CRITERIA FORCONSIDERATION OF

HIGH NEEDS SHORT-TERM FUNDING AND EDUCATION SUPPORT PLAN APPLICATIONS

1Introduction

1.1Referrals to the High Needs Panel may be considered for children and young people attending Hounslow mainstream schools and academies whose needs require support over and above £6k and where schools can demonstrate that they have put in place support up to this level.

1.2The High Needs Panel will not consider requests for additional resources to be provided for pupils who are being provided with additional support that equates to less than £6k as these resources have been distributed to schools.

1.3Any funding agreed through the High Needs Panel will be in addition to the support provided through the schools’ delegated resources. Schools would be expected to continue to provide funding up to the level of £6k per annum.

1.4Two types of funding can be applied for: High Needs short term funding and funding with an Education Support Plan/Programme.

1.5An Education Support Plan/Programme is a Hounslow funding agreement between the Local Authority and mainstream schools, where the pupil would otherwise be allocated an Education, Health and Care Plan with additional funding. This is only available for Hounslow resident children and young people. See Section 3 below.

2High Needs Funding

2.1High needs funding may be requested for pupils whose needs fall within the following categories:

2.2Medical Referrals

2.2.1Where a pupil has a short-term medical need that affects their ability to access education which cannot reasonably be contained within the school’s normal allocation of resources due to additional staffing needs, and this is impacting on his/her ability to access the curriculum.

2.2.2Where the pupil has sustained an accident, which has left short-term physical or sensory impairment as a result of which intensive and or/specialist support is required to enable him/her to access the curriculum.

2.2.3Where a pupil requires a one-off item of specialist equipment linked to their medical condition or disability, which is necessary to enable him/her to access the curriculum and where no funding has been provided by the CCG. See below.

2.2.4High Needs funding will not be provided where the pupil’s needs are solely medical and support is required to meet their care needs. In these cases, the school should complete a Health Funding Application Form and submit to the Children’s Commissioning team as detailed on the form.

2.3Health and Safety:

2.3.1High Needs Funding may be considered for pupils whose behaviour poses significant health and safety risks to themselves and/or others and which requires support that exceeds the devolved funding level but the expectation is that a period of additional support will ameliorate this behaviour. Pupils may be:

2.3.1.1New arrivals to the country/school who require additional support to settle into the new environment

2.3.1.2Pupils who are experiencing traumatic or difficult circumstances in their home lives, e.g. bereavement; family break up.

2.4High Needs Funding Time Limits

2.4.1High Needs funding will be allocated on a strictly time limited basis and there should be no expectation that funding will be extended unless there are clear and essential grounds for doing so, e.g. ongoing medical advice. Any request for an extension of funding should be submitted to the High Needs Panel, with supporting evidence of continued need and an evaluation report.

2.4.2Where schools consider that the pupil’s needs are of a persistent and on-going nature, theyshould consider whether the severity of the pupil’s needs meet the threshold for an Education Support Plan/Programe (see section 3 below).

2.4.3High Needs funding should not be considered as a mechanism for accessing interim funding pending completion of a statutory EHCP assessment.

3Education Support Plans/Programmes

3.1A School may apply for an Education Support Plan/Programme(ESP) where it considers that a pupil has special educational needs which would meet the threshold for an Education, Health and Care Plan*, but does not require input from Social Care or Health in regards to their educational needs and the needs can be well met in the mainstream school with additional support.

3.2This will include pupilswho require speech therapy or occupational therapy in order to ensure access to the curriculum. It would not include pupils who require physiotherapy or CAMHS input.

*Please refer to the published Hounslow Guidelines Re a decision to request an EHC Statutory Assessment.

3.3An ESP may be appropriate for pupils who have special educational needs which can appropriately be provided for in mainstream schools and may include specific or moderate learning difficulties; behavioural difficulties; communication difficulties, including low level Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

4Applications:

4.1Applications for short term funding should be made using the Application for High Needs Funding form (HNP01).

4.2Where an application relates to a High Needs Pupil for whom an ESPis being requested, schools will be required to set out the needs of the pupil and the provision andsupport to be provided with clear objectives and timescales for the use of the resources. Applications for an ESP should be made by completion of the ESP Request form.

4.3Where the High Needs Panel agrees that the threshold for an ESP is met, the Panel will agree the level of support to be provided with the Plan. A plan will be drafted setting out the needs and the provision required informed by the school’s submission and professional advice.

4.4Funding for an ESP will be for one year only in the first instance. Further funding will be considered subject to an annual review and submission of a re-application form.

4.5Parental Engagement

4.5.1Where a school considers that a pupil has special educational needs that are ongoing and significant, it is good practice for this to be shared and discussed with the parent. However, as the ESP is not a statutory document, there is no requirement for schools to secure the agreement of parents to submit an application for an ESP, nor for the parent to sign off the Plan/Programme as would be the case with a Statement or an EHCP.

5Monitoring and Review

5.1Where an extension of funding is required, during the half term before the close of the allocated funding period, schools will be required to submit an evaluation report setting out the support that has been provided to the High Needs pupil both from their delegated funding and the additional resources allocated. For High Needs Funding allocations, this will be submitted using the Evaluation form (HNP03).

5.2Where a pupil has an ESP, the school will be required to complete an ESP Annual Review report. No renewal of funding will be considered without the required evaluation or Annual Review report.

5.3In the event that no request for an extension of funding is made, the school will still be required to provide the evaluation report using the Evaluation Report form (HNP03) or ESP Annual Review report at the end of the funding period. This is to ensure that the DSG funding is robustly and effectively monitored and will provide useful baseline information in the event that there is a need for a future application.

5.4Failure to submit an evaluation report is likely to result in the Panel’s refusal to consider future applications from the school, even if they relate to other children.

6Supporting Documents/evidence

6.1No applications will be considered unless the school provides evidence to show that it has put in place support up to the delegated level of £6k (pro-rated over the year). The only exceptions will be nursery aged childrenwhilst the funding formula excludes them from the calculation of delegated SEN funding.

6.2When requesting High Needs or ESP Funding, schools will need to:

6.2.1Set out the provision that it is currently making from its delegated resources, i.e. a minimum of £6k.

6.2.2Ensure that the costs quoted only include a proportion of any support that is provided in a group.

6.2.3Specify the amount and type of supportwhich will be provided if the funding is agreed, e.g. 1:1; small group; commissioning specialist teaching, therapy etc.

6.2.4Set out the objectives to be achieved through the provision of support

6.2.5Demonstrate that the need for the support is evidenced by external professional advice and guidance, e.g. EP, Advisory Teacher, Speech Therapist or other specialist advice

7Timescale for Submissions

7.1Applications for High Needs and ESP funding will be considered by the High Needs Panel which meets on a termly basis. The deadlines for the submission of applications will be published in the EIP Bulletin and on the Knowledge Hub. No funding will be allocated retrospectively and no applications submitted after the deadline will be considered but will be deferred to the next available panel meeting.

7.2Completed forms and applications should be sent to: The High Needs Panel at the Civic Centre or preferably by email to: .

1