Our aspirations for children with SEND
Vision
Children and young people lead happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives and achieve their life goals.
Shared principles
Underpinning our vision is a set of jointly agreed principles. We want Hammersmith & Fulham to be a place where all children and young people with SEND and their families:
- feel welcomed, included, and valued
- have a voice, are listened to, have choice and control and are equal partners in decision-making about their own lives
- have their needs identified early and accurately, with effective support put in place quickly
- benefit from joined up support from staff who have the right knowledge and skills
- have access to high-quality education locally
- are clear about what they can ordinarily expect from their local services and education setting
- have high aspirations for their future with a clear focus on life outcomes across education, health and care
- have access to the right information at the right time.
SEND sufficiency review recommendations
The main recommendation of the co-produced SEND sufficiency review included:
- Creating resourced provision to meet ASC needs in mainstream settings to support children and young people whose autism impacts significantly on their ability to access a mainstream classroom, but who may be able to access elements of a mainstream curriculum
- Remodel the current SLCN resourced provision to meet needs for both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 for pupils with complex speech, language and communication needs who would benefit from a language enriched environment
- Develop robust Severe Learning Difficulties, PMLD, and physical disability pathway, for young people
- Create a specialist SEMH provision for primary and secondary aged pupils.
H&F SEND Sufficiency Review Report
Special school organisation plan
The recommendations from the SEND Sufficiency Review formed the basis of the Special School Organisation. This projected need by 2030 for:
- 60 primary and 60 secondary Autism places in SEN Units or Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP)
- 30 primary and 30 secondary Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) places in SEN Units or (ARP)
The delivery of these places was proposed in three phases to allow for review of future trends in demand. Phase 1 of the plan aimed to implement 50% of places by the financial year 2025/26, including:
- 2 primary and 2 secondary phase Autism SEN Units/ARP of 15 places each
- 1 primary and 1 secondary SLCN SEN Unit of 15 places each
H&F Special School Organisation and SEND Capital Plan
Special school organisation plan – phase 1 delivery
Phase 1 process included a transparent bid process with school partners for the delivery of the proposed SEN Units and ARPs. There was limited interest from school partners, in the end resulting in four candidate schools – 2 primary and 2 secondary providers.
A due diligence process then followed with school partners to build the specification and resource model for the proposed provision. The process is ongoing with the two primary school providers.
The following will be delivered from September 2025:
- A 16 place SEN Unit for pupils with speech, language and communication needs at Ark Burlington Danes Secondary School. The Unit will support 8 pupils in the first year.
- A 16 place Additionally Resourced Provision for pupils with Autism at Fulham Cross Academy. The ARP will support 8 pupils in the first year.
- A new Queensmill Key Stage 1 Satellite Provision at Sulivan Primary School, providing up to 20 places from September 2025 and 40 places by September 2026.
Special school organisation plan – the next phase 2025 – 2027
The next phase of the programme will turn to the delivery of provision from September 2026 and beyond. We will be holding direct discussions with school partners to deliver over 150 new places:
- Ongoing due diligence with the two primary school partners for the delivery of SEN Units to support pupils with Autism and speech, language and communication needs. [Maximum of 32 places]
- Options appraisal for the expansion of the Miles Coverdale SLCN Unit from 20 to 32 places from September 2026. [Additional 12 places]
- Engage with primary school partners for an additional SEN Unit for pupils with Autism. [Maximum of 20 places]
- Engage with secondary school partners for an additional SEN Unit for pupils with Autism. [Maximum of 20 places]
- Develop and implement a specific Autism placement plan:
- a. Embed and expand the Queensmill Sulivan Satellite provision. [Maximum of 40 places]
- b. Formalise the change of designation for the Queen's Manor Primary School Pavilion Unit. [20 places]
- c. Engage with Primary School partners for the creation of an enhanced Key Stage 2 Unit for pupils with Autism that is closely aligned with Queensmill school. [Maximum of 16 places]
- d. Support the Queensmill capital plan to deliver an expansion of specialist places on the main school site. [Place numbers to be confirmed]
- e. Regularise the Queensmill secondary satellite delivery model. f. Options to expand the Fulham Cross ARP provision if needed. [Additional 16 places]
- Ongoing work with Cambridge School to deliver a robust specialist Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) – anxiety provision.
- Ongoing work with Woodlane High School on the change of designation aligned with the Cambridge School changes.
- Undertake and implement a behaviour pathway review, including the delivery of a specialist SEMH – behaviour pathway provision. [Place numbers to be confirmed following completion of the review]
- Undertake an interim SEND sufficiency review to update the Special School Organisation Plan from 2027-2030.
SEND capital plan
H&F Cabinet approved an ambitious five-year capital programme to invest, improve, maintain and decarbonise the H&F maintained school estate, so it is fit for the future and able to respond to future demand for school places. The core components of the over £21m schools capital programme includes:
- planned, urgent and reactive works
- school windows renewal programme
- school decarbonisation plan
- SEND capital plan
The SEND capital plan provides a framework for capital investment of £10.4 million in enhancing specialist provision, including:
- the creation of SEN Units and Additionally Resourced Provision in mainstream settings; supporting a higher proportion of children and young people with SEND to achieve good outcomes in mainstream settings where this is the most suitable provision for their needs
- improving accessibility of the school estate
- supporting teaching and learning environment with the creation of internal and external flexible use spaces to improve mainstream inclusion
- support special school partners to crate sufficient capacity to meet local needs, including expansion of satellite provision where needed and improvements to their built environment
SEND capital plan delivery 2025 to 2027
SEN Units and Additionally Resourced Provision
Capital works to enable the delivery of the SEN Units and ARPs in September 2025, 2026, and 2027 [£3 million earmarked]
Improving mainstream accessibility
- A programme of accessibility audits across the school estate will be undertaken in Autum 2025
- The development of a school accessibility plan as a subcomponent of the SEND Capital Plan by March 2026
- £1.3 million has been earmarked for accessibility plan
Improving mainstream inclusion
- A systemic review of schools Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) Plans and the capital investments required to support inclusion. This will be delivered across the financial years 2025/26 and 2026/27.
- £2.5 million has been earmarked for mainstream inclusion.
Dynamic specialist placement management to support local sufficiency
- Capital works for new Queensmill Sulivan Satellite provision [£0.8 million]
- Ongoing work with the EHC Casework Service and special school providers to assess sufficiency tied to the statutory casework window. £2.8 million reserved for the expansion of specialist provision if required.
Autism focus
In keeping with the national picture, H&F continues to record an increasing trend in the number of pupils with an EHC Plan with Autism as their primary need. This trend has resulted in an ongoing demand for specialist Autism places.
The Autism related deliverables of the Special School Organisation Plan have been pulled together into a single workstream to support the development of a robust placement pathway that is aligned to the local area's strategic priorities.
Queensmill Special School is the main Autism specific special school in the borough. The school currently supports 146 places at the main Queensmill Site, 32 places at the Fulham Primary Satellite, and 62 places at the Fulham Cross Satellite.
Several Autism related placement developments were included in the Special School Organisation Plan to improve placement sufficiency and choice:
- 60 Primary Autism places in SEN Units or Additionally Resources Provisions (ARPs) by 2030
- 60 Secondary Autism places in SEN Units or ARPs by 2030
- Queen's Manor Primary School – Pavilion Unit change of designation
Autism placement plan 2025 to 2027
Early Intervention
A new Queensmill Primary Satellite provision at Sullivan primary school to accommodate 40 pupils in the Early Years Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception) and Key Stage 1 (Year 1 and Year 2).
This will provide an improved offer for pupils by providing early intervention in a specialist setting to address the issue of children being retained in Nursery for longer periods.
The vision is for this new provision to support pupils with the skills to graduate into the new breadth of mainstream SEN Units at the end of Key Stage 1.
Inclusion
The delivery of a Key Stage 2 Primary Autism SEN Unit from September 2026, working alongside the Queensmill Sulivan Satellite provision to support the graduation to mainstream where appropriate, with the right support. This Key Stage 2 unit should support up to 16 pupils.
This will be in addition to the planned SEN Units across the primary and secondary phase, delivering an additional 60 places by September 2027.
Queensmill Satellite model
The Queensmill Satellite delivery model has been reviewed to support alignment with the Special School Organisation Plan. The delivery model at both primary and secondary will refocus to provide increased capacity for pupils who require a low arousal, high structure environment. The new model for delivery is being implemented jointly with Queensmill and the host schools.
The current Satellite at Fulham Primary is unable to accommodate the direction of travel and a transition to the new Key Stage 1 satellite provision at Sulivan Primary is now being planned. The current 30 pupils at the Fulham Primary Satellite will be supported as we fully transition to the Sullivan Satellite by September 2027. The new Sullivan provision will provide an additional 10 places, improved facilities and a robust early intervention delivery mode.
Repurpose
The 20-place Queen's Manor Primary School Pavilion, SEN Unit will be redesignated from September 2026 to support pupils with Autism.
Capacity
The Queensmill School led capital transformation plan on the main school site at Askham Road, provides the opportunity for the school to onboard additional places beyond the current 149 from September 2026 and onwards. These plans will be delivered jointly with Queensmill to support local sufficiency.
Sufficiency
The current plan provides the capacity to work with Queensmill School, Fulham Cross and other prospective providers to onboard additional Autism places to support local sufficiency.
The expansion of the Fulham Cross Academy ARP is already earmarked to an additional 16 places by 2027 if required.
2025 – 2027 delivery timeline
By September 2025
- 16-place SEN Unit for pupils with speech, language, and communication needs at Ark Burlington Danes Secondary School. The Unit will support 8 pupils in the first year.
- 16-place Additionally Resourced Provision for pupils with Autism at Fulham Cross Academy. The ARP will support 8 pupils in the first year.
- A new Queensmill Key Stage 1 Satellite Provision at Sulivan Primary School, providing up to 20 places from September 2025
By September 2026
- 16-place primary SEN Unit to Autism
- 16-place primary SEN Unit to support pupils with speech, language and communication needs
- Expansion of the Queensmill Key Stage 1 Satellite Provision at Sulivan Primary School to 40 places
- Expansion of Miles Coverdale SEN Unit for pupils with speech, language and communication needs from 20 to 32 places
- Formalise the change of designation for the Queen's Manor Primary School Pavilion Unit to support pupils with Autism - 20 places
- A 16-place Key Stage 2 SEN Unit for pupils with Autism that is closely aligned with Queensmill school providing a stepdown pathway from the Queensmill Key Stage 1 Satellite provision
By September 2027
- Transition of Queensmill Satellite Provision at Fulham Primary to Sulivan Primary - completed
- 20-place primary SEN Unit for pupils with Autism
- 20-place secondary SEN Unit for pupils with Autism
- Options to expand the Fulham Cross ARP provision as needed - up to an additional 16 places
- Support the Queensmill capital plan to deliver an expansion of specialist places on the main school site - places TBC
- Support the Queensmill capital plan to deliver an expansion of specialist places on the main school site - places TBC
- Woodlane High School change of designation aligned with the Cambridge School changes
- Implement behaviour pathway review, including the delivery of a specialist SEMH – behaviour pathway provision. [Place numbers to be confirmed following completion of the review]
@SEND Commissioning
Ordinarily Available Provision Guide