Agenda item

To receive the Council’s response to questions previously raised by the Schools Forum regarding High Needs Block Funding.

Ian Dixon and Frank Glennon attended the Forum to present a more detailed response to questions that had been raised by the Forum in regards to historic decision making along with an update on the High Needs Block review.

As a result of the Members’ questions, the following points were made:

• Research on the percentage modelling of SEN places at BLV had previously been undertaken. There is an agreement in place that there would be 40 places in an integrated unit. There is no requirement for a unit for pupils with sensory impairment as the numbers are low and the pupils are making progress in mainstream schooling.
• The national growth trend showed there was an increased number of pupils with ASD and it may be a challenge to place these pupils in integrated facilities as some schools / Academies may not be as keen to take these pupils.
• ASD could be met in mainstream schools however mixed with other issues e.g. SEMH this could be a challenge.
• The Government has indicated a possible reduction to the central budget around alternative provision.
• There had been inconsistent approaches to exclusions in Primary Schools, and it was noted by Primary Heads that they felt they had been very lenient with their approach. Seventeen schools had used fixed exclusions in the past year.
• The outreach model was being built up with an in-house training session held a few weeks ago.
• Strategic discussions were being held within the Council with the changing nature of SEN delivery on the agenda.
• All additional resources would be reviewed as part of the transformation programme with input from Head Teachers SEN strategy group and other agencies.
• All data in the action plan had been received directly from schools. There was currently no resource available to provide quality analysis of this data to map needs. A data team provision was being looked at as part of transformation.
• There are a range of services that schools receive support from.  There are discussions amongst those services to effect a more joined up approach to supporting schools, especially in respect of auditing their practice and procedures in respect of SEN.  This is important given that the majority of students on school’s SEN registers will not have an EHCP and that the Code of Practice requires schools to keep a register of students receiving SEN Support and evidence how they are assessing, meeting and reviewing the needs of each student, 
• The Council’s services to schools can help schools at recording SEN and with their auditing practice. Work was currently happening in silos with a new joined up approach for auditing practice planned. This was especially needed for SEN as there were over seven hundred children with plans in place with many not needing them.
• At the last Forum meeting, the Forum agreed that the High Needs Provision didn’t meet the required needs. As a result and Action Plan until August 2018 had been created with all actions implemented and taken to the SEN Action group for review. Head Teachers were also putting plans in place to improve the strategy.
• It was requested that an update on the action plan be provided at each Forum meeting. It was suggested that the action plan be placed on the Agenda for the October 2017 Forum meeting and it would be decided at the October meeting whether it would be on the December 2017 Forum Agenda as there may not be much movement.
• Some actions on the plan were red as they are dependent on actions within the wider transformation plan being completed.
• The plan was largely based on the recommendations agreed in the High Needs Review and had been agreed by DMT. Although the wording had been adapted slightly, the headlines and actions were the same.