Commissioning & referrals

A specialist Alternative Provision, available to commission across Suffolk.

Suffolk Sensory Kitchen is commissioned by individual schools, multi-academy trusts and Suffolk County Council under three primary routes: directly under a dual-registration arrangement; via a MAT-wide framework; or via the local authority’s SEND high-needs block and EHCP Section F.

Every placement is governed by a written Service Level Agreement, signed by the home school, the parent or carer with parental responsibility, and the directors of Suffolk Sensory Kitchen. The SLA sets out, in plain language, exactly what we will and will not do - and exactly what we expect from the commissioning school in return.

The dual-registration model

For Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 placements, students remain on the roll of their home school and are dual-registered with us under code “B” for the days they attend. This is the model recommended by the DfE’s Alternative Provision Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities and aligns with the SEND and AP Improvement Plan.

• Statutory responsibility for safeguarding, attendance and exam entry remains with the home school.
• Quality assurance, day-to-day safeguarding and pastoral provision while on site is held by us.
• Weekly written updates are provided to the home school’s named contact.
• Reintegration plans are co-authored from Week 4 of placement.

A clear SLA boundary

We are deliberate about the boundary between our scope and the home school’s scope. The full SLA is provided to every commissioner before signature; the headlines are below.

✓ We will hold designated safeguarding cover on site at all times.
✓ We will notify the home school of any safeguarding disclosure within the same working day.
✓ We will provide attendance data to home school by 09:30 each session day.
✗ We will not deliver GCSE exam preparation in core academic subjects.
✗ We will not hold statutory exclusion powers (these remain with the home school).
✗ We will not accept undisclosed risk profiles - withholding known risk information is grounds to terminate the SLA.

Pricing tiers

Three tiers, transparently published.

We publish our tiers openly because we believe transparent pricing is a feature, not a vulnerability. Final fees are confirmed in the SLA and reviewed annually.

Tier 1 - Outreach

[REQUIRES USER INPUT: Tier 1 day rate]

In-school workshops, parent evenings and CPD sessions
Delivered on the commissioning school’s premises
Quoted per session, with a minimum block of three sessions
Suitable for SEND classes, Year 6 transition cohorts, EBSA recovery groups

Most commissioned

Tier 2 - Standard Placement

[REQUIRES USER INPUT: Tier 2 day rate]

6-week Resilience and Reset placement
Four days per week on site, fifth day reserved for home school
Full curriculum, full SLA, full safeguarding cover
Includes ingredients, transport contributions and parental engagement sessions

Tier 3 - Extended / Complex

[REQUIRES USER INPUT: Tier 3 day rate]

12-week placement for the most dysregulated profiles
Co-commissioned with the local authority where applicable
Includes enhanced multi-agency working (CAMHS, social care, virtual school)
Quoted bespoke, against EHCP Section F

All tiers are quoted exclusive of VAT and subject to the Service Level Agreement signed at point of commissioning. Discounts available for block commissioning across a MAT or local authority district.

The SLA in detail

The questions every commissioner asks, answered.

The pathway, in five steps

What happens between an enquiry and a signed SLA.

01
Initial enquiry
Submitted via the form below or a direct telephone call to the office.
02
Director call
Within 2 working days. We talk through the young person, the home school context and whether we are the right setting.
03
Information sharing
Under a written information-sharing agreement, the home school passes us EHCP, risk assessment and pastoral background.
04
Parent / carer meeting
On site, with the young person where helpful. We meet them. They meet us.
05
Signed SLA & start date
The SLA is countersigned and a phased start date is agreed.

Begin a referral

Start the conversation here.

The form below is the formal start of a referral. Personal data is encrypted in transit and stored in line with our Privacy Notice. Please do not include the young person’s full name or date of birth at this stage - initials only.

Section 1 - Referrer

Full name *

Role / job title *

Work email

Direct telephone

Section 2 - Setting

School / MAT / Authority *

DfE URN (if applicable)

Commissioning route

Named commissioner (if known)

Section 3 - Student

Year group *

EHCP status

Student initials (no full name at this stage)

Current attendance

Primary presenting need *

Section 4 - Risk overview

Please summarise current known risks (to self, to peers, to staff, to property), de-escalation strategies that work, and any allergens, medications or PEEP requirements we must hold from day one.

Risk assessment overview *

Section 5 - Consent

I confirm I have lawful basis under UK GDPR (Article 6(1)(e) public task / Article 9(2)(g) substantial public interest - safeguarding) to share the above information with Suffolk Sensory Kitchen, and that the parent or carer has been informed of this referral wherever it is safe to do so. *

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Notice. Encrypted in transit. Stored on UK-region infrastructure.

Prefer to speak first?

We always prefer to speak with a SENCO, inclusion lead or commissioner before paperwork moves. Telephone the office during working hours, or email to request a 30-minute discovery call with one of the directors.