Issue - meetings

1.    Approval of  £595,044 interim funding per annum (up to a maximum of £935,837) in transitional funding to Ormiston Academy Trust for a 19-month period from September 2024 to March 2026 to match the resources currently allocated to support a small cohort of Hammersmith & Fulham high needs learners requiring provision above and beyond that would normally be expected from the Queensmill School current model.

2.    To note the ongoing discussions and associated risk for additional funding from Hammersmith & Fulham from the outcome of negotiations with the Department for Education and its Education Funding Skills agency for a package of up to £1.361m  in transitional funding for a 19-month period September 2024 to March 2026 to support the redesign of the Queensmill delivery model.

3.    To delegate authority to the Director of Education and SEND, in consultation with the Executive Director of People and THE Cabinet Member for Children and Education to agree a 19-month transformation programme with Ormiston Academy Trust for Queensmill School.

4.    To delegate authority to the Director of Education and SEND, in consultation with the Executive Director of People and the Cabinet Member for Children and Education to agree inflationary uplifts to proposed funding levels following the outcome of 2024/25 teachers and non-teachers national pay awards consistent with transformation programme to be agreed.

Councillor Alex Sanderson presented the report seeking approval for a jointly crafted approach with Queensmill School, Ormiston Academy Trust, the Department for Education, and its Education Skills Funding Agency to develop a transitional funding approach in support of a transformation programme for a sustainable delivery model for Queensmill School.

Councillor Jose Afonso asked the reason for the Council not providing an uplift on top of funding for Queensmill since 2021.

Councillor Alex Sanderson replied that this question was not related to this paper, which dealt with transitional defunding. She would be happy to response to him separately.

Councillor Jose Afonso also asked which criteria had been applied to determine which children would get the interim transitions funding, and if not all children at Hammersmith & Fulham places, then why not.

Councillor Alex Sanderson replied that she would come back to him with a written answer as it involved a lot of sensitive and complex information on different children and different care packages.

The Leader reiterated that this paper related to move Queensmill School to the next stage and stated that the Council had been investing a record amount of funding into children with disabilities.

AGREED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CABINET MEMBERS:

1.    Approval of  £595,044 interim funding per annum (up to a maximum of £935,837) in transitional funding to Ormiston Academy Trust for a 19-month period from September 2024 to March 2026 to match the resources currently allocated to support a small cohort of Hammersmith & Fulham high needs learners requiring provision above and beyond that would normally be expected from the Queensmill School current model.

2.    To note the ongoing discussions and associated risk for additional funding from Hammersmith & Fulham from the outcome of negotiations with the Department for Education and its Education Funding Skills agency for a package of up to £1.361m  in transitional funding for a 19-month period September 2024 to March 2026 to support the redesign of the Queensmill delivery model.

3.    To delegate authority to the Director of Education and SEND, in consultation with the Executive Director of People and THE Cabinet Member for Children and Education to agree a 19-month transformation programme with Ormiston Academy Trust for Queensmill School.

4.    To delegate authority to the Director of Education and SEND, in consultation with the Executive Director of People and the Cabinet Member for Children and Education to agree inflationary uplifts to proposed funding levels following the outcome of 2024/25 teachers and non-teachers national pay awards consistent with transformation programme to be agreed.