9 December 2022 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

As we come to the end of term budget matters dominate, with Schools Funding Forum taking place on Tuesday. SEND was a significant focus in the meeting including a report from the chair of the High Needs Funding sub-group Neerasha Singh. As part of the improvements in our communication with the education community, there will be an update from the sub-group at the next set of Headteacher Briefing meetings which will take place as follows:

• Tuesday 28 February 2023 (PM) - North Kent - Gravesham - Eastgate Centre, Auditorium
• Wednesday 1 March 2023 (PM) - South Kent - Ashford - Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce
• Tuesday 7 March 2023 (PM) - West Kent - Tunbridge Wells - Mercure, Parkside
• Friday 10 March 2023 (AM) - East Kent - Swale - Holiday Inn, The Coniston

Alongside work on the HNFB, work is underway to re-prioritise the capital budget and home to school transport is an area which is under constant scrutiny.

Thank you to Headteachers and SENCOs for their engagement in the District Placement meetings which are taking place this week and next week. We have been largely successful in placing children so far and we expect that this will continue into next week. It has been very refreshing to be part of professional conversations whereby mainstream places are found for children with SEND which best suit their needs.

Nationally, the government announcement about the scrapping of the Schools Bill leaves a number of policy questions which I am sure we all look forward to having some answers to in the new year.

I hope you are all enjoying the run up to Christmas and I am very much looking forward to attending a carol concert in Dover on Wednesday.

With best wishes

Christine McInnes
Director of Education