Agenda item

Schools Forum received a report which provided the Forum with the outcome of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Provision and High Needs Block (HNB) Review consultation with schools and parents.  In addition, the report presented the Forum with recommendations for future the allocation of financial resources through the High Needs Block and Highs Needs Capital Allocation Grant.

 

Sandwell had seen a significant rise of children/young people (C/YP) with SEND requiring additional support in recent years.  The number of C/YP requiring an Education, Health and Care Plan had doubled since the introduction of the SEND Reforms in 2014. Professionals reported that there had been an increase in the complexity of needs of pupils and current capacity of Special schools within the local area was limited.

 

A sufficiency analysis had been undertaken using historic and current data to predict anticipated need in the future.  Data included population growth of pupils with SEND, trends in specific areas of SEND needs, capacity within specialist provision and financial implications.

 

Proposals had been constructed through steering group meetings with: Special, Focus Provision schools and Pupil Referral Units (through Extended Special Heads meetings), mainstream primary and secondary schools.  These had then been further developed by a sub-group of schools forum which had representation from Special School, PRU, Focus Provision Schools, mainstream primary and mainstream secondary school.

 

The consultation had been sent electronically to Head Teachers, included in the school’s bulletin and posted on the Local Offer.  It had also been advertised through Sandwell Parent Voice United social media platforms and a parents meeting organised.

 

The Consultation period had run from 27th September 2021 to the 15th October 2021.  The proposals were set out in the Appendix 1 to this report.  Appendix 2 to the report set out the outcomes of the consultation and specific feedback from the review.

 

There were 41 respondents in total to the consultation proposals including 25 Head Teachers, 3 members of SLT, 10 SENCos and 3 Parent / carers.

Proposal 1: Time allocation of Inclusion Support Services to   Secondary Schools

 

In total 95% of participants in the consultation had voted to change time allocation of Inclusion Support Services within Secondary schools to a formula model.

 

Option 1.1:  55% had felt the new formula should be aligned to the primary school model.

 

Option 1.2:  41% had felt the formula needed further discussion and agreement through a secondary school steering group.

 

Option 1.3:  4.8% had voted to maintain current flat rate model 62% of secondary schools who had taken part in the consultation voted for Option 1.2, only 14.0% voted for Option 1.3 (to maintain current flat rate) and 24% had voted for the primary formula.

 

The cost of this proposal on the HNB was Nil.

 

The Recommendation presented to the Forum was: To change time allocation of Inclusion Support Services in Secondary Schools to a formula model.  To ensure that the model was viewed as a fair and consistent approach across Secondary schools, it was recommended that Secondary colleagues were consulted on the key indicators and weightings within the model.

 

Proposal 2: Determine the use of funding being held within SEN Support Services category of the High Needs Block for a Secondary Preventing Exclusions Team

 

Option 2.1:  40% of participants had voted to use HNB funding to employ a new Secondary Preventing Exclusions team.

Option 2.2:  60% of participants had voted to use HNB funding to employ the Transition / Integration Team who are currently funded through the Exclusion Levy.

 

The Recommendation presented to the Forum was: To use HNB funding to employ the Transition / Integration Team who are currently funded through the schools Exclusion Levy funding.

 

The cost of the PSE team is already built into the HNB at a cost of £198,600 so will have no significant impact

Proposal 3: To determine the level of top up funding allocated to C/YP with an Education Health and Care Plan

 

Option 3.1: 11.6% of participants had voted for 1% increase of Top Up funding to all pupils in mainstream and special schools.

 

Option 3.2: 20% of participants had voted for 2% increase of Top Up funding to all pupils in mainstream and special schools.

 

Option 3.3: 8.3% of participants had voted for 1% increase of Top Up funding to pupils in mainstream schools.

 

Option 3.4: 25% of participants had voted for 2% increase of Top Up funding to pupils in mainstream schools.

 

Option 3.5: 23% of participants had voted to maintain current levels of Top Up funding.

 

There was 1 vote difference between Option 3.4 and Option 3.5.  The financial implications for this proposal would need to be carefully considered by schools forum.

 

Option 3.4 would have a cost implication and assuming that the HNB did not have any future substantial increases in the grant after 2022/23, this would produce an in-year deficit in 2025/26 and subsequent years.

 

Option 3.5 would maintain current predicted surplus from the baseline position.  However, decisions around increasing specialist placements would impact on surplus going forward and these would need to be taken into consideration when deciding on this proposal.

 

The Recommendation presented to the Forum was: For schools forum to consider the financial implications of Option 3.4 and Option 3.5.

 

Proposal 4: To incrementally increase specialist places for pupils with severe learning difficulties / complex needs and    secondary aged SEMH students.

 

The list below provided suggested examples of incremental changes to Specialist Provision within Sandwell to address the current short fall.  Designation of need was based on current priorities for placement.

 

•        KS3 SEMH FP – 10 places HNB £231,290 + capital costs.

•        KS3 / 4 SEMH Specialist – 10 places HNB annual cost £347,370 + capital costs.

•        Increase SLD / Complex Needs provision primary + secondary Satellite Schools / extension – 20 places HNB annual cost £482, 920 + capital costs.

 

Capital costs would be met through the High Needs Capital Allocation Grant.

 

Option 4.1:  87.5% of participants had agreed with the proposal to increase additional specialist places for pupils with SLD/complex needs and secondary aged SEMH students.

 

Option 4.2:  12.5% of participants had disagreed with this proposal.

 

The Recommendation presented to the Forum was: To use HNB Funding and High Needs Capital Allocation to support the increase of specialist places for pupils with SLD/Complex needs and secondary aged SEMH pupils.

 

If it was assumed that there were no significant increases in the HNB Grant after 2022/23, the incremental effect of funding additional specialist places would put the HNB into deficit from 2023/24 at the earliest worst-case scenario.

 

Proposal 5: To support development specialist teaching spaces in mainstream schools

 

Option 5.1:   68% of participants had agreed with the proposal to use High Needs Capital Allocation Funding to support development of specialist teaching/intervention spaces within mainstream schools.

 

Option 5.2:  32% of participants had disagreed with the proposals.

 

The Recommendation presented to the Forum was: To use funding from the High Needs Capital Allocation to implement a grant system to support mainstream schools in developing specialist teaching paces to support pupils with SEND needs.

Proposal 6:  To provide a limited resource grant through HNB funding to schools establishing specialist teaching spaces.

 

Option 6.1:  65% of participants had agreed with this proposal to provide a small resource grant (£2000) to contribute to resources when establishing specialist hubs.

 

Option 6.2:  35% of participants had disagreed with the proposal.

 

The Recommendation presented to the Forum was: To use HNB funding to implement a grant system for allocation of a limited resource grant to contribute to the         equipping of specialist teaching spaces.

 

The cost of this proposal would be minimal and could be met from the HNB carry forward as at 1 April 2023 as one-off expenditure.

 

The Forum discussed the various proposals and sought clarification on a number of points.   In particular, the Forum queried what the potential impact of agreeing the options contained within the report were (what the projections were) on any potential deficits from the Nigh Needs Block in future years.

 

Having discussed the various proposals further, the Forum was minded to defer proposals 3, 5 and 6 in view of the fact that the report had been tabled and Members had not had sufficient time to digest the information in order to reach an informed decision.

 

In particular, M Tallents was requested by the Forum to attend Partnership Meetings so that she could discuss the deferred proposals in more detail and answer questions.  M Barnett clarified that this would not be another consultation exercise.  It would simply be an exercise to provide and seek clarity on the deferred proposals.

 

Resolved that: -

 

1.      proposal 1 at 5.2 of the report (To change time allocation of Inclusion Support Services in Secondary Schools to a formula model.  To ensure that the model is viewed as a fair and consistent approach across Secondary schools, it is recommended that Secondary colleagues are consulted on the key indicators and weightings within the mode) be approved.

 

2.      proposal 2 at 6.2 of the report (To use HNB funding to employ the Transition /Integration Team who are currently funded through the schools Exclusion Levy funding) be approved.

 

3.      proposal 3 at 7.5 of the report (For schools forum to consider the financial implications of Option 3.4 and Option 3.5) be deferred until the next meeting.

 

4.      proposal 4 at 8.3 of the report (To use HNB Funding and High Needs Capital Allocation to support the increase of specialist places for pupils with SLD/Complex needs and secondary aged SEMH pupils) be approved.

 

5.      proposal 5 at 9.2 of the report (To use funding from the High Needs Capital Allocation to implement a grant system to support mainstream schools in developing specialist teaching paces to support pupils with SEND needs) be deferred until the next meeting.

 

6.      proposal 6 at 10.2 of the report (To use HNB funding to implement a grant system for allocation of a limited resource grant to contribute to the equipping of specialist teaching spaces) be deferred until the next meeting.