Agenda item

Draft Cabinet Report for consideration.

(a)  Councillor Sarah Merry (Cabinet Member for Education) will be in attendance and may wish to make a statement;

(b)  Nick Batchelar (Director of Education and Lifelong Learning) and JENNIE Hughes (Senior Achievement Leader Inclusion) will present the report and be available to answer questions Members have; and

(c)   Questions from Committee Members.

The Chairperson welcomed Councillor Sarah Merry (Cabinet Member for Education), Nick Batchelar (Director Education & Lifelong Learning) and Jennie Hughes (Senior Achievement Leader Inclusion) to the meeting.

Councillor Merry made a statement to the Committee and advised that whilst, as a result of the initial consultation the closure of Meadowbank School was proposed, it is now recommended that a further review of speech and language support in Cardiff take place with the aim of bringing forward revised proposal and to ensure that the needs of children with speech and language needs placed at Meadowbank and Allensbank be considered.

The Director added that it is recognised that there is an ongoing need for specialist provision for children with the most complex speech and language needs, that ongoing need will remain a priority whether that provision is resource based or in a specialist school. 

The Committee was invited to comment, raise questions or seek clarification on the information received.  Those discussions are summarised as follows:

• Members queried the initial consultation and questioned why it appeared that so few of the issues had been identified initially.  Officers advised that there needs to be further work done to understand the issues and find the best way forward.

• Officers advised that there were 3 elements of work to be undertaken: an evaluation of speech and language support in Cardiff; further engagement with schools and other stakeholders engagement with the Governing Bodies of Meadowbank and Allensbank schools to ensure that the needs of children with speech and language difficulties placed at the schools will be managed effectively meanwhile.

• Officers advised that there was no fixed time scale for this work at the present time.

• The Director advised that a SEN strategy working group has been established, initially the group involves headteachers, however there is remit to engage other stakeholders.  It is hoped that an initial valuation of the mainstream speech and language service will be completed by Christmas.

• Officers emphasised that there is a commitment to ensuring that the needs of children with speech and language difficulties are being met and that they do not become NEET and it is not accepted that there would be a causal link between the closure of Meadowbank School and increase in those becoming NEET.  There is clear evidence that the driving factor in those becoming NEET is the quality of education.

• Members queried the out of county placements for those benefitting from specialist support and the considerable cost of that, and why their needs are not catered for locally.  There were 12 primary school children benefiting from that special support elsewhere at this time. Officers advised that those children are not placed out of county due to inadequate provision in county.  6 are looked after, placed in foster care outside Cardiff, and attending maintained schools in other Local Authorities.  6 were placed due to tribunal or legal advice.  The Authority can cater for all their needs. 

• Officers did not accept that parents have been directed away from Meadowbank School and advised that  when a statement of special educational needs is issued the parents are provided with a full list of schools which includes special schools and specialist resource bases. The parents are asked to identify their preferred school. 

• Members reiterated their belief that there is scope for specialist schools despite that fact that all local authorities seem to be moving towards mainstream specialist provision.  There are concerns that children and young people would find it difficult to communicate which would lead to them feeling isolated in mainstream schooling.  Officers agreed that there is a place for special school places but expressed the view this is not appropriate for a specific need where no learning disability is present.

• Concern was raised by Members about the position in which Meadowbank finds itself, pupil numbers are reducing and it is likely to take a further 9 – 12 months before any decisions are made.  Officers advised that the difficulties currently being faced are exacerbated by the delay, there is going to be uncertainly but officers are working with the school to support the school moving forward and commented that expertise in the school needs to be valued and not lost.

• Members were informed that speech and language therapy is being provided to all children whether they are in a specialist resource base or mainstream support.    Over the last 5 years there has been a collaborative relationship with the therapy service and mainstream support is strong. 

RESOLVED:   That the Chairperson writes on the Committee’s behalf to the Cabinet Member and to convey their comments and observations.