Management Information Sheet

NCC Children's Services has been working with the DfE since June 2022 within their 'safety valve' programme to bring investment into Norfolk so that we can enhance local mainstream inclusion opportunities, continue to build more specialist provision and address the historical budget pressure and overspend on the High Needs Block.

We are nearing the end of the negotiation with the DfE, expecting final Secretary of State decision on Norfolk's plan - known as 'Local First Inclusion' - by early March.

We have been briefing school leaders recently, through four face to face briefing sessions across the county, to explain the benefits of the programme and how we all need to work together to achieve our ambitious plan over the next 6 years.

Below is a summary of the programme, however, we currently one part of the programme that we need engagement from schools during the second half of this spring term:

• Expressions of Interest for Primary Phase Specialist Resource Bases - closing date 17 March

Please follow this link to view the full Expression of Interest pack for Primary Phase Specialist Resource Bases.

Context

Local First Inclusion is Norfolk County Council's next stage SEND Improvement Programme covering the period 2023-29. It marks the end of the first phase of our improvement planning, through the completion of the initial SEND & Alternative Provision Programme and our Written Statement of Action, having built the initial special schools and specialist resource bases and having a positive experience within the Ofsted/CQC inspection revisit in November 2022.

Local First Inclusion is directly linked to our ongoing negotiation with the DfE as part of their 'safety valve' programme, to provide both DfE and NCC investment to return the High Needs Block to in-year balanced budget and address the cumulative overspend. In addition to revenue elements the DfE are also considering capital bids from NCC for two more special schools alongside the council's ongoing £120 million SEND capital investment.

Local First Inclusion will continue the expansion of specialist provision, to reduce our reliance on high-cost lower quality independent sector provision but will have a renewed focus on mainstream inclusion and a reduction in the reliance on Education Health and Care Plans.

Key messages

• Local First Inclusion is all about improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND ensuring, wherever possible and appropriate, they can attend school close to their home/in their community with the support they need to make progress in their learning alongside other children of the same age.
• We are improving support to schools/school leaders and increasing funding to schools to ensure they have the resources and expertise to provide the right support for children and young people with SEND.
• We anticipate fewer EHCPs will be issued to children and young people because there will be better support available in the mainstream system
• Our state-funded special schools offer an excellent and high-quality education for children and young people with higher needs SEND and we're investing in more state specialist provision for those children and young people with higher needs.

This current Expression of Interest process is for Primary Phase Specialist Resource Bases - with a closing date of 17 March 2023. We will be working with secondary school leaders over secondary school developments and more information will be available in the summer term.

General news about SEND in Norfolk is always posted in the free Norfolk SEND Bulletin half termly newsletter. You can sign up for this on SEND Local Offer- Norfolk County Council