Meeting the needs of SEND children in mainstream schools is an ongoing challenge, particularly for those with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. These children often face barriers that make it difficult for them to fully engage in the traditional classroom environment, which can result in gaps in their learning, social interactions and emotional development. The increasing demand for inclusive practices in schools requires innovative solutions that balance the need for specialised support with the benefits of integrating children into the wider school community. At Alexandra Primary School, we are determined to tackle these challenges head-on by developing a resourced provision that will offer both targeted interventions and opportunities for inclusion.

At Alexandra Primary School, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment that nurtures and supports some of our most vulnerable children. Our latest initiative aims to strengthen the provision for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, with a vision to benefit not only our school but also the wider community and neighbouring schools.

We see this project as an opportunity to offer critical support for children at risk, providing them with the interventions they need to succeed. Through the development of a nurture hub model, we will offer both in-reach and outreach services to ensure that children with SEMH can access the care and guidance they need as early as possible.

By renovating our old caretaker’s house, we will create a specialist setting fully integrated with our mainstream school, specifically designed to cater to the needs of children with SEMH challenges. This unique space will provide a separate yet connected environment, allowing children to benefit from a specialised, nurturing setting while still having the opportunity to engage with the wider school community when appropriate.

The renovated building will serve as a dedicated hub for intensive support and therapeutic interventions, ensuring that children with SEMH needs have access to the tailored care and resources they require to thrive.

Aligning with our Local Authority's SEND Strategy

Our proposal is closely aligned with our local authority’s SEND Strategy, which focuses on offering early interventions that help children thrive. By establishing a resourced provision at Alexandra Primary School, we aim to support the local authority's vision to increase access to specialist placements for children with SEMH needs.

This provision will enhance the local offer, ensuring that children with SEMH in our local authority can have their identified needs met within the borough, reducing the need for placements outside the community. Furthermore, the provision would act as an early intervention to help reduce exclusion rates for children requiring specialist support.

Our resourced provision: a safe space for growth

At the heart of our proposal is a resourced provision where children with complex SEMH needs can receive the intensive support they require. This well-resourced environment will offer a blend of therapeutic and academic interventions, supported by a team of highly skilled professionals, including Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists and a school counselling service.

Being co-located with Alexandra Primary School offers additional benefits, allowing children attending the provision to participate in select daily routines and mainstream lessons with the appropriate support. This inclusion will help them develop the necessary skills to successfully reintegrate into a mainstream classroom setting.

Tailored learning

Our provision will offer a tailored curriculum focused on each child’s developmental stage, not age. This approach ensures that the curriculum meets each child’s unique needs, providing a personalised learning journey. We envisage that our children will engage in inquiry-based learning through project work. This child-centred approach will develop key skills such as critical thinking, collaboration and creativity, empowering children to take ownership of their learning.

To track and celebrate progress, we plan to implement digital Learner Profiles that capture each child’s learning journey. These profiles will showcase growth in essential skills like communication and collaboration, offering a comprehensive view of their development.

Building skills for the future

Where appropriate, children will be supported to attend selected mainstream lessons, helping them build the confidence and skills to succeed in a mainstream classroom environment. Our goal is to provide a nurturing, safe, and inclusive space where every child feels valued, supported, and empowered to achieve their full potential.

Through this initiative, we hope to make a meaningful contribution to improving local support for children with SEMH and to strengthen the overall local authority's Local Offer for children with additional needs.

Drawing on current good practice to shape our resourced provision

As we continue to develop our nurture hub, visiting similar specialist settings has been instrumental in enhancing our understanding of the needs of children with SEMH challenges. These visits have included both our local authority and neighbouring boroughs, giving us valuable insights into best practices and approaches for supporting vulnerable learners.

During these visits, we collected examples of resources, spoke with senior leaders and teaching staff, and captured photos to help us develop a clear vision for our own provision. Some key elements we've drawn inspiration from include:

• Breakout spaces: attached to every classroom to provide children with safe, quiet areas for decompression.
• Kitchen facilities: accessible to our learners, allowing us to focus on real-life learning skills such as cooking and eating together.
• Therapeutic spaces: for external professionals to use as needed, offering a dedicated area for specialised interventions.
• A sensory room: to offer a calming environment for children who require space to regulate their emotions and sensory needs.

These visits have helped shape our vision for creating calming, clutter-free learning spaces, with limited displays to reduce sensory overload for children who may find a typical classroom environment overwhelming. Additionally, we are focusing on developing our outdoor space to allow for sensory movement breaks, providing children with opportunities to swing, jump, and climb as part of their therapeutic activities.

Beyond the physical environment, we also took inspiration from other settings to critically think about the curriculum and staffing models required to support SEMH children effectively.

Project development update

As part of this process, we are making progress on the practical side of establishing the provision. Surveyors have already conducted survey work on the caretaker’s house and the Stage 3 design is complete.

This exciting phase brings us closer to realising our vision for a resourced provision that will support children with SEMH needs in a holistic and meaningful way, both within Alexandra Primary School and in collaboration with other schools in the community.