Issue - meetings

Background:

This report outlined a proposal to establish an Independent Free School including residential, respite and outreach provision. This proposal would address demand for school places within Medway for children who have complex Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with challenging behaviour, but whose cognitive ability was average or just below and who could not be supported in a mainstream school.

It was noted that currently 82 pupils with this diagnosis were placed out of area, some in residential provision, at a cost of approximately £5.2m. The report advised that this proposal would aim to enable more pupils to be educated in Medway, close to their families and communities. It would also provide a cost saving. The benefits of an Independent Free School were set out in paragraph 3.5 of the report.

It was proposed that Medway Commercial Group (MCG) would build this Independent School. The report explained that MCG would manage the design and planning process and oversee the delivery of the building. They would also manage the appointment of a suitable independent provider/sponsor that would ensure the provision met the necessary educational standards.

The report noted that the Cabinet had approved the setting up of MCG with the freedoms and flexibilities of a company and on 4 September 2018, the Cabinet approved the leasing of the site at Cornwallis Avenue to MCG (decision number 112/2018 refers).

It was stated that a Programme Board and Steering Group had been established to oversee the project’s progress.

Reasons:

Agreement to this proposal would:

·         ensure that the Council’s duty to provide school places is met;

·         meet the recommendations of the SEND Ofsted report and the SEND strategy objectives that children should be placed in local provision close to their families wherever possible;

·         reduce reliance upon potentially limited and expensive out of area provision, which will ease the pressure on the High Needs Block funding;

·         make more cost effective use of funding from the High Needs Block; and

·         present a new commercial opportunity for Medway Commercial Group.