Inclusion Strategy Project Report
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ROCHDALE INCLUSION STRATEGY PROJECT REPORT CONTENTS 1. Summary of recommendations 2 2. Project Brief 3 3. Methodology 3 4. Rochdale borough Context 4 5. National Policy Context 14 6. Areas for Development 16 7. A Shared View of Inclusion 17 8. Early Identification of Needs 20 9. Supporting Pupils’ Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs 24 10. A preventative Pupil Referral Service Offer 27 11. A Continuum of SEND Provision 33 12. Strategic Accountability 42 13. References 46 Appendix 1: A note on SEND Data 47 Appendix 2: Action Plan 48 Appendix 3: Croydon Wedge of Nurture 54 Linda Wright, Inclusion Strategy Consultant, February 2020 1 1. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Area for development Recommendations 1 Agree a shared view of Agree a set of principles to underpin a Rochdale approach to inclusion which inclusion and how to secure will support effective practice improved outcomes, drawing Develop a flexible PRU offer with a focus on preventing exclusion on a stronger evidence base Work with college or AP providers to commission KS4 vocational provision for successful inclusive Review Fair Access protocols in context of developing preventative PRU practice interventions Consider an inclusion champion with a strong track record teaching in challenging settings to drive implementation of Rochdale’s inclusion strategy 2 Define and agree the level of Ensure a graduated response to meeting the needs of pupils with additional complexity mainstream needs is embedded in primary and secondary school practice schools should manage and Offer guidance to schools on putting in place appropriate and timely enable additional needs to be interventions to meet needs at an early stage identified and supported early Offer additional assessment support for primary school pupils to ensure they are accessing appropriate provision Clarify LA inclusion support offer to schools to ensure a consistent and coherent approach 3 Adopt a nurture approach Schools to develop relationship based behaviour policies in light of EPS across all schools to improve Relationship Policy Guidance and aligned with Rochdale Relationships outcomes for pupils with a Manifesto range of social, emotional and Consider a Rochdale wide nurture approach with staged levels of provision communication needs and making the universal offer an expectation in all schools 4 Redefine the role of Brownhill Separate PRU and specialist provision at Brownhill and relaunch both Learning Community to work provisions; refocus special school intake to pupils with SEMH needs flexibly with schools to reduce Set up a preventative programme for secondary school pupils at risk of the incidence of exclusions exclusion (assessment, respite, outreach) and secure additional premises to and ensure pupils at risk of accommodate extended offer exclusion are supported early Consider feasibility of locality based PRS provision to facilitate safeguarding through preventative of pupils and reduce travel times: Middleton / Heywood and Pennine / interventions Rochdale Develop alternatives to exclusion for primary schools, enabled through locality based assessment and nurture provision Develop a learning base for pupils not currently accessing their full entitlement, including young people supported through the Youth Justice system Commission a wider AP offer 5 Develop a continuum of Produce a commissioning strategy for SEND staged specialist provision Develop a business case for investment in new provision and enhancing the informed by a specialist place quality of existing settings (specialist and PRS) planning process that draws Set up SEN resource and nurture bases (number TBD) in mainstream schools on regularly updated to create an intermediate step between mainstream and special school for information on demand trends pupils with ASC and SEMH needs Plan for matching pupils to new range of provision Consider further expansion to existing special schools (multi-site) or encouraging further free school bids to create additional specialist provision 6 Improve strategic Develop a comprehensive performance dashboard drawing together data accountability for the on outcomes for pupils with SEN support and EHC plans with data on the effectiveness of provision with SEN statutory process and cohort profile and placements regular performance Full dashboard to be reviewed by CWD Partnership Board and CYP monitoring of a Partnership Board comprehensive range of School data to include contextual information performance indicators 2 2. PROJECT BRIEF 2.1 The joint CQC / Ofsted SEND inspection of the Local Authority and its partners in 2016 required the Local Authority to: - Increase the capacity of mainstream schools to identify and effectively meet the needs of the increasing population of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and / or Disabilities (SEND), in particular those with autism - Improve the weak educational outcomes for children and young people at the Special Educational Needs (SEN) support stage and reduce the increasingly high number of exclusions for this group 2.2 The Local Authority has identified that despite improvements, there continue to be challenges to the current capacity within both mainstream settings and special schools to ensure that all children benefit from a high quality offer of an education which meets the increasing numbers of children with additional needs and the diversity of need. 2.3 Evidence indicates: - Further need to reduce pupil exclusion rates - Increasing numbers of pupils at SEN Support and with an EHCP - Greater access needed to specialist services and expertise - Reported increase in the level of need entering into Reception - Increase in children and young people moving into the borough 2.4 The main concern of the borough, schools and partners is that current provision is failing to meet the needs of some of Rochdale’s most vulnerable children and young people. 2.5 With an increase in pupil numbers across the borough in addition to significant pressure on places within the pupil referral service and special schools, the Local Authority needs to ensure sufficiency and appropriateness of provision for the borough’s children and young people to meet current and future pupil need. 2.6 This project seeks to address these issues by focussing on: - Analysis of current and future gaps in provision - Identification of strengths, weaknesses and gaps in provision across the borough - Contributing to both a borough wide vision and strategy for inclusion - Identification of recommendations for system wide improvements - Identification of recommendations for remodelling of provision - Development with partners of clear and flexible pathways to access provision and additional support 3. METHODOLOGY 3.1` The project brief was developed by a Task and Finish group of Local Authority officers and head teachers. This group has also advised on emerging findings and recommendations. 3.2 The project consultant has met with a range of stakeholders from the Local Authority and schools, as well as the chair of the Rochdale Parent Partnership Forum. School visits have included all special schools, the Pupil Referral Service (PRS), 4 secondary schools and 2 primary schools. 3 3.3 A review of local data and performance reports, borough policies and the SEND local offer has also informed the project. 3.4 Prior to stakeholder meetings and research into local information sources, a range of key lines of enquiry and information requirements linked to the project brief and the key areas of focus were identified. 4. ROCHDALE BOROUGH CONTEXT 4.1 The profile of Rochdale is considered both in the context of its location within Greater Manchester (GM) and the wider region of the North-West of England and in relation to the national picture. 4.2 The population in Rochdale is growing with net migration gains from people coming into the borough from outside an increasing factor in population growth1. In 2016 (ONS mid-year estimate) there were 216,150 residents. This is reflected in school place planning data which shows demand for reception places in schools exceeding the number of children born in the borough and a larger intake of pupils in year 7 than at reception, indicating inward migration in key stage 2 year groups. The average house building rate in the borough is 330 new houses per year; this has increased to 800 new houses per year in the last 3 years. It appears these new houses are bringing in new young families. 4.3 Rochdale has a relatively young population with 20.1% of the population being under 15, compared with 19.2% across Greater Manchester and 18% in England (ONS mid-year estimates 2016). Whilst the current population is quite young compared to the England average, the latest ONS population projections suggest that this will decrease over time. The largest concentrations of 0-19 year olds are located in areas of high deprivation, particularly in the suburbs surrounding the centre of Rochdale. 54.1% of the 0-19 population live in one of the two most deprived areas.2 4.4 The population is ethnically diverse. According to the 2011 Census 78.6% of the population are White British and 21.4% are from Black Minority Ethnic communities. The largest BME group is Pakistani with 10.5% of the population and the second largest is Bangladeshi with 2.1%. A high proportion of our young population belong to an ethnic minority group (29.3% compared to 21.4% in the all age population). The latest schools census data suggests that the young BME population is increasing. Deprivation and Impact of Austerity 4.5 The level of deprivation in an area can be used to identify communities who may be in the greatest need of services3. Rochdale is one of the 20% most deprived districts / unitary authorities in England. Almost a third (30.5%) of the population live in areas amongst the 10% most deprived in the country and the borough has amongst the highest levels of deprivation in the North-West region (IMD 2015). At the last census in 2011 ten areas within the borough were among the 3 % most deprived in England with twenty four in the lowest 10%.