Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I request the following information relating to your SEND service and the processes used when arranging placements for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)

1. Policies relating to placement in new or pre-registration special schools.
Please provide any internal policy, protocol, guidance, or operating procedure that covers placement decision-making involving new or pre-registration special schools. This includes any documents that specify when the Council will or will not:
consult with a new special school prior to Ofsted registration,
accept a placement “in principle” before Ofsted registration,
issue or prioritise consultations during the pre-registration period.

2. Policies relating to acceptance or refusal of “in-principle” placements.
Please provide any policy, protocol, or internal guidance used by the SEND service that covers the acceptance, refusal, or handling of “in-principle” placements offered by special schools. This includes any restrictions on accepting such placements prior to Ofsted registration

3. Policies governing consultation categorisation and prioritisation Please provide the policy or protocol that guides SEND officers on how consultations with special schools are categorised or prioritised, including when a consultation should be marked:
urgent,
standard,
parental preference,
or requiring delay pending additional information.

4. Policies on placement in new, uninspected, or NRN special schools Please provide any guidance or criteria relating to the use, restriction, or prioritisation of placements in:
new special schools,
schools awaiting Ofsted inspection (NRN or equivalent),
schools rated Requires Improvement,
or any policies restricting placement to Good or Outstanding schools.

5. Specialist placement operating protocols Please provide the most recent version of the SEND service’s:
“Specialist Placements Operating Protocol”,
“SEND Placement Commissioning Policy”,
or any equivalent internal document used to guide SEND officers in making placement decisions or commissioning specialist provision.
If the document exists under another title, please provide the current applicable version.