to think deeply about how to drive change and improvement so every pupil can access high-quality support.
- It strengthens your school’s capacity to design, implement and monitor an enhanced provision.
- It provides models of how different schools offer effective, targeted and timely support that you can adapt to your context, with a view to improving wellbeing, attainment, mental health and emotional regulation.
Is Leading Enhanced Provision right for you?
If you’re a leader in a mainstream school who has already set up, are piloting or plan to set up an enhanced provision, Leading Enhanced Provision is for you.
Suitable roles include:
- Executive headteacher
- Headteacher
- Deputy headteacher
- Vice principal
- Assistant vice principal
- SENCO
If you’d like to discuss whether your school’s provision makes you a good fit, call 020 3846 5828 or email [email protected] for advice.
What does Leading Enhanced Provision cost?
The programme costs £1,200 plus VAT per participant.
Note: programme price subject to change.
Learn at the cutting edge
If you want to explore whether enhanced provision is right for your setting, or find out more about the programme, visit our Leading Enhanced Provision programme page. Apply by 11:59pm, Tuesday 6 October, to start this term.
