Director's Message - 4th May 2020
Dear Colleagues,
Whilst we all wait for national schools' reopening guidance from the DfE (expected at the end of this week), I am in regular contact with our RSC's office and working with other London Boroughs to ensure Hillingdon is part of the London-wide approach.
Locally, our Hillingdon Schools Strategic Partnership Board (SSPB) has met twice (virtually) to discuss Hillingdon's response. Guidance will be shared with all Headteachers as soon as possible, to ensure that schools have the information and support needed to implement arrangements to keep staff, parents/carers and pupils safe.
SEND update from Vikram Hansrani, Assistant Director
You will be aware of the SEND changes in legislation in force from 1st May 2020. The two key changes are:
Section 42 of the CFA - duty to secure special educational provision and health care provision in accordance with EHCP:
The duty on LAs or commissioning health bodies to secure or arrange the provision is temporarily modified to a duty to use 'reasonable endeavours' to do so. This essentially means that the DfE recognise it will be challenging for settings to provide the outlined provision in EHCPs and expect schools to work with LAs to provide reasonable endeavours. This will be on a case-by-case basis and on the proviso that schools should be working alongside the LA to determine what 'reasonable endeavours' looks like. There is emphasis placed on recording these decisions and ensuring that parents/carers are aware of/and in agreement of these decisions. This aspect of legislative change will be monitored at the end of May, where it is likely to remain in place and reviewed on a monthly basis.
The SEND (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020:
Amended regulations that specify time scales that principally relate to EHC Needs Assessments and plans will be relaxed. LAs to log any new assessment as an exception, where appropriate, thus not impacting on 20 week timescale performance due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The amendment is to the timing only, where it is not reasonably practicable or impractical to conclude an action within the statutory timescale (e.g. 6 weeks for a decision whether to make an EHC needs assessment). This is likely to be in place until the end of September 2020.
COVID-19 FAQs update
The DfE has released new and updated guidance, support and resources for schools, which have been added to our FAQs and highlighted below.
Overarching guidance for schools has been updated with May bank holiday opening, recruitment advice and an EYFS update.
Free digital education platform for schools to use - Google or Microsoft offer.
National home learning support helpline for parents - schools to share with parents (in LEAP home learning).
New free skills toolkit to boost workplace skills - schools to share with parents.
FSM - updated guidance for 16-19 aged young people in further education.
School Leaders' Briefing Articles:
1. RSE parent/carer remote consultation during school closure
2. Transition to secondary school - resource pack for all pupils
3. School admission appeals - temporary regulations
4. Free funded BAME teachers 'stepping up into leadership' programme
5. Online school games active challenges
6. Resent: draft School Improvement Strategy for consultation
To access these articles, please go straight to SLB on LEAP.
If Headteachers need further support than the current guidance provides, please feel free to contact my team using this email address.
Best wishes
Dan
