Agenda item

10.10

Report by the Director for Children’s Services (ESC6).

The report reiterates the ongoing strategic and operational responsibilities of the Council. It provides information about the resources required to carry out these duties, particularly in relation to school improvement and support services.

The Education Scrutiny Committee is encouraged to challenge the robustness of the new structure of the Education & Learning services and the adequacy of the allocated resources, in order to assist officers in continuing to deliver high quality and efficient services to discharge the Council's statutory responsibilities.

Roy Leach, Strategic Lead, Sufficiency & Access, Chris Malone, Strategic Lead, Education Quality and Janet Johnson, Strategic Lead, Vulnerable Learners attended for this item to present a report which outlined the ongoing strategic and operational responsibilities of the Council, particularly in relation to School Improvement and support services.

A series of briefings on the continued role of the Council with schools had been delivered in the Summer Term. In Oxfordshire over 50% of pupils attended academies. Most secondary schools were now academies. The Council still held responsibilities for maintained schools. It had a role in supporting the academisation process and held some responsibilities for learners in academies.

The implementation of the Government’s national funding formula for schools and reformed Dedicated Schools Grant Blocks had been delayed by one year. Plans were now to implement the changes in 2018/19.  A consultation about the introduction of an Early Years national funding formula was underway. From September 2017 there would be an extension of the free Early Years entitlement for three and four year olds from 15 to 30 hours per week.

Ms Johnson, in introducing the report, explained that the teams supporting vulnerable learners were funded from the high needs block within the dedicated schools grant. The high needs block funding had not kept pace with increasing demand and consequently in 2015/16 spend exceeded the budget for the first time.  This was predicted to increase in future years and become a risk for the County Council if the current link with the other DSG blocks ceased, as proposed in the national funding reforms consultation, and if Oxfordshire did not receive sufficient funding when the national funding reforms were implemented in 2018/19.

Oxfordshire’s total High Needs expenditure was £246 per head in 2014/15, compared with £301 England, £292 South East region and £265 statistical neighbours. Oxfordshire’s estimated total high needs expenditure for 2015/16 was reducing to £221 per head, whereas it was rising in England (£317), SE region (£298) and statistical neighbours  (£282), therefore the funding gap was increasing in Oxfordshire.  Total high needs expenditure included top up funding to schools, (for children with statements or Education, Health and Care plans), SEN Support services, support for inclusion and alternative provision.

In line with all council services, this area continued to explore how to manage increasing demands with less resource. The three main priorities in 2016/17 were:

Increasing the range and quantity of provision in Oxfordshire:

·      Strategic development of specialist provision, including free schools opportunities

·      The Placement Strategy (keeping our most vulnerable closest to home) and cost efficiencies.

·      Maintaining relationships with local independent providers.

Early Years and SEN Support Services review:

·      Exploring further savings and

·      Service transformation to ensure that SEN services are fit for purpose for the next 5 years, taking into account interdependencies with other services, such as nursing and CAMHS, and other market developments. 

Performance of vulnerable learners

·      Stronger strategic and operational links between partners brokered by the Council to provide school improvement functions and central employed staff working within services for vulnerable learners.

Mr Leach stressed the importance of the outcome of the National Funding Review.   In the meantime, there was a need to ensure that there was sufficient provision locally, reviewing central services ensuring a strategic link around vulnerable children.

The following points were made during discussion:

The Authority maintained responsibility for permanently excluded children.

The Government was introducing a cap on the proportion of Early Year’s DSG that local authorities could hold back for central services.  In Oxfordshire this meant that reducing centrally held funding from 12% to 7% for 1 April 2017 and 5% for 1 April 2018.  The Government’s proposed increase in funding to providers did not translate to sufficient icrease to cover costs or to allow payment for services previously provided by the Council.

The Government had reduced resources dramatically but local authorities still maintained the responsibility for commissioning and brokering and the funding was not sufficient to do a decent job.

All acadamies by 2020 – this was not going to happen.  Oxfordshire had a lot of small primary schools and the functions and costs associated with those.

Members remained concerned that there was not enough funding for brokering the School to school model.

Members noted the need to ensure schools felt part of the Strategic Partnership.

There was a need to improve engagement with Multi Academy Trusts.

There was a need to be very supportive and appreciative of ‘professional generosity’ taking care not to over-burden individuals or schools.

There was recognition that large organised MATs were needed to replicate the work of the local authority.

There were many primary schools in Oxon that did not want to join a MAT.  There was a need to support those schools with school to school support.

Members noted the lack of a strategic post at level 2.

Members expressed concern over the possible further delay in the National Formula funding and the fact that the Authority would maintain responsibility for permanently excluded children.  Over the next two years there would be a need to take a very strategic look at funding within the authority and out at schools/acedemies.

Members further noted that the government continued to reduce resources dramatically, whilst expecting authorities to maintain responsibility for carrying out their statutory duties and that the diminishing funding would have an effect on the discharge of the council’s duties.  The Committee also noted that the direction provided by government was inadequate.

The Committee agreed to refer the issue to Cabinet with a request that the Cabinet write to the Secretary of State to express the views of the Committee.