Atebion i gwestiynau ychwanegol gan y Pwyllgor – Arwyn Thomas, Cyngor Sir Ceredigion

Answers to additional questions by the Committee – Arwyn Thomas, Ceredigion County Council

1. Beth yw’r prif heriau y mae Ceredigion yn eu hwynebu wrth ddarparu addysg i ddisgyblion sy’n Derbyn Addysg Heblaw yn yr Ysgol?

What are the main challenges that Ceredigion faces in delivering provision for pupils Educated Otherwise than in School?

· Cynaliadwyedd hir dymor y Cwricwlwm Amgen Lleol ôl ENGAGE;

· Mae Strategaeth Cynnal Ymddygiad Ceredigion yn cael ei seilio ar adnabyddiaeth gynnar o blant a chyd gynllunio gyda ysgolion er mwyn creu pecynnau addas ar ei gyfer yn Nghyfnod Allweddol 4. Mae Ceredigion yn Sir sydd yn derbyn nifer o blant mewn gofal o Siroedd eraill ag anghenion addysgol a chymdeithasol cymleth yn hwyr yn Mlwyddyn 11 gyda nifer heb fynychu addysg prif lif ers rhai blynyddoedd. Mae diffyg cynllunio o’r fath yn gosod pwysau ar adnoddau lleol yng Ngheredigion heb gynllunio addas ar gyfer y disgyblion unigol.

· Yr angen i ddirprwyo 85% i’r ysgolion

· Long-term sustainability of the Local Alternative Curriculum after ENGAGE;

· Ceredigion’s Behavioural Support Strategy is based on early recognition of children’s needs and co-ordinating with schools in order to create appropriate packages for Key Stage 4. Ceredigion receives many children in care from other counties who have complex educational and social needs late in year 11, with many of them not having been in mainstream education for many years. Lack of planning such as this places pressure on local resource in Ceredigion, with no appropriate planning for individual pupils.

· The need to delegate 85% to schools.

2. Pa gymorth y mae eich awdurdod lleol yn ei ddarparu i sicrhau bod athrawon yn cael yr hyfforddiant cywir i reoli ymddygiad disgyblion yn effeithiol?

What support does your local authority provide to ensure teachers have the right training to effectively manage pupil behaviour?

Mae Gwasanaeth Cynnal Ymddygiad Ceredigion yn cynnig ystod o raglenni hyfforddiant ar reoli ymddygiad

· Webster Stratton – disgyblion cyn ysgol a Chyfnod Sylfaen

· Disgyblaeth Gadarnhaol - Ysgol Gyfan – Cynradd ac uwchradd

· Disgyblion heriol: Mae’r Sir bellach wedi datblygu strategaeth i ymdrin â disgyblion mwyaf heriol gan gynnwys y defnydd o ymyrraeth gorfforol – Team Teach. Mae hyn yn gynllun 3 blynedd I sicrhau bod bob ysgol yn cael ei hyfforddi a’u diweddaru fel rhan o raglen strwythedig.

Mae Gwasanaeth peripatetic SEBSA’s (Social and Emotional Behavioural Support Assistants) yn gweithio gydag athrawon a disgyblion unigol yn modelu dulliau cynnal ymddygiad.

Ceredigion’s Behavioural Support Service offers a range of training programmes on managing behaviour.

· Webster Stratton – pre-school pupils and foundation phase

· Positive Discipline – Whole school – Primary and Secondary

· Challenging pupils: the county is now developing a strategy to deal with the most challenging pupils, including the use of physical intervention – Team Teach. This is a three-year scheme to ensure that every school receives training and is updated as part of a structured programme.

The SEBSA (Social and Emotional Behavioural Support Assistants) peripatetic service works with teachers and individual pupils to model ways of supporting behaviour.

3. Pa mor effeithiol yw’r cydweithio rhwng asiantaethau yng Ngheredigion i gefnogi disgyblion y mae eu presenoldeb yn wael neu y mae angen rheoli eu hymddygiad?

How effective is joint-working between agencies in Ceredigion in order to support pupils who have poor attendance or whose behaviour needs managing?

Un o gryfderau’r UCD yn ystod yr arolwg mwyaf diweddar oedd gallu’r uned i gydweithio’n effeithiol gydag amryw o bartneriaethau er mwyn cefnogi’r disgyblion mwyaf bregus.

Mae’r Tim Cynnal Ymddygiad a’r UCD wedi meithrin perthnasau cadarnhaol iawn gydag asiantaethau allanol gan gefnogi plant a phobl ifanc sy’n mynychu’r Uned Cyfeirio Disgyblion ac sy’n derbyn cynhaliaeth gan y TCY. O fewn yr UCD, mae nifer fawr o blant a theuluoedd yn byw mewn amgylchiadau anodd. Mae’r UCD yn rhoi blaenoriaeth i bwysigrwydd gwaith amlasiantaeth gyda phob asiantaeth, gan gynnwys y Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol, yr heddlu a nyrsys ysgol, er mwyn cefnogi disgyblion a theuluoedd sy’n agored i niwed.

Gwneir defnydd effeithiol o asiantaethau proffesiynol arbenigol sy’n darparu arweiniad i staff a disgyblion. Mae cyswllt a chymorth da gan yr asiantaethau hyn yn sicrhau bod y wybodaeth a’r arweiniad a roddir yn rhagorol. Mae’r rhain yn cynnwys:-

· Y Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol – y Tîm Asesu Plant sy’n Derbyn Gofal

· Tîm Plant Anabl

· Tîm Troseddau Ieuenctid

· SUDDS - Camddefnyddio Sylweddau;

· Gwasanaeth Iechyd Meddwl Sylfaenol;

· Gwasanaethau Iechyd Meddwl Plant a'r Glasoed [CAMHS]

· Gwasanaeth Seicoleg Addysgol

· Cwnsela mewn Ysgolion - Area 43;

· Gwasanaeth Nyrsys Ysgolion;

· CAMHS (Iechyd Meddwl)

· Gwasanaeth Cynhwysiant Addysg (Presenoldeb)

· Gwasanaeth Ieuenctid

· Eiriolaeth.

One of the strengths of the Pupil Referral Unit according to the latest inspection was the unit’s ability to liaise effectively with many partners in order to support the most vulnerable pupils.

The Behavioural Support Team and the PRU have developed very positive relationships with external agencies to support children and young people who attend the PRU and who are supported by the Behavioural Support Unit. In terms of the PRU, many of the children and families live in difficult circumstances. The PRU gives priority to the importance of multiagency work with every agency, including Social Services, the police, and school nurses, in order to support vulnerable pupils and families.

There is effective use of specialist professional agencies that provide guidance to staff and pupils. Good links and support from these agencies ensure that the information and guidance provided is excellent. The agencies include:

· Social Services – the looked-after children Assessment Team

· The Disabled Children Team

· The Youth Offending Team

· SUDDS – Substance Abuse;

· Primary Mental Health Service;

· Children and Adolescence Mental Health Services [CAMHS]

· Educational Psychology Service

· Counselling in Schools - Area 43;

· Nurse Service in Schools;

· CAMHS (Mental Health)

· Educational Inclusion Service (Attendance)

· Youth Service

· Advocacy

Penalty notices for regular non-attendance at school

Consultation response form

Your name: Stuart Bradley

Organisation (if applicable):Ceredigion Local Education Authority

e-mail/telephone number: stuartb@ceredigion.gov.uk

01970 633619

Your address:

Canolfan Rheidol. Rhodfa Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth SY23 3UE

Responses should be returned by 22 February 2013 to:

Pupil Wellbeing Branch

Support for Learners Division

Department for Education and Skills

Welsh Government

Cathays Park

Cardiff

CF10 3NQ

or completed electronically and sent to

e-mail: WELLBEINGshare@wales.gsi.gov.uk (please enter ‘Non-attendance at school penalty notices’ in the subject matter box).

Please tick the box that best describes you as a respondent

□ Parent/carer □ü Local authority (LA)

□ Police force □ Charity/voluntary organisation

□ Headteacher/school □ Other (please specify in

box below)

Please specify:

Question 1 – Is the role of the LA in issuing penalty notices clearly defined?

Agree

Disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

It is not totally clear whether the LA is issuing any notices itself or is solely responsible for overseeing the process. Does ‘accredited persons’ refer to education officers?

Question 2 – Are the examples set out in the consultation for issuing a penalty notice for regular non-attendance at school suitably clear?

Agree

Disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

In the main, the examples are clear.

We are not sure, however, if it is necessary to specify 85% as the threshold to issue penalty notices. We would rather leave the decision to the judgement of the education officer in discussion with his/her line manager as they will be aware of any extenuating circumstances that might be affecting the case and then decide on the most appropriate course of action.

We suggest that Year 11 unauthorised attendance is a problem, particularly after the autumn term, and so should be specifically included in the list under point 26.

Question 3 – Do you agree that penalty notices should be an additional option for tackling regular non-attendance at school among other measures for use by LAs?

Agree

Disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

We agree that penalty notices should be used as an additional tool in addressing non–attendance but we think that it should be left to the discretion of LA officers as and when to use them.

Question 4 – Are the proposals for the content of the local code of conduct (paragraph 31) sufficient?

Agree

Disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

We agree that a local code of conduct is important in ensuring that all partner agencies understand how the process works. We agree with the final 3 bullet points under 31.

Bullet point 1 would not be necessary if the LA has sole control of the fixed penalty system as part on its overall attendance strategy.

Question 5 – Do you agree with proposed level of fines (£60 increasing to £120 if not paid within 28 days)?

Agree

Disagree

Neither agree nor disagree

We agree that these are appropriate as long as due consideration is given to the family’s circumstances. It should, therefore, be emphasised that financial punishments should not be used in cases where this might lead to increased hardship for the children of the family. It is assumed that education officers would use their professional judgement as to the appropriateness of imposing any financial penalty on a family.

Question 6 – We have asked a number of specific questions. If you have any related issues which we have not specifically addressed, please use this space to report them.

Please enter here:

We do not agree that the power to issue notices should be given to headteachers and the police. We feel that it should be left to the LA to operate this as part of a comprehensive attendance strategy.. At the moment only the LA has the power to bring prosecutions. Penalty notices would be used as appropriate in casework, and we feel that it might potentially confuse the matter if headteachers had the right to intervene by issuing a fixed penalty notice. Once a referral is accepted from the school for intensive casework, then the onus is on the education officer to decide on the appropriate course of action.

Naturally headteachers can discuss the appropriateness of a fixed term penalty in their discussions of attendances cases with education officers, particular in a case here they have refused a request for holiday and the parents have still taken their child away. However, it should be left to the discretion of the LA to decide whether a fixed penalty notice is appropriate in a particular case.

Responses to consultations may be made public – on the internet or in a report. If you would prefer your response to be kept confidential, please tick here: