The People Committee of Sutton Council met on Thursday, 29 February 2024, to discuss the local area's Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision, the financial health of the High Needs Block, and the arrangements for delivering education services. Key decisions included approving funding for Sherwood Park School, updating travel assistance policies for students, and extending the contract for education support services with Cognus Ltd.

Local Area Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Self-Evaluation and High Needs Block Financial Position

The committee received a summary of the local area SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) self-evaluation, which had been developed in collaboration with local partners. They also reviewed the current financial standing of the High Needs Block in Sutton, which indicated a projected overspend of £4.82 million for the current year. A significant decision was made to approve funding support for Sherwood Park School, which is experiencing financial difficulties. This support will involve clearing the school's historical deficit and addressing its in-year deficit by recommissioning the school. The funding model will be adjusted to reflect the increasing complexity of the pupils attending the school.

Home to School Travel Assistance

The committee approved proposed changes to the Council's travel assistance policies. This included approving the draft Home to School Travel Assistance Policy for ages 5-16 and the draft LBS Post-16 Travel Assistance Policy. These updated policies are scheduled to be published on the Council's Local Offer pages by 31 May 2024 and will come into effect from September 2024.

Delivery Arrangements for Education Services in Sutton

The committee discussed the arrangements for delivering education services in Sutton. A proposal was put forward to approve the direct award of education support services from Cognus Ltd for a period of five years, commencing in November 2024. The contract value for 2024/25 is £9.4 million, with £6.7 million funded from the dedicated schools grant and £2.7 million from the General Fund. An amendment to this recommendation, proposing a 12-month contract extension, was put to a vote but was lost. The original recommendation to approve the five-year contract was carried. Authority was delegated to the Director of Children's Services to approve an updated commissioning agreement before the current contract expires in November 2024.

Cognus Ltd, established in 2016, provides a range of statutory and non-statutory education services, including School Operations, School Improvement and Inclusion Services, and Learning Support and SEND. The report highlighted Cognus's strong performance, including high timeliness for SEND services, positive feedback on its Attendance policy implementation, and improvements in the outcomes for Children Looked After. The company also plays a role in generating income through traded services, which is reinvested into education services. The decision to continue commissioning services from Cognus aligns with Sutton Council's corporate plan to create an inclusive place for everyone and support children and young people to achieve their best outcomes.