Lead School Implementation (Units and Designation Review)
Review of Specialist Provision and support in mainstream
schools for children with SEN
June 2010 - SEN Unit Update
A letter clarifying policy relating to the continued placement
of children with statements of SEN at schools with SEN Units in
Lead School Pilot areas was sent to Headteachers of all schools in
pilot areas and Heads of SEN Units dated 10 June 2010.
A copy of the letter is available here.
Summer Term May 2010 – Update
The Lead School Pilot, part of the review of SEN in mainstream
schools, is now into its second year in Ashford, Shepway and North
West Kent. During this time a considerable amount of feedback has
been gathered from schools, parents, other agencies and colleagues
across the various Directorates of the Local Authority.
Many meetings have taken place locally in the pilot areas to
exchange views, provide information, seek feedback and
trouble-shoot problems. These meetings took place with
schools, other agencies and professionals, SEN teams and
parents/carers. The feedback from them informs the evaluation
process. Additionally, all parties have taken advantage of
the opportunity to complete questionnaires, either in hard copy or
online.
It is important that everyone is fully aware that there are no
plans or proposals to close any existing SEN Units and/or
Designations in the pilot areas or indeed in the non-pilot
areas.
The evaluation of the pilot areas will continue over the next
three months and a report will be prepared for Members and the CFE
Senior Management Team during July 2010 to identify options for
moving forward with the review. This will be in the context of the
overarching SEN strategy and the restructure of the CFE
Directorate, proposals for which are currently out to consultation
until 24 May 2010. The proposed lead school implementation across
non-pilot areas will not be going ahead in September 2010 as
proposals for development will be included in the autumn
report.
For further information, please view the letters sent to schools
by clicking the links below:
Lead School Evaluation Report
The evaluation of the lead school pilot has now been completed
and the report has been written and presented to Cabinet.
Cabinet has decided:
- To cease the Phase 1 Pilot on 31 March 2011
- Not to proceed with the implementation of Phase 2
- To proceed with a full SEN Strategy Review, including the
development of new funding arrangements and a Communication
Strategy for working with parents and carers, children and young
people.
Download the full report, including the
SEN Strategy Review Action Plan, and
Cabinet's decision, scroll down to point 5.
Unit Review Criteria
The documents on the page above describe the needs of children
and young people that can be met by certain types of Cluster Lead
Schools. The criteria are intended to provide a common framework
that can be applied consistently across Kent in all decisions about
access to Cluster Lead schools.
They will also provide clear information for parents and carers,
headteachers, governors and practitioners in education, health and
social services about how decisions are made.
For further information please follow the links to: