The LA proposes to decommission specialist provision at Headlands CE (VC) JI&N School and deliver the service in a different way

Types of places currently available

The type of places currently available Each school provides placements as part of the school-based provision (fixed/transitional), as well as outreach support. The flexibility around the capacity for outreach work is governed by the numbers attending either fixed or transitional places. Where numbers are low, this releases capacity and maximises the outreach support available to all Kirklees schools.

Fixed places

At primary phase, fixed places exist for children with complex sensory impairments where there is a requirement for long term, specialist interventions and support, which cannot be offered routinely across all mainstream settings.

Transitional places

These are placements for up to a maximum of 6 terms and are for children and young people who require support over and above that provided through outreach. Any transitional placement is likely be preceded by a period of outreach involvement which has exhausted every avenue that would normally result in the child's needs being best met in their local school. Transitional placements are offered following a review of the Education Health and Care Plan.

LA proposal

• To decommission 6 transitional places and outreach at Headlands CE (VC) J&N School for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
• To work with the families of the remaining children to ensure that their needs can continue to be met with minimum disruption. The capacity released through a decommission would be used to enhance the central outreach offer.

The LA would undertake an analysis of the effectiveness of the enhanced central outreach team to see if it meets the needs of children with Complex Communication and Interaction Needs within their local schools, and determine any future provision that may be required.

The objectives of the proposal

• Continue to ensure specialist support is available where it is needed and is able to have the biggest impact for children, young people and their families
• Continue to ensure that the overall patter of specialist resource provision in Kirklee is flexible and can support and respond t the needs of individual pupils and parenta preferences
• Continue to provide access to appropriately trained staff and access to specialist support and advice, so that individual pupils can have the fullest possible opportunities to make progress in their learning and participate in their school and community
• Continue to support the LA's strategy for making schools and settings more accessible to disabled children and young people and the scheme for promoting equality of opportunity for people with SEND.

What will happen next

A 4 week non-statutory consultation was open between 4 September 2018 and 1 October 2018. All feedback will be reported to Kirklees Council's Cabinet. They will then decide whether to move to the next stage. This would mean the publication of legal notices and another chance to view the proposals and comment on them before a final decision is made. The following table shows the next steps involved in the process. Dates are subject to change and would be dependent on Cabinet approval to move to each stage.