Councillor Cresswell (Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships) presented the report to the Panel and highlighted the following key points:

a)    The Council’s had an on-going commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND. SEND had become a top priority for the local authority and the engagement of elected Members and the work of officers were praised; 

b)    The report focused on two key areas: improvements to the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) processes and the strategic development of SEND capital projects, sufficiency, and support across the city. There were improvements in statutory compliance, decision-making timeliness, and quality assurance, alongside strengthened communication with families and professionals;

c)    There was a significant decline in complaints from parents and carers which was attributed to quicker responses and improved confidence in the system. The report outlined targeted outreach initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on EHCPs and independent placements;

d)    The capital programme update detailed progress against the multi-year SEND sufficiency strategy, including the creation of new specialist places and planning for future provision. The report referenced the Graduated Applied Approach to Inclusion (GATI), for which Plymouth had been shortlisted and named runner-up in the National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN) Awards; 

e)    There was a collaborative nature of the improvement work, with Hannah Pugliese (NHS Devon ICB) commending the strength of the partnership between the Council and health providers. It was noted that for every EHCP issued, corresponding health assessments had been delivered in a timelymanner, and the alignment of strategic approaches across education and health was praised.

In response to questions raised it was reported that:

f)     EHCP officers had been redeployed to support tribunal bundle preparation, and delays were minimal. A second tribunal officer had also been appointed to address the gap in the tribunal team;

g)    There was a national and regional shortage of Educational Psychologist (EP’s) and mitigations were outlined, including the recruitment of assistant EPs from local psychology students, use of locums, and a business case for additional agency support was being prepared. Strategic efforts were also underway to reduce demand through early intervention and targeted support in mainstream schools. 

h)    Data in relation to a BBC report that ranked Plymouth fifth worst nationally in issuing EHCPs within the statutory 20-week timeframe, was accurate but historic, and significant progress had been made, including issuing over 700 plans in the past year. A backlog had been cleared, and the service was now moving towards meeting the 20-week target. 

i)     A Recovery plan for annual reviews was in place, with each school being allocated an annual review officer. Reviews were being processed in real time using the most up-to-date information and emergency or urgent reviews were being prioritised;

j)     There were positive outcomes from the initial targeted support pilot in five schools, which included reduced behavioural incidents and strong parental feedback. The programme had since expanded to 30 schools, with ongoing monitoring and peer support in place;

k)    The importance of creativity, partnership, and strategic alignment in overcoming national workforce shortages and improving outcomes for children and families was reinforced;

l)     The Panel raised concerns regarding a capital project for a new special school, which was expected to exceed available funds. A letter would be written to Bridget Phillipson MP and the Department for Education in an attempt to address the concern;

m)  The Panel thanked Lisa McDonald for her work in Plymouth and wished her well for her future role.

Action: 

·         The letter regarding capital funding for the new special school to be finalised and sent to the Department for Education. 

Recommendations: 

The Panel agreed:

1.    That the progress, key challenges, and priorities for the next quarter be noted.