Agenda item

(Report by Mr R Gough, Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform and Mr P Leeson, Corporate Director, Education, Learning and Skills)

1.            The Cabinet Committee received a report that summarised how Kent would deliver the additional Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision in Kent’s maintained schools set out in the SEN & Disability (SEND) Strategy 2013 and the Commissioning Plan for Education 2013-2018.  The proposals included 373 additional SEN places; 209 in special schools and 164 in mainstream by 2016, in addition to the 309 additional places that were added in Special Schools in 2013.

2.            Mr Gough introduced the report highlighting that there had been particular increased pressures in Special Educational Needs with keeping pace in growing areas such as autism, behavioural, emotional and social needs, and speech and language.  This impacted on Kent’s finances significantly through the reliance on out of county, private and independent sector placements, which impacted on the DSG and increased the pressures on the SEN transport budget. Mr Gough highlighted the detail in the table in paragraph 2.2 in the report that showed the trajectory of reducing the number of pupils whose needs cannot be met in a local school and reducing the cost of out of county placements over the next 3 years as we build capacity in mainstream schools.

3.            Mr Gough and Mr Leeson responded to comments and questions by Members which included the following:

a)     Mr Leeson advised that there was some proposals for residential provision especially for those with challenging behavioural needs but it would be minimal as children should mostly be at a local school and residing at home with their parents.

b)     Mr Leeson explained that it was not possible or desirable to educate all SEN children in mainstream schools as there were some SEN children that needed highly specialist provision.  Kent was fortunate to have 75% of its special schools judged to be good or outstanding provision. The proportion of children in Kent with a statement in a special school was 60% (nationally this was 40%) and 40% in mainstream schools.  This should be slightly adjusted because there was more scope for local mainstream schools to do more.  

c)      Parental preference was an important as they had to have confidence in the provision available. Parents both nationally and in Kent often had a preference for a special school place when their child has autism or very challenging behavioural difficulties or physical disability needs because they often have more confidence that they will receive specialist resource, equipment and teaching.  Kent needed to work with parents on the SEND Strategy to give parents the confidence in the provision and options available in mainstream schools. The proposals in the report stated that there would be an additional 400 places in Kent in both special and mainstream schools.  This would make the provision more local, cut down on transport costs and reduce the reliance on out of county placements.  The savings would be used for Kent schools.

d)     Mr Gough advised that he was aware of the issues regarding Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and child assessments.  The Health and Wellbeing Board, which he chairs, would be considering a report on CAMHS at its meeting in January 2014.

e)     A comment was made that it was not a case of a special or mainstream school as there was travel between the two and gave the example of a pupil from a special school attending college who continued to receive support from the special school so that they thrived at college.

4.            RESOLVED that:-

a)     the responses to comments and questions by Members as detailed in paragraph 3 above be  noted; and

b)     the Education Cabinet Committee endorsed the actions to implement key proposals set out in the SEND Strategy; and the Cabinet Member’s recommendation to Cabinet to proceed with these plans be noted.