Decision details

Proposed decision

(a)  Approve the adoption and implementation of the Schools Access Initiative Policy and Procedure

(b)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, to refresh and/or make revisions to the policy where changes do not require additional governance.

(c)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s, Young People and Education to take relevant actions, including but not limited to, entering into and finalising the terms of relevant contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary, to implement the above decision.

Background

The County Council provides capital funding, the Schools Access Initiative (SAI), to improve access for disabled pupils to the maintained mainstream schools for which it has capital responsibility (community, foundation and voluntary controlled schools). It supports the implementation of the Education Accessibility Strategy.

The SAI Policy and Procedure outlines the process for allocating the funding.

What is planned

The SAI Policy and Procedure has been drafted. This will be consulted on prior to presentation to the Children’s, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee for approval in January 2025.

How the proposal will support Framing Kent’s Future 2022-26:

The proposal will support:

Priority 1: Levelling Up

• To maintain KCC’s strategic role in supporting schools in Kent to deliver accessible, high quality education provision for all families.

Priority 4: New Models of Care and Support

• Respond to national policy changes on SEND provision, work with SEND families to rapidly improve the service provided to SEND children and work with mainstream schools so more can accept and meet the needs of children with SEND, increasing choice and proximity of school places.

How the proposal will support Securing Kent’s Future 2022-26:

The proposal will support:

Objective 2: Delivering savings from identified opportunity areas to set a sustainable 2024/25 budget and MTFP.

• Having a clear SAI policy and procedure will ensure that capital funding is monitored, managed and used strategically to improve accessibility.
• It will help ensure accessible school provision is available in each of the 12 districts/boroughs. This will reduce the need for pupils to travel distances to access school places thus reducing the impact on the Home to School transport budget.

As Cabinet Member for Education and Skills I agree to:

(a)  APPROVE the adoption and implementation of the Schools Access Initiative Policy and Procedure

(b)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, to refresh and/or make revisions to the policy where changes do not require additional governance.

(c)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s, Young People and Education to take relevant actions, including but not limited to, entering into and finalising the terms of relevant contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary, to implement the above decision.