The Manchester Special Schools Partnership is an initiative co-developed by Manchester City Council and local Special Schools as a mechanism to support children with the most complex needs. The Partnership was designed against a local backdrop, in 2013, of higher-than-average placements in the independent and non-maintained special school sector, as well as placement breakdowns for Manchester’s most vulnerable children.
The Partnership has been operational for 10 years and involves the Local Authority devolving resource to special school heads (as members of the Partnership) to use collectively to support children with exceptional needs. The Partnership has supported 1000s of Manchester’s most vulnerable children over the past 10 years to have their needs met in local provision and thus be able to stay in schools in their communities. The Partnership also brings to life the strong ethos that runs through all senior leaders across the City Council and the schools themselves – that all children, regardless of need, should have their needs met within their local state funded school.
The SEND Effective Practice Evidence Framework considers that the “strength of evidence” of this case study is good as the Partnership has been sustained for 10 years and has been independently reviewed. Published data suggests a correlation between the formation of the partnership and a reduction of both the rate of children placed in the independent sector and the percentage of children being suspended from Manchester’s special schools. The “breadth of impact” of this case study is good as evidence shows that the Partnership has had an impact on the lived experience of children with the most exceptional needs and their families, alongside education, health and wellbeing outcomes for children, as well as receiving positive feedback from professionals