Content

12.1

The Strategic Director of Children’s
Services submitted a report providing details of The Department for
Education offer of additional high needs capital funding for
Sheffield City Council (up to £10.34m) to develop specialist
provision through alternative routes, instead of proceeding with
the planned joint special school with Barnsley Metropolitan Borough
Council and alternative provision school with Minerva Learning
Trust.
 
The report stated that following consideration
of the options and consultation with partners, it is recommended
that the Council accepts the offer of £10.34m in high needs
capital to invest in new specialist provision. This recommendation
aligns with our focus on belonging and development of high needs
provision in localities across Sheffield. Barnsley Metropolitan
Borough Council and Minerva Learning Trust agree with the
recommendations outlined in this report, and Barnsley have taken
the same recommendation through their governance processes. This
will mean the planned joint Special Free School and Alternative
Provision Free School do not proceed.
 
The additional capital funding will be added
into Sheffield’s high needs capital allocation and targeted
at the following areas, subject to business case approval:
 

·      
New high needs hubs in areas of the city with highest demand.

·      
New alternative provision bases focused on prevention and
reintegration.

·      
Existing special schools to increase capacity where possible and
deliverable.
 
It was confirmed that the planned 80-place
social, emotional, and mental health special school with Wellspring
Academy Trust, is unaffected and the Department for Education
continue to progress this. ?

 

 

12.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That
Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

 

 

 

(a) approves the decision to accept
£10.34m of additional high needs capital and not proceed with
the previously planned special and alternative provision free
schools;
 
(b) separate to this decision, notes the
continued development of the new 80-place social, emotional, and
mental health special school with Wellspring Academy Trust for
Sheffield; and
 
(c) notes the risks highlighted with this
decision and agree officers will take steps to mitigate, with
progress to be reported to Education, Children and Families Policy
Committee.

 

 

12.3

Reasons for
Decision

 

 

12.3.1

The decision will enable provision to be
developed which closely aligns with our focus on belonging,
localities and meeting need earlier.

 

 

12.3.2

The decision will enable provision to be
developed quicker, bringing positive impact to Sheffield families
sooner.

 

 

12.3.3

The decision aligns with national policy
direction and secures additional capital funding to develop high
needs provision to help deliver this.

 

 

12.4

Alternatives
Considered and Rejected

 

 

12.4.1

Alternative Option 1: Proceed with both
special and alternative provision free schools
 
Proceeding with both schools was considered as
an option, however this has not been recommended as:
 

They no longer align
with the national policy direction.

 

Local capital
investment will enable more sustainable provision to be developed
in swifter timeframes.

 

In the case of the
joint school with Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, both local
authorities have significant pressures which additional capital
will help address now.

 

An 80-place new
social, emotional, and mental health special school will still be
developed, offsetting some of the impact of the 200-place joint
special school not proceeding.

 

 

12.4.2

Alternative Option 2: Proceed with special
free school only
 
Proceeding with the specials school only was
considered, however this has not been recommended as:
 

·      
Delivery of localised high needs SEND bases more closely aligns
with our strategy and Belonging Framework.
 

·      
The new 80-place social, emotional, and mental health special
school, and potential expansion of existing specialist settings,
will ensure a continued increase in specialist provision.
 

Consultation with
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council found they were in favour of
a recommendation to invest capital locally, for similar reasons to
those outlined in this report for Sheffield.

 

 

12.4.3

Alternative Option 3: Proceed with alternative
provision free school only
 
Proceeding with the alternative provision free
school only was considered, however this has not been recommended
as:
 

·      
Investing capital locally in new alternative provision bases,
focused on prevention and reintegration, will provide swifter
impact and provided much needed diversification of provision
available.

·      
Delivery of localised high needs AP bases more closely aligns with
our strategy and Belonging Framework.

·      
Minerva Academy Trust have indicated that their preference would be
to support delivery of new alternative provision bases in local
settings and not proceed with the proposed free school.