Agenda and minutes
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Contact: Amit Alva Email: Amit.Alva@southwark.gov.uk
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Apologies
To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Nick Johnson and Councillor Eleanor Kerslake, Lynette Murphy-O’Dwyer (Co-opted member) and Mannah Kargbo (Co-opted member). |
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Notification of any items of business which the chair deems urgent
In special circumstances, an item of business may be added to an agenda within five clear working days of the meeting. Minutes: There were no items of business which the Chair deemed urgent. |
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Disclosure of interests and dispensations.
Members to declare any interests and dispensations in respect of any item of business to be considered at this meeting. Minutes: There were no disclosure of interests and dispensations. |
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Minutes
To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2021, 17 March 2021 (To follow) and 20 April 2021 (To follow).
Supporting documents: Minutes: Minutes of the meeting from the previous meeting on 19 July 2021 were approved as a correct record of the meeting. |
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Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Provision - Scrutiny Review
To hear from parents and teachers and practicing co-ordinators of the children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Jemima Rhys-Evans, Director of London South Teaching School Hub Will Cannock, Head of Inclusion, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator, Charles Dickens Primary School
Ms. Conteh, Parent of child with special educational needs.
Roger Lynch, SEND Operator and Practitioner
To receive a report from the Director of Education, Nina Dohel on Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Provision.
Supporting documents: Minutes: The commission received a slide presentation from Jemima Rhys-Evans, Director of London South Teaching School Hub and Will Cannock, Head of Inclusion, Special Educational Needs Coordinator, Charles Dickens Primary School. The commission heard from Will on the SEND provision at Charles Dickens Primary School where a graduated approach is followed to assess, plan, do and review. SEND provisions are implemented in three waves, Universal, Targeted and Specialist based on four areas of need those being Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Social, emotional and mental health and lastly Sensory/Physical.
The commission also heard about the barriers to high-quality SEND provision which mainly revolved around lack of funding, specialist support and access to external services. Jemima introduced the best practices in SEND provision to the commission which composed of creating positive and supportive environments and ongoing, holistic understanding of pupil needs by engaging with their families. In addition high quality teaching is complemented by carefully selected one-to-one and small-group interventions for pupils and finally working effectively with teaching assistants helps improve quality SEND provision. The commission understood that the emerging priorities for SEND provision needs to be mainly focused on developing pro-active strategies to develop expertise by supporting and engaging with the schools in need whilst also encouraging and incentivizing them to work collaboratively and to engage with evidence-informed practice.
Jemima and Will then answered questions from the commission on the following points:
· Networking and linking up between Council, external agencies and schools to provide specialist support as mentioned in the third wave of support. · Approach to barriers such as shortage of expertise and equality of access to SEND provisions across families with lack of expertise.
The commission learned that the children in the third wave of special support are the most time consuming and financially taxing for the schools and schools need to focus on Universal and Targeted waves one and two to ensure that children don’t have to wait long periods of time without getting any support, these are services in the form community paediatricians, NHS services- speech & language therapy and occupational therapy.
The commission also understood that there is a need for central co-ordination Of access to SEND services to bridge the gap to schools who have issues accessing services and families who lack expertise. The commission also learned that there are cultural barriers to understanding, accepting and dealing with SEND across the diverse backgrounds in Southwark, schools are developing in-house Family Liaison Services for early help who work directly with families to help them better understand and gain access to the support their children might need.
The commission also heard that COVID has hindered some of the advertising and printing of booklets for distribution on services, dissemination information on these services are now done online. On issues of schools working in isolation in isolation or in a vacuum, the commission learnt that resource bases do exist in special schools and expertise in local authority but are difficult to access, bringing schools together through Education and Healthcare Plan ... view the full minutes text for item 5. |
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Future of Children's Education and Youth Provision in Southwark - Pupil Places
To receive a report from Director of Education, Nina Dohel on Pupil Places: Looking at shortfalls in primary pupil numbers across the borough. Supporting documents: Minutes: The commission next heard from Nina again on Pupil Places: Looking at shortfalls in primary pupil numbers across the borough. The commission understood that pupil numbers are a London wide issue and many schools across London will have to close a result, head teachers and officers are coming together to present the projections to the public based on which decisions will be made by Local Authorities. The reasons for the shortfall have been attributed to a declining birth-rate and impact from leaving the European Union. Nina also explained that conversations have been had around amalgamations and federations of some these schools without letting go of schools completely as there might be a rise in pupils in London suburbs. Impacts of school closures would be felt across the school system including multi academy trusts and voluntary aided schools, amalgamation of schools would be based on geographical proximity. Nina mentioned to the commission that a report on Pupil Place Planning is due to go to the Cabinet in December and the commission requested a copy of the report to be circulated when published. |
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Future of Work and Enterprise in Southwark - Adult Retraining
To note the Skills Strategy Delivery Plan. Supporting documents: Minutes: Report noted by the commission. |
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Proposed Work Programme 2021-22
To note the proposed work programme for 2021-2022 and to consider the inclusion of any additional items / amendments to the work programme. Supporting documents: Minutes: The commission agreed that the work plan for the commission will be reviewed with the Chair, Vice-Chair and officer support to focus on specific topics given the limited number of meetings left in the Council year. |
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Cabinet Response to the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission: Review of Approach to Equality and Adoption of the Equality Framework
To consider the Cabinet Response to the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission: Review of Approach to Equality and Adoption of the Equality Framework.
This item was omitted from the main agenda in error. The item is deemed urgent, in order to allow the timely consideration of the Cabinet response to Scrutiny Commission Recommendations. Supporting documents: Minutes: Cabinet response noted by the commission. |
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Cabinet Response to the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission: Local Economy, Revitalising Southwark's High Streets and Town Centres
To consider the Cabinet Response to the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission: Local Economy, Revitalising Southwark's High Streets and Town Centres.
This item was omitted from the main agenda in error. The item is deemed urgent, in order to allow the timely consideration of the Cabinet Response to the Scrutiny Commission recommendations. Supporting documents: Minutes: Cabinet response noted by the commission. |