Enhanced Learning Provision for Yohden Primary School

Yohden Primary School in Peterlee has been given permission to put forward a proposal for Enhanced Learning Provision (ELP) status. If granted, this will provide extra support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Background

Across County Durham, we have a duty to keep our SEND support under review and make sure that there is both, the right type of support, and enough places available, to meet the needs of our children and young people with SEND.

We want these children to have the same experience as all others in County Durham including:

• being safe
• being part of their community
• having the best start in life
• having good physical and mental health
• gaining the education, skills and experiences to prepare them for adulthood.

There are more children and young people in the county than ever being identified as having SEND. We expect this increase to continue and several other schools are being considered and assessed for additional funding to support more SEND pupils. 

What we are proposing at Yohden Primary School

We are proposing to offer places to 22 SEND pupils. The proposal aims to make sure that the children can attend a school which understands them and can help them to achieve their best, and create a bridge between mainstream and specialist provision where pupils are able to receive adaptive support suited to their needs.

What this means on a day to day basis

Through the enhanced learning provision (ELP), the school will:

• integrate and include children with SEN with their classmates and year group while allowing them to participate in different learning experiences and activities;
• communicate with pupils and families to prepare students for change;
• understand the different needs of children and young people and help them to be healthy and happy members of our school community;
• have ‘get to know the space' and buddy systems in place to provide support during transition times;
• work with professionals to make sure individual children get the best support possible;
• have trained staff to support and prepare pupils so that they feel welcome, safe and included in school;
• use social stories, nurture, and zones of regulation to help children to regulate their emotions;
• provide opportunities for trained staff to work with the children so they can explore areas of the curriculum, be resilient, work independently, and develop life skills to prepare them to move between the stages of their education from Early Years to Key Stage 3.

What this means for children with SEND

The school will give the pupils access to a designated, resourced space for adapted learning based on individual needs, for example, space for learning, quiet and calm space, and a hands-on space for creative learning.

They will be given the opportunity to work in a smaller class size where their learning needs can be supported and they can develop independence. A varied timetable will ensure children have access to a range of interventions that will be in place to develop academic, social, emotional and personal outcomes.

Teachers will be able to more fully adapt the curriculum on offer and extend the experiences possible through creating a continuous provision. This will include increased opportunities for pupils to gain the skills they need to prepare them for adulthood through providing a creative curriculum developed to meet the needs of the individual pupils.

More widely, it will:

• allow children with complex needs in the local area to access a high quality education and support nearer to home;
• reduce pressure on special school placements and transport budgets;
• allow these young people to remain part of their local community life and make access and involvement for parents and carers easier;
• allow a wide range of typical school experiences, while also being able to provide more specialist provision than is typically found in a mainstream school.

The closing date for comments is Tuesday 30 September 2025.