School and local authority details
Proposals published by North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD, to transfer responsibility of the Established Targeted Mainstream Provision for children and young people with SEND at Thirsk School and Sixth Form, Topcliffe Road, Sowerby, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 1RZ.
Proposed implementation date
1 September 2026
Description of alterations and evidence of demand
Proposals by North Yorkshire Council to transfer the responsibility of the existing Targeted Mainstream Provision 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 from 1 September 2026.
This proposal will assist the council to establish up to 248 places within Targeted Mainstream Provisions as assessed as being required as part of the SEN Capital Investment Programme. Numbers of education, health and care plans continue to rise across the county. There has been a recent increase of 92% from 2606 to c. 5100 between 2018 and 2024.
Objectives
The main objective of these proposals is to ensure that the appropriate provisions are in place to implement the policy of Targeted Mainstream provision which has been agreed by local authority, following public consultation, as a key part of the SEN Strategic Plan in September 2018. The underlying objective of the whole strategy is to ensure that there are sufficient places at which Pupils with SEN can get the education they deserve within the most appropriate setting.
Targeted Mainstream Provision is intended to address a gap in the continuum of provision that currently exists due to there being insufficient full time places for children and young people whose needs dictate that they need significant additional support as well as access to a mainstream school curriculum.
To address this gap the local authority developed a proposal for a new model of targeted provision which was approved as part of the strategic plan in September 2018.
The development of targeted provision is in line with the principles described in the Strategic Plan which promotes an inclusive culture and ethos, joint accountability for children and young people and right support, right place, right time.
Effect on other educational institutions within the area
The proposed Targeted Mainstream provision will form part of the range of educational opportunities within North Yorkshire and will support pupils who require additional SEN support but for whom a special school placement is not appropriate. Therefore this will have a positive impact on other schools and academies. Where pupils in other schools and academies are identified as having a level of need where further support is needed than a standard mainstream school is able to provide the possibility and suitability of a placement at a Targeted Mainstream provision will be considered as an option for that pupil. Clearly this will support Mainstream Schools but will also support Special Schools by ensuring that places in Special Schools are available for pupils for whom that is the best option.
Project costs and indication of how these will be met
Revenue
The financial model for this service has been based on the following assumptions:
- the new service will operate with ten place provisions with each provision attracting planned place funding of £6,000 plus per pupil funding allocations where pupils are on roll in the unit, or £4,000 where places are empty at the point of the census. This guarantees resources of circa £10,000 per place – in line with Special school funding arrangements
- schools will receive “top-up funding” allocations in line with the assessment of need defined in the individual pupils education, health and care plan using the banded funding methodology, introduced in April 2019.
- it is assumed that the “top-up funding” allocations are expenditure that the authority would have incurred regardless of this development because the education, health and care plans are already in place and funds would follow the child whatever setting / provision they are educated in
- start-up costs up to a maximum of £10,000 earmarked for each new provision to cover learning resources, IT revenue costs and a provision for staff learning and development
Capital
There are no capital requirements at Thirsk School and Sixth Form as this is currently being used as the TMP space
Implementation plan
Schools have the flexibility to refine their model of delivery but in general the new provision will:
- provide a minimum of 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 or Communication and Interaction needs at primary and secondary level
- have access to a range of therapies and 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.
Places at Targeted Mainstream provisions will be offered to pupils where the local authority has identified through an education, health and care plan that the pupil’s needs are best met at this kind of provision. The local authority will offer that place following consultation with the Headteacher of the Targeted Mainstream Provision.
Consultation
A copy of the consultation paper, list of consultees, notes of the public consultation meetings and consultation responses can be found in the report to the council’s Executive Member - Children and Young People's Service on 16 June 2026.
Related proposals
This proposal is not related to any other proposals.
Procedure for making responses
Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal, any person may object to or make comments on the proposal by sending them to: Corporate Director- Children and Young People's Service, North Yorkshire Council, County Hall, Racecourse Lane, Northallerton DL7 8AD, or by emailing schoolorganisation@northyorks.gov.uk by 5pm on 23 July 2026.