Cabinet considered the report regarding the outcome of ‘informal’ public consultation on options for new resource bases attached to schools at six sites in the Royal Borough for SEN provision.

The Deputy Chairman of Cabinet, Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Health and Mental Health informed Cabinet that consultation was carried out on proposals for sites at Dedworth Green First School/Dedworth Middle School; the Furze Platt Primary Federation; Hilltop First School; Homer First School; South Ascot Village Primary School and Wraysbury Primary School.  Ascot Village Primary School was added into the consultation following a representation from the school received during the consultation period.   

The report recommended in principle approval of four options, providing resourced base at four locations across the borough.  It also recommended that formal consultation on those options should now proceed.   Cabinet were informed that this was an important area dealing with vulnerable children that would make a difference to their education.  Capital funding for any new buildings would come from the Department for Education’s £1.227m Special Provision Capital Fund grant to the local authority.

When taking such decisions there were a couple of guiding principles that were always considered; equity of access based on demographic split and distribution and thus he was pleased to see Ascot being included.  The second principle was to ensure speed of access as every day matters for this co-hort.  It was also important to have participation in decisions.

The Director Children’s Services informed that the paper covered a lot of the technicalities of moving forward such as a more formal consultation.  The proposed basis would support those who had the academic ability to be supported at mainstream schools but currently had limited options supporting their special needs.  These resource basis would support 40 pupils.  94% of those who responded to the consultation were in favour of the bases.   The feedback was from families with children, other families and staff of schools.  Each specific proposal would need specific detailed consultation.  Ongoing support costs for the bases would come from the High Needs Block within the DSG funding and it was expected that they would reduce pressure currently on the High Needs Block.

The Deputy Leader of the Council, Resident and Leisure Services, HR, IT, Legal, Performance Management and Windsor informed that this was an excellent report that would help vulnerable children.  She asked that with regards to revenue costs would there be a reduction in transport costs and would the provision meet future need.

It was confirmed that the need would increase and these would help meet future demand.  One of the observations made was the need within mainstream school grow and thus any new school would have to include a resource base.  There would be savings when a child has to be sent to specialist provision outside the borough.  There would be a small opportunity to make savings regards to transport but this would be small and was not the driving force. 

The Lead Member for Finance and Ascot informed that this was a positive step improving provision for children with special education needs and improve their life chances.  Its key that they would be able to continue their education in mainstream schools.  He asked if specialist staff were already within the schools or if extra resource was required.  In response Cabinet were informed that the additional resource going into the bases would allow them to recruit more staff, some will be existing staff that wish to be specialist in this area as well as an opportunity to create new jobs.

Cllr Price mentioned Hilltop First School that had not been recommended to take forward, that it had an outstanding Ofsted report, she asked was this due to costs.  She was informed that we could run a base at the school however looking at the factors it did not score as high as Dedworth. 

Cllr Tisi asked that if the Windsor system was changed would Hilltop and Homer be looked at again.  She was informed that SEN needs were looked at each year and these schools could be used in the future.

Cllr Tisi also asked how many children were educated outside the borough that would use the new provision and how many spaces were there for future growth.  Cabinet were informed that there were currently over 1000 children on plans and less ten half go to mainstream schools within the borough.  Many would be settles in good provision and they would only be transitioned into the new provision if it was the right thing to do.  Within two years it was expected that all 40 spaces would be full. 

Resolved unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

i)          Approves, in principle, proposals to open new Resource Bases for children with social communication difficulties and related behaviours as follows:

Phase 1

·      Resourced Provision at the Furze Platt Primary Federation, from September 2021.

·      Resourced Provision at Dedworth Green First School/Dedworth Middle School, from September 2021.

Phase 2

·      Resourced Provision or a SEN Unit at South Ascot Village Primary School, from September 2022.

·      Resourced Provision at Wraysbury Primary School, from September 2022.

ii)         Requests that, subject to approval from the school governing bodies and academy trusts, formal consultation is carried on Phase 1 in Autumn 2020, and on Phase 2 in Summer 2021.   The Windsor Learning Partnership is requested to submit an initial Business Case to the Regional Schools Commissioner, seeking the necessary approval of a significant change to an academy.

iii)        Delegates authority to determine the proposals following formal consultation to the Director of Children Services, in conjunction with the Lead Member for Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Health and Mental Health, subject to:

·      no substantive new issues being raised during the formal consultation period;

·      each school agreeing and signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the local authority setting out the scope of the accommodation works.

·      each school agreeing and signing a draft service level agreement setting out the expectations of both the school and the local authority in relation to the running of the Resource Base.

iv)        Approves a budget estimate of £1.227m, and gives delegated authority to the Director of Children’s Services, in conjunction with the Lead Member for Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, Health and Mental Health, to undertake procurement and enter into contracts for the delivery of the new special educational needs detailed in this report.

v)         Thanks the schools involved for their work on the Resource Bases, including Hilltop First School and Homer First School where proposals are not currently being taken forward.

vi)        Approves a policy stating that there should be a presumption in favour of all new school sites in the borough having a Resource Base.