Management Information Sheet

The new Specialist Resource Base model went live on 1st September 2014. This is an update on the final operational details which all schools need to be aware of if they intend to refer children for support and intervention.

All referral forms and guidance documents are available on the Norfolk Schools website. We have removed the 'application for transport' form since this process will now be completed by Business Support rather than referring schools.

Clarification on the placement contribution to SRB provision from 1st September 2014

• For specialisms where the LA will remain the placement decision-maker (ASD, Hearing Impairment, Compass) there will continue to be a statutory duty to provide free transport provided the distance criteria set out in the Home to School Transport Policy are met.
• For other specialisms (Learning and Cognition, Speech Language and Communication, Behaviour) where the LA will not be the placement decision maker and the learner remains on roll at their home school, the LA will not have a statutory duty to provide transport to the SRB. In effect these SRBs will be school-to-school support services. Under the old model, the LA exercised its discretion to provide transport, but this will not continue. From 1st September 2014, all home schools receiving support from an SRB (Learning and Cognition, Speech Language and Communication, Behaviour) will be expected to make a contribution to the cost of the SRB placement.
• Home schools retain the elements 1 and 2 SEN funding for children attending an SRB, which represents double-funding since the SRB is block-funded for the number of places it hosts.
• The contribution to transport costs is one way of recognising this anomaly. It will help to balance the cost of SRB provision to the education system as a whole. Therefore the charge is a contribution to running the service rather than simply a transport charge.
• The charge will be levied as flat rate to all schools accessing support and intervention from an SRB, irrespective of distance or whether other transport arrangements are in place
• There will be a contribution of £333 per term for placements of 2 days per week or less and £666 for placements of 3 days per week or more. Schools will be charged in arrears for the number of terms a child attended SRB during the academic year. Home schools / clusters must agree to this charge before referring to an SRB and confirm this via the SRB Request for support form.
• Where schools or clusters refer for outreach support and advice only (not transition back to home school from SRB placement) there will be a small charge to cover staff travel. This will be a flat rate charge of £25 per referral. Each SRB Specialism will manage this charge directly.
• No child should be denied support from an SRB on the grounds of transport costs: schools will be able to ask their cluster for financial assistance with this cost if they need to. Should the cluster agree the need for placement but be unable to provide financial support, then it could make a business case to the LA for additional cluster funding from the cluster capacity and development fund
• As this is a change to current practice we will keep the new approach under review and will report back any issues to the Schools' Forum (Learning Difficulties & Disabilities Sub Group)