Safety Valve Programme

We developed and negotiated our Safety Valve deal in confidence because of the commercially sensitive nature of the information involved. 

This approach was in line with advice from the DfE. Although we could not share all the details publicly at the time, we engaged key stakeholders throughout the process. We worked collaboratively to design the programme with headteachers and the PCF. 

This process was conducted with full transparency during stakeholder discussions. We involved and informed relevant parties at critical stages, while still protecting the integrity of sensitive commercial data.

We decided to join the Safety Valve Programme primarily due to the extra funding it offers.

The DfE will invest £16 million over the next 5 years. This will help address the immediate financial pressures within the SEND system.

A £4 million grant for new provision has also been awarded to us. This allows us to provide an extra 50 Specialist Resource Provision (SRP) places at secondary age for children and young people with SEND.

We recognise this is not a long-term solution to the challenges faced by families, children, and schools.

We are working with other stakeholders to push for fundamental reform of the SEND system. We want to make sure everyone who relies on these essential services gets the fair and adequate support they need.

The law presumes that children with SEND should be educated in mainstream schools rather than special schools where possible.

This presumption comes from the belief that, with the right support, most children with SEND can thrive in mainstream schools. It means they have the same access to a broad and balanced curriculum as pupils without SEND do.

Through this investment, children and young people who need specialist school places will receive the right provision.

We will continue to follow the statutory process for consulting on placements for children and young people with SEND until the new schools open.

This process includes considering a range of options, such as:

• mainstream settings
• existing SRPs within or outside of the borough
• new SRP places that are set to open

It is important to note that not all children and young people with SEND will need a place in a special school. Many can have their needs met in mainstream or specialist resource settings.

However, if we decide that an out-of-borough specialist school is the best option to meet a child’s specific needs, we will continue to make such placements. This is to make sure every young person is placed in the setting to meet their special educational needs.

We are committed to increasing in-borough specialist provision to better meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.

A comprehensive review of all primary SRPs has been completed. This has resulted in:

• updated admissions criteria
• increased funding
• a collaborative approach across primary schools to share learning and resources, equipping them to meet a wide range of needs

At the secondary level, we are expanding the number of places at 2 existing SRPs. The new SRP at Sandhurst opened in September 2024 to support more students.

To make sure we have capacity for future needs, we are reviewing specialist provision across the borough.

The needs of many children and young people with SEND can be effectively met in mainstream provision, where schools:

• are equipped to provide tailored support
• make reasonable adjustments in line with the SEND Code of Practice

The code emphasises the importance of inclusion. Pupils with SEND must have the opportunity to learn alongside their peers wherever possible.

Mainstream schools must create an inclusive environment. They should achieve this by adapting teaching approaches, providing extra support and using specialist resources where needed. They are assessed by Ofsted on how well they do this.

With the right support and resources, mainstream settings can be a successful environment for many pupils with SEND. However, we do recognise that not all pupils' needs can be met in mainstream settings.

As part of the programme, we will also be working closely with schools to enhance their capacity for inclusion.

We will make sure they are better equipped to meet the diverse needs of pupils with SEND. This will include initiatives to help schools support each other and learn from one another. By sharing learning and knowledge, education will be more inclusive across the borough.

There are many positive steps in place to support children and young people who are struggling in mainstream schools. 

Schools must make reasonable adjustments and provide extra support through specialised interventions, teaching strategies and resources. Parents and carers are often actively involved in the process and schools work with them to identify the best strategies. With this approach, many parents find their children thrive in mainstream schools.  

We have also co-produced guidance to strengthen how schools assess, plan, deliver and review interventions. This will help them enable children and young people with SEND to succeed. This is often referred to as the ‘graduated response/approach’ or ‘assess, plan, do, review’.

We want to reassure all children, young people and their families that there are no plans to make changes to any existing placements. We will continue to follow the usual annual review process to assess each child or young person’s progress and needs.

If a child, young person, or their parent or carer expresses a preference for a move to one of the new local provisions, this option will be carefully considered.

The normal phase transfer process will apply as children move between educational stages.

We fully recognise the importance of not disrupting the education of those who are settled and thriving in their current placements. We remain committed to their continuity and stability.

Transport will remain in place in line with the eligibility criteria.

The programme will not lead to any new policies aimed at preventing:

• Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments from being carried
• EHC Plans (EHCPs) from being issued

We will continue to follow the statutory process in full accordance with the SEND Code of Practice. Children and young people will receive the support they need.

Our Safety Valve submission has forecasted that the number of EHCPs will continue to rise throughout the 5-year programme.

We remain committed to meeting the needs of all eligible children and young people.

It is widely acknowledged that the SEND system is financially unsustainable at a national level and government action is needed to address this.  Along with other local authorities, we are actively lobbying for change. 

We are committed to taking the actions set out in the Safety Valve agreement. These will enable us to receive the full £16 million grant from the government. This will allow us to provide good-quality, local provision for Bracknell Forest children and young people, without costly out-of-borough placements.

While our actions will help align our spending with the government's budget, we will continue to meet our obligations to eligible children, young people and their families.

This scheme covers existing council debt relating to SEND services.

Our engagement with children and young people with SEND and their families will remain unaffected by the programme.

The views of parents and carers are captured at the beginning of the EHC needs assessment process. This is the stage where we identify the professionals who will support the child or young person. We also capture the views of parents and carers throughout the process. For example, by the educational psychology team and other professionals involved with the child or young person. 

As part of the statutory 15-day consultation period of the draft plan, parents and carers can also provide comments. Where appropriate, the team holds co-production meetings with children, young people and their families.

Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) and academy schools operate with a higher degree of autonomy than maintained schools.  We have limited authority over them. 

Academies are directly funded by the DfE and are accountable to the Secretary of State (SoS) for Education.  Local authorities have no control over an academy’s policies.

All schools were consulted on the top-slicing proposals, and the majority expressed support for the approach. As a result, the Schools Forum endorsed the top-slice, which was subsequently approved by the SoS for Education.

We recognise that this will mean schools get less funding. However, it is important to remember that all public services are struggling with financial constraints. These constraints are affecting whole system.

This is one of the reasons why we continue to lobby the government for fundamental reform of the SEND and education funding system. We want to make sure the needs of children and young people can be met effectively, and the sector remains financially sustainable in the long term.

We are committed to working with schools to manage these challenges and continue delivering high-quality education and support for all pupils.

Schools are becoming more innovative in their support for children with SEND.

They are focusing on:

• improved training for staff
• sharing resources
• adopting inclusive teaching practices

The emphasis is now moving towards early intervention and targeted support.

While funding challenges do exist, schools are finding more creative ways to support children. The use of technology is one example.

The All Saints site in Warfield will serve as the base for the new social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) school. The school will have 50 places and will be for children and young people in years 7 to 11.

The total number of children and young people in Bracknell Forest with autism as their primary need includes those aged 0-25. Therefore, not all these individuals are of school age or need a place in a special school.

The new autism school will be an all-through school and will offer 100 places. But, it is not the only provision available for children and young people with autism in the borough.

Currently, there are already SRP places for children and young people with autism in local primary and secondary schools. Additional places will be available with the opening of the new SRP at Edgbarrow.

Autism is a spectrum with a variety of needs associated. Each child will receive an individual assessment during the review process to find the best provision for them. Assessments will be accordance with the SEND Code of Practice.

There may be the case that we do not have a place available in the borough when a child or young person requires a special school. In these cases, we will look to other local authorities to find a school that can meet their needs.

Many children and young people with autism will have their needs met in mainstream settings. Schools are embedding a culture of inclusion. They are adapting their practices to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, including those with autism.

If a child has an EHC Plan that includes a health need, we will work with health colleagues to make sure that the plan meets this need.

Health services must provide up to date advice and guidance on the individual health need as part of the annual review process.

Where appropriate, EHC Plans are amended to either increase, decrease and cease any provision that is no longer required.

As corporate and political leaders, we recognise the urgent need for fundamental reform of the SEND system to:

• make sure the needs of children and young people with SEND and their families are met
• the system becomes financially viable

We remain fully committed to doing all we can to offer appropriate support and provision. But, we recognise the current system can prevent us from always achieving this.  

The leader of the council and the cabinet member for children and young people have both written to, and met with, government ministers to lobby for urgent reform.

Peter Swallow, Bracknell MP, is receiving regular briefings on the situation from senior council leaders. He is also working hard to lobby government.

As it stands, the current system is not fit for purpose and needs fundamental reform. Our corporate leaders are working with the Local Government Association and other local authorities to escalate concerns. This includes the limitations of the Safety Valve programme.

We are participating in the programme due to the significant investment it attracts to support improvements for children and young people with SEND and their families.

Bracknell Forest’s Safety Valve deal includes an extra £16 million grant funding from the DfE as well as £4 million capital funding.

The Safety Valve funding is released over the 5-year programme. It is dependent on us delivering the improvements outlined and bringing spend in line with budget over the duration of the programme.

We must submit Safety Valve monitoring reports to the DfE 3 times per year. The 2024 monitoring reports have been submitted to the DfE. Further rounds of grant funding have been released, subject to these satisfactory monitoring returns.

Our understanding is that if we are unable to meet the targets outlined in the Safety Valve agreement, no further grant funding would be released. If this becomes the case, we would enter a new review and negotiations with the DfE.

Information on Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) spending is regularly reported to the Schools Forum. This includes information about the predicted DSG deficit. For more information, view Committee details - Schools Forum.

Our Safety Valve programme focuses on improving the commissioning process for placing children and young people with SEND in independent schools.

We aim to secure better value for money using:

• robust negotiation
• framework agreements
• block contracts

This approach will provide consistent and cost-effective solutions. It will reduce our need for costly spot placements.

We are concerned that some independent providers have high profit margins. These may not be the best way to use public money.

A more strategic and collaborative approach to commissioning is needed. It would make resource allocation more efficient while maintaining high-quality support for children and young people with SEND.