SEND and Inclusion Support Model

As part of the new Model, we are really excited to tell you that we have taken the decision to move away from selling EPSS Traded Services. From September 2025, EPSS will be free to access for all mainstream schools in Norfolk.  

We hope this will lead to a more accessible and equitable service across the county that will improve outcomes for more children by supporting them earlier to prevent needs escalating.

How will this change work?

As part of the SEND and Inclusion Support Model, we encourage all schools to be part of Zone Inclusion Partnership (ZIP) and Team around the School (TAS) meetings. These will act as forums to understand need and agree what support is required from a range of different disciplines to build a school's or a zone's inclusion offer.

EPSS support will be discussed with schools at their TAS meetings, in the context of their Universal, Targeted and Enhanced offers, relating to whole school, cohort or children.  If support is discussed and agreed at a TAS meeting, EPSS will contact the school to agree next steps.  

The transition from a traded to a non-traded service will be delivered in phases to allow us to honour existing contracts with schools which will run to the natural end of their contract period. The details of this transition are set out below. We have also pulled together a list of key questions on which people may want further information.

Phase 1 - January to April 2025

All current contracts will continue. At the end of the Spring Term, contracts with maintained schools will come to a natural end, and maintained schools will access EPSS services via the SEND and Inclusion Model (where this has been rolled out in their zone) or via core Consultations (where the Model has not been rolled out to their zone).

Phase 2 - April to September 2025

Maintained schools in zones where the Model has been rolled out (Phase 2 zones) will access EPSS via discussions at a TAS meeting. Any EPSS intervention agreed would be offered at no cost to the school.

Maintained schools in Phase 3 zones will request EPSS support through their Core Consultation.

Academies who have purchased EPSS support will continue to use their traded days. Where an academy is in a zone where the Model has been rolled out, use of EPSS days will be agreed through TAS meetings.  Where academies are in a zone where the Model has not been rolled out, the use of their remaining EPSS days will be discussed through Core Consultations for the Spring and Summer Terms 2025.  

Phase 3 - September 2025 onwards

From September, the SEND and Inclusion Support Model will be rolled out in all zones, and all traded EPSS contracts will have ceased. All requests for EPSS support will therefore be via the Model, and where support is agreed, this will be at no cost to the school.

There will be no changes to the way Critical Incident Support and Special Schools contracts are accessed.