Delivering for children and young people in �й�Pվ

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Investing in services that help children and young people

We’re continuing to invest in the services that matter most to children and young people - from expanding support for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), to helping care-experienced young people build independent futures, and making education more accessible.

Find out how we’re continuing to invest in the services that children and young people need most.

Supporting children with SEND

It is our absolute priority to ensure every child with additional needs and disabilities (AND) in �й�Pվ receives the support that they need. Extensive investment into our SEND service has resulted in considerable progress, with Education Health Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) timeliness, the legal timeframe for issuing an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), is now well above the national average, reaching over 90% across the past six months and is an increase of 74% since 2023. This puts �й�Pվ in the top 20 best performing councils for this measure, and significantly above the national average of 46% (as reported in the national SEND 2 data).

We have recently approved a further £4.9 million to expand and restructure the SEND service. This includes an increase to SEND front line staff from 81 to 141 to reduce the number of families each staff member is supporting, and in turn create capacity for staff to work more closely and more responsively with children and young people, families, schools and settings.

Our investment in building new special school places exceeds £200 million, delivering more than 250 new school places every autumn since 2021, with 4,560 specialist places available from September 2025.

Find out more about our SEND service improvement journey.

Empowering care-experienced young people

This summer the first cohort graduated from the innovative �й�Pվ House Project, which gives care-experienced young people the skills and confidence to live independently. The participants gained practical life skills, accessed education and employment opportunities, and built strong peer support networks. This initiative helps reduce risks of homelessness and unemployment, contributing to a more resilient, inclusive �й�Pվ.

Accessible education

Learners at �й�Pվ Adult Learning achieved exceptional GCSE results this year, with a 100% pass rate in English and 98.6% in Maths. By offering accessible education and learning, we are helping residents to gain confidence and unlock new opportunities.

Find out what courses �й�Pվ Adult Learning offer and enrol.

Leading the way in environmental education

�й�Pվ holds the highest number of Eco-Schools Green Flag awards in England for the third consecutive year, an initiative which benefits residents now and into the future. Over 175 schools are involved in the Eco-Schools programme, with 101 having achieved Green Flag status. More than 51,000 pupils actively participate in projects that improve air quality, save energy, reduce waste, and enhance biodiversity, helping build healthier and greener communities across the county.

Find out how we're delivering for �й�Pվ through improvements that help communities every day.

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