Agenda and minutes

As noted above.

To receive any declaration of interest by any Member or Officer in respect of any item of business.

None received.

To submit, for confirmation, the minutes of the meeting held on 8 March, 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 8 March, 2018 were confirmed.

To submit a report by the Head of Learning.

Submitted – a report by the Head of Learning on the new service for children and young people that came into force in September 2018.

The Head of Learning reported that an Additional Learning Needs and Inclusion Strategy between Gwynedd and Anglesey was established to replace the Special Educational Needs Joint Committee (Anglesey and Gwynedd).  The Additional Learning Needs and Inclusion Strategy became operational in September 2016 and it was agreed that monitoring reports on the performance of the Strategy be reported to the Scrutiny Committee twice a year initially.

The Senior Manager – Additional Learning Needs reported that the Additional Learning Needs (ALN) legislation emphasises the need to place the pupil at the centre of every decision related to his/her education, aspirations and needs.  She further said that Gwynedd and Anglesey Additional Learning Needs and Inclusion Service provides a comprehensive integrated service across the educational locations in both counties in order to :-

·      Promote the development of schools at inclusive locations;

·      Reduce the effect of ALN on outcomes for children and young people by improving skills and attainments;

·      Provide an appropriate high-quality education for children and young people with ALN;

·      Locate high-quality services locally;

·      Consider individual aspirations and needs, and that each child and young person is centre to the service and intervention provided for him/her;

·      Ensure skills of the highest quality within the central workforce and schools’ workforce so as to improve the full ownership and inclusion of ALN within the school of both counties;

·      Contribute to improving the quality of life and wellbeing by enriching the educational provision delivered;

·      Reduce the cohort of children needing additional intervention because of ALN by improving inclusion within the education provision;

·      Strengthen links and accountability for ALN across all strata of the provision model.

The Officer further reported that most of the work of the Specialist Team (other than aspects of work of Educational Psychologists, ALN and Inclusion Quality Officers, and the Welfare and Counselling Service) is organised through ALN and Inclusion Forums as a starting point.  Any school can request input into the Forum in accordance with the Criteria by using the child’s Individual Development Plan.  In the case of children with acute and complex needs, a discussion about those needs is initiated through a County Moderation Panel.  The Forums and the Panel act in accordance with the LA’s Criteria for accessing and leaving the service.  A key part of the Forums’ and Panels role is to receive information on the way schools use the specialist services they receive, and whether they implement the recommendations proposed at classroom level.  The Support Path for the ALN service was included within the report.

The Senior Management Team operates across both authorities and includes a Senior Inclusion Manager and Senior Additional Learning Needs Manager who are responsible for leading the proposed national developments (ALN legislation) as well as fully implementing the outcomes of the Gwynedd and Isle of Anglesey ALN and Inclusion Strategic Review.  An Inclusive Education Leader has been appointed who is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To submit a report by the Scrutiny Officer.

Submitted – a report by the Scrutiny Officer on the Committee’s Work Programme to June 2019.

It was RESOLVED to note the Work Programme to June 2019.

ACTION : As noted above.