9.6 Failure to deliver a resource allocation system which is effective, transparent and implemented consistently across the borough could jeopardise the longer term SEN strategy by creating additional pressure for specialist placements if schools are not adequately funded to support the arrangements identified in EHC Plans. Please see Appendix B for recommendations for top up funding 10.1 SEN funding for mainstream schools A paper was agreed by Schools Forum in November 2017 10.2 Mainstream schools requested that the High Needs review consider whether improvements to the funding formula could be identified to better target and support schools with a high number of children on SEN support and with high numbers of EHC Plans. Proposals to implement a new formula from 2018/19 have been agreed by Forum. School’s 10.3 It is recommended that top up funding for mainstream schools is reviewed to ensure it can support the arrangements envisaged for pupils placed in mainstream schools at different banding levels 11.1 Outreach/support for mainstream schools 11.2 Redbridge benefits from a strong outreach offer which is delivered by 8 providers. The outreach services play a significant role in supporting mainstream delivery of SEN, including delivery of some on going direct interventions and school’s direct work with individual families. The outreach provision is named on EHC Plans for some children in mainstream schools. 11.3 The level of expenditure on outreach is £3.8 million a year. This is extremely high compared to group of Local Authorities, other London Redbridge’s “benchmark” Authorities and nationally. Given the pressures identified above on the HNB going forward, this high level of expenditure is not sustainable and new delivery models for outreach are necessary. 11.4 There is an on-going need to ensure that mainstream schools can support children with SEND and EHC Plans to make progress and achieve their outcomes. In the future outreach services will need to focus on those core activities which will enable schools to acquire and retain their own in house SEN expertise, through activities such as advice and training, rather than direct work with pupils (other than some direct input for low incidence highly specialist areas such as HI and VI).
9.6 Failure to deliver a resource allocation system which is effective, transparent and implemented consistently across the borough could jeopardise the longer term SEN strategy by creating additional pressure for specialist placements if schools are not adequately funded to support the arrangements identified in EHC Plans. Please see Appendix B for recommendations for top up funding 10.1 SEN funding for mainstream schools A paper was agreed by Schools Forum in November 2017 10.2 Mainstream schools requested that the High Needs review consider whether improvements to the funding formula could be identified to better target and support schools with a high number of children on SEN support and with high numbers of EHC Plans. Proposals to implement a new formula from 2018/19 have been agreed by School’s Forum. 10.3 It is recommended that top up funding for mainstream schools is reviewed to ensure it can support the arrangements envisaged for pupils placed in mainstream schools at different banding levels 11.1 Outreach/support for mainstream schools 11.2 Redbridge benefits from a strong outreach offer which is delivered by 8 providers. The outreach services play a significant role in supporting mainstream school’s delivery of SEN, including delivery of some on going direct interventions and direct work with individual families. The outreach provision is named on EHC Plans for some children in mainstream schools. 11.3 The level of expenditure on outreach is £3.8 million a year. This is extremely high compared to Redbridge’s “benchmark” group of Local Authorities, other London Authorities and nationally. Given the pressures identified above on the HNB going forward, this high level of expenditure is not sustainable and new delivery models for outreach are necessary. 11.4 There is an on-going need to ensure that mainstream schools can support children with SEND and EHC Plans to make progress and achieve their outcomes. In the future outreach services will need to focus on those core activities which will enable schools to acquire and retain their own in house SEN expertise, through activities such as advice and training, rather than direct work with pupils (other than some direct input for low incidence highly specialist areas such as HI and VI).
high_needs_review_final_report_may_2018.docx