Agenda item

High Needs Funding - Quality Assurance of Resource Bases and Outreach Funds

To receive the above report.

Minutes:

(The Chair and Forum agreed to re-order the agenda items to take item 5- High Needs Funding; Quality assurance of resource bases and outreach funds as the first item of business.)

 

Helen Huntley gave a verbal presentation on the above titled item. Members were informed that this report sought to provide an update on the Quality Assurance process conducted throughout 2018/2019 of the High Needs Block (HNB) funding for four Resource Bases (RBs) in RBWM and for two schools to provide an outreach service to local schools. Forum Members were told that there were currently four commissioned schools which hosted Resource Provision (RPs) to provide an education for C&YP with SEND and who already had an Education and Health Care Plan. It was highlighted that the four commissioned schools were as follows:

 

-       Charters Secondary School- physical disabilities

-       Furze Platt Secondary School- Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

-       Riverside Primary School- Speech and language difficulties

-       Wessex Primary School- Hearing impairments

 

Forum members were informed that two outreach grants from the HNB had been provides to Furze Platt Secondary School who had received £180,000 to support YP in mainstream schools with ASD and Manor Green School which had received £76,000 to support YP in mainstream schools with complex learning difficulties. It was highlighted that there was a robust quality assurance process in place to ensure that RPs and that there was evidenced value for money with all outreach grants. It was also noted that quality assurance visits had been made to each of the RPs and that each school had been asked to complete a quality assurance audit tool which had been based on the current Ofsted frameworks. As part of the visit it was outlined that a range of activities had also been undertaken which included lesson observations, meeting a range of different staff members including the Head teacher, the RP managers, a pupil voice meeting and feedback from parents. Next steps were highlighted as including the implementation and embedment of service level agreements to be in place for each school to outline the use of funding and commissioning arrangements. It was also noted that quality assurance visits would be arranged for the academic year , autumn team of 2019/2020 to focus on the use of funding at the relevant school. Members were told that an agreement would then be made regarding the continuation of these grants for the 2020/2021 year.  

 

At the conclusion of the update the Chair queried whether any other schools had come forward and expressed an interest. It was confirmed that 10 other schools had shown interest and that Ben Wright would provide further matric information. It was outlined that there was currently £1.2 million available and that interest was expressed from both primary and secondary schools, with a particular focus on ASD but had now widened to SEND and high behavioural needs.

 

Kevin McDaniel, Director of Children Services queried the rational for RBs and it was confirmed that there was now one panel as opposed to the SEN panel and that these groups would be invited to the panel for decision making on complex and different decisions. Members discussed the statements relating to ECHC plans and how the dates were conflicting and has caused concerns when assessing individual cases previously. It was noted that RBWM had faced local pressures in relation to the provision in October for places and that clarification of ECHP dates had provided better planning for schools. Helen Huntley confirmed that two schools were currently in receipt of the outreach grant and that this funding currently supported children in mainstream schools to support challenging behaviours and there was confidence that this funding had been spent well.

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