Agenda item

Report by Corporate Director for Children’s Services.

At its meeting on 20 July 2021, Cabinet will be asked to seek agreement of the SEND top-up funding arrangements for academic year beginning September 2021.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to consider the Cabinet report attached as Appendix 1 and present their findings to the Cabinet meeting on 20 July 2021.

The Committee had before it a report for the Cabinet meeting on 20 July 2021 with a proposal for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disability) top-up funding for schools and they had been invited to pass on comments to the Cabinet meeting.

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, introduced the report.  She stated that the Council had an overriding need to support our most disadvantaged children.  These funds were needed to ensure that schools were able to provide for vulnerable children in the classrooms.  She invited questions on the proposal.

Kevin Gordon, Corporate Director for Children’s Services, added that these funds came directly from the Government and the Cabinet was required to make a decision on their allocation alongside the Schools’ Forum.  This was not the final answer.  A systematic way was needed to deal with this going forward, having consulted with schools and parents.  However, this was one way of strengthening support for children with SEND in mainstream schools which was in line with the direction of policy.

Councillor Brighouse and Kevin Gordon responded to Members’ questions as follows:

·         It was up to the schools to decide how they used the money to support vulnerable children, keep them in school and avoid exclusions.

·         These funds were proposed on top of what schools already get for SEND.

·         It was true to say that some schools had higher numbers of children with SEND – sometimes this was because the school had a good reputation for supporting such students.

·         The deficit for the High Needs Block was growing.  The Government had promised a review but their decision was still awaited.  The Local Government Association had lobbied central government and the Cabinet Member would welcome a letter being sent from this Committee.

·         The increase in mental health needs was being seen across the country.

·         The Council was developing a more child-centred and tailored approach. When funding was scarce a more targeted system was needed.

·         The ambition was to have local schools where children felt comfortable, engaged and could be creative and where teachers felt they had the support they need.

·         The deficit for 2021/22 was expected to be £11.7m.  Five local authorities had received a ‘bail-out’ from central government but it was not clear what the criteria for these were.  The Council had received indications that it would be dealt with.

·         A consultation on whole-system reform was due to start in September 2021 to be implemented in September 2022.

·         In terms of making more specialist school provision within the county, the landscape was complicated.  A new school would have to be an academy but this did not necessarily have to be about new schools.  It could include developing specialist bases in existing schools - perhaps repurposing existing spaces.

·         There was an issue around how teachers in some schools were supported – in the classroom and with training.  Teachers in specialist schools could be a resource for others.

Members also made the following suggestions and comments:

·         The pressure on schools had increased following cuts to other services for children with SEN.

·         Training for teaching staff was a key support.  We needed to recognise that fatigue can be a significant factor.

·         There was a need for a more sustainable solution, creating more capacity for special needs education within the county.

·         We needed to examine if the increase in numbers of children with SEN reflected an actual increase in need or if we were getting better at identifying these needs and if the criteria should be re-evaluated.

·         Some schools had a much higher proportion of children with SEN. It was suggested that the funding allocations should take account of that.

·         When it comes to looking at reform, schools and teachers were key stakeholders that needed to be central to any consultation.

It was agreed to pass the Committee’s comments to the following week’s Cabinet meeting.

RESOLVED: to consider the Cabinet report attached as Appendix 1 and present their findings to the Cabinet meeting on 20 July 2021.