Most children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) attend a mainstream school. There are a small number of learners with severe and/or complex learning difficulties who attend a more specialist provision. These learners will usually have an Education Health and Care (EHC) Plan.
In Cornwall there are several different types of state funded specialist provision for learners with SEND.
These include:
- Area Resource Bases
- Special Schools
Area Resource Bases
Some children and young people with SEND attend Area Resource Bases (ARB). These bases are hosted by 21 schools across Cornwall. ARBs support pupils with more complex needs.
Pupils in ARBs benefit from a more individually-tailored, specialist provision. This can include small group work and access to specialist resources and services. One of the many strengths of ARBs is that pupils can still access parts of the mainstream school, as well as having more specialist support. As ARBs are spread across Cornwall, it means it is more likely that children and young people can attend a school which is in, or near to, their home town or area. This means they can learn alongside their friends and peers.
Cornwall’s ARBs are located at the following Primary and Secondary Schools:
Primary Schools with ARBs
- Beacon ACE Academy, Bodmin
- Bude Junior School
- Burraton School, Saltash
- Camelford School
- Delaware School
- Falmouth Primary Academy
- Mount Charles, St Austell
- Penryn Primary Academy
- Pensans Primary School, Penzance
- St Stephen’s Community Academy, Launceston
- Tregolls School, Truro
- Trevithick School, Camborne
Secondary Schools with ARBs
- Bodmin Academy (Greenfields)
- Brannel School, St Stephen, St Austell
- Budehaven Community School (The ARBour)
- Cape Cornwall School (Kites)
- Hayle Academy
- Launceston College (Castle Unit)
- Liskeard School and Community College
- Penryn Community College
- Redruth School (due to open during 2024)
- Richard Lander School
- Saltash Community School
Special School Provision
Children accessing a special school Foundation Stage class have long-term complex needs. A child can be considered for a place from 3 years old once they have an Education, Health and Care Plan. We fund places at:
- Curnow (Redruth)
- Doubletrees (near St Austell)
- Nancealverne (Penzance)
- Pencalenick School (near Truro)
Find out more about these schools:
Visit the Special Partnership Trust website
Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS)
EOTAS stands for Education Otherwise than At School and is education provision to meet specific needs of pupils who hold an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and whose needs, identified by appropriate professionals, cannot be met within any educational institutions.
