Agenda item - SEND Review - Feedback from Formal Consultation & Publication of Statutory Notice Periods

Report of the Executive Director Families, Children & Learning (copy attached)

The Committee agreed:

(1)  To note the outcome of the recent consultation to extend the age range of both Hillside School and Downs View School attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

(2)  To agree that the Local Authority should now proceed to publish statutory notices to :

i. Extend the age range of Hillside School from the existing 4-16 years to 2-16 years, with a view to implementation in September 2017

ii. Extend the age range of Downs View School from the existing 3-19 years to 2-19 years, with a view to implementation in September 2017.

(3)  To agree that the Local Authority proceed with the identification of a suitable host school for the new special facility.

(4)  To note that the feedback from the formal consultation on the proposal to close Patcham House School in July 2018 will be closely analysed before a report is brought back to CYPS committee on 6 March 2017 for a decision whether or not to proceed with a statutory notice proposing closure of the school.

(5)  To note the progress made on other areas of the review.

64.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Families, Children & Learning, which provided an update on the current review of special educational needs and disability (SEND) provision in the city. The report was introduced by the Assistant Director, Health, SEN & Disability Families, Children & Learning.

64.2    Councillor Brown noted that there was a feeling in the city that final decisions now needed to be made, and asked whether the Committee would know in March where the host school and Jeanne Saunders Centre would be. The Assistant Director, Health, SEN & Disability advised that a further report would be considered by the Committee at the meeting on 6 March 2017, which would set out those proposals.

64.3    Councillor Phillips asked whether the Authority provided transport for nursery school age children, and was advised that it didn’t for those under statutory school age.

64.5    Councillor Phillips was pleased to note that the proposal was to have a new special facility within a mainstream school, and asked if consideration had been given to areas such as whether those children would use the main entrance and whether they would have the same school hours etc. The Assistant Director, Health, SEN & Disability said that those things had not yet been agreed, but would certainly be areas for discussion.

64.6    Councillor Phillips noted the final Recommendation in the report and asked if there was a timeline and/or a deadline for exploring the various options, and was advised that there was a timeline and it would be included in the report due to be considered at the March meeting of the Committee.

64.7    Mr Jones asked if any schools had shown an interest in having a special facility, and was advised that three schools had.

64.8    Mr Jones noted that some mainstream schools were more or less popular than others, and asked whether it was felt that having a special facility within a school could change those perceptions. The Assistant Director, Health, SEN & Disability Families said that it could; if there was successful provision in mainstream schools, it would provide the opportunity for mainstream inclusion and special needs support which some people would prefer.

64.9    Mr Jones noted that Patcham House were only expecting two students to start in July 2108, and asked if that was a normal number, or whether the possibility that the school could close had impacted on applications. The Assistant Director, Health, SEN & Disability said that the number of pupils at Patcham House had been dwindling over recent years. The number of children in special provision hadn’t changed, but where they chose to attend had, with many now opting to go to mainstream schools.

64.10  Mr Jones asked if there was a gap between the vision for special educational needs provision, and what could actually be provided given the pressure on finances. The Assistant Director, Health, SEN & Disability said that it would always be a struggle to do everything you wanted to, but the Authority was being as ingenious as it could to provide the desired service.

64.11  Mr Glazebrook asked whether any young people would be placed at Patcham House in the current year groups. He was advised that there was no reason why they wouldn’t be as there was no intention to close the school.

64.12  RESOLVED: The Committee agreed:

(1)  To note the outcome of the recent consultation to extend the age range of both Hillside School and Downs View School attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

(2)  To agree that the Local Authority should now proceed to publish statutory notices to :

i. Extend the age range of Hillside School from the existing 4-16 years to 2-16 years, with a view to implementation in September 2017

ii. Extend the age range of Downs View School from the existing 3-19 years to 2-19 years, with a view to implementation in September 2017.

(3)  To agree that the Local Authority proceed with the identification of a suitable host school for the new special facility.

(4)  To note that the feedback from the formal consultation on the proposal to close Patcham House School in July 2018 will be closely analysed before a report is brought back to CYPS committee on 6 March 2017 for a decision whether or not to proceed with a statutory notice proposing closure of the school.

(5)  To note the progress made on other areas of the review.