A progress report on the SEND and SEHM reviews will be presented, Document IR. Document IR will be tabled at the meeting.

Recommended –

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

(Andrew Redding – 01274 432678)

The Chair introduced this agenda item by explaining that Document IR is not available and that an update is being provided verbally.

The Assistant Director, Performance, Commissioning and Partnership, reported on the developments that have taken place since the last Schools Forum meeting on the trading of SEND services, the development of a local agreement in the primary sector for the financing of alternative provision and the development of the secondary alternative provision continuum. She reported that the Authority meets with the Regional Schools Commissioner’s office on a fortnightly basis and that discussions on free schools and the sufficiency of SEND and AP places are continuing. She also confirmed the interim leadership arrangements within the Authority. The SEND Planning and Project Manager provided on update on the agreement for the development of interim SEND places. She also reported that further clarification on the timeline and scope of wave 13 is still being sought (expected summer 2018).

Members added to this update. The Chair explained that the establishment of a local agreement in the primary sector, for the management and financing of children permanently excluded, was being discussed at the BPIP meeting this week. The Chair asked the Forum for a clear statement of their support for this. Members gave their endorsement. The Vice Chair reported that strategic development work to strengthen the BACS in the secondary sector is continuing with the vast majority of schools and academies committing to these arrangements.

In the discussion that followed the updates, Members expressed a number of concerns and from these made a number of requests:

·         The latest announcement from the DfE states that there will be 30 new school schemes nationwide from wave 13. As such, it is probably not realistic for us to expect that we would achieve 3 schools (10% of this programme). Even if we do, it is likely that these schools will not be realised until 2022. Other local authorities have concluded  / are beginning to conclude that they must look to their own capital resources to provided sufficient places. The Authority must seriously look now at “plan B” options to ensure the sufficiency of places in Bradford in the short and longer terms.

·         It is important to have input into these discussions from the Assistant Director, Finance and Procurement.

·         The Authority, with the Forum (HNB Steering Group), needs to begin to model different scenarios going forward and to assess the impact of different developments, and different timings of implementation, on the affordability position of the High Needs Block.

·         Not all of the concerns expressed by Members in previous meetings (recorded in the minutes of the 14 March meeting) appear to be being addressed (updates have not been provided on all items), including home to school transport and the role of health services.

·         The Forum has not been presented with a coherent written outcome (strategy) from the Authority’s SEND and SEMH reviews.

Resolved –

(1)  That the Schools Forum, with reference to the discussion on the development of a local agreement for alternative provision in the primary phase, continues to endorse the long-standing principle adopted by the Forum that “funding should follow the pupil”.

(2)  That a written report be presented to the next Schools Forum meeting, which now sets out the Authority’s SEND and SEMH strategic plan i.e. the product of the recent reviews. That this report incorporates the Authority’s response to all the areas of development, concern and discussion that are listed in the minutes of the Forum meeting held 14 March 2018 as having been raised by Schools Forum members in recent meetings.

Action:          Interim Strategic Lead, Access and Inclusion

(3)  That the Assistant Director, Finance and Procurement, the Strategic Director, Childrens Services and the Interim Strategic Lead, Access and Inclusion, attend the next Schools Forum meeting to facilitate the presentation of this report and to support further discussion.

(4)  That the High Needs Block Steering Group be asked to ‘scenario model’ the impact of different developments e.g. free school creation and the timing of these on the High Needs Block going forward for report back to the Schools Forum.

Action:          Business Advisor (Schools)