Issue - meetings

Report of the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services

Recommendations:-

1.      That approval be granted to the increase in education provision by 111 places to be achieved by September 2020.

2.      That approval be granted to utilise the £1.186 million available capital funding to create the additional infrastructure  ...  view the full agenda text for item 42

Further to Minute 147 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 20^th May, 2019, consideration was given to the Local Authority’s proposals to utilise capital funding to increase the sufficiency of school places for children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Rotherham.

Consultation had now taken  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42

Cabinet Portfolio:                 Children’s Services and Neighbourhood Working

Strategic Directorate:           Children and Young People’s Services

Consideration was given to a report submitted for pre-decision scrutiny ahead of the Cabinet meeting scheduled to take place on 16 September 2019, which sought approval to utilise £1.186m of available capital funding to create 111 additional school places in Rotherham starting from 2020 for children with special education needs and disabilities.

It was reported that the Cabinet had previously approved consultation on the authority’s proposals to utilise capital funding to increase the sufficiency of school places for children with special education needs and disabilities in Rotherham (minute 147 refers). Consultation had taken place since that time with schools and a number of projects had been identified within the 2019 SEND Sufficiency Strategy.

The Chair of Improving Lives Select Commission, Councillor Cusworth, indicated that her commission had spent a lot of time looking at the SEND Sufficiency Strategy, expressing concern that the first round of places initially identified would not be enough to meet demand. There had previously been concerns that School Academies would not be on board with the proposals. However, Members had been overjoyed when assurances were provided and it was clear that academies were very keen to get involved. It was considered that the local grounding of the Academy Trusts had been key to securing that level of buy in. She concluded by informing Members that Improving Lives Select Commission would continue to have oversight of this, but the Commission was fully assured by the information provided and proposals submitted. In response to her comments, the Deputy Leader of Council indicated that the progress made with academy trusts was attributable to the way in which the Education Strategic Partnership had operated since it was established in 2018, which had secured buy in from everyone and all participants ensured that key decision makers from their institutions were around the table.

Assurances were sought that children would be fully integrated into mainstream schools and SEND students would not be hived off to other areas. Furthermore, clarification was sought that schools were fully capable of managing the change. In response, it was confirmed that intention was to provide an education to a child that would meet their needs and that the proposals provided a solution with flexibility as to how that need would be met.

Members queried what further work would now take place to continue to grow the number of places after 2021. In response, it was explained that the Sufficiency Strategy was based on a projection of need that looked forward over ten years and the approach was dependent on policy drivers and funding decisions from central government. The authority was committed to undertaking a data refresh on an annual basis and the most recent data refresh had indicated potential to secure further capital funding in future, which would mean that sound decision could be made with a strong evidence base for the future.

Resolved:-

1.      That the Cabinet be advised that the recommendations be supported.