Updates, Frequently Asked Questions and Keeping in Touch

Timeline of Activity to be updated.

Virtual Keeping in Touch Meetings

Virtual Keeping in Touch Meetings to access 2024/25 academic year presentations.

Updates

May 2026 - Recruitment of Community Chairs

KCC is actively recruiting for additional Community of Schools (CoS) Chairs to fill positions becoming vacant for September 2026. The Community chair will have responsibility for chairing the school ‘Community’ meetings as part of KCC’s commitment to developing local area partnership arrangements for children and young people with SEN. Chairs will also have responsibility of governance of the model in the light of local and national SEN reforms. Community chairs will be committed as system leaders who will work for the best outcomes for all children and young people across Kent.

The Countywide Approach to Inclusive Education (CATIE) Strategy 2023 – 2028, sets out how we in Kent will work together to improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As part of the delivery of the priorities within this strategy, our Communities of Schools are crucial, allowing SEN support and services to be accessed and delivered in a new way, making better use of local education, health, and SEN expertise and aligning with the direction set out within the “Every Child Achieving and Thriving” White Paper.

These fixed-term posts (July 2026 to end of July 2027) are available for a school senior leader for one day per month equivalent, per Community.

This is an exciting opportunity for SENCOs and Inclusion leaders to develop their skills, experience and professional network across different school and Local Authority settings and to embed good practice and take forward a critical agenda in the Local Area.

Complete the following form Community Chair Expressions of Interest – Fill in form which includes an expression of interest of no more than 200 words.

The closing date for expressions of interest is 5pm on Friday the 5th June 2026.

March 2026- Communities of Schools (Request for Resource) Form

You will be aware the Kent Locality Model’s Communities of Schools (CoS) have been running since September 2025; we would like to extend our thanks to you for your patience as we launched and worked through arising nuances in the new systems. As part of our continued process development, we are making some minor changes to the Request for Resource form, these will enable for simpler payment processing and easier identification of resources.

From 20 April 2026 we will be changing the name to Communities of Schools Form, and expanding the ‘Financial resource’ option – please find important information in the document and guidance (PDF, 168.1 KB) on correct population for timely payments.

Locality Model Frequently Asked Questions

The Locality Model Frequently Asked Questions (updated September 2025) are broken down into the 3 key areas of the Locality Model: Communities of Schools, Area Boards and the Professional Resource Group. There will be regular updates to this document as the work progresses. For specific finance related questions we also have a dedicated section -Communities of Schools Financial Information - KELSI.

There is a dedicated page on Kelsi for all updates and background information: Locality Model for School Inclusion - KELSI

These questions have been collated from various engagement opportunities over the last few months including Communities of Schools events, SEN System Funding Consultation engagement sessions, Locality Model – Keeping in Touch meetings, The Education People – Finance Information Group Meetings and meetings with the Community Chairs.

For any further questions please direct your emails to; localitymodel@kent.gov.uk

Support for Schools- Parent/Carer Engagement

We are continuing to work with Kent PACT to ensure we support communications with parent/carers, please check back here or check the Kent PACT website for updates.