6 December 2024 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

It’s been a busy week!

Schools Funding Forum
This took place on Monday and started with an update on School Budgets for 2025-26. The school consultation on this item starts today so that the outcomes can be reported to January’s SFF. An update was provided on the Localities consultation, which closes today. We have had a good response rate, a big thank you to those what have already responded – as always, thoughtful and helpful reflections. Also on the agenda were the proposed commissioned places 2025/26 – Specials, SRPs and FE colleges, SEND benchmarking, the Special Schools Review and agreement on the updated Terms of Reference for the SFF. This last item stimulated an interesting debate on how the SFF could raise its profile and strengthen two way communication with the education sector in Kent. The Forum and it’s sub-groups work really hard to make effective and well evidenced decisions on behalf of the education community and we are very grateful for the commitment and dedication of the members. So there will be more information about the Forum and its work going forward including through this bulletin.

Pathways for All – the second sector-wide conversation on post 16 reform
I was very privileged to be invited to join this exciting event on Tuesday, led by Charlie Guthrie Chair of the PfA Board and CEO of Kent’s Endeavour Academy Trust who opened with some hard-hitting facts about challenges in the sector. We are seeking to address some of the more systemic issues regarding significant gaps in the provision of pre-L1, L1 and L2 courses through the work of PfA but the challenges are particularly acute this year because the Kent 16-18 population has grown by 7.3%, so there are now 38,834 young people compared to 36,190 in October 2023. This growth, alongside the very late withdrawal of national funding for additional places and some schools tightening their sixth form admissions criteria has created a perfect storm which can be seen in our NEET figures, with percentages for October 2024 and provisionally November 2024 the highest they have been since the new method of measuring NEETs was introduced in 2017. In October 2024 the Kent NEET population was 983 (2.5%) compared to 831 (2.3%) in October 23. A 18.2% increase. Traditionally the NEET population grows over December, January and February, so we are expecting these figures to rise further.

Key note speaker Sammy Wright, author of Exam Nation and Head of Southmoore Academy in Sunderland shared his evidence and moving case studies on the need for the education system to flex and take more account of those who currently fail to meet national benchmarks. Kevin Gilmartin of ASLC provided an overview of discussions at a national level on qualification reform. The speakers provided an informative and thought-provoking context for an update on the work colleagues have been driving forward at a local level over the last year. There are lots of barriers to addressing the gaps we know we have in provision, particularly for the most vulnerable. These include financial constraints, staff recruitment and retention, accountability measures, but every Local Collaborative Partnerships Area has made in-roads to improving the offer for the young people in their area. It was truly inspirational to hear what passionate, ingenious and committed professionals can achieve to address some of our most wicked educational issues – hats off to you all, I was so impressed at the spaces created for improvement within such a challenging context. It really is an example of education sector at its best- the sector unleashed! I’ll use this opportunity to highlight the draft education strategy which is in its last week of consultation and seeks to provide a framework of references for exactly this kind of sector-led activity – more below. A big thank you to the many colleagues involved in the planning, running and delivery of the day and to the 120 participants for the fabulous levels of engagement.

The Education Strategy Consultation
As we approach the end of the consultation on our draft Education Strategy, we are keen to capture your insights.  What do you think will improve Education for Kent?  What do you think about the proposed strategy?
If you haven’t taken part yet, you still have a chance. To make sure as many as possible can have their say, we have extended the consultation deadline to the 15 Dec.   We need to hear from you so that we can make the strategy strong and appropriate for education in Kent.   So please have your say.  You can find all the information here.  We look forward to hearing what you think.

Scrutiny Committee
On Wednesday Cllr Rory Love OBE and I presented the second SEND report to Scrutiny Committee. If it’s of interest the full report can be seen here, it is a long report, but it does provide a comprehensive overview of our work in a number of key areas of SEND. The report includes October data but just to let you know that in November we exceeded 80% of EHCPs issued within the 20 week deadline. Also included on the agenda was the Scrutiny Committee’s own report an recommendations to Cllr Love on the evidence-gathering exercise that many of you participated in over the last term, which can be seen here. A big that you to you that supported this important work and to member of the Committee that really invested such a great deal of time and effort to better understand the SEND system and to support the improvement journey.

Stour Academy Trust technology Showcase
I have written before about the Stour MAT’s approach to fostering an innovative learning environment across all its academies through the integration of advanced digital tools https://thestouracademytrust.org.uk . I am really looking forward to finding out more at their showcase event at Chilmington Green Primary school today.

And finally…

The advent windows for the 1st and 2nd of December are lit, the tree is up and the shopping is done. I’m looking forward to having some down time this weekend with my grandson and nephew on the Kent coast – hope your weekend is as enjoyable as mine is going to be.

Best wishes

Christine McInnes
Director of Education and SEN