Issue - meetings

To scrutinise the Additional Learning Needs education

provision and to secure the input and understanding of the

Scrutiny Committee of the progress made to ensure that

Gwynedd is ready for the new ALN and Inclusion Act.

DECISION

1.    To accept the report and note the observations.

2.    Ask the Cabinet Member for Education

·       To consider examining whether the membership of the guidance group for admissions to special schools should be amended.

·       To look at ways to identify, improve provision and facilitate arrangements for the specific cohort of children who are in the mainstream, who have profound needs but  do not meet the threshold for receiving support

·       To look at ways to continue to protect the budget for special schools and monitor that money is being spent appropriately and in line with the guidelines.

·       to encourage practitioners to take advantage of training, and to ascertain whether it is possible to ensure funding received for training is spent solely on training

·       To investigate the possibility of providing satellite provision in some schools.

·       To correspond with Welsh Government to express concern about the lack of funding and resources available for additional learning needs and the challenges facing schools

The report was submitted by the Cabinet Member for Education, noting that he had written it following a request from the Education and Economy Committee to receive an update on matters relating to Additional Learning Needs (ALN) in mainstream schools and special schools. It was explained that the report outlined the difficulties facing schools in Gwynedd as a result of a change in the demand for service, the current financial climate and the impacts of cuts.

It was emphasised that the situation was difficult, but there were opportunities for the department to improve, and a clear desire to do the best for the children and young people in the county. It was emphasised that this field caused concern to some members and was a complicated field which deserved attention.

Attention was drawn to the impact of years of austerity and financial savings on the Council's ability to provide effective services, emphasising that that impact reached every corner of the community. The willingness to listen, discuss and consider what could be done differently in the future to support children, young people and their families better was expressed.

During the discussion, the following observations were made:- 

It was asked who was responsible for determining a criteria for access to special schools. In response, it was explained that it was the authority's responsibility for ensuring a child's placement in a special school, noting that descriptions of the needs expected in special schools has been defined, and that applications were being assessed against those. It was emphasised that the authority always had the final decision.

It was asked further what guidelines and criteria were used when determining these expectations. In response, it was explained that the criteria were associated with the curriculum and the provision that the child required. It was noted that the ALN Act emphasised the need to consider mainstream education first, before turning to provision in a special school if the child's needs were not being met in the mainstream. In response to a question regarding reviewing the criteria, it was noted:

·       That reviews had been held in 2017 and then in 2020.

·       Work was continuing on a document which summarised the criteria in a simpler way, with an intention to share it with the special schools soon.

·       Needs' categories in the form of 'bands' had been established, from band one (the most intensive needs) to band four, and the assessments were conducted in accordance with these bands.

·       The evidence now focused on explaining the criteria to parents and schools and defining the evidence used to assess the bands.

It was asked who was responsible for creating the criteria. In response, it was noted that the panel included the authority's ALN services, educational psychologists, specialist teachers from various teams and the Headteachers of the special schools. It was confirmed that no external agency was currently part of the process, but there were discussions with the regional board, and it was hoped that the Headteachers of mainstream schools were part of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6