8 December 2023: Top-up Funding consultation
Bristol City Council provides top-up funding for educational support provision for young people with SEND.
Top up funding goes towards supporting pupils in primary and secondary mainstream schools, and special schools.
The majority of the funding supports pupils with education, health, and care (EHC) plans with the highest levels of needs.
These proposals will not affect children and young people with SEND who have an EHC plan.
The aim of the consultation is to maximise the amount of the budget spent on education, and reduce the time and money spent on administration.
Your views matter. Respond to the Top-Up Funding Consultation.
The consultation closes midnight Wednesday 13 December 2023.
4 December 2023: Home to school travel consultation
Bristol City Council provides home to school travel services to empower children and young people to travel to and from education safely and as independently as possible.
We regularly review our home to school travel policies to make sure they're:
- still in line with current national guidance
- fair for children and families
- an effective use of available resource
We've recently reviewed our existing policies for home to school travel support. We're doing this to make our existing offer clearer for parents and carers. As part of the review, we've identified some things we think need to change. We're asking for your feedback on these proposals through a public consultation.
Your views are important to us. Respond to the home to school travel consultation.
The consultation is open until Wednesday 17 January 2024. Respond by then to make sure your views are taken into account before any decision is made.
23 November 2023: Short breaks service consultation
Short breaks are supportive family services that allow parents and carers to have time out from their caring responsibilities looking after children who have additional needs or disabilities. They also give children and young people with additional needs or disabilities the opportunity to visit places, take part in fun and enjoyable activities, and try new things.
Bristol City Council needs to make savings from the next financial year onwards, but intends to continue short breaks services across the city.
Respond to our short breaks consultation to find out more information about the proposals and have your say on the changes.
The consultation is open from Monday 20 November and will close at midnight on Tuesday 2 January 2024.
20 April 2023: Information published for applicant groups applying to open a new Special Free School
Contextual information for applicant groups applying to open a new Special Free School.
14 March 2023: New independent living centre opening at Ashley Down Campus, City of Bristol College
Following the success of the Brislington Centre, City of Bristol College will be opening a brand new residential independent living centre for young people with disabilities at the Ashley Down Campus in September 2023.
The centre is for young people aged 18 to 24 with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. Students living at the centre develop independent living skills, and gain employability skills and work experience while having opportunities to socialise with other students.
If you have any questions or would like to book a place at an open event, contact Adam Metcalfe on:
Applications are open. The closing date is 31 March 2023.
8 March 2023: SEND and alternative provision improvement plan
The Department for Education (DfE) has set out its plans to change the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision system in England.
The DfE's plans explain what they will do to make sure more children and young people with SEND, or those in alternative provision, get the support they need.
See the:
