Management Information Sheet

EPSS Enhanced Trading Offer 2019-2020

MI Sheet TypeInformation
MI Number:26/19
Publication Date:22/02/2019 12:00:00
LA Contact:James Brooks (01603 307550)
Audience:Headteachers, SENCOS, Teachers, Assistant Teachers, Finance

EPSS Enhanced Trading Offer 2019-2020

We are pleased to provide you with information about our enhanced trading offer for 2019-2020

Unlike those of competitors, the Educational Psychology and Specialist Support (EPSS) trading offer is non-profit-making. We are here to help you to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities, we are acutely aware of the challenges - particularly financial - that colleagues in schools face, and we are keen to work with you as a long-term partner.

For further details, please follow the link to our website: www.norfolkepss.org.uk

You might like to know that in a recent survey of EPSS trading partners, we learnt that:

100% of the schools strongly agree or agree that:

  • The overall quality of service received is very good.
  • Professional activities provided are of good quality.
  • EPSS input contributes to raising standards in our school.

Schools value EPSS because of:

  • Professional discussions and assessment target support and interventions appropriately.
  • Professional advice for staff and parents is of high quality.
  • Not just the expertise of staff, but how well they come to know the children and families in the school and the school itself is relevant.

In addition to the other benefits that trading with EPSS brings (e.g. high-quality service, multi-disciplinary team, the ability to negotiate how professional time is used, and our ability to cover staff vacancies) we are continuing for 2019-2020 a more flexible, low cost offer. Highlights are:

  • Lower costs for an EPSS contract. For 2019-2020 schools can choose contracts of between 2 and 99 days at the same attractive flat rate (£398 / day). Groups of schools or multi-academy trusts can opt for an even lower rate (£378 / day), for a purchase of more than 99 EPSS days a year.
  • Price match guarantee. We are confident that we offer the best value for money in the market, nonetheless we will match all written offers from private competitors, if you provide us with a better quote for the same level of service.
  • Unrivalled range of expertise. You can access EPSS expertise as part of your contract; as well as that of educational psychologists and specialist teachers, you are able to access the expertise of clinical psychologists, behaviour consultants, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, ASD and SEMH specialist assistants and practitioners.
  • Clarity of services. Our work for you is under-pinned by our ethical framework and clear service standards (a Coordinating EPSS professional; an annual strategic planning meeting; school consultation meetings to allow discussion of whole-school issues and review of children of concern and those seen; reports provided within 3 weeks of a child being seen; links to other Local Authority services, access to other specialist input).
  • Responsive to your feedback. Our offer is regularly informed by the comments made in our regular surveys to partner schools.
  • Additional benefits. Partner schools receive a 10% discount on EPSS training.

We welcome the opportunity to talk with potential partners and provide more details of our trading offer. Please get in touch with us and one of our trading managers will be happy to meet and talk with you so that you are fully aware of the benefits of collaboration with EPSS, and so we can 'fine-tune' our service to your needs.

Our Traded Services Support Officer (TSSO) will be happy to walk through the purchasing options and process with you; can help you navigate a joint group purchase with other schools and ensure that all questions are answered.

Dr James Thatcher
Joint Principal Educational Psychologist
james.thatcher@norfolk.gov.uk

AJ James Brooks
Traded Services Support Officer
james.brooks@norfolk.gov.uk