Issue - meetings

• Update from Sharon Shoesmith

The board learned of the recent key challenges of obtaining funding for a super pupil support centre.  There was funding provision and space available for each secondary school to reduce the number of exclusions. There was funding available for a special school status but this would mean building a new school which of course would be the subject of a competition. The board noted that the Council was seeking a multi agency approach.Funding negotiations  with the DSF were still ongoing to resolve this complex issue with the director of Children and Young People’s service and the Chief Executive to have meetings with the DCSF this week to seek a funding solution for this  proposed centre. The board was advised that the Strategy for Change document cannot be approved until this issue is resolved.

The board sought clarification on when consultation had begun for the Strategy for Change document. In response it was noted that work had began as part of the Bright Futures document which had then been translated into Strategy for Change 1.There had then followed a section on each school’s vision for DSG and continued dialogue with head teachers. The board were advised that once funding issues had been resolved for Strategy for Changes 2 a fuller strategy with a clear direction would be drawn out and would be available for parents.