Verbal Update

John Wood verbally updated Forum on the independent SEND Review, the Pilot Schemes, budget pressures, and the upcoming consultation regarding a 0.5% top-slice from the schools block to support High Needs.  The document included in Appendix 1 was provided at the meeting.  Members requested clarity on the use of the 0.5% top slice in 2017-18 before any decisions could be made on a further top slice for 2018-19.  John Wood and/or those carrying out the SEN review will be attending Headteacher groups, and cluster groups.

Resolved

Forum noted the report

Appendix 1

SCHOOLS FORUM – UPDATE ON SEND MATTERS – 7^TH NOVEMBER 2018

SEND SERVICE

Restructure commenced early 2018 – WBC additional funding of £587k

·  Statutory assessment team – now permanent - 9 coordinators plus 2 trainees

·  Coordinators aligned to phases – primary/secondary/post 16/LAC-OOB-Independents

·  New manager – legal, training, policies and processes

·  KIND – clinical psychologists

o  Early intervention, non-SEN, EY/KS1

o  Working with schools, children and families

·  Data migration to Capita – integration with other systems, improved responsiveness

·  Teams concentrated on Hamilton Building except Home Education

SEND REVIEW

a.  Builds on the internal review completed in late 2017 and will where appropriate, develop some of its recommendations.

b.  Who will carry out the review:

The review will be carried out by the Premier Advisory Group PAG  www.premieradvisory.co.uk  whose team will be led by their Director, Keith Warburton.

c.  Purpose - to support the Council in the:

o  development of the future model for SEND provision and services in the Wirral

o  generation of the high needs budget for 2020-21 and….

o  development of a three-year plan for the management of the High Needs budget;

d.  Duration – the review will run until late Autumn 2019.

e.  Phasing (indicative)

o  Phase 1 – to January 2019

§  Provision mapping exercise

§  Consultation with schools, services, parents

§  Identification of options

§  Input into 2019-20 budget setting where practicable

o  Phase 2 – February to May 2019

§  Options appraisal

§  Modelling of need

§  Testing with users, partners

o  Phase 3 – June to October

§  Generation of business cases

§  Three-year model

§  Detailed costings

f.  Factors being considered in delivering the programme:

o  The lack of integrated SEND datasets which would delay the work of the consultants – it was agreed that as an independent organisation, PAG needed to support the direction of change rather than validate the data.

o  The need to integrate the work of the Review with a series of internal council projects which have been identified and are being commissioned.

g.  Communications

a.  Whilst there will be formal phases of consultation it is intended that consultation and feedback should continue through the life of the review;

b.  We want to take all opportunities to maintain the dialogue and to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to contribute:

  i.  Regular feedback via existing fora eg. WiSpHA, primary, secondary heads associations, PCPW, locality meetings, Schools Forum, SEND Strategy Group etc

  ii.  Schools, practitioners, officers will be encouraged to provide/gather feedback during the course of their normal ‘business’ eg team meetings, stakeholder groups etc

  iii.  Links between related council projects and the SEND Review will be identified;

  iv.  Increased use of Local Offer website and social media, possibly including a regular newsletter.

h.  Next Steps

  i.  Communication due this week

  ii.  Issuing of brief for Phase 1

  iii.  Premier Advisory and/or myself will be contacting partners to set up meetings

  iv.  Internal – commissioning of related projects

Trials 2018-19

·  One half term or a term and a half is insufficient time to evaluate

·  Monitoring has commenced – have been in contact with schools and feedback has just been received - see Annex A.

·  Key points:

o  Children have mix of needs

o  Needs would need to be met somewhere

·  Trials need to run for at least 2 terms and even if they were deemed unsuccessful a natural breakpoint would be needed with sufficient notice to manage cessation

High Needs Funding – Matters for Consideration

2018-19 Budget

·  Last outturn = £0.5m Sep

·  Likely outturn – much higher

·  Revised projections are being generated and will include an attempt at projecting the cash flow for the next few years

Pressures eg

·  Placements over capacity – will increase base funding in 2019-20 budget

·  Needs becoming more complex eg Oldershaw – Year 7: 4 mild to 11 complex needs

·  Increased numbers of primary children with challenging behaviour/mental health issues at risk of exclusion - requiring SEMH places, assessment or permanent

2019-20 Budget Setting and Three-Year Plan

·  The 19-20 budget will be a holding position pending the creation of a 3 year plan commencing 2020-21

·  Will require budgetary support until longer term plan for recovering financial position is in place

·  Opportunities for savings, reductions will be very limited

National Funding Formula

·  Formula places more emphasis on Low Prior Attainment and therefore SEN Support.

DSG Consultation on Top slice

·  Similar model but different questions

·  The decision needs to be set into the wider strategic context and will need to take into account the above factors

·  Proposed timing:

o  Consultation 26^th Nov – 14^th Dec

o  Analysis – by High Needs Working group – early January

o  School Forum report – 16^th January

John Wood
7^th November 2018

ANNEX INITIAL FEEDBACK ON TRIALS – 5-11-18

Woodslee - specialist base for KS1/ lower KS2 for children with Social, Emotional, Mental Health. The base will be established using the ‘Nurture’ principles and provide a high level of support for those children who are currently finding it difficult to access mainstream provision.  The aim is to re-integrate these pupils into mainstream provision.

·  Number pupils w/e 19^th Oct = 4 (This includes 1 very traumatised child who is currently attending outside the school hours).

·  Expected number by Dec 2018 (if known) = 5

·  Initial Feedback:

o  Do the children referred match the original planned profile?
‘All of the children have experienced trauma and as a result have complex and severe Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties.  Yes they match the original profiles.’

o  Are children making expected progress
‘Prior to attending the Base, some of these children had not been attending school and 1 child was assessed as being unable to access home tuition.  All children were isolated within a school setting and displaying violent behaviour which meant that other adults and children were not deemed to be safe.  The academic progress that the children were making prior to entry ranged from none to limited.  Within mainstream settings, the children’s Social and Emotional needs were so complex that they could not be addressed.’

o  Since being in the Base, all of the children have received a full clinical assessment and have detailed treatment plans in place.  The Behaviour Incident Reports detail a dramatic decrease in violent outbursts.  We have been able to assess where they are in the curriculum, this in itself was an achievement due to the anxiety that is triggered by the fear of academic failure.  The children are following interventions based on a Neuro Sequential Therapeutic programme and are beginning to access a personalised curriculum.

o  They are accessing daily:

§  Reading

§  Phonics and basic writing skills

§  Maths

§  Science

§  Computing

§  Music related to rhythm work

§  Art

·  Whilst it is too early to measure academic progress, there has been a notable improvement in their compliance to persevere with a task and a reduction in anxiety associated with learning.

o  Do you think that the expected outcomes can be delivered?

‘Given the progress already made, we feel confident that we can meet the desired outcomes (i.e. to prepare the children to return to mainstream school and to regulate their own emotions and behaviour.  However, in order to achieve this the parents have received training and regular support to work in a consistent way with the Base as it is vital that home and school work together on the same strategies that have been highlighted from the clinical assessment.  If parents do not have the capacity or motivation to remain committed to the programme this will limit the progress that the child is able to make.’

o  Do you think the trial should continue?
‘The setting up of the Base has been challenging and on one occasion it impacted on the rest of the school.  However, the close support that we have received from the KIND team has enabled us to develop a partnership.  This partnership enables us to work together to continually make improvements to the provision of the Base.  We have not had a negative impact on the rest of the school since the second week of opening.  The development of the staff has enabled us to influence strategies used with our mainstream children that has been beneficial for all.’

The Observatory School Y5/Y6 Base - Key Stage 2, year 5- year 6 pupils for 8 pupils, who were out of school. This has been in operation since 1st April 2018.

·  Number pupils w/e 19^th Oct = 6

·  Expected number by Dec 2018 (if known) = 8, full

·  Initial feedback:

o  Children have wide range of needs, from challenging SEMH, to significant social communication difficulties, some are under assessment

o  Yr 6 children were accepted by school before the trial

o  Year 6-7 transition is greatly improved, ‘seamless’

o  Issues with scaffolding of support and provision of therapeutic services

Oldershaw - provision for 9 year 7 pupils who historically would have attended a Special School. but will need a primary delivery for part of their educational provision.

·  Number pupils w/e 19^th Oct = 11 (9 with EHCPs)

·  Expected number by Dec 2018 (if known) = 10

·  Initial feedback:

o  Do the children referred match the original planned profile?
‘one child is working at approximately Year 1, whilst other children are working at Year 2/3. With the exception of M.T., it is possible to accommodate the other 10 pupils and differentiate accordingly’

o  Are children making expected progress
‘At this early stage, the pupils have begun to make academic progress but primary focus has been on emotional literacy – the pupils are making progress in this area as well.’

o  Do you think the trial should continue?
‘Yes – the pupils have largely settled well at Oldershaw and are continuing to grow in confidence each day; it would be very distressing to unsettle them by transferring them to another school after so much work was completed for transition.  The funding review in 12 months’ time will reflect the actual costs and resources required to meet need.  Students settling in is not the issue that will need to be discussed at the review.  The next phase of development will centre on the LA database of SEN children in primary schools to determine future planning.’

Hilbre  - Provision for 10 year 7 pupils who historically would have attended a Special School. This group of pupils have been identified as benefitting from mainstream provision but will need a primary delivery for part of their educational provision.

·  Number pupils w/e 19^th Oct = 9

·  Expected number by Dec 2018 (if known) = 9

·  Initial Feedback

o  Do the children referred match the original planned profile?
‘Yes’

o  Are children making expected progress
‘Yes, all bar 1’

o  Do you think that the expected outcomes can be delivered?
‘In most cases yes except one pupil.’

·  Do you think the trial should continue?
‘With the current cohort yes, however we do not have the capacity for this to be our normal intake in a year on year basis.’