Agenda item

The number of children and young people assessed as requiring a place at a specialist education provision in the BCP area has increased in recent years and this has increased expenditure on high needs.

As part of the Council’s strategy to address growth and associated financial pressure, work is underway to implement a programme of expansion of specialist school places across BCP which will help provide local access to cost effective places and a reduction in the Council’s reliance on costly independent placements.

The Head of Service, School Place Planning and Capital, presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The number of children and young people assessed as requiring a place at a specialist education provision in the BCP area had increased in recent years and this had increased expenditure on high needs.

As part of the Council’s strategy to address growth and associated financial pressure, work was underway to implement a programme of expansion of specialist school places across BCP which would help provide local access to cost effective places and a reduction in the Council’s reliance on costly independent placements.

The Council was developing a range of options to assess the scope for the development of specialist school places on local school sites. A total of 34 expressions of interest were received from a total of 16 trusts/schools with proposals for between 300-500 places. The Council provided details of schemes currently in development across four tranches which delivered places in the short, medium and longer term. Options for the delivery of places include:

·       The option to continue to work in partnership with local school leaders to explore options and develop proposals to create provision on other local school sites.

·       The option to commission new specialist school provision as part of the government’s Free School Programme. The Council was in the process of preparing an application to the Department for Education (DfE) for new free school provision. The application deadline for new school proposals was 21 October 2022 and the outcome of the initial application stage was expected to be announced late 2022 to early 2023. For successful applications, proposer groups would submit their applications in February 2023 as part of a competitive process and through the publication of local authority specifications and proposer guidance. 

The option to make no change to existing school provision/maintain the status

quo was not an option and would fail to make progress in delivering the

improvements necessary as contained in the Council’s Written Statement of

Action (WSoA).

The Committee discussed the report and comments were made, including:

• In response to a query regarding the potential schemes for Winchelsea and Somerford, the Committee was advised that they could be complete rebuilds or could be remodelling of some blocks and areas of the schools
• In response to a query regarding the need for extra provision, the Committee was advised of the reasons for it which included the increase of SEND pupils, population changes and the fact that provision for SEND had lagged behind mainstream provision and now needed urgent attention
• The Director of Children’s Services highlighted that additional specialist provision was not the only answer to manage the EHCP increase and that providing support to mainstream schools would also address the issue
• A Committee Member, who was also a member of SEND improvement board, advised that she was fully supportive of these schemes and enquired whether the Council’s current financial situation would hinder the progress of capital projects to deliver more specialist places.  The Portfolio Holder for Council Priorities and Delivery highlighted the difference between capital and revenue and acknowledged that the positive impact would be felt on the high needs’ deficit
• A Member of Youth Parliament enquired about the current provision available and was advised that there was some resource bases, satellite provision and excellent provision within some of the mainstream schools, which was being replicated to expand good practice
• In response to whether tranche one was on track, the Committee was advised that the key fact was the impact on revenue expenditure and the savings were highlighted, but the timescale for tangible and noticeable shift would take time as children would not be asked to move provision.  The focus would be to track it and ensure that the provision being made would make savings in the future
• A Committee Member highlighted the futures programme which was being developed by a specialist provision which included sixth form provision and would give young people the life skills and confidence, they required post school.  The Committee was advised that the scheme had suffered some delays and the reasons for it were highlighted.
• In response to a query regarding movement into the area of pupils with SEND, the increase of pupils was discussed and the reasons for the movement were highlighted.

RESOLVED that the Committee note the progress of the programme of expansion and express thanks to the officers for their hard work.