Agenda item

This report provides an overview of SEN expenditure and an analysis of current and projected demand for SEN placements.  It also outlines future plans to meet increasing demand with reference to the Building Schools for the Future ‘Strategy for Change’ which is currently under development.

Rik Boxer (Assistant Director of Achievement and Inclusion) introduced the report which provided the committeewith an overview of SEN expenditure, an analysis of current and projected demand for SEN and an outline of future plans to meet increasing demand, with reference to the Building Schools for Future ‘Strategy for Change’.  He began by providing the committee with a financial overview, explaining that the budgets for SEN were contained both within the Dedicated Schools Grant and local authority central budgets.  Rik Boxer referred to the increasing amount of pressure on SEN placement budgets. He explained that this was due to a combination of factors which were listed in the report. 

Rik Boxer drew the committee’s attention to the section of the report regarding current provision for meeting special educational needs.  He stated that one of the biggest issues which needed to be addressed as a priority, in terms of costs and numbers, was the placement of children with autism across the spectrum of needs.  He explained that whilst provision for children with autistic spectrum condition had been expanded over recent years, there was an excess of demand over the number of local places available.  He also advised that there were few surplus places in Brent’s special schools.

Rik Boxer then highlighted some of the figures shown in the report which related to projection of future demand. This was based on the best assumptions and that there was a possibility that the demographic could change unexpectedly. He stated that current planning assumptions were that Brent would need to increase its capacity for specialist placements in Brent, either in special schools or additionally resourced mainstream schools, by 30% over the next 10 years in order to meet increasing demand.  He then set out some of the principles which would underpin future place planning. By 2020, Brent expected all pupils with moderate learning difficulties to attend their local mainstream school with tailored support.  Rik Boxer concluded by setting out some of the plans that were in place to improve provision and meet additional demand. This included the fact that under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) proposals, all Brent secondary schools would have a SEN ‘Centre of Excellence’, which would be a specialist resource that would provide for a wide range of needs. 

In response to a question regarding how much the BSF proposals, which related to SEN provision, were linked with the first phase of the programme, Rik Boxer explained that whilst it was phased implementation, the proposals were significantly linked as four secondary schools would be getting ‘Centres of Excellence’ as part of the first stage.   In response to a concern raised by a representative of the Teachers’ Panel, regarding the funding formula for specialist schools, Rik Boxer stated that the funding and banding system would be reviewed on a yearly basis. In response to a question from the representative regarding why it was not possible for Hay Lane and Grove Park to be co-located with a mainstream secondary school, Rik Boxer stated that there was no other feasible alternative.  He advised that Hay Lane and Grove Park were close to Kingsbury High School and that the decanting of pupils was a possibility which could be looked at.  In responding to a query regarding the expectation that by 2020 all pupils with physical and medical needs, excluding those with severe, profound or multiple learning difficulties, would be included in an additionally resourced mainstream school, Rik Boxer stressed the importance of PCT input.

Following a query regarding what progress had been made to establish an alternative commissioning model, Rik Boxer explained that he was still awaiting the final report from the Brent Excellence Support Team regarding the SEN Improvement and Efficiency review.    He added that he believed that the joining up of education and social care arrangements was still the best option. He stated that that there was some work being carried out pan London which was looking at getting independent providers to limit fee increases.  He added that he hoped the final recommendations from the review would be ready within the next six months. The Chair requested that the final findings and recommendations be submitted to the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee once complete. 

RESOLVED:-

(i)         that the increasing demand for SEN placements and consequent budgetary pressures be noted;

(ii)        that the comments regarding the plans for expanding and improving SEN provision in Brent be noted;

(iii)       that the final findings and recommendations of the SEN Improvement and Efficiency review be presented to the committee once completed.