Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Children, Family Services & Education.

The borough does not currently have enough places for secondary aged students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The government has made the offer for Local Authorities to bid for SEND Free Schools. Stockport, alongside of 66 other authorities, took up this invitation to bid. The first part of the process is the competition stage where an academy or multi-academy trust (MAT) is sought to become the sponsor of the new free school. This report provides Scrutiny Committee with detail of the progress to date and the outcome of the MAT selection process for approval.

The Cabinet is requested to consider and comment on the information provided and approve the DfE to  sponsor an approved Multi- Academy Trust to run a Secondary Special Free School in Stockport.

Officer contact: Steve Nyakatawa on 0161 474 3832 or email: Stephen.Nyakatawa@stockport.gov.uk 

The Cabinet Member for Children, Family Services & Education (Councillor Colin Foster) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) identifying that borough did not currently have enough places for secondary aged students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and reporting that the government had made the offer for Local Authorities to bid for SEND Free Schools.  The report stated that Stockport, alongside 66 other authorities, took up this invitation to bid and outlined the first ‘competition stage’ of the process where an academy or multi-academy trust is sought to become the sponsor of the new free school.

The Cabinet Member clarified that the proposed school would comprise 133 places and that it would be developed on the former Orisshmere School site.  It was further reported that on 20 July 2020 the government had announced that Stockport was amongst the 37 local authorities that had been successful in their bid for the development of new special school facilities and that the Prosper Learning Trust had been selected as sponsor for the proposed free school.

RESOLVED – That following consideration of the current insufficiency of places for secondary aged students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Stockport, the Cabinet has:-

(1) Noted the offer made by the government for local authorities to bid for SEND Free School and that the Council had taken up the invitation to bid.

(2) Given approval to the proposal that the Department for Eduction sponsor an approved Multi-Academy Trust to run a Secondary Special Free School in Stockport.

To consider a report of the Director of Children’s Services.

The borough does not currently have enough places for secondary aged students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The government has made the offer for Local Authorities to bid for SEND Free Schools. Stockport, alongside of 66 other authorities, took up this invitation to bid. The first part of the process is the competition stage where an academy or multi-academy trust (MAT) is sought to become the sponsor of the new free school. This report provides Scrutiny Committee with detail of the progress to date and the outcome of the MAT selection process for approval.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Steve Nyakatawa on 0161 474 3832 or email: Stephen.Nyakatawa@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Children’s Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the progress to date and the outcome of the Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) selection progress for approval.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Family Services & Education (Councillor Colin Foster) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised: -

·         Clarification was sought relating to the representation on the Board and any assurances that could be given regarding the person chosen would have the relevant understanding of the needs of the children and would be user led. It was commented that the Stockport Council would have senior strategic representation on the MAT Board to influence how the children would be educated and places commissioned within the borough, but also clear leadership, governance and structure; and

·         Concern was expressed regarding the type of MAT that would be in place and assurance was sought regarding the ethos of the MAT. It was commented that there was a rigorous scoring and scrutiny process with all the academies that were shortlisted. It was noted that the values and principles of Stockport needed to be met and Stockport Council were in agreement with the outcome of the selction process and that selected MAT would deliver for Stockport and Stockport children.

·         Clarification was sought regarding how the MAT would be funded. It was commented that initial funding would be provided for the setting up of the facility. The MAT would then receive funding and maintain the facility through the funding they obtain and the pupil places that would be commissioned within the borough so a savings would be made for this provision.

·         Clarification was sought on the reasons for the choice of the site. In response, it was commented that the original bid was strengthened by the fact that a proposed site was ready for development and there was already a physical structure in place to be used within the school portfolio.

·         Concern was expressed about the local authority’s relationship with the MAT provider and what this may mean with regard to the potential for future such partnerships. In response, it was commented that under the current regulatory local authorities would need to comply with the legislation and proceed with the development of “free schools to deliver new schools in the borough”, as the previous option of building maintained schools was no longer available with the new legislation.

·         Clarification was sought regarding transport to and from the site with regards to bus routes. In response, it was commented that a proposed travel plan would be developed in detail for each individual pupil.

·         Concern was expressed regarding what assurances could be given for the children with the additional needs and the care that would be entrusted to the external provider. In response, it was commented that involved in the selection process was a detailed scrutiny of the providers through questions and looking at the Trust’s previous experiences and being specialist providers with a SEND provision track record for delivery. It was also stated that part of the interview process involved the DfE doing “due diligence checks” on the Trust and being sound in terms of its performance and its financial position.

RESOLVED – That the recommendations be agreed and submitted to Cabinet for approval.