Admissions – The Southover Partnership

Securing a place for your child at The Southover Partnership involves a three-way conversation between families, the school and the commissioning local authority. It can be a little confusing, so we hope that this step-by-step guide helps you to navigate the process.

Ultimately, whether your child commences at The Southover Partnership depends on:

The Southover Partnership is an appropriate setting for your child.
Whether your local authority agrees that a special school is best for your child and agrees to fund a place.
Whether we have the space and resources available to meet your child’s individual needs.

The Admissions Process

Step 1: Your child must have an EHCP

Your child must have an EHCP before you consider us as an appropriate setting for you child. For more information on EHCPs please speak to your local authority.

Step 2: Arrange an informal visit to The Southover Partnership to see what we can offer your child

If the local authority concludes that your child would benefit from being in a special school, you should arrange to visit schools that might be able to meet their needs. It is often helpful to visit as many different school as possible as this will help you with the decision-making process.

Please find the upcoming tour dates at The Southover Partnership listed below. Use the links provided to book your tour.

Site Tour Edgware Monday 9th March, 10:40AM – 11:40AM

Site Tour Kingsbury Manor Tuesday 14th April, 12:30PM – 01:30PM

Site Tour Edgware Friday 24th April, 12:20PM – 01:20PM

Please note – You do not need to bring your child on this initial visit; it is just an opportunity for you to see the school and to ask any questions that you may have.

Step 3: Inform the local authority of your preferred choice of school

Assuming that the local authority agrees that your child should attend a special school, the next step is for you to inform their SEND Team that you’d like them to “consult.”

If the local authority agrees to The Southover Partnership as an option, they will send a consultation letter and other paperwork (including your child’s EHCP) for us to consider.

Step 4: The school formally assesses the referral

At this stage, we will look to match incoming consultations with any available vacancies. We consider a child’s age together with their educational, medical, behavioural and physical needs.

Step 5: Meeting with your child

If on paper it looks like we can meet your child’s needs, we will likely contact your local authority before arranging a visit to your child’s current setting; this is so that we can observe them in an environment that they are familiar with. If your child is currently without a placement, we may contact you to arrange a home visit.

This in-person meeting is an important opportunity for us to find out more information about your child’s needs; it also helps us to ascertain what resources would be required in order for us to fully meet them.

Step 6: The school tells your local authority if we think we are right for your child

If we have an appropriate vacancy, we will inform your local authority of this. The local authority will then decide if they’re in agreement with The Southover Partnership being named in your child’s EHCP. If we don’t have a vacancy but feel that we can meet your child’s needs, we will inform your local authority that we are unable to offer a placement at this moment in time.

We do not keep a “waiting list” but welcome follow-up consultations on a termly basis.

Step 7: Your local authority formally lets you know whether your child has a place at The Southover Partnership

You will hear from your local authority first, not from us.

Step 8: The school arranges enrolment

If you are offered a place via your local authority, we will write to you to inform you of your child’s proposed start date; we will also share lots of other important information at this stage and will discuss transition arrangements with you.