The Strategic Director Children’s Services will submit a report (Document “P”) which seeks approval from the Executive to increase the number of specialist places for Children and Young People in Local Authority maintained schools across the Bradford district.

The proposals outlined in this report will deliver:

•           34 new Resourced Provision places in two LA maintained primary schools

•           40 additional maintained special school places

Recommended –

(1)       That the proposal for increasing pupil numbers at Oastlers         Special School from 94 to 134 be approved.

(2)       That the separate proposals for the development of a coherent scheme of Resourced Provisions (RPs) in maintained primary          mainstream schools be approved as follows:

              i.        establish a new 22 place RP at Princeville Primary School

            ii.        establish a new 12 place RP at Miriam Lord Primary School

Any identified Academies will undertake their own consultation, in line with the Local Authority’s, with stakeholders including the local authority to inform the development and submission of a business case to the DfE for approval.

(3)       That in accordance with paragraph 8.7.4 of Part 3E of the             constitution, resolutions as set out in 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 to Document “P” are not subject to call-in as the matter is urgent; as             any delay which may result from calling-in the decision may be prejudicial to the interests of the Council’s ability to undertake the   necessary building work             required to create the additional SEND     places in time for the September 2019 pupil intake.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Children’s Services

(Emma Hamer - 01274 439535)

The Strategic Director Children’s Services submitted a report (Document “P”) which sought approval from the Executive to increase the number of specialist places for Children and Young People in Local Authority maintained schools across the Bradford district.

The proposals outlined in the report would deliver:

•           34 new Resourced Provision places in two LA maintained

            primary schools

•           40 additional maintained special school places

It was noted that, in addition to the proposals to increase specialist places at the above maintained schools, 215 additional specialist places were also proposed across the academy sector, requiring approval from the Regional Schools Commissioner.

These proposals including, the academies proposals, would deliver in total 289 additional specialist places out of the additional 354 commissioned SEND places outlined at School Forum in January 2019. Further developments with a number of LA maintained schools and academies were on-going and would be consulted on at a later date to deliver the remaining 65 places.

The Strategic Director advised members that consultation had taken place from March 2019 and that Statutory Notices were published from 23 May to 20 June 2019.  A high level of responses had been received, the majority if which agreed with the need for increased SEND places.  The analysis of Consultation Responses and Statutory Notice Consultation Analysis were attached as appendices to Document “P”.

It was noted that £2.6 million had been allocated from the Basic Needs Allocation to pay for the additional accommodation/modifications that were required to deliver the proposals and the local authority would also use the £306k SEND Capital allocation from Central Government.

Reference was made to the need to undertake the necessary building work required to create the additional SEND places in time for the September 2019 pupil intake and as such it was recommended that resolutions (1) and (2) below not be subject to call-in.

A member attended the meeting and asked whether the proposals meant that every child that needed a special school place in September would have one.  In response the Director of Education confirmed that this was correct and added that if provision had not been increased it would have had to be provided outside the District.

The Education, Employment and Skills Portfolio Holder commended the proposals to increase the number of SEND places in the District which would be kept under review.  He added that 354 places would be in place for September 2019.

Resolved –

(1)       That the proposal for increasing pupil numbers at Oastlers         Special School from 94 to 134 be approved.

(2)       That the separate proposals for the development of a coherent scheme of Resourced Provisions (RPs) in maintained primary          mainstream schools be approved as   follows:

              i.        establish a new 22 place RP at Princeville Primary School

            ii.        establish a new 12 place RP at Miriam Lord Primary School

 (3)      That in accordance with paragraph 8.7.4 of Part 3E of the constitution, resolutions as set out in 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 to    Document “P” are not subject to call-in as the matter is     urgent;          as any delay which may result from calling-in the decision may be  prejudicial to the interests of the Council’s ability to undertake the          necessary building work required to create the additional SENDplaces in time for the September 2019 pupil intake.

ACTION: Strategic Director Children’s Services

Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Children’s Services