Agenda and minutes

42.1     The Lead Member approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2021.

Disclosure by all Members present of personal interests in matters on the Agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Member regards the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct

43.1     There were none.

Notification of items which the Lead Member considers to be urgent and propose to take at the end of the appropriate part of the Agenda

44.1     There were none.

45.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services seeking agreement from the Lead Member to consult on the proposed admission arrangements for 2023-24.

45.2     RESOLVED – the Lead Member agreed that consultations should proceed with regard to:

1) the proposed admission arrangements for Community and

Voluntary Controlled (VC) schools for the 2023-24 academic year as set out in

appendix 1.

2)  the proposed published admission numbers (PANs) for

Community and VC schools for 2023-24, as set out in appendix 2. This includes two

proposed changes as set out in the report.

3) the proposed co-ordinated schemes of admissions as set out in

appendices 3-5.

Reason

45.3     The County Council is required by law to consult on its admissions arrangements every seven years, or sooner if any changes to those arrangements are proposed for the schools for each it is the admission authority. The results of the consultation will be reported back to the Lead Member after the consultation period closes in January 2022 and the final admission arrangements will be determined by 28 February 2022 and published by 15 March 2022, in line with statutory deadlines.

46.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services seeking approval to vary the in-year admission arrangements for 2021-22 and admissions co-ordination for in-year admissions as required by the School Admissions Code 2021.

46.2     RESOLVED – the Lead Member resolved to:

1)         approve the in-year variation of East Sussex County Council’s admission arrangements for 2021-22 to include the in-year admission arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled (VC) Schools as set out in the appendix 1 of the report.

2)         approve the introduction of the co-ordinated scheme of admissions for in-year applications as set out in appendix 2 of the report.

3)         note the locally agreed Fair Access Protocol (FAP) which is being adopted by East Sussex Schools and academies with effect from 1 November 2021.

Reason

46.3     The School Admissions Code 2021 requires that in-year variation of the admission arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools are approved.  All schools in the relevant area have been notified and consulted and all correspondence has been responded to by the Department.

47.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services regarding proposed amendments to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) travel assistance policy for statutory school aged children.

47.2     RESOLVED – to

1)         approve the proposed amendments to the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) travel assistance policy for statutory school aged children which include an amended appeals process and other minor changes which assist with accessibility and readability.

2)         agree that the wording on the application form for making verbal representations at the Discretionary Transport Appeal Panel is in line with the wording as set out in SEND travel assistance policy for statutory school aged children, to ensure consistency between the policy and the application form.

Reason

47.3     The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has recommended the improvements to the Councils appeal process set out in the report. The other minor changes in the policies will assist with accessibility and readability.              

48.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children’s Services seeking approval to extend the designation of the specialist facility at Wallands Community Primary School.

48.2     RESOLVED – to approve an extension to the designation of the specialist facility at Wallands Community Primary School to also include pupils aged 4-11 with a primary need of Autistic Spectrum Disorder with associated speech, language and communication needs with effect from 1 September 2022.

Reason

48.3     The local authority wishes to extend the designation of the specialist facility at the school with effect from 1 September 2022 so it can meet the needs of local pupils with Special Educational Needs, reflecting the changes being seen to the type of Special Educational Needs being presented. Since 2014/15 the number of primary age pupils with an Education Health Care Plan for speech, language and communication needs has decreased, while, over the same period, the number of pupils with an Education Health Care Plan for Autistic Spectrum Disorder has risen. The local authority’s Special Educational Needs forecasts are projecting that these trends will continue.

48.4     Feedback from the initial consultation was largely positive, with 73% of respondents in support of the proposal. No comments or objections were received during the subsequent representation period.

48.5     The local authority expects the proposal to have a positive impact on provision at the school. Specialist staff will continue to work with pupils in the facility and also work with teaching staff across the school to develop skills and expertise in responding to Special Educational Needs and creating an inclusive environment. The local authority believes that the facility is well placed to support children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and speech, language and communication needs.