Hillingdon Local Area SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy
We are committed to ensuring that every child and young person with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and those accessing alternative provision can thrive in education and in life.
We want Hillingdon to be a place where children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and their families, lead happy and fulfilled lives from early years through adolescence to adulthood, in communities that accept and understand them.
Ambitions 2023 to 2028
We are just as ambitious for children and young people with SEND and those in alternative provision as we are for every other child. Our 5-year strategy is underpinned by 5 key ambitions, that focus on the delivery of local area services for children and young people with SEND and their families.
- The right support, at the right time, in the right place.
We will improve children's and parents' experience of the SEND system by delivering the right support in the right place at the right time. - Fully inclusive education for all.
We will support all schools and settings in Hillingdon to be inclusive and welcome children and young people with SEND. - Provision meets the needs of Hillingdon's children and young people.
We will deliver a new, ambitious, and innovative provision that enables children and young people with SEND to receive excellent education in their local community. - Children and young people live happy and fulfilled lives where they are included in the community.
We will enable all children and young people to achieve independence, take part in activities they want to be part of, build good relationships and have meaningful outcomes in adulthood. - There is a flexible offer and range of interventions available for children to access alternative provision.
We will create a 3-tiered model for alternative provision that offers flexible interventions and supports children back into mainstream where possible.
Sufficiency strategy 2025 to 2030
Our sufficiency strategy sets out how we, alongside our partners, will make sure children and young people from newborns to 25-year-olds can thrive in education and in life.
Key priorities
- Inclusive education for all.
We will support all early years settings, schools, and colleges to be inclusive and meet a wide range of needs. - Specialist provision that meets local needs.
We will expand and improve local specialist school places and support services so that more children can be educated in their local community. - A flexible and responsive alternative provision offer.
We will develop a tiered model of alternative provision that supports reintegration into mainstream education and prepares young people for adulthood.
What we are doing
- Creating over 700 new SEND school places across Hillingdon.
- Opening new Specialist Resource Provisions (SRPs) and Designated Units (DUs) and expanding existing ones.
- Enhancing early identification and intervention through tools such as the Early Identification Toolkit and Early Support Funding.
- Strengthening post-16 and post-19 education options for young people with complex needs through the development of local provision.
- Developing a Dynamic Purchasing System to improve the quality and value of commissioned alternative provision.
Why it matters
More than 3,500 children and young people in Hillingdon have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), and that number is expected to grow by 16% over the next 7 years. This strategy helps us plan ahead - so we can meet growing demand, support inclusion, and make sure every child has the chance to succeed.
Governance and review
The strategy is reviewed annually and overseen by the SEND Executive Partnership Board, Schools Forum, and other key stakeholders to ensure it remains responsive and effective.