Agenda item

Report by the Corporate Director of Children and Education

Public Participation:

 

Cllr Grundy responded to a written question from Mrs Ruth Greening (in her absence) concerning Springfields special school in Calne.

 

Mrs Deirdre Holland, volunteer parent supporter from Swindon, explained she was frequently contacted by Wiltshire authority residents for advice.  She raised her concerns about the risks of placing high-functioning autistic spectrum children within mainstream schools.

 

Mrs Naomi Irving expressed her concerns over schools which had a mix of children with Behaviour, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD) and Autistic Spectrum Disorders.

 

At the Deputy Leader’s invitation, Mr Trystan Williams, Headteacher of Springfields School, Calne addressed Cabinet on the above mentioned concerns. He explained that it was important to recognise the role that Springfield played and whilst he acknowledged the concerns expressed, the school’s results had been extremely positive. The aim of the school was to provide children with the best opportunities, for the best value.

 

Cllr Lionel Grundy, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services responded to the points made.

 

 

 

Cllr Grundy presented a comprehensive report which gave details of the outcome of the consultation on the Review of Special Educational Needs (SEN) Provision that was held from 22 February to 24 May 2010. He highlighted the high-profile nature and extended length of the consultation and the genuine attempt to respond to the needs of the community, which was necessary in a difficult and sensitive area of service provision.

 

The consultation was extensive and included the distribution of 3,000 consultation papers and questionnaires to parents, carers, head teachers, governors, SEN co-ordinators, neighbouring councils, the health service, trade unions, Diocesan bodies, MP’s and via the Council’s Area Boards and website.  An analysis of the responses was presented with the full details of responses made available to Councillors.

 

It was noted that the Council had a statutory duty to keep SEN provision under review. The review undertaken was primarily concerned with three mutually dependent areas of activity; namely:

 

• Provision in Specialist Learning Centres (SLC’s)
• Wiltshire Council SEN support services to schools and
• Provision for pupils with SEN in mainstream schools.

 

The review also included some aspects of special school provision and Enhanced Learning Provision (ELP) in secondary schools. The review also sought to address the findings from the Joint Area Review carried out in 2008.

 

Cabinet was asked to consider the outcome of the review and responses to the consultation with a view to determining future provision based on the matters considered in the review.

 

Cllr Grundy added that following consultation it became clear that certain areas needed further consideration and would be subject to further specific consultation.

 

Cllr Jacqui Lay, Vice-Chair of the Children’s Select Committee spoke on behalf of Carole Soden, Chair of the Select Committee explained that the proposals had been the subject of a Rapid Scrutiny exercise, details of which were presented. The recommendations made to Cabinet had been endorsed by the Children’s Services Select Committee on 22 July 2010.

 

Cllr Grundy responded to the questions and queries from Councillors.

 

Resolved:

 

That Cabinet agree that:-

 

1.            A SEN Inclusion Service be made available to provide a wider range of SEN advice to schools.

 

2.            An SEN Support Network be set up to co-ordinate SEN support services and outreach advice from schools.

 

3.            The formulae for funding SEN in Resource Bases and mainstream schools be reviewed to help improve SEN provision.

 

4.            A statutory notice be published regarding the closure of the Specialist Learning Centre for Autism at Holy Trinity Primary School, Calne.

 

5.            A statutory notice be issued regarding the closure of the Specialist Learning Centre for Complex Needs at the Manor Primary School, Melksham, which should cease to admit pupils and the provision used to increase capacity  at the school’s Autism Centre to 21 places.

 

6.            The capacities of the Centres for Hearing Impairment (HI), Physical Impairment, (PI), Speech, Language and Communication, and ASD be adjusted as set out in the tables at paragraphs 25 and 27 in the report.

 

7.            The capacity of the Specialist Learning Centres for Complex Needs at the following primary schools be adjusted to 20: The Avenue School, St Dunstan Church of England Primary, Frogwell Primary, King’s Park Primary, Salisbury Manor Fields Primary, Studley Green Primary, Wansdyke Community School, and be funded according to the number of full time places commissioned by the Council on an annual basis, under the new service level agreement and formula funding arrangements.  For 2011/12 the number of places, commissioned would be the same as the capacity.

 

8.            The Specialist Learning Centres for complex needs at St Peter’s Junior School and St Mary’s Infant School Marlborough to develop arrangements to work together as a joint provision with a nominal capacity of 10 for each school.   The centres to be funded according to the number of full time places commissioned by the Council on an annual basis, under the new service level agreement and formula funding arrangements.  For 2011/12 the number of places commissioned would be the same as the capacity.

 

9.            A statutory notice be issued for the closure of the Early Years Provision at St Mary’s Marlborough so that it can become part of the Early Years SEN Network, subject to a contractor being engaged to take over the running of the provision.

 

10.       The Specialist Learning Centres for complex needs at Westbury Junior School and Westbury Infants School to develop arrangements to work together as a joint provision with a nominal capacity of 10 each for each school.  The centres will be funded according to the number of full time places commissioned by the Council on an annual basis, under the new service level agreement and formula funding arrangements.  For 2011/12 the number of places commissioned would be the same as the capacity.

 

11.       Studley Green Primary School to retain Specialist Learning Centres for Complex Needs and Speech Language and Communication Needs, and will be funded according to the number of full time places commissioned by the Council on an annual basis, under the new service level agreement and formula funding arrangements.

 

12.       Statutory notices be published regarding the closure of:

 

a.            The Specialist Learning Centre for Complex Needs at Durrington Junior School.

b.           The Specialist Learning Centre for Complex Needs at Harnham Junior School

c.            The Specialist Learning Centre for Complex Needs at Mere School.

d.           The Specialist Learning Centre for Complex Needs at Zouch School in Tidworth.

 

13.       The Specialist Learning Centre for Complex Needs at Longleaze Primary School should be retained under the new service level agreement and formula funding arrangements pending a review, starting in 2012, of all SEN provision in the North East of Wiltshire, including special school provision in the area adjacent to Swindon.  The centre to have a nominal capacity of 10 places and be funded according to the number of full-time places commissioned by the Council on an annual basis.  For 2011/12 the number of places commissioned would be the same as the capacity.

 

14.       The Specialist Learning Centre for Complex Needs at Malmesbury Primary School be retained under the new service level agreement and formula funding arrangements pending a review, starting in 2012, of all SEN provision in the North East of Wiltshire, including special school provision in the area adjacent to Swindon.  The Centre to have a nominal capacity of 10 places and be funded according to the number of full-time places commissioned by the Council on an annual basis.   For 2011/12 the number of places commissioned would be the same as the capacity.

 

15.       The descriptions, age ranges and capacities of special schools be amended as set out in the table at paragraph 41 in the report.

 

16.       All pupils moderated at Level 2 of Enhanced Learning Provision (ELP) in Secondary Schools to have a Statutory Assessment initiated as a matter of course.  The current arrangement where pupils without statements can be funded through ELP be retained pending discussions on the further developments of ELP provision.

 

 

Reasons for Decision

 

To initiate the system change needed to improve educational provision and raise the achievement of pupils with SEN by:

 

• Better commissioning of SEN provision to match need;

 

• Releasing resources to support improved provision for pupils with SEN in mainstream schools and Specialist Learning Centres in mainstream schools;

 

• Refocusing SEN support services to schools; and

 

• Ensuring more consistent and focussed outreach support from specialist provision to support mainstream schools.