9 February 2024 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

Headteacher Briefings

Thanks to the many of you that came to the Spring Term Briefings where we have had record attendance. In response to feedback from headteachers the focus this term has been on Localities and I hope many of your questions have been answered. The team are continuing to work on the analysis of the 832 responses as many respondents took the opportunity to complete the free text box providing a very rich picture of both aspects that are welcomed and concerns, and this information will shape the next iteration of the model. We are working on the second, follow up consultation which is just for schools on finance which will be with you in term four.

Understandably some of you have asked for a wider agenda than SEND for the summer term and I just want to reassure you that we are working on that. Do let me have your suggestions on agenda items. I think we are all looking forward to the day when SEN does not dominate the discourse in quite the way it does currently but for the moment the next paragraph is SEND-related, but is good news.

Green shoots

I have disseminated the APP letter previously which noted progress made by the Kent SEND system and today I’m going to put a bit of meat on the bones with a brief update

• The Assessment and Placement team issued over 300 EHCPs in December as we work through the backlog, an output that has not been achieved since March 2021. The number of cases meeting statutory deadlines are steadily increasing month on month too, with the total number of assessments dropping for the first time in months.
• With two weeks to go, casework teams had finalised over 81% of Phase Transfer EHCPs.
• Improved casework has resulted in the Tribunal Team successfully defending cases.
• A steady reduction in the number of outstanding complaints, with acknowledgement that the services has been responding more quickly than in the recent past.
• Evaluation of EHCPs by the Inclusion Champions have highlighted that new EHCPs are showing significant improvement.
• Governance and Audit Committee acknowledged the system wide improvements in SEN Transport and have agreed there is no need for ongoing monitoring.
• Kent attendance figures are improving across the board.

And regarding NEET, Kent strongly outperformed England and the South East, in September (not considered very reliable due to churn associated with the start of the academic year) but confirmed in December for the percentage of learners with an EHCP who are NEET and Not Known. This correlates with introduction of the new SEND Post 16 team and new ways of working with The Education People’s NEET Support Service.

We are also receiving some fantastic individual and team compliments too:

Dear A

Thank you for your amazing support this year. You do a truly remarkable job under huge duress. We really appreciate all your advice and your swift responses.

Secondary Academy

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I just wanted to mention a recent meeting that myself and C attended. It was a particularly challenging meeting and I wanted to highlight how well charlotte managed any queries/situations that arose during the meeting.

Aside from managing a very difficult situation extremely well and professionally, I wanted to note how well she communicated and involved social care with any pre meeting work and post meeting work. I feel it was a really good example of working together and as a result of C’s communications any queries from the meeting were able to be responded to in a timely manner with both your service and social care having a joined up approach.

Thanks C for making a challenging situation more manageable , I look forward to working with you in the future 😊

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Dear B

I just wanted to say thank you again for how efficient you have been in finalising X’s EHCP. I appreciate how busy the SEN team are, but you have provided us with consistently swift communications and have endeavoured to ensure that this process was thorough and prompt.

It really was a pleasure to have worked with you and I really appreciate your time and support.

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D got some lovely feedback from parents today in a meeting for one of the 52+week cases, they said they feel she has been so supportive and actioned everything so quickly, answering emails, etc. which was a very big change from what they had received from her previous caseworker

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Thank you E for your hard work and support and a very swift EHCP final plan. The family are very happy indeed with the support they have had.

Kind Regards,

Pre-School

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I would like to recognise the fantastic work of F, one of your assessment officers , His communication has been fantastic and has also supported the network around the young person during the process of getting an EHCP finalised. The prompt manner in which this has happened has meant that there has been little drift and delay once a school place was identified.

VSK

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I just spoke with X’s mum.

Mum thanked me for all the support and also wanted me to thank the placement team as she is aware of all the hard work from the team.

So a big thank you from X's mum for all the school consultations that have gone out today and for all your hard work.

A huge thank you from me to all the many staff involved in this work for their efforts that have led to these improvements.

Committees

I have reported to two Committees since last week – Governance and Audit on SEN Transport and SEND Scrutiny Sub-Committee

And finally…

Have a great half term all!

Best wishes

Christine McInnes
Director of Education and SEN