Principals
Key principals:
- The majority of children and young people should receive their education in a mainstream school, or special school, with their peers, as appropriate to the individual child or young person
- EOTAS provided by the local authority is a provision to meet identified needs for an interim period and is not a standalone permanent replacement for education in school
- The aim of EOTAS should be to facilitate re-integration into school wherever possible or into special school as required
- Pupils are entitled to expect that EOTAS will meet their learning and developmental needs as effectively, and to the same standards as mainstream education
- EOTAS is not a ‘provision’ that can be requested by parents or guardians of a pupil, although a parent may elect to provide education themselves at home at their own expense
- Parents/guardians and pupils must be consulted with and input into the decision-making process of LA EOTAS arrangements
- Education providers will be quality assured
Cognus will be responsible for arranging the educational provision for children and young people of compulsory school age who may not receive a suitable education unless such arrangements are made for them. Examples of where this may be required include:
- As an interim measure where no provision is currently available, and a child or young person cannot be placed via ‘usual’ processes
- As an interim measure whilst appropriate long-term provision is sourced
- To bridge the education for children looked after (CLA) as they move placements
- Situations where school or college is not appropriate due to a child or young person’s particular need or needs (NB support will only be provided beyond year 11 where the child or young person has an EHCP)
Inclusion and SEN Support
Cognus will provide support in exceptional circumstances where a child or young person may not be able to be placed in a mainstream setting, is without an EHCP, and where all other options have been explored to support attendance.
Cognus has protocols in place via School Admissions, Inclusion and SEN Support to identify such circumstances for children and young people and a panel meeting will be convened to consider if EOTAS is appropriate as an interim measure or whether the child or young person may be placed via a ‘usual’ process.
Pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan
In some exceptional circumstances a pupil with an EHCP may not be placed in a named setting. In these circumstances, and as an interim measure the SEND Service will determine whether EOTAS is appropriate. This forms part of the normal SEN case management process and EOTAS will be arranged in agreement with the SEND Team Manager. The EOTAS package of provision will need to include curricular content and other interventions specified in section F of the child’s EHCP.
In some instances, the LA may have concluded EOTAS as the most appropriate way of meeting the child’s needs, in which case no school placement will be named in section I of the child’s EHCP and the specific provision to be made detailed in section F. In this case, progress and provision will be reviewed in line with the EHCP review process.
Children Looked After
In some exceptional cases children and young people are placed in a new foster placement with very little notice, impacting access to education. In these circumstances, and as an interim measure, the Virtual School will determine whether EOTAS is appropriate. This forms part of the normal Virtual School case management process.)