The Children, Families and Education Select Committee met on Tuesday 07 January 2025 to discuss the Learn Hillingdon Self-Assessment Review, the mid-year budget update, and the SEND & AP Strategy update. The committee also reviewed the SEND Sufficiency Strategy and updated its Terms of Reference.

Learn Hillingdon Self-Assessment Review

The committee received the Learn Hillingdon Self-Assessment Report for 2023-24, which evaluated the effectiveness and impact of the education delivered to learners. The report graded the service as 'Good', highlighting strengths in reaching disadvantaged adults, high attendance and achievement rates, and strong targeted learning support. Areas for improvement included ensuring consistency in teaching quality and identifying innovative recruitment methods. The report detailed the curriculum offer, implementation strategies, and the positive impact on learners' confidence and life chances. Leadership and management were also rated as good, with a focus on individual needs and effective partnership working.

Mid-year Budget Update

Officers presented the draft revenue budget and Capital Programme for services within the remit of the Children, Families & Education Select Committee for 2025/26. The report highlighted the challenging financial times for local authorities, with particular pressures on adult social care, children's placements, and homelessness. The Council aims to set a balanced budget for 2025/26, requiring a drawdown of £6.4m from reserves. The Children, Families & Education portfolio accounts for £57.8m of the projected expenditure for 2025/26, with savings proposals amounting to £5.2m. Key savings proposals included reductions in semi-independent and shared accommodation, a revised social care delivery model, and a new care model for children's social care. The capital programme for this portfolio is forecast at £13.6m, primarily for schools programmes including increasing special education needs placements.

SEND & AP Strategy Update

The committee received an update on the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Strategy 2023-2028. The strategy, developed in partnership with various stakeholders, outlines the vision for Hillingdon to be a place where children and young people with SEND and their families lead happy and fulfilled lives. The report detailed progress made over the past year, including improvements in early intervention, the refinement of assessment processes, and the development of clear pathways for support. The strategy also addressed the need for fully inclusive education, ensuring provision meets the needs of Hillingdon's children and young people, and developing flexible offers for alternative provision. The report acknowledged the findings of the recent Ofsted and CQC inspection, which identified areas for improvement, and outlined the subsequent Hillingdon SEND Local Area Partnership Improvement Plan.

SEND Sufficiency Strategy

The committee reviewed the draft SEND Sufficiency Strategy 2025-2030, which sets out how the London Borough of Hillingdon and its partners intend to ensure sufficient high-quality specialist provision to meet future needs. The strategy highlights the increasing demand for EHCPs, with a 37% increase since January 2020, and the primary need being autism. The report detailed current provision, including special schools and specialist resource provisions within mainstream settings, as well as capital programmes and predicted future demand. Key priorities include supporting inclusive education, delivering ambitious specialist provision, and ensuring appropriate curriculum and transition support. The strategy also addresses specific areas of development such as increasing SEND support, reducing reliance on independent non-maintained special schools, and addressing the demand for EHCPs with a primary need of autism. The report noted achievements such as the creation of new specialist places and the strengthening of early identification and access to SEND support.

Select Committee Terms of Reference Update

The committee noted the updated Terms of Reference for Select Committees, which reflect the new Cabinet portfolios and Directorates. These updates aim to provide improved clarity and accountability for the services scrutinised by each committee. The Children, Families and Education Select Committee's remit includes Children's Social Care, Prevention & Youth Justice, Education & SEND, and Children and Families Support Services.

Forward Plan

Members considered the Cabinet's latest Forward Plan, which outlines key decisions to be taken by the Cabinet and Cabinet Members over the coming year. The committee noted the plan and identified items within its remit for monitoring.

Work Programme

The committee reviewed its Work Programme for the current municipal year, noting forthcoming meeting dates and agreeing to any amendments. A proposal was made to add a further update on the Youth Offer to the work programme.

The meeting concluded with the Chair thanking officers and members for their contributions.