As part of its financial recovery programme the council has been extensively reviewing and improving its financial and management practices, and this has included considerable work on its use of the Dedicated Schools Grant.
The council has been working closely with the Department for Education (DfE) and has agreed a contract with them that will see the DfE providing £27m of additional support to Slough, which will allow the council to fund all of its historic deficit in this area.
The improvements the council has brought about and on which the payment of the £27m is dependent, includes improvements in practise in managing the cost and arrangements for:
- Independent Non-Maintained Special School (INMSS)
- Post-16 placements
- Alternative Education Proposals
- Additional provisions for children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) as well as the EHCPs
- Additionally Resourced Provisions.
The outcome of this work will see much better value for money for schools and the council and much better use of resources to ensure the best outcomes for children and young people.
Councillor Christine Hulme, lead member for children’s services, lifelong learning, and skills, said: “I’m very pleased the council’s plan to improve its work in this area has been approved by the Department for Education, allowing the council’s education services to continue to improve and grow to meet the varying needs of children and young people in the borough.
“The agreement involves a comprehensive plan that will help our education services meet new targets with the aim of improving education across Slough and doing so in a way that ensures best value for the schools, the council and residents.”