Purpose of this consultation document
This document explains our proposal to transfer the responsibility of the existing Targeted Mainstream Provision (TMP) for children and young people with SEND delivered at Thirsk School and Sixth Form from the Hambleton and Richmond Pupil Referral Service to Thirsk School and Sixth Form.
Following discussions with the Governors and Headteacher, Thirsk School and Sixth Form has been selected to take over delivery of the Targeted Mainstream Provision. we are now asking for your views on this proposal as part of the statutory process which is required before alterations of these kind are made to maintained schools.
Public meeting
There will be an online public meeting on Wednesday 22 April at 4pm. If you wish to be part of this meeting, please email us. Joining instructions will be provided.
What will the Target Mainstream Provision look like?
Schools have the flexibility to refine their model of delivery but in general the new provision will:
- provide eight full time places for six children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan and two ‘flexible’ places for children needing to access the provision for short term assessment and support
- specialise in meeting the needs of children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs
- have access to a range of therapies and specialist training opportunities to ensure children are fully supported
- increase the opportunities for children and young people with SEND to access mainstream education together with more specialised small group interventions and support
- be funded on a place basis similar to special schools and in line with national guidance
Background to the proposal
We have a duty to keep our special education provision under review and ensure there is the right type of provision and enough places to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.
We want all children and young people with SEND in North Yorkshire to:
- have the best educational opportunities so that they achieve the best outcomes
- be able to attend a school or provision locally, where they can make friends and be part of their local community
- make progress with learning, have good social and emotional health and be prepared for a fulfilling adult life
We know that there are more children and young people being identified as having special educational needs in North Yorkshire and we expect this increase to continue. We need to make sure that we have the right type of education provision in the right place to meet their needs. We know that a number of our children and young people have to go to school outside North Yorkshire, and we want to avoid this wherever possible.
We have developed a Local Area SEND Strategy for educating children with SEND which aims to create a better offer of provision for children and young people, improved communication, enable more local decision making, and reduce costly out of county placements. This plan was approved in 2023 and continues the implementation of Targeted Mainstreams Provisions. We are now implementing the actions within it and one of these actions requires us to alter the designation to include an SEN Unit of those schools involved.
The strategy explains the proposal that we are consulting on with regard to the individual school in question. It will help you see where this aspect of provision fits within the wide range of provisions established or being developed. We recommend that you read this document before responding to the survey and giving us your views on the individual proposal.
Read the Local area SEND strategy 2023 to 2026.
How are we consulting?
We have already carried out a consultation exercise on the SEND Strategic Plan from 18 May 2018 to 28 June 2018 and then subsequently from 6 February 2020 to 15 March 2020 on the specific issue of establishing Targeted Mainstream provisions. This current school organisation proposal is purely about the establishment of a Targeted Provision.
We are asking you to give your views on the school organisation proposals.
Tell us your views on TMP at Thirsk School and Sixth Form
If you would like a paper copy of the survey or an alternative format, please call our customer service centre.
What is the timescale?
The closing date for responses is 15 May 2026. All responses to the consultation received by this date will be considered by our Executive on 16 June 2026. If our Executive decides to proceed with the proposal, then statutory notices would be published in the local press on 25 June 2026. These notices provide a further four weeks for representations to be made. A final decision would then be made by our Executive on 4 August 2026.
Information about our equalities impact assessment
We have carried out an equalities impact assessment (EIA). We will update this following comments received during the consultation and councillors will consider it again before they make a decision on implementing the proposal. The EIA has identified that there will be an impact on young people with SEND and if changes are made to current SEND education services, we will offer support to families to adapt to those changes.
We anticipate that, if the proposal is implemented, it may bring positive impacts to young people and their families, particularly by enabling more young people with SEND to be educated in their own community and achieve better outcomes. We anticipate that with more local provision children and young people with SEND will have more opportunities to attend a local school that is closer to home and will help them achieve better educational and social outcomes.