Agenda item

The report of Ben Stevens (Inclusion, SEND and AP Transformation Lead) seeks to update Schools Forum on the progress made in developing the new Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) top-up funding scheme, including the responses received during the consultation process.  The report is to follow.

Ben Stevens, Inclusion, SEND & AP Transformation Lead, alongside Liz Williams, Finance Lead – High Needs Sustainability, updated the Schools Forum on the progress made in developing the new Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) Top-Up Funding Scheme, including the responses received during the consultation process. The following was then highlighted:

• Members were reminded that the consultation ran over seven weeks and was conducted via an online survey and three consultation events to facilitate more in-depth feedback, with the results of such detailed under Sections 4 and 5 of the report. Thanks were given to those who responded to the consultation.
• It was explained that Council’s were responsible for deciding how top-up funding was allocated, and that Wiltshire had not reviewed the “banding” system since 2016. As such, the system had not kept pace with rising costs and evolving needs, leading to financial pressures on schools and at times, inconsistent support.
• Officers highlighted the primary objectives of the project as per Section 1 of the report, alongside the proposed model for EHCP funding under Section 3 of the report.
• Officers then detailed the key findings and themes as listed under Section 6 and how these informed the 10 recommendations as per Section 7. It was then highlighted that the scheme would be submitted to the February 2025 meeting of Cabinet for approval and would present a clear draft of the proposals, the implementation plan, and financial values. Furthermore, officers were intending for all children in Special Schools to be on the new banding system by September 2025, with all new plans being put on the new system from that point, and then all other existing EHCPs by April 2026.

During the discussion, points included:

• The importance of developing a more flexible and responsive scheme without increasing an administrative burden was emphasised, particularly when considering that a child’s circumstances/level of support needed could change throughout their schooling years.
• The challenges around recruitment within the sector were raised and how these impact on the delivery on provision within schools, and it was noted that officers were in discussions with the Recruitment Team at the Council to assess how best to recruit to and support colleagues in both Mainstream and Special Schools to ensure that the right people were in the right posts.
• It was noted that many schools, particularly Special Schools, relied on top-up funding as one of their main sources of income, and Members queried how the migration between the two top-up funding systems would impact on budget planning. Officers reassured Members that they did not expect there to be a reduction in funding as a result of the transition and emphasised that no firm figures would be published until officers were content that the new system would work at both a child and school level. As such, officers advised Members to model any budgets based on the current system until such time that each tranche of the new system was implemented.
• It was explained that the top-up funding review was a priority within the Safety Valve Agreement, hence why the review was being undertaken early in the plan. Furthermore, communications from Government with regard to the potential for national banding frameworks were still unclear. However, as officers were concerned as to the significant pressures that schools in Wiltshire were facing, the decision was made to develop and implement the new scheme to support colleagues until such time that clarity was received.

At the conclusion of the discussion, it was then:

Resolved:

The Schools Forum noted the update on the EHCP Top-Up Funding Scheme.