Agenda item

The BCP Local Area SEND system has significantly changed for the better over the last academic year. This follows the creation of a new SEND Improvement Plan developed to meet the Local Authority’s DfE Statutory Direction Notice to Improve.  The improvement work which has taken place over the last 10 months has now addressed all historic backlogs and improved the servicing of new assessments and Education Care and Health Plans into the system.

BCP’s timeliness in servicing new assessments at 20 weeks is 97% which is near the statutory expectation of 100%.  This is a much-needed improvement from the previous year’s activity which stood at 0% in August 23 and August 2022 at just 5.6%.

Reported to Cabinet in September, an unexpected further increase in new EHCP requests since January 2024 has led to a £15.9 million further increase in the annual funding gap budgeted of £28 million (£43.9 million annual funding gap in total) 

The cumulative deficit at 31 March 2025 is projected to be £107.4 million.

The Management Accountant for Education Finance and the Interim Director for Education and Skills 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. A supplementary paper detailing BCP School Reserves was also circulated. The Forum was informed that the BCP Local Area SEND system had significantly changed for the better over the last academic year. This followed the creation of a new SEND Improvement Plan developed to meet the Local Authority’s DfE Statutory Direction Notice to Improve.  The improvement work which had taken place over the last 10 months had now addressed all historic backlogs and improved the servicing of new assessments and Education Health and Care Plans into the system.

BCP’s timeliness in servicing new assessments at 20 weeks was at 97 percent, close to the statutory expectation of 100 percent.  A significant improvement from the previous year’s activity which stood at 0 percent in August 23 and August 2022 at just 5.6%. It was reported to Cabinet in September, that an unexpected further increase in new EHCP requests since January 2024 had led to a £15.9 million further increase in the annual funding gap budgeted of £28 million (£43.9 million annual funding gap in total). The cumulative deficit on 31 March 2025 was projected to be £107.4 million.

It was noted that point 34 in the supplementary papers – that the local deficit continued to grow. It was also noted that School and Academy balances overall had continued to increase over last 3 years. A matter was raised that this information was published alongside the High Needs deficit paper without any context provided around the figures. There were some comments made regarding the trust totals not showing all of the issues around school and academy balances, for example requiring funds for capital works, requiring funds for unfunded increases in staffing costs and that the impact of the SEND issue was also reflected in the circumstances that schools were facing with their budgets.

The Forum was requesting a dialogue with BCP around data sharing as some schools were not as inclusive for SEND provision as others. It was noted that following discussions at the Education Conference it was proposed that a template would be circulated to schools later in the week with a request for agreement to share information. It was noted that this would be acted on and at this point information was being shared to the extent which it could be. It was suggested that the Forum should consider information sharing as an item at the next meeting.  It was expected that this would be resolved but the Forum may send a request to assist in relevant conversations.

The Director for Education and Skills advised that as the paper outlined the progress on the SEND improvement journey had gone well. However, a very large number of needs assessments were received in July, 152, this was unprecedented and would undoubtedly lead to a decrease in overall performance. There had been a significant increase with regards to needs assessment aligned to the safety valve proposals in the public domain.

A change in assessment types had also been seen coming from early years and early-stage primary in greater numbers. The 152 requests received in July had been reviewed to assess the types coming and there had also been reports from SENCOs and Heads of children with high levels of need that they hadn’t expected. School Forum was encouraged to look at the innovations proposal around this to gather views. It was also noted that there were higher numbers of young people in specialist post-16 provision.

Issues around the demand for special school responses to consultations was raised and it was noted that it had increased significantly over a number of years.

Early Years struggled to get EHCPs through and were struggling to give them the support they need as do not have the staff available. It was suggested that this may have led to nurseries and pre-schools just turning these children away. Conversely it was noted that intervention was not always necessary so young and was just early development needs.

The Forum had approved a methodology for original school block transfer, which was challenged but the methodology and reasons for this would come back to Forum on an annual basis.

In relation to the conversations which had taken place it was noted that the High Needs system was incredibly complex and there was concern that there was not equity across the system.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.