Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 25 December 2018 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

a) To agree the minutes of 5 December 2018 as a correct record.

b) The Business Advisor (Schools) reported on progress made on “Action” items as follows:

·         That the Virtual School’s annual report to the Corporate Parenting Board, to be published in January, be shared with the Schools Forum in March. The Vice Chair also requested clarification to be provided on how schools are permitted to spend their Pupil Premium Plus monies (to employ staff not just ‘spend on pupils’).

·         That the requested conversation with Beckfoot Academies Trust regarding the financial model for Beckfoot Upper Heaton Academy will take place shortly and will be reported back.

c) Other Matters Arising:

·         The Business Advisor introduced the 3 additional documents presented to the meeting under matters arising:

o   a summary of decision making powers (for reference),

o   the DfE’s letter of 17 December setting out additional capital and revenue high needs monies as well as information regarding the SEND free schools programme, and

o   the Local Authority’s outline plan for the creation of additional specialist places during 2019.

·         Regarding the DfE’s additional revenue funding announcement, a Member observed that the national problem regarding the sufficiency of funding of high needs appears now finally to be recognised. However, both the Member and the Deputy Director, Education and Skills, also observed that £250m of additional revenue funding is not sufficient to meet an estimated £1bn national gap nor does this secure sufficient resources to meet growing needs in the future. The Business Advisor also stressed that the allocation of the £250m has been done in blanket fashion across authorities without reference to the impact of NFF damping, which means that the fundamental issue we face around the impact of this damping is not eased.

·         Regarding the DfE’s announcement of an additional £100m of capital funding, Members agreed that the ‘devil will be in the detail’. The lack of capital resource has been a barrier to our development of additional specialist places capacity and we would be looking for a significant injection of additional funding from this £100m. We estimated that we may expect to receive at least 1.1% of this national pot.

·         Regarding the DfE’s announcement about the release of the next wave of SEND free schools, the Deputy Director expressed caution as the DfE’s application of the ‘criteria’ for successful bids will be crucial in our securing of a new ASD provision. The timescale for the delivery of this school is also long-term.

·         The Deputy Director introduced the outline plan for the creation of an additional 354 specialist places in 2019 across special schools, existing delegated resourced provisions, new delegated resourced provisions and new ARC provisions (where staffing is managed centrally and deployed flexibly). The Intelligence & Sufficiency Manager more fully explained the plan, and the data behind this, stressing that the delivery of this plan is subject to the completion of consultation and statutory processes.

In response to questions about where these places are being developed, the Intelligence & Sufficiency Manager explained that a number of locations and assets have been identified and discussions have taken place.

The Chair stated that the delivery of this plan will require considerable commitment, including capital resources but also a process for the recruitment of additional specialist staff.

In response to questions about the relationship between these places and out of authority and independent placements, the Deputy Director emphasised that the creation of places was aimed at capacity building and ‘cost avoidance’ rather than seeking to return existing placements back to Bradford.

The Chair welcomed the presentation of the plan, stating also that she understood why the Authority is seeking to establish additional places through the ARC model (retention and deployment of specialist staffing). Members asked about how this model works where schools retain responsibility for the outcomes of children but do not have management responsibility for staff. The Deputy Director stressed that the arrangements with schools are set out in clear SLAs and that, in her experience, this model supports schools in their Ofsted judgements and schools benefit from the staff expertise on site.

The Member representing maintained PRUs added that he welcomed the development work that is currently taking place with the Authority to ‘un-block’ the flow of pupils through the PRUs. With reference to the additional information, which sets out the full list of places that are estimated to be funded by the High Needs Block in 2019/20, and the movement of alternative provision places, the Vice Chair asked why there is a 50% reduction in alternative provision places when there is clear demand for places. The Deputy Director responded to explain that there are a number of aspects of the District’s alternative provision model that are being reviewed and re-shaped, in discussion, and this includes the role of PRUs and the flow of monies between schools and the High Needs Block. A Member representing maintained primary headteachers added that there are a number of aspects in the management of the primary-phase behaviour centres that also require clarification. Members asked for a report to the next meeting, which clarifies the SEMH continuum of provision.

Resolved –

(1)  Alongside the Virtual School Headteacher’s report on Looked After Children, which is scheduled to be presented to the next meeting in March, that clarification is provided on whether schools can use their Pupil Premium Grant allocated for Looked After Children to employ additional staffing.

(2)  That the additional information presented: the DfE letter of 17 December 2018 ‘High Needs Provision and Support’ and the ‘SEND Provision (Intended Places Development During 2019) – subject to consultation’ outline plan, be noted.

(3)   That clarification is provided in a report to the next meeting in March on the Authority’s continuum of provision for children and young people with SEMH.