The Children's, Young Persons & Education Scrutiny Committee met to discuss Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) in North Northamptonshire, including challenges, opportunities, and budgetary pressures. The committee also reviewed its purpose, responsibilities, and forward work programme. They recommended a future paper to monitor the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block (HNB) performance and requested an update on readiness for the Ofsted/CQC re-inspection due by November 2025.

Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND)

The committee considered the contents of the report on Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) and the challenges outlined within it. The committee recommended that officers provide a future paper to monitor the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block (HNB) performance, and to consider the budgetary challenges being posed to North Northamptonshire Council due to the unprecedented increase in the number of children and young people being identified with SEND. The committee also requested a formal update on readiness for the Ofsted/CQC re-inspection due by November 2025, and a summary of improvements made since the January 2024 inspection and how these are being sustained.

The meeting heard from Martin Clarke and Joshua Gershwin-Williams, who raised concerns about the withdrawal of support staff funding and the uncertainty of support for SEND school expansion at Wren Spinney School, and the detrimental impact this would have on the delivery of special educational needs.

Troy Hobbs, Head of SEND, presented a report to the committee, highlighting that SEND is one of the most complex and challenging areas of legislative and policy implementation for local authorities, and is now recognised nationally as the largest single policy area contributing towards local authorities' budgetary pressures.

It was noted that nationally and in North Northamptonshire, local authorities and their statutory partners in the NHS are under severe pressures in meeting an unprecedented growth in the numbers of children and young people aged 0 –25 years old being identified with SEND. An insufficiency of state-funded specialist education places, coupled with increases in demand, was causing some children and young people to not receive the most appropriate support. The High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant was carrying a £19 million in-year pressure.

Since the unitary authority's inception in 2021, North Northamptonshire's performance in SEND had been variable, and instability in Children's Services' senior leadership had contributed towards less than expected progress and impact in the area of SEND and Inclusion. A Local Area SEND Inspection in January 2024 found the Local Area SEND Partnership to have areas of significant weakness¹.

In response to the inspection findings, a multiagency Priority Action Plan, a SEND & Inclusion Transformation Plan and an emerging SEND & Inclusion Strategy were orchestrated to address these areas of weakness and aim to create a more robust, inclusive local offer to all children and young people with SEND.

Members raised concerns regarding the High Needs Block forecast deficit and questioned the work and strategy being undertaken to deal with the pressures raised in the report. It was reported that work was underway to control the overspend, including the use of local authority placements as opposed to independent provision, which represents a significant saving per pupil. A forecast for an increase in SEND local capacity was also identified, which sought to expand the local provision by 800 places by 2032. A number of educational facilities across North Northamptonshire had been identified and shortlisted, and the next phase of interviews would be conducted.

Questions were raised in relation to the authorities readiness for OFSTED inspection due to take place by November 2025. It was heard that extensive work had been undertaken in relation to the priority action place including the appointment of an independent chair to the SEND accountability board as well as increased assurances regarding the use of education, health and care plans (EHCP). It was also heard that significant work had been undertaken in relation to the local and digital offer as well as a clear refresh of the SEND strategy including strengthened participant and coproduction activities.

Members also raised questions in relation to the local impact regarding potential changes to the Children's and families act as well as questions in relation to the lack of stable senior leadership. Members heard that the stability within the work force was a priority for the service and the corporate leadership team had undertaken a lot of capacity planning in order to create a clear 100 day plan.

Scrutiny Forward Work Programme

The Chief Executive of Northamptonshire Children's Trust (NCT) attended the meeting and presented a report to members of the Children, Young Person & Education Scrutiny Committee in cooperation with officers outlining key areas and key themes regarding the delivery of Children's Services across partner organisations and across North Northamptonshire.

Members were also presented with an updated work program for the Children, Young Person & Education Scrutiny Committee which sought to explore key themes during the year across the committees terms of reference.

Members noted the updated work program.

Welcome, Introductions and Overview of Children, Young Person & Education Scrutiny Committee

Callum Galluzzo, Scrutiny Officer, presented a report to members of the Children, Young Person & Education Scrutiny Committee which sought to welcome the new membership of the Committee and advise the committee of its purpose, responsibilities and Terms of Reference.

Members heard that at the meeting of Annual Council on 22 May 2025 a new membership of the Children, Young Person & Education Scrutiny Committee was appointed. To help Members understand its purpose and responsibilities a summary of the Scrutiny Procedure Rules was provided and members heard that members also gained a greater understanding of Scrutiny by attending the training sessions that were held in July 2025.

The Children, Young Person & Education Scrutiny Committee noted the content of the report to understand its purpose, responsibilities and Terms of Reference.