All Local Authorities

SEND Services in Derby

East MidlandsUnitary Authority
Council website

In Derby, a vibrant urban city in the East Midlands with around 274,000 residents, SEND support is designed to meet the needs of children and young people in a bustling environment where families can access a range of mainstream and specialist settings. Derby's EHCP assessment times match the 20-week statutory target, helping to provide timely support, while the overall proportion of pupils with SEND aligns closely with national trends now at 18.4% across England. The Derby SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) is here to guide you every step of the way with impartial advice, so you don't have to navigate this alone - take a deep breath, as local services are working to make a real difference for your family.

With Derby's SENDIASS offering that vital impartial guidance, JakTrack steps in as your everyday companion, helping you feel prepared and in control as you log those daily moments like sleep and behaviour - building a clear picture of patterns over time that strengthens your voice in EHCP processes. Starting early means your evidence grows naturally, so by the time appointments roll around, you'll walk in supported and confident, knowing you've got everything organised without the overwhelm. It's that quiet reassurance that makes navigating Derby's system feel a little less daunting for your family. see how JakTrack can help

Schools & SEND Provision

116

Schools

11

Specialist

15

SEN Units & Resource Bases

47,678

Total Pupils

14.2%receive SEN Support

6,792 pupils

5.7%have an EHCP

2,705 pupils

Services & Contacts

Local Offer

Every Local Authority must publish a "Local Offer" - a directory of all SEND services and provision in their area.

View Derby's Local Offer

IASS

Free, impartial advice about SEND - EHCPs, school issues, exclusions, navigating the system.

Derby SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)

Parent Carer Forum

Derby SEND Voice Parent Carer Forum

Derby's Parent Carer Forum representing families with SEND children

EHCP

EHCP request form

Median assessment: 20 weeks (legal limit: 20)

SEND Team

SEND Team

Main council SEND department for Education, Health and Care Plan coordination and SEND support

Short Breaks

Short breaks information

The Light House - Children with Disabilities Service

Educational Psychology

Specialist Teaching and Psychology Service (STePS)

Provides educational psychology and specialist teaching support

Occupational Therapy

Children's Occupational Therapy

Provided by Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust for children with coordination and developmental needs

Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and Language Therapy services available through NHS providers for children with communication needs

Social Care

The Light House - Children with Disabilities Service

Children's social care service for disabled children and their families, providing assessments and support services

Other Services

Child Development Centre

Early Help

CAMHS

Personal Budgets

Disagreement Resolution

Preparing for Adulthood

Adult social care referrals for transition cases

Dynamic Support Pathway

Keyworker Service

Continuing Healthcare

Family Information Service

New EHCPs by Primary Need

Schools

years old

Ivy House School

Special
Ages 2-19Capacity: 99DE23 2FS
Multi-SensoryPhysicalSevere LearningProfound & Multiple

Kingsmead School

Special
Ages 7-18Capacity: 180DE24 8TE
Social & Emotional

Maple View School

Special
Ages 6-16Capacity: 18DE22 4LL
Specific LearningSpeech & LanguageAutismSevere Learning

Royal School for the Deaf Derby

Special
Ages 3-19Capacity: 141DE22 3BH
Hearing

St Andrew's Academy

Special
Ages 11-19Capacity: 175DE21 4EW
Specific LearningVisualOtherHearingSpeech & LanguageAutismSocial & EmotionalMulti-SensoryPhysicalModerate LearningSevere LearningProfound & Multiple

St Clare's School

Special
Ages 11-16DE3 9AZ
Speech & LanguageAutismSocial & EmotionalPhysicalModerate LearningSevere Learning

St Giles' Spencer Academy

Special
Ages 4-11Capacity: 117DE21 6BT
AutismModerate LearningSevere LearningProfound & Multiple

St Martins School

Special
Ages 11-19DE24 0BT
AutismSocial & EmotionalModerate LearningSevere Learning

Aurora Ryefields School

Special
Ages 5-19Capacity: 72DE1 3HF

Include - St Matthews

Special
Ages 11-16Capacity: 50DE22 1DQ

Jasmine Hall School

Special
Ages 11-18Capacity: 32DE22 3FS

Central Community Nursery School

Nursery
Ages 0-5DE1 3LR
Specific LearningVisualOtherHearingSpeech & LanguageAutismSocial & EmotionalMulti-SensoryPhysicalModerate LearningSevere LearningProfound & Multiple

Village Primary Academy

Primary
Ages 2-11Capacity: 732DE23 8DF
Speech & LanguageAutism

Allestree Woodlands School

SecondaryGood
Ages 11-18Capacity: 1300DE22 2LW
VisualOtherHearingAutismSocial & EmotionalMulti-SensoryPhysicalModerate Learning

Alvaston Junior Academy

PrimaryRequires Improvement
Ages 7-11Capacity: 360DE24 0PU
Social & Emotional

Ash Croft Primary Academy

PrimaryGood
Ages 2-11Capacity: 280DE24 3HF
Speech & LanguageAutism

Borrow Wood Primary School

PrimaryGood
Ages 3-11Capacity: 472DE21 7QW
Autism

Brackensdale Spencer Academy

PrimaryNot judged
Ages 3-11Capacity: 525DE22 4BS
Autism

Lees Brook Academy

SecondaryGood
Ages 11-18Capacity: 1147DE21 4QX
Specific LearningVisualOtherHearingSpeech & LanguageAutismSocial & EmotionalMulti-SensoryPhysicalModerate LearningSevere LearningProfound & Multiple

Reigate Park Primary Academy

PrimaryGood
Ages 3-11Capacity: 416DE22 4EQ
Hearing

Saint Benedict, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

Secondary
Ages 11-19Capacity: 1591DE22 1JD
Specific LearningVisualOtherHearingSpeech & LanguageAutismSocial & EmotionalPhysicalModerate Learning

Springfield Primary School

Primary
Ages 4-11Capacity: 344DE21 7AB
Specific LearningAutismSocial & EmotionalModerate Learning

The Bemrose School

All-throughGood
Ages 3-19Capacity: 1400DE22 3HU
Speech & LanguageAutismSocial & Emotional

Understanding school SEND provision

Schools in England provide SEND support at different levels. Here's what each type means:

Specialist School

A school that exclusively educates children with SEND. Smaller classes (typically 6-12 pupils), staff trained in specific needs, and environments designed for children who need more support than mainstream can provide. Places are usually named in an EHCP.

SEN Unit

A dedicated unit within a mainstream school, staffed by specialists. Children are on the roll of the unit but may join mainstream classes for some lessons. Offers a middle ground - specialist support with mainstream social opportunities. Usually requires an EHCP.

Resource Base

Extra resourced provision attached to a mainstream school. Children are on the mainstream roll but can access additional support, equipment, and specialist staff. Some resource bases focus on specific needs like autism or speech and language.

SEN Support (Mainstream)

Every mainstream school has a legal duty to identify and support children with SEND. This includes having a SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator), providing reasonable adjustments, and putting in place SEN Support plans. You don't need an EHCP for SEN Support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions from families about SEND support in Derby.

You can request an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessment for your child by contacting Derby City Council's SEND team. Before making a formal request, it's helpful to speak with Derby SENDIASS (01332 641414 or [email protected]) who can provide free, impartial advice about whether a statutory assessment is the right step for your child. A request form is available, and the council aims to complete assessments within 20 weeks.
Derby SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) provides free, impartial, and confidential support to parents and carers of children with SEND or disabilities. They can advise you on education, health and social care matters, EHCP processes, the Local Offer, personal budgets, transition planning, and how to resolve disagreements with schools or the local authority. Your child does not need a formal diagnosis to access their support.
The Local Offer is a guide to all the SEND services and provision available in Derby for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. You can find Derby's Local Offer at https://www.derby.gov.uk/education-and-learning/derbys-send-local-offer/, where you'll find information about schools, support services, and resources available to families.
Derby has 11 specialist schools dedicated to supporting children with SEND, plus 4 schools with dedicated SEN units and 11 schools with resource bases that provide specialist support within mainstream settings. This means there are multiple options for specialist provision depending on your child's needs.
Derby City Council aims to complete EHCP assessments within 20 weeks from the date of your request. However, timescales can vary depending on the complexity of your child's needs and the volume of requests the council is processing at the time.

Navigating SEND in Derby?

JakTrack helps you track evidence, prepare for EHCP reviews, check benefit eligibility, and stay on top of appointments - all in one place.

See How JakTrack Helps