We are pleased to inform you that we are conducting a full Local Offer review. As a result, you may see some short-term disruption on the site. But in the longer term, we hope you will see many positive changes and easily accessible information.
Take a look inside the exciting new special school currently under construction in Deighton, Huddersfield.
The new site will provide bright classrooms and exciting spaces to play, learn and grow for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties.
Once building works are complete, Joseph Norton Academy will relocate to this new home and become Josie Thirkell Academy.
A huge thank you to the amazing pupils of Joseph Norton Academy who helped bring this project to life, sharing a glimpse into their new school with such enthusiasm. Watch their full video tour here https://vimeo.pulse.ly/jc3pg7ua3d
Nine more Kirklees schools have completed the ‘PINS’ programme, helping neurodivergent pupils feel more supported in the classroom.
‘PINS’ stands for Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools. It gives specialist training to staff and aims to improve attendance and outcomes for children.
In total, 23 local schools have now gone through the PINS programme – benefiting hundreds of pupils. We are committed to building on this work and there are plans to run another project, very similar to PINS, in the future
There are more details on the Kirklees Together website.
This summer there’s a wide range of free activities available for children and young people who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals.
Kirklees School’s Out! is funded by the Department for Education and offers eligible children and young people four hours of activity, plus a healthy and nutritious meal.
Some of the places are exclusively for those with SEND, so check out what’s on offer by visiting the Schools Out Kirklees website.
Places can be booked directly with providers – the sooner you contact them, the better your chance of grabbing a place! You can also ask about availability and whether or not an activity would be suitable for your child by emailing haf@kirklees.gov.uk for more information.
Are you a parent of a young person who is finishing school year 11, 12, or 13?
Kirklees Council and local parent/carer group PCAN (Parents of Children with Additional Needs) want to hear about your experience with the post-16 transition process.
Whether your child is applying for provision or has already moved through the process, your feedback is vital to shaping pathways and improving local support for young people with SEND.
Share your views in just a few minutes here: https://forms.office.com/e/imngiRWE2M
Early Years professionals from across Kirklees joined together for a powerful event focused on strengthening support for children with SEND.
Under the theme ‘Every Child Can Play’, the event explored how play can support development, wellbeing and inclusion in early years settings.
Over 100 professionals took part in practical learning and developing their inclusive practice.
The conference gave our early years specialists an even greater knowledge of how to enhance support for children with additional needs.
In the last newsletter, we told you a plan was being developed in response to proposed changes in the national SEND system.
All areas around the country recently had to submit a Local SEND Reform Plan to the government. Here in Kirklees, we did this by working closely with education, health, social care and wider partners, with vital input from children, young people, parents, carers and families.
Our plan includes detail on the future of SEND in Kirklees, how change will be achieved in the best way to suit local needs and how we will continue developing inclusion and improvement.
It builds on the work already taking place locally. We are not starting from scratch – we are building on strong foundations and focusing on consistency across the system.
Our Kirklees plan includes:
We are also looking to develop ‘Experts at Hand’, a new approach which brings together education, health and other services to provide earlier support closer to where children and young people learn and live.
We would like to thank everyone who has contributed so far. Next, the Department for Education will review plans from across the country and give their feedback later this year.
In the meantime, we will continue working with partners, parents, carers, children and young people to develop the details which can turn our ambitions into reality.
en-GBLast updated: 10/07/2026