SEND Services in Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea, a vibrant coastal unitary authority in the East of England, offers dedicated SEND support tailored to its community of families, with a focus on keeping more children in local schools through expanding resource bases like the one at Shoeburyness High School. While the proportion of pupils at SEN Support here is lower than the national average, the area prioritises social, emotional and mental health needs, which affect over a fifth of SEND pupils, as outlined in the SEND Strategy 2023-2026 developed with input from parents via Southend SEND Independent Forum. For impartial guidance, contact SENDIASS Southend to navigate services calmly and confidently - you're not alone in this journey.
As you work with Southend's SEND services and professionals to support your child's needs, JakTrack quietly builds a picture of what's really happening day-to-day - the patterns in sleep, behaviour, and emotional wellbeing that matter most. By the time you're preparing for reviews, appointments, or benefit assessments, you'll have 90 days of organised evidence ready to go, so you can walk into every conversation feeling prepared and heard rather than scrambling to remember details. Starting early means that evidence grows naturally from your routine, taking just 30 seconds to log, so you're never playing catch-up when it counts. see how JakTrack can help
Schools & SEND Provision
59
Schools
7
Specialist
11
SEN Units & Resource Bases
32,709
Total Pupils
4,102 pupils
1,629 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 Southend-on-Sea's Local OfferIASS
Free, impartial advice about SEND - EHCPs, school issues, exclusions, navigating the system.
SENDIASS Southend
Parent Carer Forum
Southend SEND Independent Forum (SSIF)
Southend's Official Parent Carer Forum providing support and voice for parent carers of children and young people with SEND.
SEND Team
Local Offer Team
For general information and signposting about SEND services and the Local Offer
Portage
Educational Psychology
Occupational Therapy
Mid & South Essex ICB Children's OT
Speech and Language Therapy
Mid & South Essex ICB Children's SALT
Other Services
Child Development Centre
Lighthouse Child Development Centre
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) support line: 01702 372251, Occupational Therapy support line: 01702 372250, Physiotherapy support line: 01702 372252, Speech and Language Therapy support line: 07580 167371, Sleep support line: 01702 578601
Autism Pathway
Home to School Transport
Education Transport Team
Preparing for Adulthood
Early Help
Specialist Teaching Service
New EHCPs by Primary Need
Schools
Estuary High School
SpecialKingsdown School
SpecialNot judgedLancaster School
SpecialThe St Christopher School
SpecialGoodCompass Community School Boleyn Park
SpecialChase High School
SecondaryNot judgedHamstel Infant School and Nursery
PrimaryBlenheim Primary School
PrimaryOutstandingFairways Primary School
PrimaryShoeburyness High School
SecondaryGoodSouthend High School for Boys
SecondaryOutstandingUnderstanding 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 Southend-on-Sea.
Navigating SEND in Southend-on-Sea?
JakTrack helps you track evidence, prepare for EHCP reviews, check benefit eligibility, and stay on top of appointments - all in one place.
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Social Care
Children with Disabilities Team
Provides advice, support, and practical help to families with children up to 18 years who are substantially affected in their everyday living by profound and severe disabilities