Decision details

RESOLVED:

1. That the use of SEND Capital Funding against the projects identified through the Expression of Interest (EOI) process with Surrey Schools for Phase 2 of the SEND Capital Programme to create 213 additional Specialist Planned Places in Surrey for academic year 2021-2022 be approved.

2. That the use of additional SEND Capital Funding of £6.4m required to complete the Freemantle’s expansion, in addition to Phase 1 be approved.

3. That the transfer of £36m of Capital Budget to the SEND Capital Phase 1 and 2 Programmes be approved.

Reason for Decision:

Under Part 3 Section 21 of the Children & Families Act, 2014 the Local Authority and its partners have a statutory duty to keep special educational provision under review, including planning, commissioning and monitoring. In carrying out the duties in the Children & Families Act 2014, local authorities and others with responsibilities under that Act, are also covered by the Equality Act, 2010. 

Developing and maintaining high quality specialist provision in Surrey is vital to ensure appropriate placements for the county’s most vulnerable children and young people who have complex SEND and require specialist educational provision.

The proposed schemes (SeeAnnex 1) ensure enough special school places are provided for secondary and Post 16 age children and young people who have Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs, Communication & Interaction needs and Cognition & Learning needs. These are the 3 need-types where long-term deficits in planned places have already been identified.

Increasing local specialist provision assures high quality teaching (through robust monitoring protocols) in Surrey’s Good and Outstanding provision as graded by Ofsted, value for money at a more equitable cost per learner, the development of social value opportunities as well as employment in local communities. 

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Children’s, Families, Lifelong Learning and Culture Select Committee]