Different types of school placement

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This page explains the differences between mainstream schools, integrated resources, and special schools.

We would always recommend speaking to the school about your child or young person if you are interested in them attending there.

Please note that only children with an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHC Plan) will be considered for an integrated resource or special school in Sheffield. Most children, including those with an EHC Plan, have their needs met in a mainstream school.

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What is it?

Most children attend a mainstream school.

This includes many children with special educational needs and disabilities.

What do children learn?

Children are taught the national curriculum. It is adapted for individual children as needed.

A wide range of subjects and GCSEs are offered at secondary school. Sometimes vocational courses are offered alongside GCSEs. Some schools offer A levels.

Who attends?

Most children with special educational needs and disabilities attend a mainstream school.

Children attend who:

Are on SEN support
Have an EHC Plan

Most children come from their local area

Schools must make reasonable adjustments for all children to accommodate their needs.

Which needs do they meet?

Mainstream schools will aim to meet all types of special educational needs. This includes autism, mental health, and learning difficulties.

How big are the classes?

On average:

27 children in a primary school class
22 children in a secondary school class

Children may be taken out of some classes to join small group or 1-2-1 support sessions.

How are children supported?

Children with SEND may have some extra or different learning to meet their needs.

Extra help might include:

Individual support from a teaching assistant or support in a group.
Extra help with a particular need, such as a speech and language programme.
Advice from a visiting specialist who may observe or assess children and their needs. E.g. a speech and language therapist or educational psychologist.
Help with health conditions such as managing medication, personal care, or toileting.

What is the environment like?

Mainstream schools are usually bigger and busier than special schools. They have classrooms and small rooms, with areas adapted to meet individual needs.

Schools may have sensory or breakout rooms.

Breakfast and after school clubs

Many mainstream schools have a breakfast and after-school club to provide wraparound childcare.

They also provide other after-school clubs such as sport.

You can search for a school using the links in the Search on the Sheffield Directory section below.

What is it?

An integrated resource is a specialist unit in a mainstream school. It provides extra support for children with complex needs.

Most children spend:

Part of their time learning in an integrated resource.
The rest of their time learning in the main school buildings with the other pupils.

The amount of time spent in an integrated resource is different for every child and based on their need.

What do children learn?

Integrated resources are part of mainstream schools where children learn the national curriculum. This is adapted for individual children as needed.

Some integrated resources extend into the sixth form for A levels.

Who attends?

All children and young people attending have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan and are placed by the local authority. Children and young people don't need a diagnosis to have an EHC Plan.

Children will only need an integrated resource if a mainstream school is not able to provide the support set out in their EHC Plan.

Children are more likely to travel further from home to attend. Most receive SEN travel support.

Which needs do they meet?

Integrated resources will usually support a certain type of special educational need. For example, severe learning difficulties, hearing impairment, and complex autism.

How big are the classes?

All children are part of a class in the mainstream school.

There will be fewer children in the integrated resource when they spend time in there.

How are children supported?

Support is mostly provided to children in mainstream classes.

Support in integrated resources includes:

Small group work
Individual (1-2-1) support
Advice from a visiting specialist who may observe or assess children and their needs.

What is the environment like?

As a mainstream school, but also with a dedicated base for the integrated resource. This could include a sensory or breakout room.

Breakfast and after school clubs

Many mainstream schools with an integrated resource have a breakfast and after-school club to provide wraparound childcare.

They also provide other after-school clubs such as sport.

Sheffield Schools with Integrated Resources

You can find out more information on each school website from the links below. If you do not find the information you are looking for on the school website, then do give them a call. Contact details are on their websites.

Integrated Resource Name	Area of Need	Phase	Age Group
Birley Community College	Communication and Interaction	Secondary	11-16
Concord Junior School	Communication and Interaction	Primary	7-11
Gleadless Primary School	Communication and Interaction	Primary	5-11
Nether Edge Primary	Communication and Interaction	Primary	5-11
Norfolk Community Primary	Communication and Interaction	Primary	5-11
Phillimore Community Primary	Communication and Interaction	Primary	5-11
Stocksbridge High School	Communication and Interaction	Secondary	11-16
Wincobank Nursey Infant	Communication and Interaction	Primary	5-7
Woodhouse West Primary School	Communication and Interaction	Primary	5-11
Woodlands Primary	Communication and Interaction	Primary	5-11
Malin Bridge	Communication, Interaction and Social Emotional Mental Health	Primary	5-11
Angram Bank Primary	dDeaf	Primary	5-11
Greystones Primary	dDeaf	Primary	5-11
High Storrs School	dDeaf	Secondary	11-16
Lower Meadow Primary	dDeaf	Primary	5-11
Silverdale School	dDeaf	Secondary	11-18
Acres Hill Primary	Language, Communication, Interaction and Autism	Primary	7-11
Beck Primary (Cascade IR)	Language, Communication, Interaction and Autism	Primary	5-11
Hucklow Primary (Cascade IR)	Language, Communication, Interaction and Autism	Primary	5-11
Whiteways (Cascade IR)	Language, Communication, Interaction and Autism	Primary	5-11
Birley Spa Primary	Language, Communication, Interaction and Autism	Primary	7-11
Forge Valley Community School	Language, Communication, Interaction and Autism	Secondary	11-16
Greenhill Primary	Language, Communication, Interaction and Autism	Primary	5-11
King Ecgbert School	Language, Communication, Interaction and Autism	Secondary	11-16
Manor Lodge Primary	Language, Communication, Interaction and Autism	Primary	5-7
Nether Green Junior School	Language, Communication, Interaction and Autism	Primary	7-11
Nook Lane Junior	Language, Communication, Interaction and Autism	Primary	7-11
Arbourthorne Community Primary	Learning Difficulties and Complex Needs	Primary	5-11
Bradfield School	Learning Difficulties and Complex Needs	Secondary	11-16
Fox Hill Primary	Learning Difficulties and Complex Needs	Primary	5-11
Stradbroke Primary	Learning Difficulties and Complex Needs	Primary	5-11
Wharncliffe Side Primary and Nursery *The nursery IR and primary IR operate as 2 separate provisions and cater to different needs. Places for each IR have to be applied for. A child would not automatically get a place in the Primary IR if they are in the Nursery IR.	Learning Difficulties & Complex Needs	Nursery and Primary	3-11
All Saints Catholic High School	Physical Difficulties	Secondary	11-16
St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary	Physical Difficulties	Primary	5-11
Hinde House Primary	Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)	Primary	5-11
Hinde House Secondary	Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)	Secondary	11-16
Hallam Primary	Speech, Language and Communication	Primary	5-11
Wybourn Community Primary	Speech, Language and Communication	Primary	5-11
Newfield School	Speech, Language and Communication and Autism	Secondary	11-16
Stannington Infant School	Speech, Language and Communication and Cognition and Learning	Primary	5-7
Tapton School	Vision	Secondary	11-16

What is it?

Schools for children with the most complex needs, that cannot be met in a mainstream school or integrated resource.

Special schools generally specialise in a particular area of need.

What do children learn?

Each school will have a curriculum tailored to the needs of the pupils it supports.

Some focus on teaching life skills.

Most offer fewer opportunities to gain recognised qualifications like GCSEs or vocational courses.

Who attends?

All children attending have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan and are placed by the local authority. Children and young people don't need a diagnosis to have an EHC Plan.

Children will only need a special school if a mainstream school or integrated resource is not able to provide the support set out in their EHC Plan.

Children are more likely to travel further from home to attend a special school. Most receive SEN travel support.

Which needs do they meet?

Special schools will usually support a certain type of special educational need. For example, severe learning difficulties, hearing impairment, and complex autism.

How big are the classes?

Class sizes are smaller due to pupils’ needs.

How are children supported?

Special schools support children in many of the same ways that mainstream schools do.

They also have:

Higher staff to pupil ratios.
School-wide knowledge of more complex needs.
More specialist equipment than mainstream schools if needed.

Some schools may also have their own specialists due to the number of children.

What is the environment like?

Special school classrooms tend to be smaller than in mainstream schools. They are likely to have some equipment. For example, hoists for children with physical disabilities.

Breakfast and after school clubs

Most special schools are not able to run breakfast clubs or after-school clubs as most children travel to school on SEN transport.

Sheffield Special Schools

You can find out more information on each school website from the links below.

Primary schools

Archdale School (Profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, complex medical needs and autism)

Mossbrook School (Autism and associated communication, learning and behavioural needs)

The Rowan School (Severe or complex communication difficulty such as autism)

Woolley Wood (Severe and complex learning difficulties and disabilities. Many children have additional needs in the areas of mobility and physical development, vision, hearing and communication, including autism)

Secondary schools

Bents Green (Autism and Communication and Interaction difficulties)

Seven Hills School (Learning difficulties and associated disabilities)

Talbot Specialist School (Severe and complex learning difficulties)

Kenwood Academy (Autism or traits of, communication & interaction needs alongside social, emotional and mental health needs)

Becton School - Sapphire Lodge (Complex emotional, mental health and behavioural difficulties)

Schools for primary and secondary-aged pupils

Ages 5-14

Becton School - Emerald Lodge (Complex emotional, mental health and behavioural difficulties)

Ages 5-12

Becton School - Amber Lodge (Serious and complex mental health problems)

Ages 5-16

Becton School - Chapel House (Child or young person who is unable to attend school for a while because of a medical or mental health problem)

Ages 6-16

Holgate Meadows School (Social, emotional and mental health needs)

Willow Park School (Social, emotional and mental health needs)

Ages 7-16

Discovery Academy (Autism alongside social, emotional and mental health needs)

Ages 8-18

Becton School - Ruby Lodge (Learning disabilities with severe and complex mental health and behavioural problems)

Search on the Sheffield Directory

Search for a primary school (includes schools with Integrated Resources)

Search for a secondary school (includes schools with Integrated Resources)

Search for a Special School (includes schools with Integrated Resources)

Last updated: 11 August 2025

Next Choosing a school for your child with special educational needs and/or disabilities

Different types of school placement

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