SEND sufficiency means having enough of the right accommodation and services, in the right places to effectively and appropriately meet the needs of children and families in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. This also includes the quality of services, ensuring they are making a positive difference to the lives of children and young people.

Our SEND Sufficiency Strategy responds to rising demand for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and the need for more specialist places across all phases: early years, primary, secondary, post-16 and alternative provision.

The current strategy focuses on two priorities:

1  Early Identification and Inclusion

Spotting needs early and strengthening mainstream schools so more children can succeed locally.

2  Access to Local, High-Quality Places

Expanding specialist provision for autism, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH).

Creating new pathways for post-16 learners and reducing reliance on costly out-of-area placements.

We believe in a continuum of provision, from inclusive mainstream schools to bespoke classes, resourced provisions and specialist schools, so every child has the right support close to home.

Over the past two years, we’ve worked hard to expand local provision and improve inclusion. Together with schools, trusts and families, we have:

• Delivered 295 specialist places since 2022, including:
  • Early Years assessment places
  • Resourced provisions and special school satellites in mainstream schools
  • Year-7 Link provision for smoother transition
• 140 new places in 2024/25, including:
  • Bespoke classes for autism and communication needs
  • Canford Heath resourced provisions for speech and language
  • Linwood’s Littlewood Early Years Campus
  • Linwood Skills Centre for Post-16 independence and employability

These developments mean more children can learn in their communities, with their friends, supported by highly trained staff.

Coastal Bespoke Classes – Opened September 2024

Three schools within the Coastal Learning Partnership opened nurturing, small classes for children with autism (ASC) and communication needs:

• Old Town Infant – 10 places (Reception–Year 2)
• St Clements – 8 places (Reception–Year 2)
• Queens Park Infants (QPIA) – 16 places (two classes: ASC & ASC/SLCN)

These classes offer language-rich learning, sensory and calm spaces, and small-group teaching.

SENCo

“Children have made more progress than we ever imagined.” — SENDCo

Feedback

When visiting Old Town Infant’s Bespoke Provision, Ofsted (2025) noted accelerated progress and highly trained staff meeting needs extremely well.

Linwood’s Littlewood Early Years Campus – Opened November 2024

Located at Oakdale Junior School (Poole), Littlewood reopened in a secure, purpose-built wing to support our youngest learners (ages 3–8) with structured early intervention in a calm environment.

Key features:

• Four classrooms (two autism-specific, two mixed needs)
• Large soft-play area, multi-purpose hall, sensory garden and two outdoor spaces
• Small classes (6–8 learners) with high staff ratios

This campus helps children settle, engage and thrive locally.

Linwood Post-16 Skills Centre – Opened November 2025

This centre provides practical life skills for young people post-16, preparing them for independence and employment.

Key features:

• 60 places (including 30 places for existing Linwood pupils)
• Specialist classrooms and a fully equipped skills flat which includes a bathroom, kitchen, and living space, provide students with hands-on opportunities to learn essential life skills
• Skills taught include budgeting for weekly shopping, cooking, managing laundry and cleaning, and practicing self-care and hygiene.
• Modern ICT suite and “Nail It” DIY/woodwork workshop

“This space is designed to build skills, confidence and independence for adulthood.” — Executive Headteacher

New SEND skills centre ‘nail It’ for young people | BCP

Canford Heath Resourced Provision – Opened February 2025

Two new bases at Canford Health Infant and Junior School offering an all-through primary pathway for children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

Key features:

• 35 places across two bases: Pandas (Infant, 15) and Koalas (Junior, 20)
• Purpose-built classrooms, therapy breakout rooms, sensory spaces
• Access to a Total Communication curriculum and a dedicated speech and language therapist to support their learning.

“More children are educated in their communities with their friends.” — Portfolio Holder

“Communication is the bedrock of learning—this will have a long-lasting impact.” — TEACH Trust CEO

Dingley’s Promise – Opened April 2024

Located in Bournemouth, this centre provides specialist support for children with emerging SEND needs and their families. The centre aims to compliment the early years support offered in Bournemouth by providing specialist learning through play sessions to accelerate the development of children in the area who are identified as having SEND. Following on from a successful year in their Bournemouth centre, Dingley’s Promise opened a further site in Poole in September 2025. This will be closely followed by the Christchurch centre in 2026.

Key features:

• Short term nursery placements and support for families to access early education in their local area.
• Holistic developmental reviews and learn-through-play sessions
• This provision is central to Priority 1 of our strategy, which is early identification and intervention.

We’re planning:

• A locality-based model with new autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) satellites linked to mainstream schools, alongside a refreshed secondary sufficiency strategy. This will also involve creating Alternative Provision hubs with a three-tier offer (outreach, short-term placements, longer-term alternative provision) to ensure inclusive pathways and sustainable systems for children and young people.
• Creation of a new satellite through expansion of special school spaces - 180 places
• Post-14/16 pathways – supported internships, vocational routes and independent travel training. This includes a pilot delivery of a Post-14 curriculum offer in collaboration with Bournemouth and Poole College.

Upcoming Pipeline projects (2026):

• The Bespoke SEND provisions at Coastal Learning Partnership Schools will be formalised as resourced provisions
• Further resourced provision and satellite places are being created in multiple additional schools.