Agenda item

(Report by Director – Operations)

(1)     Before discussion on this meeting, a supplementary paper was circulated which set out further information related to proposals for specialist provision and support in mainstream schools for children with special educational needs in the North West Kent Cluster, in Ashford and in Shepway.

(2)     This report updated Members on the progress of the review of units and specialist designations and brought to Members attention the possible need for a statutory consultation in relation to some individual proposals.  Mr Doole said the objectives of the review were to ensure that the pattern, diversity and organisation of provision reflected the changing needs of the pupil population; supported schools in becoming more inclusive and accessible to all learners; to reduce the long distances travelled by many children on a daily basis, thus eliminating stress for them and their families and reducing expenditure on transport and to ensure complimentary provision to that available in special schools.  The proposals were the subject of ongoing close consultation with schools, parents, students and key stakeholders and other interested parties and the overall aim was to develop proposals at a local level which covered the full range of provision and took account of the need to ensure an appropriate range and mix of provision with any given locality.

(3)     Some of the changes may require some proposals going through an individual public consultation process and legal advice was currently being sought as to which ones may or may not fall into that category.  The legal advice was not available at the meeting but Mr Doole assured Members that any proposals requiring statutory consultation, would be reported to the Board.  Any Phase 2 proposals requiring a statutory public notice also be reported to the Advisory Board following consideration by Cabinet of the over package of proposals at its meeting in February 2008.

(4)     Members raised a number of questions related to transport,  funding, parental choice, staffing implications, where do parents go to get help, support and advice and who will arbitrate if the preference of a parent and child cannot be met.  It was also said that it would be important to monitor provision under these new arrangements, and for Members to be kept informed of outcomes.

(5)     Dr Craig said that under this process the County Council would be commissioning with Local Children’s Trusts, for provision which included health and social care and working with parents in order to identify the most effective choice of delivery for their child.  If the child had a statement then it was the responsibility of the County Council to deliver the terms of that statement.  If parents were not satisfied with the provision being provided then they could take that up directly with the County Council.  Therefore in essence, the processes related to parental choice would not be any different from what they are now.  Mr Doole said whilst guarantees could not be given, one aim of the proposals was to reduce the travel time for children and overall these should be fewer pupils travelling long distances.  On the issues raised regarding funding, Mr Doole said that this would be monitored and that the Council would be able to demonstrate how resources were being distributed and what outcomes were being achieved.  Nuala Ryder said that the funding proposals were detailed in the Appendix to the report to the Advisory Board but said it was proposed that for children with exceptionally high needs part of their funding would be taken into a central pot and kept as a contingency.  This funding could be used for example, to provide support in a mainstream school for a child who needed a high level of support.  Mr Doole said that the proposals outlined in the report very much focussed on trying to build capacity and bring about change to parental perceptions.  Having cluster lead schools would mean them being able to provide support and expertise to other schools within their cluster so that the children at those schools would be able to benefit from the lead schools expertise.  Mr Doole also confirmed that parent groups had been closely involved in the consultations on these proposals and were represented on the Steering Group.

(6)     Following further discussion, the Advisory Board noted the progress of the review and that, should it be necessary following legal advice, any individual proposals which required to be subject to a public consultation process, would be reported separately to a future meeting of the Board.  The Advisory Board also noted that the Phase 2 proposals would be considered by the County Council’s Cabinet at a meeting in February 2008 rather than in January as set out in the report.