Agenda item

The Select Committee were provided an update on progress to date which addressed the two remaining recommendations from the Written Statement of Action (WSOA) that had formed the priorities identified in the Accelerated Progress Plan (APP) being monitored by the Department for Education (DfE). 

Following the reinspection in September 2019 and the identification of two remaining areas which required improvement, the APP was developed to ensure significant improvement continued to be made in relation to Area 3 (Education, Health & Social Care) (EHC) process and quality of plans) and Area 5 (Achievement of children and young people with SEND, including the high rates of fixed term exclusion and persistent absenteeism).  The final draft of the APP was submitted to the DfE in March 2020 including 6 and 12 month milestones due to the rapidly escalating Coronavirus situation.

Due to the closure of all schools in England on 18^th March 2020, the cancellation of national performance tables and national examinations for all key stages, it was not possible to review progress against the impact measures and milestones for Area 5 this academic year.  It was recommended to the DfE Advisor in June 2020 that the actions identified in Area 5 should be amended and updated to reflect the changes and significant challenges presented by the Coronavirus situation ahead of schools returning in the Autumn term.  This update was completed and shared with the DfE.  The meeting on 31^st July 2020 was positive and demonstrated the progress made to address the two remaining areas.  A follow up meeting was arranged with the DfE Advisor to discuss and confirm the formal approval process for the APP and agreed access to DfE funded training for members of the partnership.

Despite the challenges of the Coronavirus situation, actions related to Area 3 had proceeded at pace through creative approaches, with the clear message of ‘business as usual’.  The fixed term additional team which delivered the annual review recovery plan had now been trained, inducted and were producing high quality EHC plans following annual reviews.  The main education, health and care plan team continued to work effectively.  Co-productive work continued across the partnership to provide challenging but constructive feedback to improve working practices and the quality of information included in the EHC plans.  The quality assurance visit from the DfE SEND Advisory Team on 31^st July 2020 confirmed this view.

The Select Committee were provided an example of the transformation journey taking place which was the national timeliness indicator.  The number of EHC plans issued within 20 weeks based upon the DfE published data for the 2019 calendar year.  The following improvement was shown:

·         Excluding Exceptions – 43^rd of 151 nationally, compared to 140^th last year.  Higher than 8 of the authority’s statistical neighbours.

·         Inclusion Exceptions – 47^th of 151 nationally, compared to 139^th last year.  Higher than 8 of the authority’s 10 statistical neighbours.

It was anticipated that due to the disruption caused by the Coronavirus situation, the SEND strategy would be updated in the Autumn term to reflect the current evaluation of emerging trends and priorities in the Autumn term ready to become operational from January 2021 – March 2024.

Members were asked to note the improvement around the quality of the EHC plans and engagement of parents in different ways.  The accelerated progress plans had been reviewed and amended.  Work continued to prepare for schools going back in September.  Members were asked to the note the meeting with the DfE Adviser and that the formal official process was still paused.

Members congratulated the SEND team on the improvements to EHC plans. The 96% figure was confirmed.  The team had embraced different ways of working which included a session on the parent/carer forum which allowed feedback at the forum prior to escalation.  The team were working hard to ensure that the figure remained high.  Members were informed about particular issues during the Covid period around SEND and a range of issues related to vulnerable pupils.  The delivery of the service was a budget pressure to be addressed.

SEND would be driven by the written statement of action, when the statement of action was delivered, good practice and culture would be embedded and not just driven by Ofsted but would part of the delivery of narrowing the achievement gap and for the maximum potential to be achieved.

RESOLVED that:

1.         The Local Partnership be commended for the significant improvement in the timeliness identified in the national data and the ongoing improvements to quality and consistency of EHC plans being delivered and quality assured through effective partnership.

2.         An update report be provided to the PVFM Select Committee in February 2021 on the revisions made to the APP and progress made to address the two areas of the original written statement of action not signed off in the revisit letter.