Agenda item

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

Recommendations:

That Cabinet note the activity undertaken and progress to date on the latest rounds of SEND Sufficiency in line with the commitments within the Safety Valve Agreement.

Consideration was given to the report which provided an update in respect of SEND Sufficiency following the previous update report to Cabinet in March 2024 and detailed annual High Needs / Safety Valve Programme updates to Audit committee in July 2024. The report also detailed the key activities undertaken in implementing the SEND Sufficiency programme focusing on the development of resource provision and delivery of the School’s Accessibility Capital Funding Programme across both mainstream and special schools. An update was also provided on plans to address sufficiency requirements across identified specialist provision as part of the Safety Valve programme. A timeline for consultation and development of a longer term SEND Sufficiency Strategy, which would coincide with the end of the Safety Valve programme in 2025/26, was laid out in the report.

The most recent phase of SEND Sufficiency aligned to Safety Valve was approved for implementation in June 2023. This phase aimed to support mainstream inclusion of SEND through the development of 10 resource provisions across mainstream settings creating 100 new SEND places. A second aim was the implementation of the schools Accessibility Funding Framework across both mainstream and special schools. The aim of the Schools Accessibility Funding was to increase inclusivity in existing schools in Rotherham by encouraging schools to create/ maintain SEN placements with capital improvements.

Further reports to Cabinet in July 2024 and December 2024 had given approval for additional increases in places as part of the continued development of Elements Academy since its opening in September 2023. Approval was also granted for capital investment to address sufficiency challenges at Newman School as part of the academisation with TEAM Multi-Academy Trust.

Following due diligence, capital development and Department for Education approval, 5 new resource provisions had opened, and 3 existing provisions had agreed an increase in places (creating 90 school places in 8 out of the 10 planned new provisions). The newly established resource provision placed along with incremental growth of provision created in previous phases of sufficiency had led to 140 young people currently accessing resource provision across Rotherham as of November 2024. This was an increase of 100 placements since the commencement of Safety Valve. Additional places created through the new provisions would continue to grow throughout the academic year 24/25 and 25/26.

The Accessibility Small Grant Capital Programme had been fully implemented with five funding rounds. As of November 2024, 28 mainstream schools had been successful in receiving grant funding. Successful projects had been diverse and wide reaching, working closely with schools to identify capital projects to support schools to meet a wider level of need linked to known existing pupils and those who may attend the school in the future. Examples of successful projects were set out in paragraph 2.9 of the report.

During the meeting the demand for additional places and provision both nationally and locally was discussed. Members and officers noted that it was not a situation that the Council could build itself out of. Following the General Election it had been noted that the Department for Education was now more supportive of keeping children in mainstream schools which was positive. However more work was needed to ensure the curriculum was inclusive.

Resolved:

That Cabinet note the activity undertaken and progress to date on the latest rounds of SEND Sufficiency in line with the commitments within the Safety Valve Agreement.