Special Schools Principals’ Conference

1. Special Schools Principals’ Conference 9th May 2013

2. Education Context 1 Progression towards ESA 2 SEN Review 3 Area Planning 4 Early Years Consultation 5 Priorities for Youth

3. 1 ESA - Current Position • Education Committee - completed consideration of Education Bill. • Amendments may be required before Bill is finalised. • When agreement is reached, Royal Assent is required. • Potential three month ‘lead in’ period between assent and establishment of ESA.

4. ESA - Recent Developments • Establishment of a Programme Management Board in DE. • Engagement between Permanent Secretary and Chairs of ELBs. • Establishment of Transition Board - Chief Executives, Directors Designate and some ESAIT staff.

5. Work Stream Structures • Change Director (ESAIT) - established work stream framework to progress issues in specific services across 5 ESA Directorates. • Work streams have been set up to establish service delivery and provision issues within Children and Young People’s Services.

6. Purpose of Work Streams • Establish business critical ‘day 1’ issues that would have a serious impact on the new organisation. • Identify procedural/process differences between boards that can be adjusted before day 1. • Identify issues that are important, but may require adjustment/amendment during years 1 and 2 of the new organisation.

7. Special Education • Enhanced commonality of administration in relation to statutory assessment documentation. • Commonality in relation to special needs assessment panels. • Ratification of Statements of Special Educational Needs. • Commencement of work in relation to common resourcing.

8. 2 SEN Review - Pre-implementation Work • Early years capacity building pilots - extension to June 2014. • Support for capacity building support for special education in mainstream schools - resource files. • Literacy/numeracy support - Stranmillis/St Mary’s. • Certificate of Competence in Educational Testing (CCET).

9. 3 Area Planning • ELB Special Schools’ Area Plans - submitted to DE. • Focus on individual board’s assessment of need. • Enhanced need to consider special school planning on a regional basis. • Recognition that changing profile of children and young people’s needs should be reflected in the review of provision.

10. Area Planning • Minister announced the establishment of a working group on special schools in February 2013. • The working group will soon be outlining specific information that will be required from each board. • Where necessary, more specific information will be sought from special schools to support this process.

11. 4 Early Years Consultation • Issues that relate to access. • Quality of support for children. • Training for staff in early years provisions to support children with special educational needs. • Understanding child development. • Connecting childhood development, education and health inequalities

12. 5 Priorities for Youth – Consultation • Focus on a universal programmes. • Targetted support for specific populations. • Enhanced use of youth qualified staff in schools. • Recognising the link between education, individuals, community and outcomes.

13. Way Forward • Develop coherence between policy strategy. • Connect to local need, while cognisant of regional framework. • Diversity of skills base supporting children and young people. • Amendments to service delivery, with consideration of evidence base.