Issue - meetings

Report of the Assistant Director of Children's Services (Education)

The Cabinet considered the report of the Interim Assistant Director of Children’s Services (Education) indicating that the local authority continued to receive an increased demand for specialist placements for children requiring specialist SEN support due to a rise in the amount of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP’s) that had been issued.

Although the local authority had increased the number of in-house SEN places to support increased demand and reduce the number of children needing more expensive “Out of Borough” independent school placements, there were currently not enough specialist places to meet this continued increase in SEN need.

The current 2023 and proposed 2024/2025 High Needs capital programmes sought to ensure existing schools and High Needs provision could support existing and new SEND pupils and create additional places at some of its current specialist provisions.

An overview of the High Needs capital programme 2022/23 and proposed High Needs capital programme 2024 was attached to the report at Annex A

Officers and Partners were thanked for all their hard work on high needs provision.

Decisions Made:

That

(1)           the High Needs schemes already approved in the 2023/24 High Needs capital programme of works, as highlighted in Section 1 of Annex A to the report, be noted;

(2)           the new High Needs schemes with a total value of £0.700m, as identified in Section 4 of the report and highlighted in Section 2 of Annex A to the report, into the proposed 2024/25 High Needs Capital Programme following formal approval of the 2024/24 High Needs capital budget by the Council, be approved; and

(3)           the new uncommitted High Needs schemes with a total value of £1.330m, as identified in Section 4 of the report and highlighted in Section 2 of Annex A to the report, into the proposed 2024/25 High Needs Capital Programme pending formal approval of the 2024/25 High Needs capital budget by the Council, be approved.

Reasons for the Decisions:

Having regard to the Children and Families Act 2014, Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 and the SEN Code of Practise the LA was under a legal duty to secure the provision listed in Section I of the EHCP. The Council was unable to argue that a school was “full” and had to show how it would impact on the other pupils currently in attendance.

The Council was responsible for providing the provisions in Section F of the ECHP.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

The purchase of the additional external placements in Independent Schools would help support the increase in the number of students requiring places in specialist SEND settings. However, this option had been rejected due to the significant cost difference compared to in-house placements.

The consultation might lead to some changes. Any decisions that might affect changes to the proposals would be presented to the Cabinet Member - Children Schools and Families.