johngroberts.bsky.social
Deputy news editor at Tes. Dad of 2. SEND parent. [email protected]
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2. We also look at what’s happening in some smaller trusts.
An analysis of “outlier” trusts shows one CEO of a 2-school MAT is now paid between £330K and £335K, amid calls for a national framework for exec pay.
By @cjayanetti.bsky.social for @tesmagazine.bsky.social
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Is this a new look Friday five incoming?
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The Alternative Big Consultation has been developed by @frankwnorris.bsky.social and @colinspark.bsky.social who carried out an alternative big listen last year. Their new survey asks if Ofsted's new plans are an improvement or worse than what we currently have. www.tes.com/magazine/new...
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Councillor Foale responds that you cannot blame parents for wanting the very best for their children and she adds that she was not saying that parents were in the wrong. She said the issue was when the local authority did not have the budget or the provision available.
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Committee chair Helen Hayes takes issue with this and said parents would say their child's entitlement in the law is really clear, the tribunal is part of the legal system and they would find it "distasteful" to talk about the tribunal system as a way of getting a better deal for their child.
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Councillor's Foale adds that mediation can work but adds that that parents can perceive that they are not going to get a very good deal out of this and could get a better deal by going to tribunal.
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Councillor Foale from the County Council network says the way that the system is set up means that parents see the only way to get the very best for their child is by going to tribunal.
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The committee has now asked about why councils proceed to SEND tribunals when there is a financial and reputational cost and so many cases are lost.
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Councillor Foale also suggested parents over a certain level of income could be required to make a financial contribution towards cost of this transport. She acknowledged this was controversial but said if it was means tested it could be worth considering.
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MPs have asked about challenges of providing home to school transport for children with SEND. Coun Kate Foale, spokesperson for SEND for the County Councils Network said this can be very expensive & said what is needed is capital investment for councils to provide more special school places.
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Luke Sibieta told MPs that one of two things will happen: Either councils will be bailed out or the override - which is due to expire in March 26 - will be extended. "One of those two things will happen because the government is not going to let that sheer number of councils go bust overnight".
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MPs have also raised the issue of high needs deficits and what will happen when a statutory override - which keeps these deficits off council books - expires. The LGA recently warned that more than half of councils surveyed said they would face insolvency. www.tes.com/magazine/new...
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The committee has asked how a difference in cost between independent & state school costs in providing for pupils with SEND can be justified. Claire Dorer chief executive of the National Association of Independent Schools says the issue is that its not comparing like with like in terms of provision.
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Mr Sibieta said £740m announced to provide more specialist places was focused on capital adaptations of mainstream schools to adapt classrooms and create more accessible places. He said it was disappointing that no more info has been provided on how this will be spent. www.tes.com/magazine/new...
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Mr Williams added that legislation and the SEND code of practice is based on the premise that we have a needs led system for SEND but he says NAHT members are working in a resource limited system "so they have to make decisions about what they can afford rather than what they to want to provide".
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Rob Williams, a senior policy advisor for the NAHT, tells the committee that basic core budgets are insufficient for schools. He also says school leaders are concerned about council deficits on SEND spending and this resulting in any additional funding being consumed by existing debt.
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Phil Haslett of the f40 group says schools forums in local areas need more flexibility to be able to move money between the schools block and high needs block.
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Luke Sibieta, a research fellow of the IFS says the current notional budget, which hasn't been altered for inflation and the separation of schools block and high needs block funding are problematic features of the system.
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Committee chair Helen Hayes asks if the system of schools being expected to spend a notional budget of £6,000 on pupils with SEND is broken.
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And Ofsted has said: "We want to hear the varied views of teachers and headteachers, not what any one organisation suggests they should think.” April and beyond are going to be very interesting. www.tes.com/magazine/new... 3/3
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NAHT Paul Whiteman said it would be "naive to think that proposals that perpetuate and are likely to increase danger to workers would be left without an organised response”. 2/3 www.tes.com/magazine/new...
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. @johngroberts.bsky.social reports for @tesmagazine.bsky.social: www.tes.com/magazine/new... 2/2