UPDATE NO 276 10 November 2017

Ombudsman report on Education Health and Care (EHC) Plans

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) has investigated complaints concerning Education Health and Care (EHC) Plans. EHC Plans were introduced in 2014 to replace Statements of Special Educational Needs (SEN), with local authorities given the mandate to conduct this process. Ensuring the changes imposed by the 2014 SEND Code of Practice are implemented in their school is the collective responsibility of the governing board, so this report will be of interest.

The LGO has seen EHC plan complaints and enquiries practically doubling between 2015/16 and 2016/17. The LGO is concerned that councils will miss the April 2018 deadline for transferring pupils from Statements of SEN to EHC plans, with only a third of those who still had statements in January 2016 being transferred by January 2017. 

The EHC plans which are being completed are often not produced on time, just 58.6% of new EHC plans were completed within the twenty-week timescale in 2016. This has contributed to the LGO upholding 79% of complaints, well above their usual average of 53%.

Of particular note for schools was the report’s criticism of councils for delegating the gathering of evidence on which to base the EHC assessment to schools or even parents, when it is the council’s responsibility. The report also stressed the importance of regular and open communication with both schools and parents. Governors should therefore be asking their headteacher about how well the processes that are currently in place are working and whether they require any additional support.

SE DCS Peer Challenge 2018

Save the Date Wednesday 22 November. 

There will be a training and preparation session on Wednesday 22 November (10:00 – 3:30) at Easthampstead Park Conference Centre for hosts, visitors and observers who are planning to participate in the 2018 SE DCS Peer Challenge. We ask all those planning to participate in SE DCS Peer Challenge 2018 who are new to the process to save the date Wednesday 22 November. 

Thanks to the colleagues who have already signed up – today is our deadline for registration so if you haven’t yet reserved a place, please contact Anna Wright (details below) now. The challenge sessions will take place early in 2018, and the fieldwork will follow. Please contact Anna Wright (details below) for more information on the training session. For more details of the overall programme, please go to our SE DCS Peer Challenge page.

School Effectiveness

The SE ADCS will be holding a seminar on “School Effectiveness” on Friday 8 December (1.30-3.30) in Central London. DCSs and School Effectiveness lead officers are all invited. More information from Richard Tyndall (contact details below).

The AD Education Network meeting on 1 December will welcome Cate Duffy (DCS Slough) (sadly Lucy Butler (DCS Oxfordshire) has sent apologies) to a preparation session which will set the agenda for the seminar. More information from Richard Tyndall (contact details below).

Leadership Development

We continue to offer our successful portfolio of Leadership Development Courses all of which have been positively evaluated by delegates.

We are offering LAs the opportunity to train their own trainers for all our courses. Our aim is to increase the capacity and capability across the region  to ensure future sustainability within LAs. Courses can also be delivered with adult services and/or for schools. Please contact Di Smith, details below, if this is of interest to you.

All courses are run in-house in the LA who provides the venue. Each course is accompanied by a range of training resources for the delegates including a comprehensive handbook. The current courses on offer are as follows and details of each course and the costs for each can be found by downloading the April 2016 Leadership Development Prospectus. 

Coaching to Improve Performance

Embedding a Coaching Culture

Leading Change in Times of Austerity

Step Up to Leadership   

We can also arrange one-to-one coaching, especially to support newly appointed 2nd and 3rd tier managers

If you require further details or wish to book a course please get in touch with Di Smith (contact details below)