Schools Forum update: SEND and Inclusion recommendations

The Schools' Forum met on the 17 October and endorsed a number of recommendations put forward by the High Needs Task and Finish Group.  A summary of the recommendations agreed is below:

• To encourage schools to pilot the Inclusion Quality Mark, building on the success of the early years Warwickshire Inclusion Kite mark Scheme (WIncKs) model;
• To support the revision of the SEND Provision Matrix as an authority wide statement of expectations of inclusive practice through which parents and partners can hold schools and settings to account;
• To continue to develop further “mainstream plus” options e.g. specialist resource provisions and partnerships with special schools;
• To ensure the whole SEND system has sufficient SEND Specialist Leaders in Education (SLE) to support strategic audits and promote best practice; 
• To reduce spend on independent and non-maintained specialist provision through improving the capacity within our own local provision;
• To continue to invest in the workforce to ensure Warwickshire has confident and skilled practitioners in schools and settings to meet the needs of learners with Autism and Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs;
• For the Task & Finish Group to support the Delivery Plan to implement the recommendations above.

We have recently launched a review of our SEND Provision Matrix and meetings will be taking place with a wide range of stakeholders including parents, schools, health and other professionals to co-produce an online interactive version ready for next academic year.