Questions:
1. What is the current cost of a Resourced Provision place at Hookstone per child (full time placement assumed)?
Hookstone Chase Resourced Provision Funding, for a full financial year, based on 10 places, staffing costs only:
Annual Budget £128,672
Unit cost per place £12,867.20
2. What is the proposed cost of an EMS in reach place at Hookstone per child (full time placement assumed)?
Hookstone Chase EMS Funding, for a full financial year, based on 6 places (not including outreach) staffing costs only:
Annual Budget £165,468
Unit cost per place£27,578.00
Plus: additional funding for each child with a statement of £8,860
SEN with specialist in-reach placement (i.e. up to 6 children):
Plus: Age Related Pupil Unit (ARPU) funding for each child
on the roll of Hookstone Chase (if on roll at time of January census)
Early Years Foundation Stage: £2,477.92
KS1 £2,393.44
KS2 £2,295.43
3. How much of the £4.5 million is specifically to be spent on Hookstone in reach (not outreach) including adaptations etc?
Capital expenditure is provided below:
Building works: £57,644.18
Building fees £9,675.17
Furniture and equipment £10,098.10
Computer equipment £656.84
4. What accommodation did the Resourced Provision have prior to refurbishment?
One classroom with open bay area; disabled toilet and shower; quiet room.
5. What additional and different accommodation do EMS pupils have?
The same classroom which has zoned work areas; a kitchen area /area to facilitate the development of self-help /independence skills; a quiet room/ room that can be used for 1:1 therapy interventions; a disabled toilet and shower area; an outdoor learning area / quiet play area accessed from the classroom.
6. Is the resourced provision still in use? Will it remain in use?
Yes, the Resourced Provision is still in use. The opportunities currently available in the Resourced Provision will be maintained and enhanced.
7. How much time will the EMS teachers and teaching assistants spend on outreach work? Please break this down per member of staff. How many outreach schools are they responsible for?
In all discussions with the schools concerned we have emphasised that the priority for support will be the children on the school roll. The amount of time spent on outreach will vary according to demand. We are unable to predict the demand for outreach but it will be kept under regular review. The EMS will contribute to support and outreach to the 79 schools in the area as part of ASCOSS.
8. What percentage of time has each staff member spent on outreach during the half term the EMS has been ‘open’ (Sept-Oct 2010).
A total of 8.5 hours was spent by the specialist teachers on outreach visits during September and October (37 days). This equates to 3.22% of one member of staff’s time.
9. Please provide the full specification for the Resourced Provision.
There has never been a specification for the Resourced Provision.
There is no question 10
11. How much extra EP time per pupil will HookstoneSchool (main part of the school and EMS) receive over that provided to Hookstone main school and the Resourced Provision?
Resourced Provision:
Educational Psychologist (EP) time for main school – 4 visits per year by a generic EP. No additional sessions are allocated for children in the Resourced Provision.
Enhanced MainstreamSchool:
EP sessions for main school – 4 visits per year by generic EP
For children who have a specialist in-reach placement – 6 visits per year from a Specialist Senior Practitioner EP (i.e. a 1/2 termly visit).
NB. The allocation of EP sessions is to the school and is not ‘per pupil’.
12. How much time has the EP provided to Hookstone EMS in the past half-term? How many visits have there been?
In accordance with the allocation of EP time, there was one visit last half-term by a Specialist Senior Practitioner EP for Communication and Interaction lasting 2.5 hours.
13. How much time is it intended EMS pupils will receive from the specialist staff per week?
This will be dependent on the needs of individual children and the ‘risks’ associated with their condition. Specialist staff, including 2 full-time teachers and two Advanced Teaching Assistants, have been employed to provide support. Additional funding per in-reach placement (£8,860 per annum) is also available to extend staffing levels depending on the needs of the school (as set out in the answer to Question 2).
14. What will be the wording about staffing /1:1 time on statements for EMS pupils?
Statements for pupils in EMS will not specify hours of support. As currently, the deployment of support is a decision for the school to make, according to the individual needs of the child, which may vary and also change over time.
15. What autism specific training courses have the mainstream teaching staff at Hookstone received? Please detail courses, course providers and what courses/training are planned for this academic year.
The mainstream staff have received training / attended a range of relevant courses, for example:
Relevant training / No of staff / Course ProviderAn Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Early Years / 2 / Autistic spectrum condition outreach support service
(ASCOSS)
Introduction to Autism
Autism: Understanding the condition and developing strategies to help / 3 / The ForestSchool
Treatment & education of Autistic & related communication handicapped children (TEACCH) 3 day programme / 2 / Gary Mesibov
Team Teach 2 day training / 11 / NYCC (Springwater school)
Team Teach re-accreditation / 4 / NYCC (Springwater school)
Team Teach refresher / 4 / NYCC (Springwater school)
Communication Matters workshop / 1 / Communication Trust
Picture exchange communication system (PECS) / 2 / Pyramid
Educational Consultants
Makaton / 1 / Speech & language therapy service
Using P Scales and Performance indicators for value added target setting (PIVATS) to assess pupil progress / 2 / NYCC
NAS Conference Harrogate 2008 / 3 / NAS
NAS Conference Harrogate 2009 / 3 / NAS
NAS Conference Harrogate 2010 / 1 / NAS
Portage Sensory Profile training / 1 / Early Years Service
Peer Support Scheme training / 1 / NYCC/ NSPCC
Speech, Language and Communication Framework – skills and competencies audit / all staff / Communication and Interaction Network specialist staff
Communication supportive / autism friendly environment / all staff / as above
Inclusion Development Programme 2 (2 sessions to cluster of schools) / all staff / NYCC
ASC Awareness / all staff / ASCOSS
"I have Autism: what does 'Every Child Matters Mean to me?" / 2 / ASCOSS
Rita Jordan: Emotional well-being in children with autism / 3 / Communication and Interaction Network
Communicate in Print (ICT) / 4 / ASCOSS
Revelation Sight and Sound (ICT) / 4 / ASCOSS
Narrative Inference / 2 / Tony Whatmuff
Memory booster / 3 / NYCC
Selective mutism, stammering, auditory processing, social stories, sensory impairment, additional and augmentative communication (separate sessions) / 2 / Communication and Interaction Network
Attachment disorder / 2 / As above
16. In what ways will the curriculum be improved for EMS children over that provided to Resourced Provision children?
The consultation paper which sets out the proposal to change the existing Resourced Provision for SEN at Hookstone Chase, refers to “improved access to a broad and balanced curriculum”. The EMS will have additional specialist facilities and resources for children with communication and interaction needs. Staff will receive on-going training in specialist approaches and interventions and know how to create a communication supportive, autism friendly environment throughout the school.
The school is developing a ‘Provision Map’ setting out its provision for all children with communication and interaction needs at a universal level, through to targeted support for some children and specialist support for those with complex needs.
17. In what ways were the Resourced Provision children not accessing a ‘broad and balanced curriculum’, specialist facilities or resources such that improvement was deemed necessary?
The children in the Resourced Provision are able to access a ‘broad and balanced’ curriculum, but the extent of access is dependent upon the needs and abilities of each individual pupil. We recognise the need to take account of the continuum of need.
The improved facilities will both enhance curriculum opportunities e.g. planned development of self-help/ independence skills and enable flexible learning e.g. through access to an enclosed and safe outdoor area to develop gross motor skills/ practical learning.
18. In what ways were Resourced Provision children unable to 'take part in all areas of school life according to their individual capabilities'?
A number of children in the Resourced Provision were taught mainly in a group separate from their mainstream peers. Whilst this was appropriate to the needs of some children, the enhancements to the school will better enable access for other children to areas of school life and the wider curriculum.
19. The consultation document states children in the EMS "will access a full curriculum". Does that mean there will be no flexibility to disapply parts of the curriculum?
If children are considered to meet the criteria for disapplication from one or more parts of the curriculum, their needs will be considered in accordance with the framework.
20. In what ways were Resourced Provision children not able to access 'high quality teaching from skilled staff'?
The staff in the Resourced Provision / EMS are better qualified and trained which will increase skill levels and lead to improved outcomes for children.
21. Who were the staff employed in the Resourced Provision last year and what were their qualifications?
Mrs Henley – B Ed Teaching Degree
Mrs Royston - Higher Level Teaching Assistant HLTA – (HLTA status involves undertaking an accredited course which includes: observations / planning and assessment / SEN / policies into practice and building a portfolio of evidence).
Mrs Clough – no additional qualifications
Mrs Shepherd – no additional qualifications
22. Who are the new staff employed and what additional qualifications do they have that were not available to the Resourced Provision previously?
The staff employed in the EMS have/ will have a higher level of specialist qualifications and will therefore be better able to address the needs of the children.
Teacher – Mrs Henley
MSC, Autism in Children, University of Birmingham (currently studying)
Teacher – Mrs Sutton
Post Graduate Certificate in Severe and Complex Learning Difficulties, University of Birmingham
Post Graduate Certificate in Language and Communication Impairment in Children , University of Sheffield
ELKLAN Training for Trainers
Mrs Clough – HLTA level as above
Mrs Shepherd – no additional qualification
23. If the staff are in effect the same how can this be "improved' access to high quality staff?
The staffing complement has been enhanced since last year to include an additional specialist teacher. The LA is investing a considerable amount to enable specialist staff including ATAs to gain additional specialist qualifications and access appropriate professional development.
24. Did staff in the Resourced Provision not have a commitment to continuous professional learning?
There has always been a commitment to continuous professional learning by staff in the Resourced Provision at Hookstone Chase.
25. How much extra continuous professional development will the specialist staff receive over that provided to staff in the Resourced Provision?
The specialist teachers have attended 14 induction/ training days.
As part of this, a thorough audit of skills has been carried out in order to identify and address gaps in individual’s knowledge.
26. Are any staff trained to provide autism specific curriculum? Notwithstanding access to a "full curriculum" i.e. the national curriculum, will children be able to receive autism specific curriculum? If so, please give details.
Children will follow the National Curriculum. This will be differentiated and/or modified according to individual needs and abilities.
27. Did Resourced Provision children have a 'personalised learning plan'? If so, in what ways is the 'personalised learning plan' for EMS pupils different than what was in place before? If not, why could children in Resourced Provision not utilize a personalised learning plan?
The children in the Resourced Provision each have an Individual Education Plan (IEP). The school is introducing provision mapping and Inclusion Passports relating to individual pupil needs.
28. How is a change from 10 full time places to 6 full time (or up to 12 part time) places an improved supply of places?
Outreach from Hookstone Chase school will enable more children to be supported in their local community school. Although there are 6 in-reach places, the provision will meet the needs of a greater number of children. There will not be any part-time placements in the EMS for Communication and Interaction. Part time placements may be appropriate for pupils who do not necessarily require a statement of SEN in our EMs for Primary Behaviour, Emotional and Social Difficulties.
The local authority will meet local need and in the event that more in-reach places are required, more places will be made available.
29. Is it correct (as reported to PACT on 13 October by Peter Gallagher, NYCC) that most EMS places are designed to be 'time limited' with pupils returning to their original schools mainstream classroom as quickly as possible?
No, this is not correct. The reference to ‘time-limited’ places applies to the primary EMS for children with behaviour, emotional and social difficulties (BESD). This is not applicable to the EMS for Communication and Interaction.
30. Where children cannot succeed and learn in a mainstream classroom will they be able to be taught full time in the EMS accommodation or will they have to be transferred to special school?
There is capacity within the EMS staffing for children who require support outside the mainstream classroom environment to receive support within the ‘base’ facility. The EMS is not an alternative to special school for children with learning difficulties and autism.
In the case of individuals who cannot access learning in mainstream classes, even with support, then full-time education in the specialist provision at Hookstone Chase will be an option.
31. Please detail the alternative provision that has been made for children from the Resourced Provision, and how you will ensure appropriate full-time education will be available to all displaced pupils. Which special schools have agreed to take in pupils who cannot cope or learn in the mainstream setting following proposals to close the Resourced Provision? If they will be transferred to special school which school is it proposed they go to? Is entry to Forest or Springwater limited to those of low cognitive ability (IQ under 70)?
We are not proposing to ‘close’ the Resourced Provision but to change and improve it. No children have been ‘displaced’.
The parents/ carers of the children in the Resourced Provision have been consulted and we will continue to work with those parents/carers. All information relating to individual cases is confidential. As such we are withholding this information under section 40 (2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which exempts personal information from disclosure if disclosure would breach one or more principles of the Data Protection Act 1998. In this case we consider that disclosure would breach the first principle, namely that personal information must be fairly and lawfully processed and must meet one of the conditions for processing as provided by schedule 2 of the Act. In this case we consider that the disclosure would be unfair and unlawful and none of the conditions for processing would be met. I attach a copy of our appeals procedure for your information.
If following a review of a child’s statement of SEN, special school placement is agreed to be more appropriate and/or preferable, then the pupil may transfer to special school. Parents can express a preference for their child to attend a special school.
When considering requests for placement in our special schools, we do not use IQ levels as criteria for placement. We determine the suitability of placement on an individual pupil basis, in consideration of all the young person’s special educational needs as indicated in their statement of SEN and their recent annual review report. We also consult with their parents/carers and professionals who know the young person.
32. Do these schools have the staff and capability to provide education to potentially very high functioning children with autism? Please detail the new capability at ForestSchool for pupils with autism including admission criteria. Does IQ under 70 apply?
The ForestSchool caters for children and young people with moderate learning difficulties and SpringwaterSchool is a school for children and young people with severe/profound learning difficulties. As explained in the response to Q 31, we do not use IQ levels as criteria for placement. Children who present with moderate learning difficulties and autism may attend the ForestSchool.
Hookstone Chase has the specialist staff and capability to provide education to potentially very high functioning children with autism. A special school placement for such children is unlikely to be appropriate.