Agenda item

The Director of Education and Early Help and the Group Manager Sufficiency and Place Planning had been invited to update the Panel on the School Organisation Plan after its first year of operation and prior to the Plan returning to Cabinet in December.

By way of introduction, Members were reminded that the Local Authority and Worcestershire Children First had a duty in relation to assessment and provision of education from funded 2-year-olds to post-16.  The Plan had first been produced last year and only recently had included Early Years, Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and Post-16.

In the course of the discussion, the following main points were raised:

·       Although it was acknowledged that special schools did not technically have waiting lists, some children with EHCPs had not been allocated a school place.  Further clarification was requested on the shortfall in special school provision.  Members were reminded that SEND was a new area of work for the Sufficiency and Place Planning team and the team was currently trying to get accurate figures.  It was estimated that there would be a shortfall of between 60 and 100 places over the next 5 years.  It was acknowledged that not having a suitable school place was difficult for any family, but this was more stressful for parents of children with SEND.

·       The Panel asked for further details on the projected shortfall of special school places and how the shortfall would be met.

• With reference to places for 2-year-olds, the Scrutiny Panel asked for further information on where in the County these were available.

·       It was confirmed that sufficiency in relation to Pupil Referral Units was not within the remit of the Sufficiency and Place Planning team.  Members were reminded that the Assistant Director, SEND and Vulnerable Learners would be undertaking further work on alternative provision which would give a clearer idea of needs.

·       Demand for alternative education and SEND provision was more challenging to assess as there was no simple equation of each child needing an educational place.  Sufficiency in these areas was not linear and was also dependent on mainstream schools’ attitudes to inclusion.  It was further suggested that parental attitudes also played a part as sometimes parents would request a place at a special school when a child’s need could be dealt with in a mainstream setting.

·       Concern was expressed about the number of children with EHCPs who were attending PRUs.  It was suggested that this should not happen on a long-term basis and may be because there were insufficient special school places available.

·       It was agreed that the Assistant Director, SEND and Vulnerable Learners would be invited to a future Panel meeting to discuss the review of alternative provision.

·       Members were informed that for the primary phase forecasts were 99.7% accurate and for the secondary phase, 99.4% accurate.  Known children data was available from the NHS and used to model going forward, together with transfer rates.

·       Members were reminded that there were 12 Mainstream Autism Bases across the County and it was confirmed that they would be part of the review of alternative provision and would inform SEN sufficiency.  The ambition was to provide a continuum of provision.

·       It was confirmed that cross border transfers were monitored as part of sufficiency planning.  Concern was expressed about the future viability of middle schools situated close to borders with other authorities and it was acknowledged that a combination of 2-tier and 3-tier models made the situation more complex.  Members were informed that the Team worked with other authorities on this issue.

·       There were three levels of forecast: area-wide, education planning area and school level.  This included academies and maintained schools.

·       It was confirmed that the review of alternative provision would include the Medical Education Team.  The Panel agreed that it would wish to see the review when it had been carried out.