A progress update will be provided on the Authority’s strategic reviews of SEND and Alternative Provision. This update includes continued discussion on matters presented to the Schools Forum on 8 July.

Recommended –

The Schools Forum is asked to consider and to note the information provided.

(Marium Haque – 01274 431078)

The Deputy Director, Education and Learning, led a verbal update on SEND and AP provision matters including on information requested previously by the Forum on the occupancy of specialist places, the number of EHCPs across the District and the status of discussions with the DfE regarding the academy order for District PRU. It was reported that:

·         87% of established places are occupied at September 2020. This is a positive position, which provides for capacity to be used for new placements from this point (the Authority would not wish to have occupied all available places at the start of the academic year).

·         From the Authority’s data-dashboard, there are 4,501 EHCPs across the District of which 2,484 are placed in mainstream provisions.

·         Regular discussions are taking place with the DfE regarding District PRU’s academy order and we anticipate a ministerial decision on this in the next few weeks. The Authority, as planned from September, is no longer commissioning places from the PRU. The majority of the PRU’s staff are re-deployed currently in support of the Authority’s COVID-19 recovery plan.

The Chair asked the Deputy Director whether a written report on places occupancy would be presented to the next Forum meeting. This request initiated a discussion on the role of the Schools Forum and what information should be presented by the Authority in support of this role.

The Deputy Director and Strategic Manager, Integrated Assessment, stated that the Forum is requesting information, including on operational matters, that falls outside of their remit, and that this information is presented more relevantly to other groups, including the SEND Partnership Board, and is already available publicly. By contrast, for example, wider school places organisation and sufficiency information is not requested by or presented to the Forum. It is also felt that the Forum should begin to consider more closely than it does presently other financial matters relating to high needs provision, including out of authority costs and how the three different parts of the EHCP system (education, health and social care) interact financially. The Authority would therefore, like now to re-focus the Forum’s discussions in respect of high needs and would like to talk with the Forum more about this.

The Chair, Vice Chair and some other Forum members expressed their disagreement with the Authority’s viewpoint. They expressed their concerns that the Authority’s position (to not provide reports on e.g. places occupancy) would represent a change in policy and would mean that information that will inform their understanding of High Needs Block financial matters will not be available to them. The Vice Chair stated that the Forum should continue to be given information to enable members to understand the strategic use of monies. An academies member expressed the view that there is aspect of the Forum’s information requests that aimed at ensuring accountability for the monies within the High Needs Block that were previously transferred for the creation of new places and that another aspect is supporting forward planning. The member also suggested that a contributory factor to the way the Forum feels is that information requested has been commonly recently presented verbally rather than in written reports and, as a result, it has been difficult for the Forum to keep track. He also reminded the Forum that it has previously operated a high needs block steering group, which has not recently met.

The Business Advisor (Schools) was asked what the DfE’s guidance is / Regulations are in this area. He explained in summary that the Authority is the decision maker in respect of the High Needs Block and that the Schools Forum is a consultative body only. The Authority does however, have a responsibility to ensure that the Forum is an informed body and the Authority has always sought to ensure that the Forum makes informed comment, decisions and recommendations. The Regulations do specifically state that the Authority has a duty to consult annually with the Forum on places commissioning in respect of SEND and AP and on arrangements for paying top-up for EHCPs.

No resolution was reached on this matter in the meeting. It was recognised that further discussion is needed and would be helpful, including with reference to the DfE’s guidance on the remit of the Schools Forum in relation to high needs funding.

Resolved –

That the information provided be noted.