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 Youcef Hassaine and was substituted by Councillor Sunny Lambe (reserve).
Apologies for absence were also received from Councillor Sunil Chopra and Councillor Jon Hartley and Marcin Jagodzinski (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 disclosures of interests and dispensations |
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Minutes
To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2024. Supporting documents: Minutes: Minutes of the meeting held on 26 September 2024 were approved as a correct record. |
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Interviewing retired Headteacher (SEND) and SEND tribunal mediator.
To hear from Retired Headteacher, Fran Goggins working with SEND and SEND Tribunal Mediator, Catriona Ogilvy on SEND.
Minutes: The commission first heard from Fran Goggins retired Headteacher working with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) on the following points.
The commission then asked questions on the following themes
· Suitability of another SEND placement offer; Complexities of the EHCP process for parents. · Legal process within Southwark Council on EHCPs’; SEND recommendation
Fran explained to the commission that in the case of her grandson with ASD, the other placement offer was to put him in a school where certain behavioural policies put him at risk of being excluded. He would have to ask for help to go to another room if he was overwhelmed, children with ASD have social communication issues. Parents and families are often from different cultures and not been in the country for long, in these situations acknowledgment of child’s needs is often not recognised. Furthermore, the complexities of long application forms and requirements for EHCPs’ causes delays in children getting help.
Fran informed the commission that staff from Southwark’s legal team were very supportive and helpful. However the transition from the case being transferred from the EHCP co-ordinator to the legal team was very quick, this was very intimidating and daunting for the parents. Furthermore, as a SEND recommendation, the commission heard that information on EHCP are often years out of date and the reasoning given for unsuitability at certain schools were not satisfactory. There is a need to oversee the responses from parents during such processes and consultations. Ideally, the EHCP funding should be used to build schools catering to special needs within Southwark, rather than out of borough placements.
The commission then heard from Catrina Ogilvy, Children’s Occupational Therapist (OT) (SEND) on the following topics of discussion.
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Inclusions in schools
Supporting documents: Minutes: The commission then heard from Sarah Beard, Executive Headteacher GEM Federation of Schools (primary school) and Michael Baxter, Principal, City of London Academy on school inclusions from a SEND perspective covering the following points
· SENDIF (SEND Inclusion Funding) (Early Years Intervention) information not being passed on to schools; preparation by schools for SEND children; reluctance of schools for SEND children; SEND funding varying from lowest band of £4k a year and an additional £10k from Southwark, insufficient for providing SEND; Lowest qualified staff such as TAs’ given the most vulnerable children. · Recommendations for LA: Clear communication with schools around SENDIF and this information and evidence being used for EHCP applications, Funding for training and support in SEND for staff which currently leaves the schools needing another £20k and moving away from one-to-one sessions which creates dependency. · More SEND provisions in secondary schools challenging, repurposing buildings of closed schools either for alternative SEND provisions or setting up SEND schools; factors behind secondary school children who end up in prison are mainly due to suspensions, suspensions need to be part of the inclusion policy and should be used with efficacy and proportionately. · Suspensions mainly on: Fireworks on parents, teachers and other students, possessing zombie knives, consistently defying instructions causing disturbance, preventing other children from receiving a good education; Southwark secondary schools performing much better in results and inclusions when compared to other boroughs.
The commission then asked questions on the following themes
Sarah explained to the commission that GEM federation of schools strictly adhere to the persistent absence policies, any families of children that have less than 90% attendance. Senior leadership at GEM have meetings with parents on establishing whether its special needs or non-special needs causing the absence of children in schools. Absence in schools makes it difficult for schools to gather evidence for SEND. The trigger for legal action against parents from LAs’ considers a six-week attendance improvement period and often parents ensure that their children attend in that period to avoid legal action. However, the attendance drops after this period which resets the process for handling absences to step 1, leading to very little improvement in attendance over the school year, in some cases 39% to a mere 41% improvement in attendance.
Michael informed the commission that some families with children having low attendance are difficult to get in contact with, the Department for Education has given LAs’ the authority to ... view the full minutes text for item 6. |
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Update on Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP)
Supporting documents: Minutes:
The commission then received an update from Alasdair Smith, Director of Children, Families and Adult Services, Rebecca Davies, Head of Service for SEND and Emma Pale, Principal Educational Psychologist on EHCP covering the following themes
· National Audit Office report on the SEND system, ISOS report commissioned by the Association of Directors for Children’s Services and County Councils; More provision being delivered for SEND in schools, plans for more provisions in schools for SEND; Early Help and SENDIF Funding. · Key areas of recommendation in published update within this agenda: needs let system not diagnosis led system, two-step test – establishing whether the child has special needs and secondly whether it’s in line with the child needing an EHCP plan, guidance handbook provided to schools for this graduated approach. 90% of EHCP needs assessments have been completed · Issues around delayed EHCP for more than 20 weeks due to capacity within professional groups and availability of provision and identifying the named placement. Assessment of the impact of summer holidays on young people in the educational setting. · Increased demand for SEND assessments affects EHCP timelines, four doctoral training programs for education psychologists, one of these programs to be stopped due to redistribution and will lead to 16 less Educational Psychologists in Southwark. · EHCP timeliness is only one part of the Educational Psychologist roles, in addition they also provide early intervention services. Southwark has 17% successful EHCP Appeals when compared to the national average of 1.7%. EHCP Appeals are conceded in mutual agreements with families. EHCP appeals legal team and solicitor team is planned to come inhouse within Southwark Council to provide better support and build trust with parents.
The commission then asked questions on the following themes
· No of EHCP appeals refused · Legal and Solicitors, EHCP tribunal and mediation team in house within Southwark, its functioning and cost effectiveness · 14 SEND children in out of borough placements
Rebecca agreed to get back to the commission on EHCP appeal refusal numbers. Alasdair and Rebecca explained to the commission that bringing the tribunal and mediation team in-house would mean that Senior Leadership would be a part of the panel, and it would involve more mediation and appeals being conceded as a result, the focus is bringing change in the working culture when dealing with EHCP appeals. Furthermore, the costs would not reduce by bringing the tribunal and mediation team in-house but would provide better mediation and experience for families with regards to building trust.
On out of borough placements (report pg.11) the commission heard that £19.7 million of the budget is in the overall high needs category, 977 students are in out of borough placements matched this is due to factor such as children living close to Southwark border areas and their needs are better matched to the out of borough schools, in addition parental preference is also considered. Focus on delivering quality outcomes for children is the main aim.
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Proposed Work Programme 2024-2025
To consider the proposed work programme for the 2024-2025 year. Supporting documents: Minutes: The commission noted the work programme.
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