Local First Inclusion update

As we approach the end of the term, we wanted to give you a short update on the Local First Inclusion (LFI) programme, with plans for a fuller update when schools return in the New Year.

LFI is our special educational needs and transformation programme, which aims to ensure children with SEND get help as early as possible and as close to home as possible. For most children, this will be in their local mainstream school, with the right support.

Together with the government, we are investing significantly in mainstream school support alongside new specialist places, as part of the LFI programme. The financial arrangement with government is via a Safety Valve agreement and, last week, we heard from the DfE that existing Safety Valve agreements would continue, but that the government wouldn't enter into any new ones while it works to reform the SEND system.

We believe that our programme is in line with what the government is proposing, with a real emphasis on mainstream inclusion.

SEND and Inclusion Support model - Education Psychology and Support Service (EPSS)

This term we launched our new SEND and Inclusion Support line and began the roll-out of our new SEND and Inclusion Support model. Read more about the SEND and Inclusion Model for mainstream schools and academies on the Norfolk Schools and Learning Providers website.

Our first two Zone Inclusion Partnership meetings are taking place in North Norwich and King's Lynn this week, and the first Team Around the School (TAS) meetings will happen early in the new term.

The aim of the TAS is to bring all of the professionals working to support children with SEND in a school together to plan strategies and provide the help that will make the biggest impact.

Our EPSS colleagues are crucial to the success of these teams, and we want them to be a key part as we roll out this approach. For this reason, we've made the decision to move away from trading EPSS and make it free to schools.  We are exploring funding options within the LA but want to make it clear that it will not be funded through the Schools Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant.

This will provide a more equitable service to schools and academies, based upon need, to support us to get help to more children at the earliest opportunity and, we believe, will support our recruitment of Educational Psychologists, with many preferring to work in this way.

Current contracts will be fulfilled but we will not be trading with schools once these come to a natural end. We are currently planning how we transition to minimise any impact for children and to ensure that we can maintain relationships that are working for schools and for children and families.

The EPSS support will include: a named Specialist Teacher; a Link Educational Psychologist; and access to additional support for children and young people with social emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs and autism.

Making EPSS part of the TAS offer means support for children will be targeted, avoiding unnecessary duplication of input and fewer meetings for you. TAS meetings will develop plans and strategies to support individuals, groups of children, and whole settings.  EPSS will also work with wider teams across Children's Services.

The aim of the Team Around the School is to build upon the support we currently offer to you and to families by creating more joined up ways of working. We want to reduce the number of touch points for you, and bring professionals together to support schools and children.

We'll be in touch in the new term with details of how this will be implemented in spring and summer terms.

Alternative Provision

Another key element of our support to schools around inclusion is the development of Alternative Provision (AP) in secondary schools. We know that there has been a lack of both outreach provision and places that can support young people to return to their school, or transition to a new one. We have worked with school leaders on our AP strategy, and we look forward to updating you on next steps in the new year.

Element 3 funding

Following Schools Forum meeting on Friday (and previously the responses to the DSG consultation undertaken in October), we can confirm that the current arrangements for Element 3 funding for the summer term 2025 will be an extension of the current arrangements, ahead of a revised model being introduced from September 2025 (to align with the new academic year).

Further detail will be provided at the start of January, but in the meantime, for budgeting purposes, it would be reasonable to assume that autumn 2024 and spring 2025 provide funding for 7/12ths of the academic year.

We are in dialogue with some schools where they have some particularly challenging and unexpected circumstances; this approach will continue into the new year.

Details regarding the revised model from September 2025 will be provided in early January, but you are welcome to reviewDecember's Schools Forum papers for further details (specific papers relating to Element 3 allocations and Notional SEN funding for 2025/26).