Agenda item

HP Introduced the paper, which showed the projected outturn for different categories of expenditure for 2021-22 and the estimated budget requirements for each category in 2022-23, taking account of the continuing growth in the number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans requiring specialist places in Additional Resource Provisions and Special Schools.  The council is doing a lot to increase local specialist provision in order to reduce the need for placements in the independent sector and outside Barnet.

IK asked what the extra 2.5% of funding for Special Schools from the School Supplementary Grant will be a percentage of, because, if it just applied to top-up rates, it would not represent an overall 2.5% increase.  IH confirmed the intention was to pay an overall increase of 2.5%, so the actual percentage increase in top-up rates would be higher to reflect that.  He said he would clarify this for Special Schools after the meeting.

HP also highlighted the SEN Funding Working Group recommendations. HP had met with several headteachers to discuss funding of children in mainstream schools with complex needs. The hourly funding rates in Barnet were looked at with comparative data for Brent, Harringay and Hertfordshire, which showed that Barnet rates are average, in a mid-position in comparison to other local authorities.

The Working Group had identified pinch points, such as some mainstream schools having children with very complex needs awaiting specialist placements, schools in deficit where funding for EHCPs is 60% or more of the SEN Notional funding and funding needed for pupils with complex needs in the process of getting an EHCP.

It was proposed to set aside £526,774 in the budget for 2022/23 to cover the recommendations.

The Working Group also recommended a change in the wording in Education, Health and Care Plans to enable schools to use their funding more flexibly.

SS pointed out the challenges facing schools where one to one Teacher Assistant support is required for children with high needs, given the hourly cost of TAs. The Working Group had not been able to resolve that.

The Schools Forum noted the report on the expenditure against the High Needs Block 2021/22 and the projected expenditure for 2022/23.

The Schools Forum also agreed the following recommendations of the SEN Funding Working Group:

i)             Fair Share and SEN Notional Funding

Where the funding for EHCPs in a mainstream school is 60% or more of the SEN Notional funding and the school has a deficit budget, the school will be given additional funding.  The amount of funding will be determined by the number of EHCPs and the banded funding rates for the EHCPs, taking account of the school’s SEN Notional funding and deficit budget. 

ii)            Full funding of pupils in mainstream schools awaiting specialist placement

The Working Group have agreed the following criteria:

Funding would be from the term after the specialist placements panel where it is agreed that a specialist placement is appropriate. This is for pupils who have an EHCP and who have Banded funding of ‘D’ or above.  The maximum top-up funding a school could receive would be £18,000.

iii)           Exceptional Circumstances Funding for pupils in the process of receiving an EHCP

The Working Group have agreed the following criteria:

This would only be applied to pupils where the school’s provision map shows a need for Banded funding of ‘D’ or above.  Schools will need to request this and provide the evidence to support the request for early funding.  EHCP top-up funding to start 6 weeks early (i.e. at 14 weeks of the process), after the decision to issue has been made.

iv)           Wording of the EHCP

The final recommendation does not include additional funding for mainstream schools, but it does enable schools to use their SEN funding more flexibly, whilst at the same time ensuring that EHCPs are compliant with the SEND Code of Practice, ensuring that provision is individualised to the needs of the child, specific and quantifiable.

Currently, the wording in the EHCP is:

“The funding will support X amount of hours a week based on Banding TA hours.  To be provided to ensure that all needs are met and (child’s name) makes measurable progress”.

The recommended change to the wording in the EHCP is:

“The funding will support X amount of hours a week based on Banding TA hours.  This could be delivered in a range of ways, according to the needs of the child, including small group work, paired work, or short bursts of targeted intervention with an adult.  The support provided will be designed to ensure that all needs are met and (child’s name) makes measurable progress.