Agenda item

1.    Ms Price introduced the report that was slightly delayed in publication in order to include the views from the recently held Schools Funding Forum.

2.    Sir Carter addressed the Committee and made the following points:

• There was some uncertainly among schools about how they would be impacted by the model.
• The issues faced by Kent schools were mirrored across the Country.  Government legislation was needed to provide clarity about the thresholds that entitled a child to receive a special school place, and what level of support could be expected from a mainstream school.  In the absence of Government legislation, the LA should provide this clarification.
• The LA bore the cost of supporting children with profound needs that were placed in Kent Schools by other LAs.  These costs were not currently recoverable from other LAs.
• The NHS needed to reduce the waiting time for young people to access mental health services, and to contribute to the funding of their support.
• Mainstream schools should be named and shamed if they did not accept children with special needs.
• The Informal Scrutiny Committee had diluted its findings, and he would continue to campaign on the matter.

3.    Further to questions and comments from Members, it was noted that:

·         The proposals were intended to set out the principles for the system moving forward.  More detailed information would be made available to schools in due course to help support their understanding of the impacts.

·         Schools would be empowered through the decision, and the amount of funding for the high needs block would remain unchanged.

·         The LA could not wait for the Government to re-organise SEN provision.

·         A lot of work had taken place with school communities to establish what the model should look like, and to develop some general principles. There was recognition that the existing model was not working as effectively as it should.

4.    RESOLVED to endorse the proposed decision, namely:

That the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills agree to:

(a)  Approve the funding arrangements for the Communities of Schools’ process as per Key Decision and as set out in this report.

(b)  Approve the transition arrangements of the Special Educational Needs (SEN) funding system for state funded schools between April 2025 and September 2026.

(c)  Note that the development and establishment of the long-term plan to adopt an overarching SEN funding policy and system, will be subject to further governance and decision making in consultation with schools.

(d)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills to implement the funding arrangements for the Communities of schools process as per Key Decision - 24/00026 - The Locality Model for Special Educational Needs Inclusion

(e)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills to proceed with transition arrangements, between April 2025 and September 2026.

(f)   Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education to take other necessary actions, including but not limited to entering into contracts or other legal agreements, as required to implement the decision