Proposed Changes to Warwickshire’s Designated Speech and Language Provision

Overview

Warwickshire Council has been carrying out consultation on proposed changes to existing Designated Speech and Language Provision (DSLP) for children with Specific Language Impairments (SLI) in six primary phase schools across the County.

The consultation started on the 19th January 2016 and was due to finish on the 26th February 2016.

An error in the original consultation paper entitled ‘Proposed changes to Warwickshire’s Designated Speech and Language Provision – Information for Consultation’ has come to light that needs to be corrected. The updated information below provides that correction as well as additional supplementary information to further clarify the proposals. The correction and updated information is included in Attachment 2 below with Attachment 5 providing the draft criteria and admissions process for Warwickshire’s range of specialist provision including the proposed criteria for the redesignated bases.

In order to allow sufficient time for respondents to consider this new information the consultation is being extended to a new finish date of Tuesday the 22nd March 2016.

What are the proposed changes?

This is a short summary of the proposed changes. The full case for change and implications of these are included in the documents attached below.

Proposal 1: Change entry criteria for DSLP settings to cater for children with a wider range of communication & interaction difficulties (including those with autism spectrum disorder)

• This will mean that the spaces available at these settings are available to children based on a broader range of communication and interaction needs and are not solely restricted to children with a Specific Language Impairments (SLI).
• The changes will also ensure that children can receive the support they need from support services across a range of school settings, including their local schools, without the need to travel to one of these six schools.
• The changes will be phased so that children currently using these DSLP
• settings will be able to stay until they are due to leave.

Proposal 2: Transfer management of the settings to schools

• Currently the DSLPs are operated by Council staff from the Integrated Disability Service (IDS). We believe that education is best provided directly by Schools and that this should not be the role of the Council. We are therefore proposing that the governing bodies of the host schools should be offered the option of taking over direct management of these settings including the staff.

Proposal 3: Where possible cease separate Key Stage 1 & 2 provision – Move to an all-through-primary model

• Currently three out of the six settings provide a service for either key stage 1 or 2. This means that learners who continue to need specialist support are forced to move settings. For those children in infants or junior schools this is unavoidable but the Council believes that such transitions should be minimised wherever possible by changing to an all-through primary model.

Public Event

An additional public consultation meeting is being held to allow you to ask questions and hear more about the proposals as follows:

Monday 7th March from 5.00 to 6.30pm

Exhall Grange Conference Room

Exhall Grange Specialist School and Science College

Easter Way

Ash Green

Coventry

CV7 9JG

Please confirm your attendance on 024 7636 8813 or via email to: ruthjohnston@warwickshire.gov.uk

What happens next

This consultation is now closed. Many thanks to everyone who took the time to tell us your views.

Feedback will be presented to Council for a decision as to whether to proceed as well as to the respective Governing Bodies who will meet decide whether they support the proposal for them to take over control of the settings in the light of the results of the consultation. Should we go forward with the proposals, the final decision will be made by the Local Authority.