Developing local schools for children in Barking and Dagenham
A case study on Barking and Dagenham's approach to developing local schools for children.
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Theme: Achieving long-term outcomes and making a difference to lived experiences
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Strength: Good
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Breadth of Impact: Promising
In 2013/14, Barking and Dagenham recognised that they could not meet the needs of enough children and young people with SEND[1] in their local schools. This meant that children were being educated far away from their peers and their communities. The high use of out of borough independent and non-maintained provision was also placing a significant burden on the high needs budget. The local authority was projecting an overspend of £12 million within five to six years if no action was taken. The local authority therefore worked with its schools, and its parent carers, to grow the capacity, skills and provision that would enable more children and young people with SEND to be educated successfully in local schools.
The SEND Effective Practice Evidence Framework considers that the “strength of evidence” of this case study is good – the work has been evaluated and findings shared internally, and has been sustained for nearly a decade. The “breadth of impact” of this case study is promising – there is evidence of impact in terms of feedback from professionals and lived experience of children, young people and their families.[2]
[1] For ease of reading, we use the term ‘SEND’ to refer to disabled children and young people and children and young people with special educational needs.
[2] The SEND Effective Practice Evidence Framework uses two “signal strength” indicators to present the strength of evidence and the breadth of impact of a case study. Each indicator has four bars – emerging, promising, good and robust. The “strength of evidence” indicator is based on how the project has been evaluated and the length of time it has been sustained. The “breadth of impact” indicator is based on whether the case study can demonstrate impact in four broad areas – the more areas of impact, the higher the signal strength indicator.