Agenda item

To consider a report on the outcome of the statutory consultation on the proposed changes to provision at the Melrose Centre, Longbenton High School and to Southlands School.

Cabinet received a report detailing the outcome of the statutory consultation on the proposed changes to provision for children with autism at the Melrose Centre, Lonbenton High School and to Southlands School.

The statutory consultation had opened on 27 February 2020 and closed on 2 April 2020, avoiding the Easter school holiday. While the consultation closed after the national restrictions had been introduced in response to COVID-19, the consultation materials had been issued well in advance. Combined with the previous engagement work, the officer team were satisfied that the national restrictions had not precluded engagement from interested parties. 

The statutory notice at Appendix 1 to the report, had been published in the press, posted on the Local Offer website and displayed outside Longbenton High School and Southlands School. Unlike the initial (non-statutory) consultation it was not appropriate to hold consultation sessions during a statutory consultation. Respondents had been invited to offer written comments either by e-mail or by letter.

A letter dated 12 February 2020 at Appendix 2, had been sent to parents and carers of all children currently at the Melrose Centre; parents and carers of children in Years 7 to 10 at Southlands School; and parents and carers of children in Years 3 to 6 (Key Stage 2) at Benton Dene. This letter explained the duration of the statutory consultation, how parents could respond and informed them that the statutory notice to consult upon the change to the status of the Melrose Centre and to the types of needs of pupils at Southlands School, could be found on the Local Offer website. The letter also offered the opportunity to request a hard copy of the Statutory Notice which could be posted out to them. It also informed them that a further letter would be sent to update them when the statutory consultation period had ended. This letter dated 8 April 2020 at Appendix 3, informed parents and carers that Cabinet would consider a report recommending approval of the proposal on 26 May 2020 and that a further letter would be sent in June to inform them of Cabinet’s decision.

Three written responses to the statutory consultation had been received by e-mail. One from a parent, one on behalf of the governing body at Southlands School and one on behalf of the Governing Body at Longbenton High School. 

Comments in the parental response were set out in the report. 

The response on behalf of the governing body of Southlands school confirmed their ongoing support of the proposal to designate Southland as a school for children with autism and moderate learning difficulties and to see the Melrose Centre become part of the Southlands offer. Governors had qualified this support with a request that the Authority offer an undertaking that, in adopting the Melrose Centre, Southlands would not suffer a financial deficit as a result of incurring additional costs associated with the transfer, or from undertaking essential work required at Southlands School to enable the needs of young people with autism to be met in a safe environment. This assurance had been given to the governors through agreement to continue the existing funding model for the Melrose Centre during the remainder of the current financial year as a transitional arrangement. From April 2021 the standard arrangements for funding places in special schools would apply.

The governing body of Longbenton High School had confirmed their full support for the proposed changes to take effect from 1st September 2020. If the proposal was approved, Governors and school leaders at Longbenton had confirmed that they would work with Southlands governors and school leaders to ensure there was a smooth transition for both pupils and staff on 1st September 2020.

The parental response and the responses from the two schools had not identified any problems which would prevent the proposal from being implemented.  Both schools had continued to work with their Human Resources Business Partner to consult staff at the Melrose Centre who would transfer to Southlands School under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 should the proposal be approved. The consultation had not raised any problems relating to the transfer of staff which would prevent implementing the proposal.

The Parent Carer Forum had played, and would continue to play, a key role in the co-production of educational provision and services for children and young people aged up to 25.

To avoid creating unnecessary uncertainty or anxiety amongst the pupils already at the Melrose Centre while the proposal had been at the consultation stage, no formal discussions had taken place.This approach had been agreed by the Participation Team as being in the best interest of young people. Where individual pupils had raised concerns with a member of staff, reassurance had been given that there was nothing to worry about and that the same staff would be working with them. How children could potentially be engaged, should the proposal be approved, was also being discussed with the Authority’s Participation and Engagement Team and with the schools. This would form part of the implementation plan which would be rolled out from June.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People Learning commented it was vital that the Authority continued to work alongside schools to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities, and to increase the number of specialist places for children with autism. The Authority had been clear that it was the leadership the Melrose Centre that would change and not the location of the centre or the staff team who worked there.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to accept the recommendation as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report, or alternatively, to not approve the recommendations.

Resolved that (1) the outcome of the statutory consultation on changes to provision at the Melrose Centre, Longbenton High School and to Southlands School be noted and endorsed; and

(2) the proposal that leadership of the Melrose Centre, currently the responsibility of Longbenton High School, should transfer to Southlands School; and that Southlands School should increasingly offer places to children with autism at the main Southlands site, gradually increasing the number of autism places available, be approved.

(Reason for decision: It provides an appropriate curriculum offer and clarity to parents, stability and certainty about the future offer for pupils with autism. It provides clarity about the future for the staff involved. It enables the change to be implemented by September 2020 with no disruption to pupils’ education. It allows the Authority to comply with the statutory EHC plan process in advance of September 2020 and allows the number of educational places for children with autism to increase over time, under appropriate special school leadership.)