Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Macaulay Nichol.

The Chair invited those who wished to do so to declare any interst in respect of items on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made.

RESOLVED:

(i)         To note the presentation on Elective Home Education.

(ii)        That Elective Home Education be a standing item on future agendas of the EAP.

The Head of Inclusion introduced a presentation on Elective Home Education.

Elective Home Education (EHE) was a term used to describe the choice by parents to provide education for their child at home, or at home and in some other way which they chose, instead of sending them to school full-time.

All parents were required to submit a Home Education Plan (HEP) and if they did not send in a HEP, or the Authority were not satisfied that education was happening, a School Attendance Order (SAO) could be used to place a child back in school.  The Authority had no rights to visit the family or see the child, but a home visit was offered and an updated plan was requested every year.

In the Autumn term 2024/25, North Northamptonshire had 1,030 EHE children, which was 1.8% of children on census day.

The primary reasons for EHE were mental health, philosophical or preferential reasons and general dissatisfaction with the school.

During discussion on the item, the following key points were noted:

i.        In response to a question as to whether there was a particular age group for EHE due to mental health, officers confirmed that it was more secondary age children than primary, but figures could be provided.  Officers were looking at how extra support, particularly around transition, could be provided.  The Authority had a list of the top five schools where EHE was high, and they were working with those schools to understand why parents were making particular choices.

ii.       Members had concerns around those children who were under the radar, particularly around safeguarding and those who were unofficially off-roll due to the risk of exclusion.  The Head of Inclusion confirmed that there was a structure around safeguarding which was reviewed weekly. The children who were not in education were scrutinised and there were currently 42 children who were not in education or alternative provision.  There were also sufficiency issues within alternative provision.

iii.     Members were concerned at the increase in EHE numbers which were rising at a greater rate than regionally and nationally.  The Executive Director confirmed that there was now a quantitative understanding of the position and officers were now meeting with those schools with the highest prevalence to look at what was driving the need and also what health and wellbeing support was being offered.  We needed to target schools and develop an appropriate offer.

iv.     In response to a question as to if a parent had realised that they had made a mistake in removing their child from school, was a place available for them to go back to school.  Officers advised that they would have to go through the usual admissions process.

As this was a high priority, the Executive Director would put Elective Home Education as a standing item on future agendas of the EAP with a verbal update every meeting and a full report every four months.

RESOLVED:

(i)        To note the presentation on Elective Home Education.

(ii)       That Elective Home Education  ...  view the full minutes text for item 82.

RESOLVED to note the presentation on the Education Capital Programme 2025 as it relates to the planning and commissioning of school places in North Northamptonshire.

The Head of Access and Sufficiency presented a report, supported by a presentation, which provided an update on the progress made and proposed changes in approach that would provide a strategic overview of planning and commissioning school places in North Northamptonshire.  These changes would help to ensure that the Council was better able to respond to changing demands for school place provision and make effective spending decisions to support the delivery of education provision to children and families in North Northamptonshire.

The Council had a statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places for all children 4 – 16 years old who wanted one.  Within this role the Council had to work as a provider and a commissioner of school places, especially with a significant majority of schools within the Authority being academies.

As part of recent work reviewing the demand for school places, officers had identified significant pressures for secondary school places in Wellingborough as well as smaller pressures in Kettering and Corby.  Pressures for Key Stage 2 places in Kettering had also been identified.

Proposed solutions for primary were:

Proposed solutions for secondary were:

During discussion on the item, the following key points were noted:

i.          Whilst welcoming these additional places, Members questioned whether the schools were sufficiently able to support them.  The Head of Access and Sufficiency confirmed that she had met with Heads to hear their concerns and was able to share the package which would be available, including a growth funding allocation for additional teachers and other additional needs.

RESOLVED to note the presentation on the Education Capital Programme 2025 as it relates to the planning and commissioning of school places in North Northamptonshire.

The EAP noted the Executive Forward Plan for January to April 2025.

The forward list of items for the EAP was considered. The following items are to be added:

·         Elective Home Education (Standing Item)

·         Update on EHCP (February 2025)

The forward list of items for the EAP was considered and Members were asked to consider any subject areas for future meetings.  The following items were added to the forward list for the meeting on 27 February:

Elective Home Education (Standing Item)

EHCP Update

The Chair thanked members and officers for their attendance and closed the meeting.

The meeting closed at 6pm.