Agenda item

A report providing an overview of progress and provision for children with special educational needs was presented to the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee in November 2008.  It was noted that a SEN review was scheduled to take place under the Council’s Improvement and Efficiency Scheme and members recommended that progress on the implementation of the review and other SEN developments were reported back to the Committee.  This report provides an update on progress.

Rik Boxer (Assistant Director Achievement and Inclusion) introduced the report which provided the Committee with an update on the progress of the SEN Improvement and Efficiency Review and other SEN developments. Rik Boxer explained that the SEN Improvement and Efficiency review was currently at the evaluation and analysis stage and that whilst interim findings had yet be formally reported, there were a number of emerging issues which were likely to be included in future improvement programmes.  He drew attention to these emerging findings, which were that there continued to be insufficient in-Borough provision for children with SEN; that there was an opportunity to explore alternative models for commissioning out-Borough placements, joining up education and social care commissioning arrangements and thirdly that the strategic management of SEN needed to be strengthened.   

Rik Boxer concluded by providing the Committee with an update on other SEN developments, which included the results of Ofsted school reports since September 2006 and July 2009, the latest comparable data on the attainment and progress of pupils with SEN, the rolling programme of SEN audits of mainstream schools which had been introduced and a list of terminology that had been listed in the report at the request of the Committee. 

In response to a query regarding what the increase in the number of new assessments leading to statements were, Rik Boxer explained that in the year 2006 there were approximately 200 new assessments leading to statements and in 2009 there was just short of 300.  He stated that whilst there had been an increase across a spectrum of needs, there had especially been an increase in the number of children with autism.  In response to another question, he explained that there were approximately 1600 statements maintained by Brent in total.  In answering how many pupils needed some sort of support in Brent, Rik Boxer stated that 20-25% of pupils had some sort of need for support. It was noted that information on the shortage of school places for SEN children would be useful. 

Following a comment regarding the need for quality data on the attainment and progression of pupils with SEN for all schools in Brent, Rik Boxer explained that whilst comparative information was not currently available, the new progression guidance would help ensure that more robust data would be available. Following a request for more information on the proposed transformation programme, Rik Boxer explained that there would be a number of interrelated strands of activities undertaken.  He added that the programme would require some investment of resources initially in order for savings to be made in the longer term.  He explained that it would be project managed by a dedicated specialist project manager and that the progress of the programme would be monitored closely.  He added that it was similar to the model which had been successfully used to drive through the Social Care Transformation Programme.

It was asked whether there was a policy of ensuring that children from specialist schools spend at least some time in mainstream schooling a week. It was noted that often the distance to travel between schools and time off the timetable made it difficult to make the arrangements and that co-location would be an excellent way to solve these difficulties.  In response, Rik Boxer stated whilst there was some evidence of linkage, more could be done around this.  It was asked whether the Building Schools for the Future programme would provide an opportunity for co-location as this seemed like a good opportunity to do so.  In response, Rik Boxer explained that each secondary school would have a ‘centre of excellence’ which would provide provision for children with moderate needs.  Ms Cooper (Observer - Teacher’s Panel) noted that Manor School was currently applying for funding for Malorees School and Manor School to work together and that she believed that there were examples of this sort of practice happening elsewhere.

Ms Cooper (Observer - Teacher’s Panel) raised a concern, in relation to the funding formula for specialist schools, that Band 6 did not allow for one to one staffing but that Hay Lane had continued to take children on who had needed one to one support.  She added that there was a concern that when Hay Lane and Grove Park merged, the funding required to provide the one to one support needed for some of the children would not be available.  She added that it had been assumed that the children would go to the new school and not out of the Borough.  Rik Boxer explained that there were no plans for the children to go out of the Borough. He added that the funding and banding system would be reviewed on a year to year basis. 

In responding to a question regarding whether resources could be allocated to a pupil with special educational needs quicker than the 26 weeks it takes for the statementing process to be completed, Rik Boxer explained that funding was currently allocated once the statutory assessment was completed and that this did take 26 weeks as set out in law.  He added that the alternative would be to use a different route for individual funding for children with SEN in mainstream schools outside the formal statementing process.  There would, he explained, be the possibility, in some cases, of funding being provided outside the statutory assessment process through the provision of individual pupil support agreements.  Councillor Wharton explained that the Schools Forum had discussed this issue at the last Schools Forum meeting.  He added that there would be cost implications because it would mean that the resources would need to be allocated to schools earlier than under the current statementing system.  Rik Boxer stated that a set of proposals would be developed and would be looked at by the Schools Forum. 

In order to gain a more thorough understanding of SEN provision in the Borough, the Chair requested that the following additional information be provided to the Committee in time for the next meeting; a comprehensive needs analysis with a projection of need for the future; a financial breakdown of resources used for SEN; and in recognition of the opportunity that Building Schools for the Future would provide, information on what the strategic input regarding SEN provision would be in the Building Schools for the Future programme.

It was noted that the BEST team should complete the review by the end of the year.  Rik Boxer stated that a report would then be completed based on the final findings and would hopefully be available in time for the next meeting.

RESOLVED:-

i)          that the report be noted;

ii)         that the following information be provided to the Committee in time for the next meeting in February 2010:

a)    comprehensive needs analysis and a projection of need for the future

b)    a financial breakdown of the resources used for SEN.

c)    what the strategic input regarding SEN provision would be in the Building Schools for the Future programme.