The Panel received a verbal update from the Cabinet
Member for Children, Schools and Families on recent developments
within her portfolio. This was followed by a question and answer
session. The Cabinet Member advised that:
- A Youth
Justice inspection took place just before Christmas. It was
commented that overall, it went well and that the full report would
be available in due course.
- One of
Haringey’s primary schools has been renamed from Seven
Sisters Primary to South Grove Primary.
- The Council
was consulting on the future of Tiverton Primary, and there would
be a report to Cabinet detailing the outcome of that consultation
in due course. It was noted that the wider context to this was an
ongoing school funding crisis, precipitated by falling pupil
numbers. Haringey was in the middle for London for percentage of
vacant school places.
- The October
Budget allocated additional funding for SEND, with an uplift in the
High Needs Block of 7.4%. There was an increase in funding for all
blocks but this would be mitigated by school numbers being down
across the board.
- There was
also an uplift in Early Year’s with an increase in the rates
for every age group.
- The
Children’s Wellbeing Bill received its second reading in
Parliament. It was noted that the Bill would give local authorities
much greater powers around school place planning and over
academies. The Bill also included provisions around
children’s social care, particularly in terms of looking at
the relationship with private providers. The Cabinet Member
cautioned that there would be no quick fixes in terms of managing
the mixed economy of schools.
- The Education
Committee in Parliament was holding an inquiry into solving the
SEND crisis. They were requesting evidence and were looking for
examples of good practice and proposals for change.
The following arose during the discussion of this
item:
- The Co-opted
member of the Panel advised that, SEND Power had been invited to
provide evidence to the inquiry. The DCS advised that she hoped the
local authority and SEND Power could work together to amplify their
voice. The Chair welcomed the fact that Haringey would be
contributing to the inquiry.
- The Panel
sought clarification about the proposed change in the
Children’s Wellbeing Bill that gave local authorities the
power to intervene for children who were home schooled, and whether
this related to safeguarding or quality of provision. In response,
officers advised that in addition to compulsory registration, where
the local authority had safeguarding concerns, it could require
children to be educated in school. In response to a follow up, the
Cabinet Member advised that no announcement had been made about
whether there would be additional funding in support of this
provision.
- The Panel
raised the recent high profile case of Sara Sharif, and queried
what the Council was doing to safeguard home schooled children. In
response, officers advised that Surrey Council was undertaking a
serious case review and that once that was published, Haringey
would review it and respond accordingly. It was noted that the
existing framework for intervening was through education welfare
support and children missing from education. In Haringey, the
numbers of home schooled children was going up.
- The Panel
sought clarification on the impact of Covid on home schooling
numbers. In response, it was noted that the numbers went up post
Covid, then declined and now they were on the rise again. The
Council tracked these numbers, including children with SEN and the
reasons for being home schooled. Officers agreed to provide a
written response with the figures. (Action: Jane
Edwards).
- The Panel
contended that the level of support available to parents pre-2010
was greater and that there was a robust pathway for young people
with SEND who were home schooled, to be reintegrated into formal
education. The Panel commented that they would like to see this
level of support return, notwithstanding the fact that budgets had
been dramatically reduced.
RESOLVED
Noted