Cabinet
Subject: Social, Emotional and Mental Health Educational Provision
Date of meeting: 27 June 2024
Report of: Cabinet Member for Children, Families, Youth Services and for Ending Violent against Women and Girls
Contact Officer: Name: Georgina Clarke-Green: Assistant Director for Health, SEN and Disability
Tel: 01273 292257
Email: Georgina.ClarkeGreen@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected: All
Key Decision: No
1.1. This report details the proposals for the development of Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) educational provision across the city and delivers on the Council Plan priority of a healthy city where people thrive, specifically a better future for children and young people.
2.1 Cabinet supports the proposals to continue to progress the three-tier approach for Alternative Provision and the arrangements for Tier 4 special school provision that will address the decision to de-commission places at Homewood College from September 2024.
3.1 Social, emotional and/or mental health needs may be temporary, persistent or even lifelong. Some of these issues can be due to a lack of attachment, neglect, abuse or other trauma such as bereavement or coming from a war zone as a refugee. Some children may also have another medical, educational need or a disability.
3.2 The observable behaviours that may be a feature of these learners in the classroom include: disruptive, antisocial and uncooperative behaviour, frustration, anger and verbal and or physical threats/ aggression. Children may present as withdrawn, depressed, feeling anxious or with self harming behaviour.
3.3 Some children and young people with SEMH needs will have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This is a legal document that describes a child or young
person's special educational needs, the support they need, and the outcomes they would like to achieve. In the academic year 2019 there were 229 children with SEMH EHCPs, this year there are 318, and by the academic year 2026 it is forecast there will be 438 children and young people.
3.4 Alternative Provision (AP) is additional specialist support for a child or young person that can either be delivered in school or more commonly off school site. This can be through an AP provider or an AP School such as a Pupil Referral Unit. It is intended to be a temporary intervention to help the child or young person access learning in an environment where they can regulate their emotions and behaviors safely so they can return to mainstream school or a post 16 educational destination.
3.5 In October, the DfE announced a £70m Change Programme ‘to deliver a groundbreaking new program to test and refine the reforms to services for young people and families’. Nine regional Change Partnership Programs (CPP) have been identified. Brighton and Hove are in a CPP led by Portsmouth City Council. One of the CPP proposals is the implementation of a 3 Tier Alternative Provision Model:
Three Tier Alternative Provision model and Tier 4 specialist provision
|
SEND and AP Change Programme |
BHCC |
||
|
TIER1 |
TIER 2 |
TIER 3 |
TIER 4 |
|
Targeted support in mainstream schools |
Time-limited placements |
Transitional placements |
Special SEMH School placements |
|
AP Specialist early interventions and support to help at risk pupils stay in mainstream schools. |
Short-term placements in AP schools or in specialist facilities in mainstream schools. |
Placements in AP schools for pupils who need support to move on to a new mainstream school or sustained post-16 destination. |
Placements for pupils with Education Health and Care plans that specify an SEMH Special School place. |
|
|
|
||
3.6 The 3 Tier Alternative Provision model starts at Tier 1 with a lower level of specialist support based within mainstream schools. In Tier 2 the level of support increases and is based off site, these are full-time short-term places with more specialist help from a range of professionals. The intention is for children to go back to mainstream school at the end of their placement. Tier 3 is similar to Tier 2 but it is for those children and young people who would benefit from a fresh start at a new school or post 16 destination. However, the Council recognise that even with effective early support through the 3 Tier AP model, there will still be a need for some specialist SEMH provision for children with the highest level of need.
3.7 Therefore, Brighton and Hove have added a 4th Tier to the model, which
represents special school provision for children with EHCPs. These are the children who were attending the commissioned placements at Homewood College. The forecast for the number of special SEMH school placements required is set out below:
Number of special SEMH school places required over the next three academic years
|
Academic Year |
Primary |
Secondary |
Total |
|
2024/25 |
18 |
65 |
83 |
|
2025/26 |
20 |
72 |
92 |
|
2026/27 |
22 |
79 |
101 |
3.8 An average of 3 to 4 pupils per year also attend out of city SEMH special schools. Therefore, without investment in early support it is projected that we would need approximately 80 to 110 SEMH high quality secondary special school places and 20 to 25 SEMH primary special school places would be needed by academic year 2026/27.
3.9 By putting in support at an earlier stage through creating additional AP places in Tiers 1 to 2 across primary and secondary, and by ensuring PRU places are short term, the need for Tier 4 placements is expected to reduce. This will need to be closely monitored and adjusted as the impact of the early intervention measures being taken are assessed.
3.10 Through the SEND and AP change programme we have secured funding for additional posts to support this work:
AP Commissioner: This is a permanent post that will help schools to access a wider range of off school site quality assured alternative provision that is not provided by the PRU and which are usually run by colleges or the community and voluntary sector.
AP Lead Officer: This post will work with school and PRU leaders to embed the three Tier model across the city and to measure the impact this new support has on the outcomes for children.
Specialist task force: The Specialist AP Task Force is a multi-disciplinary team that will work closely with the AP Lead officer to provide targeted support for children and young people in Tiers 2 and 3.
New provision in Tier 1: Targeted Support in Mainstream Schools
3.11 Primary provision: Inclusion Intervention Spaces (IIS) up to 48 children will benefit from these spaces: Barking and Dagenham London Borough was identified as having an early intervention model that has been successful in reducing the number of children requiring EHCPs and special school placements.
3.12 Due to its success it has been agreed that a pilot should be undertaken in Brighton and Hove to develop the IIS model. Up to 6 primary schools will be taking part in the pilot, and it is anticipated they will be operational in the Autumn Term 2024.
3.13 Secondary provision: AP Specialist Intervention (80 places): All secondary schools in Brighton and Hove have received funding to create on-site support for young people who have SEMH needs. Staffing for this new resource is via High Needs Block at an enhanced rate for 8 places per school.
3.14 Schools can make use of extended AP availability as part of these proposals, such as commissioning part time places off site with other providers that will be quality assured by the new AP Commissioner. The aim is an improved model of mainstream in-school provision supported by a strengthened AP offer.
New Provision in Tier 2: Time limited specialist placements
3.15 Primary (9): 9 new EHCP places have been created in the primary PRU to reflect the additional need coming through the system. The AP Lead will work with the PRU head to introduce a time limited placement model, where the child will return to their mainstream school after a period of intervention. This will mean more primary children will be able to access the PRU.
3.16 In addition, two primary schools have also expressed an interest in developing onsite SEMH provision. There are three options available to further develop the current offer:
· To expand the PRU in the primary phase.
· To have a satellite provision of the PRU situated in a mainstream school.
· A mainstream school with an SEMH Resource Base.
3.17 All three of these options will be explored over the next two terms.
3.18 Secondary Provision (36 places): Discussions are taking place with secondary schools to develop new small group provision across the city for young people with SEMH needs.
3.19 The model will include pupils remaining on the mainstream school roll and returning at the end of the fixed term period with a supported program of transition in place. Two secondary schools have registered an interest.
Tier 3: Transitional placements
3.20 The AP Lead will work with the Headteacher of the PRU and mainstream schools to review placements and to implement a more robust approach to admissions. A new school will be identified pre-admission and a supported transition process put in place, so the child has the best chance of success at reintegrating back into a new school.
3.21 The exception will be Key stage 4 students who will remain at the PRU to do their qualifications and be prepared for transition into a post 16 destination.
Tier 4: Special school provision
3.22 To address the impact of de-commissioning Homewood College, a range of placements that support pupils who need a special SEMH School is required. This includes both primary and secondary placements.
3.23 Key Stage 3 (24 places): The PRU is expanding to provide 12 places for Year 7 SEMH pupils for September 2024 and a further 12 in September 2025. The intention is to develop a two-year middle school model for Year 7’s and 8’s based upon a primary school model. This will provide 24 places in total over two years and will help support those children with SEMH needs who find the transition from primary to secondary particularly challenging.
3.24 Key Stage 4 (20 places): 20 SEMH places are being commissioned through a satellite provision provided by the Beckmead Academy Trust. The provision would be located at St. George’s House in Brighton and will be a blended mix of tuition plus alternative provision, with strong links to the city’s colleges to improve transition to Further Education.
3.25 Future developments (50 places): There is a need to open another 50 place SEMH special school Satellite site to meet the increased need in SEMH places. The plan is to do this in partnership with East or West Sussex to offer a regional solution. To meet need Brighton and Hove would commission 50 places (20 KS2; 30 KS3 places). East or West Sussex would also have the opportunity to have a further 20 places at the satellite site, thereby providing economies of scale and sustainability.
4.1 If the Council does not invest in early support and the 3 Tier AP model it is likely that the following impacts will occur:
· The number of children requiring EHCPs will continue to rise. Without targeted support in mainstream schools (Tier 1) and access to time-limited AP placement (Tier 2) more children with SEMH needs could require an EHCP in order to access appropriate support.
· Demand for special school placements will increase. If children’s needs are not met early and effectively within mainstream settings, they are more likely to require a special school placement.
· Reliance on out of city placements will grow as there will be insufficient SEMH special school places available within Brighton & Hove. Out of city placements are typically more expensive and can be disruptive for children and families.
· Pressure on the High Needs Block will intensify. Increase in EHCPs, SEMH special school placements and out of city placements would put a significant strain on the High Needs Block budget.
4.2 These impacts highlight the importance of investing in early support and
the 3 Tier Model to improve outcomes for children with SEMH needs, reduce costs in the long term, and ensure the High Needs Block budget remains sustainable.
5.1 Local Head teachers have played an active part in the development and implementation of the IIS model and worked with our partners in Barking and Dagenham. Barking and Dagenham presented to primary heads in March 2024 and a representative from PaCC also attended. Primary Heads have been positive about this development. In speaking with each of the identified primary schools’ senior officers have met with members of the Governing Body as well as the school leadership teams.
5.2 The SEND and AP Programme Manager and an Educational Psychologist has met with all of the secondary heads to discuss the development of the Tier 2 specialist facilities. and Data from each school as to how many young people would meet the threshold for each of the Tiers has been collected. This is being used Council data to inform planning.
5.3 Liaison with East Sussex County Council has been undertaken on the proposed satellite provision at St George’s House. They are supportive of the satellite being added to Ropemakers Academy based in Hailsham. Discussions have also taken place with East and West Sussex about the further development of satellite provision, and they are keen to work with us on developing this model.
6.1 The establishment of the
4-tier alternative provision model will require the investment of
funding from the high needs block of the Dedicated Schools
Grant.
6.2 The additional costs
involved with this are projected to fall within the high needs
block funding in the 2024/25 financial year, and will be partly
funded from the de-commissioning of places at Homewood from
September 2024, but there is uncertainty about affordability beyond
this.
6.3 The investments in the short-term in the new model will require money to be saved on special and agency placements in the medium to longer term to be sustainable. It is likely this will lead to a shortfall in the high needs block in 2025/26 but it is anticipated that the impact of the strategy will take effect to provide benefits by 2026/27, enabling the high needs block to return to a balanced position.
6.4 In the event that the
proposed strategies do not achieve the cost avoidance/savings
required it will be necessary to review the overall deployment of
High Needs Block funding to facilitate a future balanced
budget.
6.5 Capital funding has also been distributed to secondary schools to facilitate the establishment of specialist areas to support young people with SEMH needs.
Name of finance officer consulted: Steve Williams Date
consulted: 13/05/2024
7.1 The Council has a duty
under section 14 of the Education Act 1996 to secure that
sufficient schools are available for its area to provide the
opportunity of appropriate education for all pupils. In exercising
this function, the council must have regard to the need for
securing that special educational provision is made for pupils who
have special educational needs. Where a child or young person has
an Education Health and Care Plan, the council must secure the
special educational provision specified in the plan, including
arranging and meeting the cost of the appropriate school placement
for the child/young person.
7.2 In addition section 27 of
the Children and Families Act 2014 requires Local Authorities to
keep under review: (a) the educational provision, training
provision and social care provision made in its area for children
and young people who have special educational needs or a
disability, and (b) the educational provision, training provision
and social care provision made outside its area for— (i)
children and young people for whom it is responsible who have
special educational needs, and (ii) children and young people in
its area who have a disability.
7.3 Any expansion of a maintained school or provision of a resource base at a maintained school will require the Local Authority to comply with the provisions set out in the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and associated Regulations and statutory guidance.
Name of lawyer consulted: Serena Kynaston Date consulted 13/05/2024
8.1 Equalities Impact Assessment attached.
9.1 The purpose of delivering the Tier 1 early intervention strategies across each education partnership and in each of the secondary schools across the city was to ensure that these interventions are in the child or young person’s local school. This should mean that pupils will not need to travel to other more specialist provision to receive the support they require, thereby preventing the number of journeys to school undertaken by car.
9.2 Developing more Tier 4 Special School provision should also mean that children and young people will not have to attend out of city independent non maintained schools. This will mean that there should be a reduction in the length of travel time as children will access their education in the city, for some there will be no need to travel by car at all.
9.3 In reference to any capital works required detailed planning of projects at educational establishments will take account of the implications of Brighton and Hove’s policies in relation to sustainability issues generally.
9.4 The council will consider how best to undertake any building works in a responsible, sustainable way. Projects will be procured using the new building maintenance frameworks put in place last year. The successful contractors will need to demonstrate that they would minimise waste, meet targets for reductions in waste to landfill and optimize the recovery, reuse, and recycling of waste. In addition to this they will be expected to describe the steps they will take to minimise the use of resources (water, fuel, energy from fossil fuels) and improve sustainable sourcing.
10. Health and Wellbeing Implications:
10.1 The new SEMH provision will have a positive impact upon children and young people’s social, emotional and mental health needs. Through providing early support children will receive the right help at the right time and this will improve their outcomes in terms of their learning and their wellbeing. An improved special school offer in Tier 4 will ensure more children and young people will receive the specialist education they need in the city so they can remain part of their community.
11. Procurement implications
11.1 There are no recommendations in the report that lead to specific procurement implications. Any relevant external contracting will be undertaken in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (or its successor act), if required.
12.1 Engagement in the AP & SEND Change Program has brought additional resource into the city to enable the development of a 3 Tier model and early support for children with SEMH needs. This will:
· Enable more children to remain in mainstream schools
· Improve outcomes for children and young people by providing the right support at the right time
· Reduce reliance on high-cost specialist placements
· Provide better value for money and support the sustainability of the High Needs Block budget
12.2 Additional special SEMH school placements are required to meet the needs of children and young people with SEMH needs, and to mitigate the decision to longer commission placements at Homewood College.
12.3 The proposals outlined in this report would result in additional educational provision being available for children and young people with SEMH needs. This increase in capacity set out below with up to 219 new places being provided:
|
Tier |
Current provision |
Additional spaces |
|
Tier 1 |
0 |
128 |
|
Tier 2 and 3 |
88 |
45 |
|
Tier 4 |
36 |
46 |
|
Total |
124 |
219 |
1. Equalities Impact Assessment
