Strategic priorities
Trafford's approach to High Needs capital investment is guided by a clear ambition to make sure more children and young people with SEND can have their needs met successfully within their local communities.
Our priority is to create a sustainable and inclusive system by investing in the right provision, in the right places, at the right time.
Capital investment forms a key part of our wider SEND Reform Plan. This focuses on strengthening inclusion, improving access to specialist support, and reducing the need for children to travel outside the borough to access suitable education.
Inclusion bases
An inclusion base is a dedicated space within a mainstream school that provides extra support for children and young people who may find some parts of the school day difficult. It is not a separate school or specialist provision.
Pupils remain part of the mainstream school community and continue to learn alongside their peers wherever possible.
The inclusion base offers a quieter environment and additional support when needed, helping pupils develop confidence, regulate their emotions, build independence, and access learning successfully. Support will be tailored to each child's needs.
The purpose of inclusion bases
The aim is to help more children attend and succeed in their local mainstream school by providing the right support at the right time.
Children will continue to be included in school life, friendships and activities, while having access to a safe and supportive space when they need it.
Inclusion bases are designed to strengthen mainstream inclusion and make sure that children can receive additional support close to home, without needing a specialist placement unless their needs require one.
How spaces are allocated
Schools decide how the places in these inclusion bases are used to best support pupils.
Any pupil could be eligible to receive support in the inclusion base. It is not just for those with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) or with SEND.
Specialist bases
A specialist base is a dedicated provision within or alongside a mainstream school for children and young people whose needs are more complex and require a higher level of specialist support.
Pupils benefit from smaller class sizes, specialist staff, adapted learning environments and tailored programmes, while also having opportunities to access mainstream lessons, activities and social experiences where appropriate.
Who specialist bases are for
Specialist bases are only for pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Placements are agreed by Trafford Council.
They are designed for children and young people whose needs cannot be fully met through mainstream provision alone, but who can benefit from being part of a mainstream school community.
These bases provide a balance of specialist support and inclusion, helping pupils to build confidence, develop independence and participate in school life.
Current bases in Trafford
In Trafford, we have already invested in specialist bases at 12 schools.
In primary schools, these are known as small, specialist classes, and they provide 178 places across 10 schools:
- Acre Hall Primary School
- Barton Clough Primary School
- Broomwood Primary School
- Firs Primary School
- Kingsway Primary School
- Moorlands Junior School
- Oldfield Brow Primary School
- Templemoor Infant School
- Wellfield Infant School
- Wellfield Junior School
In secondary schools, these are known as resourced provision. They provide 55 places across 2 schools, with another one currently being built. The new base will provide a further 25 places in the future.
The secondary schools are:
- Lostock High School (Stretford)
- Wellington School (Altrincham)
- Broadoak School (Partington) – in progress
Through this investment in specialist base places in Trafford schools, we aim to provide high-quality support closer to home, reduce the need for pupils to travel outside the borough, and ensure that children and young people with more complex needs can access the right provision in their local community.
Specialist provision
We recognise some children and young people need specialist provision.
A key priority is therefore to increase local special school capacity, particularly for secondary-aged pupils, so we can reduce reliance on out-of-borough placements.
We aim to provide more places locally and make sure specialist places are available for those with the most complex needs.