Education Professional Services · UK public procurement notice

SEND stands for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. It is an area that is harnessing more attention as various disabilities, including mental health, garner the traction and attention they quite rightly deserve and the support that pupils need. There were 1.7 million pupils in 2024 in the UK confirmed to have special educational needs (SEN), accounting for 18.7% of all pupils¹.

The SEND Advisory Services Lot of this framework agreement will contain a set of suppliers who can provide services to both mainstream and specialist schools, on the best way to implement processes and policies to provide children with SEND the support they need in the school environment. The services provided via this Lot will look to assist with the below key issues identified by Ofsted³:

• Needing a pupil-centred approach when identifying needs and planning provision, but staff do not always know the pupils well enough to do this
• Teaching a curriculum to pupils that is not properly sequenced or well matched to their needs
• Mechanisms for co-production with parents and carers are often in place but implementation is not always meaningful, which impacts how far schools can tailor provision to children's needs
• SENCos do not have enough time to carry out their responsibilities and access continuing professional development
• Some pupils receive support from external services, but not always to the extent they need, and can occasionally lead to families funding this provision themselves

Local authorities are being encouraged to assist pupils with SEND in mainstream schools where possible, however local authority funding is ever depleting and the scheme that allows these authorities to keep the deficit they have amassed related to assisting pupils with SEND off their books is expiring imminently². Lack of available places for students in specialist schools is an ongoing issue. There are pupils who have the higher level SEND needs in public schools who can apply to attain a legally entitled education, health, and care plan (EHCP) via their local authorities. Mainstream schools are trying to manage the number of pupils needing additional support whilst operating in environments that have more children enrolled than there are places.

Whilst all mainstream schools must have a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENDCO), who has completed the mandatory NPQ qualification, this service provision is to assist schools with the implementation of a plan, how best to manage these pupils, preparing for fluctuations in the number of pupils covered by SEND and any new strategies that may be identified and implemented to assist these schools. SENDCO are often full-time staff who are managing their day job alongside the added responsibilities and tasks needed in their role as SENDCO.

Example services that can be provided via this Lot (not limited to):

• Reviewing accessibility and inclusion in assessment design
• Guidance on exam access arrangements and adjustments
• Development of diagnostic tools to support EHCP or SEND decision-making
• Evaluation of SEND strategies at MAT/local authority level
• Clarify that both in-school and strategic/technical consultancy services are in scope.

Due to the fact that the individuals provided as part of this service are likely to operate in an educational setting, such as a classroom or a meeting room, we require enhanced DBS checks on all these staff.

This Lot is proposed to provide training programs, or design, implementation, and evaluation services to enable effective curricula and assessment strategies. Suggested areas this Lot will cover are:

• Needs assessment to determine the goals, learner demographics, subject matter, and educational standards required for the curriculum
• Developing structured curricula based on educational standards, industry requirements, and institutional goals
• Writing, organising, and reviewing educational content, ensuring it is accurate, relevant, and age appropriate
• Ensuring the curriculum aligns with local, national, or international standards
• Developing inclusive and differentiated strategies to cater to diverse learning needs, including students with disabilities, English Language Learners (ELL), and gifted students
• Developing frameworks for formative, summative, diagnostic, and authentic assessments that measure student progress and mastery of the curriculum
• Analysing assessment data to identify trends in student performance, gaps in learning, and areas for improvement in both teaching and curriculum
• Recommending methods for delivering effective feedback to learners and educators, including strategies for both formative and summative assessments

o Conducting workshops and training sessions

o Building the capacity of educational staff to assess and evaluate curriculum effectiveness, design assessments, and interpret data

o Analysing the effectiveness of existing curriculum and assessments, making recommendations for updates or modifications based on performance data and feedback

o Ensuring that the curriculum and assessment methods align with best practices, regulatory standards, and accreditation guidelines

• National/international benchmarking and standards mapping
• Online and adaptive assessment strategies
• Technical expertise in psychometrics and validity studies
• Curriculum mapping and design using learning progressions

Due to the fact that the individuals provided as part of this service are likely to operate in an educational setting, such as a classroom or a meeting room, we require DBS checks on all these staff.

This service provision is intended to provide an alternative solution to a Student Assistance Programme (SAP), which can currently be procured through LUPC's Occupational Health framework, which provides for the option for members to meet their occupational health (OHS), employee assistance (EAP), and student support services through digital apps. In contract, the Therapy and Psychology Services will provide support through:

• Therapists for pupils on an a-hoc one-on-one basis
• In-house therapists for pupils on a long-term basis
• On-demand therapists for short-notice requirements
• Group therapy with varying frequency
• Ad-hoc therapy for staff
• Whole-class therapy focused work
• CBT-informed therapy
• Parent-child training sessions
• Teaching training sessions

Due to the fact that the individuals provided as part of this service are likely to operate in an educational setting, such as a classroom or a meeting room, we require enhanced DBS checks on all these staff.

Over one million pupils in schools in England do not have English as their first language. This does not necessarily mean that they are not fluent in English, however this may impact their family's ability to communicate with teachers and other school staff, which can cause many issues when the school needs to feedback to parents on their children's progress or behaviour. No pupil's education should be impacted due to the language of which they or their families speak, and the steady increase in pupils without English as their first language has led to an increased requirement for these services.

The provision of translation and interpretation services may cover a range of requirements, including but not limited to:

• Translation of documentation:

o Course materials, textbooks, and other teaching materials

o Student/parent consent forms

o Enrolment information

o Online forms

o Grade records

o Website and online documentation

o E-learning, video content and multimedia learning resources

• Translation of assessments
• Translation and interpretation services with pupils
• Translation and interpretation services with parents of pupils
• Facilitate communication between your staff, students, and their parents
• Telephone interpreting
• Remote video interpreting

Qualifications: The ATC Certification provides worldwide certification services for ISO standards in translation and interpreting services, quality and business management Leadership Development Training and Support Services. We do not require suppliers to be certified, but those suppliers who are not must provide evidence that their processes and procedures align to the certification, and this shall be determined as part of the quality assessment in the tender exercise that will be posted following this preliminary market engagement exercise.

Due to the fact that the individuals provided as part of this service are likely to operate in an educational setting, such as a classroom or a meeting room, we require DBS checks on all these staff.

Strong and effective leadership is a cornerstone of successful educational outcomes. With increasing pressures on schools to deliver high-quality education amidst evolving challenges-ranging from funding constraints to rising pupil needs-school leaders must be equipped with the skills, knowledge, and resilience to lead with confidence and clarity.

This Lot will include a range of providers capable of delivering leadership development training and support services to senior leaders, middle leaders, and aspiring leaders across mainstream and specialist educational settings. The services will be designed to support leadership at all levels, from headteachers and executive leaders to SENDCOs and department heads, ensuring that leadership capacity is built sustainably across the education system. Key areas of focus:

• Strategic Leadership and Vision Setting - Supporting leaders in developing and communicating a clear, inclusive, and future-focused vision for their schools, aligned with national priorities and local community needs
• Change Management and School Improvement - Training in leading through change, implementing school improvement plans, and using data-driven approaches to raise standards and close attainment gaps
• Inclusive Leadership - Equipping leaders with the tools to foster inclusive school cultures, particularly in relation to SEND, mental health, emotional intelligence and adaptability
• Coaching and Mentoring - Providing structured coaching and mentoring programmes to support leadership development, succession planning, and reflective practice
• Workforce Development and Staff Wellbeing - Helping leaders to build resilient teams, manage staff performance, and promote wellbeing and retention in a high-pressure environment
• Governance and Accountability - Training on effective governance, compliance with statutory responsibilities, and working with governing bodies and local authorities
• Assessment Leadership - Support for exam officers, assessment leads, and heads of department on data, moderation, and quality assurance
• Strategic Planning & Improvement (School development planning, Theory of Change, use of data and diagnostics)
• Governance Training (Chair and board development, statutory duties, oversight of curriculum, safeguarding)
• Coaching and Mentoring (1:1 or group-based, especially for new or challenged leaders)
• Inspection Readiness (Support for leadership teams preparing for Ofsted/Estyn/ISIs inspections)

Maintained schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) have a statutory duty to ensure that all registered pupils, from year 8 to year 13, are provided with independent and impartial careers guidance. Further Education Colleges also have a similar requirement.

Where internal resource is limited, or the provision of a free service does not cover everything the member wants or requires, they may reach out to external suppliers to provide a variety of services, including but not limited to:

• Impartial careers advice to pupils
• Impartial careers advice to parents
• Mock interviews (group or individual)
• Guidance on applications for jobs
• Higher education guidance and recommendations
• Training on careers for school staff
• Implementation of talks and advice directly with employers
• CV workshops and guidance
• Academic monitoring and mentoring
• Implementation of a programme to improve internal career advice and guidance
• Review of current provision
• Support on results day
• Drop-in day sessions
• Options meeting for pupils, parents, or both
• Assistance with arranging and running careers fairs

Due to the fact that the individuals provided as part of this service are likely to operate in an educational setting, such as a classroom or a meeting room, we require DBS checks on all these staff.

This Lot will offer a range of tasks aimed at assisting CPC members in the implementation of modern technology into their existing systems, improving their technology infrastructure, and optimising the use of technology to meet business goals. Suggested areas this Lot will cover:

• Evaluation of business processes and objectives to understand the technology requirements
• Identifying how technology integration can address gaps or inefficiencies
• Analysing the existing IT infrastructure, software, hardware, and systems to assess compatibility with innovative solutions
• Stakeholder engagement (management, IT teams, business departments) to understand requirements
• Completed SWOT Analysis related to the current technology model
• Development of a strategic technology integration roadmap aligned with the organisation's business goals, timelines, and budget
• Assist in the evaluation and selection of appropriate technologies, platforms, or third-party services
• Define how new technologies will be integrated with existing systems, considering data flow, workflows, user roles, and business processes
• Identify potential risks associated with integration, such as data security issues, downtime, or user adoption challenges
• Design the architecture of the new integrated technology environment, ensuring scalability, performance, and security
• Develop data integration strategies, including data migration, transformation, and mapping from legacy systems to new platforms
• Design the integration points and APIs required to link various systems and ensure smooth data exchange
• Oversee the project management of the integration process
• Manage the installation, setup, and deployment of the integrated systems, software, or technologies
• Facilitate change management processes to ensure smooth transitions, including communication, training, and support for end-users
• Oversee user acceptance testing (UAT), integration testing, and troubleshooting to ensure the system works as intended
• Training and documentation
• Ongoing support to address issues, monitor system performance, and assist in resolving post-deployment challenges
• Monitor and evaluate the performance of the integrated systems and suggest improvements or optimisations
• Ongoing Optimisation: Regularly assess the integrated systems to identify opportunities for further optimisation, automation, or enhancement
• Maintenance plans for updates and patches to ensure the system remains effective and secure over time
• IT infrastructure vulnerability assessments and testing (including both reactive and proactive measures)
• Asset management and licence renewals
• Digital assessment platforms - Design, procurement, integration and delivery of e-assessment systems
• Curriculum and learning platforms - Support for online CPD, curriculum delivery platforms, digital content integration
• AI in education systems - Emerging area (adaptive testing, NLP-based feedback tools, etc.)