Teams that can provide advice around access to learning in schools and EHE.
The Learning Access Service works with families and with schools and local services to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people accessing learning. As the needs and requirements of families and schools and educational provisions change, we remain committed to achieving the best possible outcomes. It is vital that we work together to ensure that we deliver the range and quality of services necessary to support access to education and the best learning experience for Leeds' children and young people.
Who we are
We are a service of teams who cover the following areas.
Why choose us
We can offer advice and support. Each team offers specific advice and support.
Contact
Contact is through the individual teams listed within the section.
What we offer
The Children Missing Education (CME) team provides:
One minute guide: Children missing out on education | Leeds.gov.uk
Contact
What we offer
The Elective Home Education (EHE) team provides:
Why choose us
The EHE team supports children and young people to return to school where there is no evidence of suitable education being received or where a family have decided they would like to access learning at a school.
The EHE team works with social care, all SEND services and other agencies working and supporting children and families.
One minute guide: elective home education (leeds.gov.uk)
Contact
The medical needs teaching service is a commissioned service by Leeds City Council for further information on this team please visit https://mntsleeds.org/
Supporting children to attend school
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, schools and education settings have a statutory duty to make arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions.
The aim is to ensure that children and young people with medical conditions affecting either their physical or mental health (or both) are properly supported in school so that they can play a full and active role in school life, remain healthy, and achieve their academic potential.
Children and young people with long term medical conditions need to have reassurance that the school understands their condition and their particular requirements.
An Individual Healthcare Plan (known as an IHP) is a shared plan that is written in collaboration between healthcare and education practitioners, parents/carers and children or young people. An IHP primarily clarifies medical needs and care as it relates to school, including emergency arrangements and daily medical care. IHPs also support conversations and planning about the impact of medical needs upon a child’s education, identity, inclusion, and personal experiences. An IHP is part of a graduated approach which includes identifying universal, targeted and specialist provision.
Individual healthcare plans should specify the type and level of support required to meet the medical needs of children and young people. Schools should have a clear individual health plan for CYP with medical conditions that require additional support or monitoring in school.
An IHP is distinct from an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). An IHP can be put into place as soon as a health need is identified, it does not depend on a formal statutory process, and it can be reviewed at any time if health needs change.
Where children and young people also have SEN, their provision should be planned and delivered in a co-ordinated way with the healthcare plan.
Schools need to also be aware of how to code non-attendance for regular hospital appointments so that rewarding attendance includes pupils with expected times out of school for health issues and appointments.
Schools are required to have regard to statutory guidance ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions.
It is a statutory requirement for all schools to have a policy that makes clear the arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions.
More information about supporting young people with long term medical conditions can be found here.
What we offer
The Pupil Tuition Team (PTT) is a very small support team that offers short-term sessional education to the full school range up to year 11, to pupils who for reasons other than illness or injury are unable to attend full time school.
Who we are
The Pupil Tuition Team is part of the Learning Access Service. The teachers offer one to one or small group tuition tailored to the learning needs of the young person, based on the curriculum and resources from their school.
This service is available for children and young people who have a main domestic address in Leeds.
The team works closely with the pupil's school/ academy and Area Inclusion Partnerships, and with other services including Social Care, Educational Psychology service and the Virtual School.
The team currently provides 1:1 or small group maths and English tuition for up to 5 hours per week to young people who are unable to access education. Tuition takes place at Queenswood Drive sharing a building with the Medical Needs Teaching Service.
The team may support pupils who are involved in reintegration packages, having been out of school for some time, to help them gain the confidence to re-engage with their learning in mainstream provision. This may under special circumstances include those returning from home education who are back on a school roll.
Expectations
Young people must be willing to attend and feel able to manage their own behaviour in the calm, nurturing environment provided. The PTT is a learning support team, not a behaviour management service, although the social and emotional aspects of learning are addressed through academic tuition. Schools in consultation with the PTT teachers will set the learning objectives for the pupils referred to the service.
Regular information on the progress of a young person is shared with the referring school. The best outcomes for the young person are reliant on the positive relationship between school and the team.
A closure report is shared with all agencies involved at the end of the tuition period reflecting on work achieved, progress made and attendance.
Referral process
Any referral to the PTT must be submitted by a school.
The decision of the panel will be communicated to the referrer with a call and follow up email within 3 days.
Transport arrangements for pupils to and from the Learning Centre are the responsibility of the parent/carer.
The referring school/academy must provide the appropriate educational materials for their pupil. The PTT will provide regular updates to the named school contact. It is the school/academies responsibility to let PTT know of any changes that may affect the pupil’s attendance/progress.
The PTT always work closely with parents/carers and have regular contact. Parents/carers are expected to ensure that pupils attend all tuition sessions offered.
Contact
What we offer
The school attendance team works with primary and secondary schools and educational settings to deliver improvement in pupil attendance leading to better attainment and achievement outcomes for children and young people. Attendance matters!
Who we are
The Attendance team specialises in direct work with families in partnership with schools, clusters, and educational settings to support improved attendance and, therefore, enable attainment and achievement for children and young people.
We are a skilled and experienced team with a proven track record for raising attendance at a whole school and individual pupil level.
The service fulfils both the LA’s statutory and non-statutory functions in relation to compulsory school age children and young people.
Where additional needs or barriers have been identified, we will offer advice and support before pursuing legal action under section 444 Education Act 1996. Where children’s whereabouts are unknown, e.g. stopped attending school, the attendance team have a statutory role in identifying and locating missing children – supporting the LA’s safeguarding duties.
Why choose us?
We provide flexible and bespoke support for schools, clusters, and educational settings to help individual children and families access suitable learning. Our tailored approach ensures targeted support and training that aligns with the specific needs of schools, cluster, or educational context. We can help answer questions about learning access and what may be the next steps for families with learning access concerns.
https://www.leeds.gov.uk/one-minute-guides/education-attendance-statutory-responsibilities
Contact
What we offer
For queries and advice contact Exclusions@leeds.gov.uk