Issue - meetings

The Panel considered and noted the report of the Service Director, Legal and Governance which requested that the Panel discussed and challenged the SEND review and progress made on the implementation of the SEND action plan.

Councillor Paffey, Cabinet Member for Aspiration, Schools and Lifelong Learning, Tammy Marks, Service Manager, Special Educational Needs and Disability and Derek Wiles, Service Lead, Education and Early Help, were present and with the consent of the Chair addressed the meeting.  In discussions with the officers, the Panel noted the following:

·  That nationally and locally there had been an increase in the diagnosis of social, emotional and mental health difficulties, autism with challenging behaviour and complex needs and that the need for special school places was predicted to increase.

·  That the SEND multi-agency partnership had added the recommendations from the SEND review to the SEND Partnership Board action plan.

·  To make sure that future service demands could be met in a financially sustainable way, it would be essential that schools are inclusive and take responsibility for children with SEND within their community.

·  That action had already been implemented to increase the range and quantity of resource provision in the long term.

RESOLVED

  (i)  That the updated SEND action plan is circulated to the Panel.

  (ii)  That, to develop understanding of practices, officers speak with FE colleges about pupils with SEND being encouraged to delay taking KS4 exams until year 12.

 (iii)  That Members, when speaking with representatives from schools in their ward, raised the issue of inclusivity and taking responsibility for children with SEND.