Decision details

The purpose of the report is to seek an exemption under rule 21(3) (h) owing to the circumstances of extreme urgency, in order to procure the following:
RDE Associates: Provision of a programme of targeted 1:1 support for schools to explore and address the barriers to offering the 30 hours entitlement.
Achievement for All: Provision of a tailored package of 1:1 support for practitioners from all sectors to increase uptake of 30 hours free early education by children with SEND.

RESOLVED - That:
The services of RDE Associates and Achievement for All are procured to deliver the approved 30 hours delivery support plan.

Option 1: To procure RDE Associates and Achievement for All to deliver the packages of support as set out in Oldham’s application to the Delivery Support Fund. This will enable up to 25 schools to access business planning support through RDE Associates, and 20 schools, private, voluntary and independent early years providers to benefit from one-to-one coaching through Achievement for All. The latter aims to help them to increase uptake of the free early education entitlement by children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Option 2: To return the funding to the DfE on the basis that a tender process would make it impossible to comply with clause 4, section C of the DfE Memorandum of Understanding, which states that:
‘The Grant Recipient is required to spend all of the grant by 31st August 2018. The only exception to this is where the Grant Recipient set out a strong case in its bid to the Delivery Support Fund as to why the grant would need to extend beyond this date’.

Option 2: To return the funding to the DfE on the basis that a tender process would make it impossible to comply with clause 4, section C of the DfE Memorandum of Understanding, which states that:
‘The Grant Recipient is required to spend all of the grant by 31st August 2018. The only exception to this is where the Grant Recipient set out a strong case in its bid to the Delivery Support Fund as to why the grant would need to extend beyond this date’.

All schools and settings that deliver the free early education entitlement were invited to participate in the programme.