Management Information Sheet
Specialist Resource Base - Documentation Update
The SRB Operational Guidance has had the following sections added/amended:
Purpose of SRBs
SRBs will offer a total of ten full-time equivalent (FTE) placements, which can be assessment, time-limited or long-term placements on either a part-time or full-time basis, depending on the individual needs of the pupil.
It should be noted, however, that long-term placements should not form the majority of the total number of full-time equivalent placements within any Specialist Resource Base.
The basic SRB model is early intervention and turnaround on a 4-term basis (please refer to Appendix 6). It is not intended that SRBs will, on the whole, provide long term placements for statemented pupils. The 4-term model is particularly important for the behaviour specialism where longer term placements would be inappropriate unless on a defined part-time basis where pupils access certain aspects of their curriculum in the SRB and others in the home school.
SRB placements should not be considered as alternatives to complex needs school provision where such a placement is indicated by the pupil's level of need.
The local authority considers that ALL children should have a Home School identified before an initial request for SRB placement is made. This means that pre-school children cannot be admitted directly to SRB for their reception year. The only exception to this is where there is clear professional evidence from a Speech and Language Therapist that a child needs immediate or ongoing intensive therapy to address a specific speech or language disorder. In this case the child will still go through the First Admissions process, to enable parents to identify a preferred school, in parallel with SRB admissions. This will enable establishment of a model where the child attends the Home School for at least one day per week and the SRB for the rest of the time.
Timing of Admissions
For statemented pupils who approaching phase transfer, initial planning for long-term placements needs to take place in the summer term of Y5, with a Panel decision on admission being taken before the end of the autumn term in Y6. This will ensure sufficient time to issue a Final amended statement for 15th February, in line with statutory duties. In the case of non-statemented pupils this decision should be made in the early part of the spring term, to allow notification of the school for Secondary transfer at the same time as all other pupils receive theirs. All other admissions should happen in the usual way, no more than a term before the placement is due to start. This will avoid "waiting lists" or "queue-jumping" situations. For further details on admission dates, please refer to the Panel guidance document and published list of dates.
Assessment / Time-Limited Placements
One of the guiding principles for all SRBs is that places must be available for short-term or assessment purposes. This is why the SLA states that long-term placements should not form the majority of places. There will be flexibility according to specialism, with ASD bases likely to retain more long-term pupils, owing to the lifelong nature of their condition. Similarly Speech Language & Communication SRBs are likely to need more than two terms to effect sufficient change for pupils to return to mainstream. However, even these bases must retain some flexibility to admit pupils on a short-term basis.
Assessment / time-limited placements can be for anything up to five days per week, ie full time; and the duration can be for anything between a half-term and two terms, depending on the particular needs of the child or young person. If the placement is for longer than two terms, but still has the aim of reintegration to the home school, the EY&SEN Panel will decide on the appropriate length of placement before a Panel review is needed.
The child or young person will remain on the roll of their Home School and be categorised as "receiving education off-site" at the name of the Specialist Resource Base school.
Long-Term Placements
Long-term placements are likely to be agreed by the EY&SEN panel where there is evidence that full-time SRB support will be needed throughout the phase of education. If placed long-term, the child or young person will join the roll of the school hosting the Specialist Resource Base; in effect included in the published admission limit. The school will then receive the AWPA for the pupil.
SRB Professional Forums for Each Specialism
The purpose of SRB Professional Forums will be set out in a separate document entitled "Terms of Reference for SRB Professional Forums".
There is considerable expertise within the professional forums and it is hoped that in future the forums can co-ordinate the sharing of this expertise via training and development opportunities; including expertise from Educational Psychology & Specialist Support (EPSS) and Complex Needs Schools, as well as SRB staff who have had additional training.
Professional Forum - Terms of Reference:
Interim Terms of Reference have been published. These will be reviewed following the SEN Service restructure in 2012.
The SRB Operational Guidance document has been updated. Interim Terms of Reference for SRB Professional Forums have been published.
All SRB documents are available at http://schools.norfolk.gov.uk/sites/srb.
Purpose of SRBs
SRBs will offer a total of ten full-time equivalent (FTE) placements, which can be assessment, time-limited or long-term placements on either a part-time or full-time basis, depending on the individual needs of the pupil.
It should be noted, however, that long-term placements should not form the majority of the total number of full-time equivalent placements within any Specialist Resource Base.
The basic SRB model is early intervention and turnaround on a 4-term basis (please refer to Appendix 6). It is not intended that SRBs will, on the whole, provide long term placements for statemented pupils. The 4-term model is particularly important for the behaviour specialism where longer term placements would be inappropriate unless on a defined part-time basis where pupils access certain aspects of their curriculum in the SRB and others in the home school.
SRB placements should not be considered as alternatives to complex needs school provision where such a placement is indicated by the pupil's level of need.
The local authority considers that ALL children should have a Home School identified before an initial request for SRB placement is made. This means that pre-school children cannot be admitted directly to SRB for their reception year. The only exception to this is where there is clear professional evidence from a Speech and Language Therapist that a child needs immediate or ongoing intensive therapy to address a specific speech or language disorder. In this case the child will still go through the First Admissions process, to enable parents to identify a preferred school, in parallel with SRB admissions. This will enable establishment of a model where the child attends the Home School for at least one day per week and the SRB for the rest of the time.
Timing of Admissions
For statemented pupils who approaching phase transfer, initial planning for long-term placements needs to take place in the summer term of Y5, with a Panel decision on admission being taken before the end of the autumn term in Y6. This will ensure sufficient time to issue a Final amended statement for 15th February, in line with statutory duties. In the case of non-statemented pupils this decision should be made in the early part of the spring term, to allow notification of the school for Secondary transfer at the same time as all other pupils receive theirs. All other admissions should happen in the usual way, no more than a term before the placement is due to start. This will avoid "waiting lists" or "queue-jumping" situations. For further details on admission dates, please refer to the Panel guidance document and published list of dates.
Assessment / Time-Limited Placements
One of the guiding principles for all SRBs is that places must be available for short-term or assessment purposes. This is why the SLA states that long-term placements should not form the majority of places. There will be flexibility according to specialism, with ASD bases likely to retain more long-term pupils, owing to the lifelong nature of their condition. Similarly Speech Language & Communication SRBs are likely to need more than two terms to effect sufficient change for pupils to return to mainstream. However, even these bases must retain some flexibility to admit pupils on a short-term basis.
Assessment / time-limited placements can be for anything up to five days per week, ie full time; and the duration can be for anything between a half-term and two terms, depending on the particular needs of the child or young person. If the placement is for longer than two terms, but still has the aim of reintegration to the home school, the EY&SEN Panel will decide on the appropriate length of placement before a Panel review is needed.
The child or young person will remain on the roll of their Home School and be categorised as "receiving education off-site" at the name of the Specialist Resource Base school.
Long-Term Placements
Long-term placements are likely to be agreed by the EY&SEN panel where there is evidence that full-time SRB support will be needed throughout the phase of education. If placed long-term, the child or young person will join the roll of the school hosting the Specialist Resource Base; in effect included in the published admission limit. The school will then receive the AWPA for the pupil.
SRB Professional Forums for Each Specialism
The purpose of SRB Professional Forums will be set out in a separate document entitled "Terms of Reference for SRB Professional Forums".
There is considerable expertise within the professional forums and it is hoped that in future the forums can co-ordinate the sharing of this expertise via training and development opportunities; including expertise from Educational Psychology & Specialist Support (EPSS) and Complex Needs Schools, as well as SRB staff who have had additional training.
Professional Forum - Terms of Reference:
Interim Terms of Reference have been published. These will be reviewed following the SEN Service restructure in 2012.
The SRB Operational Guidance document has been updated. Interim Terms of Reference for SRB Professional Forums have been published.
All SRB documents are available at http://schools.norfolk.gov.uk/sites/srb.