External Private Practitioners Process @LPS

The Governing Body and Senior Leadership Team at LPS have worked in conjunction with the City and County of Swansea to produce the following policy and procedures regarding the facilitation of external private practitioners at the school.

Background and ALN Policy:

Llangyfelach Primary School is committed to providing a welcoming, nurturing and stimulating environment to support the needs and develop the learning of the children and families across the whole community. Every child and family in our community is valued.

We have a duty to provide appropriate ALN provision for children and young people to meet their needs effectively. It is also our duty to 'make reasonable adjustments for disabled children and young people, to support medical conditions and to inform parents and young people if ALN provision is made for them.'

We believe that… 'Children have additional learning needs if they have a learning difficulty, which calls for specific provision to be made for them’.

Children have a learning difficulty if they: 

• have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of the same age: or;

• have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for children of the same age in schools within the area of the Local Education Authority;

• are under compulsory school age and fall within the definitions above or would do so if special educational provision was not made for them.

Additional Learning Needs provision is 'additional to, or otherwise different from, the educational provision made generally for children of their age in schools maintained by the local authority, other than special schools, in the area.' (Education Act 1996)

When organising additional support it is very important that we provide children with additional learning needs (ALN) a broad and balanced curriculum with regular access to all subjects and areas of learning. We believe that children with ALN should not be routinely segregated from their class teachers and peers but included as much as possible within their class.

Where support requirements exceed the universal provision at LPS, external support and advice from specific experts maybe required. In all cases, we would adhere to our ALN Policy and procedures, LA protocol and Government legislation, involving decision making in collaboration with families by our ALN Leader, SLT, Governing Body and the Local Authority ALN Team.

Over time, there have been an increasing number of requests from families for schools to facilitate privately funded practitioners to attend schools across Swansea and wider.  The number of requests has increased exponentially per school and within an increasing range or reasons or support types.

If families decide to privately fund additional support for their child, we would best endeavour to support where reasonably possible, however the current trend is indicating that the number of requests will become unmanageable for all schools to facilitate with equity. 

Due to current climate on this issue, the City and County of Swansea have provided advice to all schools across the Local Authority (Annex1) designed to provide Senior Leaders and Governing Bodies with guidance to respond to requests from parents/carers to allow private professionals into school, during the school day.

This usually relates to private professionals carrying out assessments, therapy, observations and consultations. This could include (but is not limited to) the following types of request:

• Visits from a private Speech and Language Therapist.

• An assessment and classroom observation from a private Educational Psychologist.

• Regular scheduled input from private therapeutic organisations.

LPS Process for Facilitating Private Practitioners Onsite:

In response to this situation, the LPS Governing Body and SLT have decided to set up a decision-making panel that will meet once per term, to consider all requests that have been made to the school for the attendance of privately funded practitioners to undertake additional support activities and assessments.

The following procedure and information sharing will be required before any request is considered by the panel:

All requests will need to be made in writing by the parent, to the school, indicating the following:

1. The purpose of the support required.

2. The nature of the support required.

3. The time frame of the support.

4. Who will be undertaking the support.

5. The intended outcomes of the support.

Before any requests are considered by the panel the private practitioner will be required to contact the school, in writing, to demonstrate the following:

1. They hold the relevant qualifications to undertake the support.

2. They hold the relevant qualifications to undertake appropriate assessments and provide accurate feedback.

3. They have had an enhanced DBS check within the last 3 years.

4. They hold the relevant level of insurance and public liability (Minimum of £5 Million).

5. Provision of all information and processes related to GDPR compliance.

6. What information they will be keeping on any child they have worked with at our school, how they will store the information, what will it be used for and how this information will be disposed of.

7. The nature of the support and what they will be doing while onsite.

8. Full consent from parents concerned regarding the support required onsite.

9. Agreement from the practitioner that all information shared with the family is evidenced to the school.

10. Assurances that the private practitioner will not work with or come into contact with any other child at the school (due to there being no consent from other parents of other children).

Finally, if the private practitioner attends with another person or colleague, the above 10-point criteria will need to be submitted for them also.

External Private Practitioner Panel Decision Making Rationale:

The LPS Panel will meet once per term to discuss any requests that have provided all the above information only, otherwise it will be discussed at the next panel meeting when all information has been provided. 

When making a decision to allow external private practitioners to attend the site to undertake additional support, the panel will follow a very robust process that considers the following factors, and in order:

1. Is the support required onsite?

2. Is the support suitable and appropriate within the school setting?

3. Has the private practitioner provided all relevant details required?

   1. Qualifications

   2. DBS Checks

   3. Insurance Details

   4. Public liability (Minimum of £5 Million)

   5. Quality assurance of service

4. If the support is required and suitable, when should this take place?

   1. Any adverse effects on curriculum responsibilities

   2. Timetabling issues

   3. Capacity and location availability

   4. Statutory requirements for ALN support

Once a decision has been made, the panel will write to the family who requested external private support to attend the premises, explaining the decision-making rationale and what will happen next.

The panel will select one of two options as the outcome of this process, which are the following:

Option 1: To facilitate the attendance of the external private practitioner, due to the case meeting all relevant criteria.

The panel will write to the requesting parent explaining their decision.  The date and time of the attendance of the private practitioner will be decided by the panel and will be fixed with no negotiation.  This will ensure that there are no adverse effects on:

• Curriculum responsibilities

• Staffing logistics

• School trips and visits

• School timetable

• Playtimes and lunchtimes

• Administration and communication

Further to this, the school may cancel the appointment made for the attendance of the private practitioner if events arise within the school week or the day of the visit that may cause clashes or adverse effects on the above.

Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the parents to inform the private practitioner of any school absence that will affect their planned visit to the school.

Options 2: Not to facilitate the attendance of the external private practitioner, due to the case not meeting the relevant criteria.

The panel will write to the requesting parent explaining their decision.  The panel may offer the facilitation of an authorised absence, for occasional or short-term professional appointments, as highlighted in Annex 1.  However, if the pupil’s attendance is already below 90%, this will not be offered as an option.

Conclusion:

The LPS Governing Body, SLT and Swansea Education Directorate considers that, other than in very exceptional circumstances, a school offer is an effective and appropriate way for the needs of all learners to be met.

Additionally, Head Teachers and Governing Bodies have direct responsibility for who attends the premises in the school day. There are a plethora of risks attached to allowing private professionals to work on site as outlined within this document. Careful consideration needs to be given to the full range of factors when making a decision.

We pride ourselves on working cohesively with our community and aim to support the needs of everyone. We will adhere to our clear rationale and decision-making protocol to ensure the correct decision is made for all concerned.

Annex 1: CCoS Local Authority Advisory Documentation 2023

Advice for allowing private practitioners into school to carry out therapeutic programmes to help manage Additional Learning Needs

Purpose

This advice is designed to provide Head Teachers and Governing Bodies with guidance to respond to requests from parents/carers to allow private professionals into school, during the school day. This usually relates to private professionals carrying out assessments, therapy, observations and consultations. This could include (but is not limited to) the following types of request:

• Visits from a private Speech and Language Therapist.

• An assessment and classroom observation from a private Educational Psychologist.

• Regular scheduled input from private therapeutic organisations.

Whilst this Advice is primarily designed to support the school in their decision-making process, it can also be shared with parents/carers so that they can understand the reasoning behind decision-making. Schools and Governing Bodies need to be able to make informed decisions on whether they can/cannot allow private professionals into school, based upon local decision-making. 

The following factors should be considered when deciding as to whether or not the school allow private professionals on site.

Safeguarding

DBS checks are mandatory for all school based staff but safeguarding has a much wider remit. They should have safeguarding training and understand school policies.

Where private professionals visit classrooms or shared spaces to carry out assessments and observations, schools need to be mindful of the impact this may have on other pupils in the setting.

Timetabling / capacity

Schools cannot guarantee the provision of space available for private professionals on an ongoing basis, as their admission number is based on available teaching space in the school. Input from private professionals effectively takes school space out of commission for certain times of the day, hence, could also have implications on timetabling spaces for other children in the school. Each school needs to make a judgment based on the space available.

Curriculum responsibilities

If the expectation is that additional input takes place during the school day, then it affects the school’s ability to fully deliver the curriculum. Private professional input is additional to that delivered during school time and compromises the school’s ability to deliver full access to the curriculum.

Statutory requirements in relation to Additional Learning Needs

Provision agreed in line with a Statement of SEN or IDP goes through an agreed statutory process. As part of this process, careful consideration is given to the support and strategies needed based on a child centred approach. Support identified is specific to individual needs and considered by a number of professionals, in consultation with families, before final agreement.

This process should ensure confidence that the provision outlined on either a Statement of SEN or an IDP is appropriate and well considered.

The local authority undertakes a monitoring role to be satisfied the school is suitable to deliver ALN support from its own resources. If the parent/carer feels extra support is necessary, it should be looked at under internal ALN processes. Otherwise, it should take place out of school.

https://www.gov.wales/additional-learning-needs-code

Insurance / public liability

The school must follow the local authority procedure in the Letting Consent. The local authority will have the up to date Lettings Document that applies to visitors and any local authority approvals necessary. The local authority insurance department will need to be notified as well if there is an accident and the school will be liable if this person does not have the appropriate insurance.

Third party lettings consent - Staff portal (swansea.gov.uk)

Alternative arrangements

Where pupils have complex needs and require regular input from a health professional, the child can be permitted an authorised absence for this.

For occasional or short-term non-health professional appointments, permission can be granted by the Head Teacher. If the requirement for input is more long term, this can be discussed with the school via the Person-Centred Review Process (with ALNCO and Head Teacher) as to what options are available.

The Education Directorate considers that, other than in very exceptional circumstances, a school offer is an effective and appropriate way for the needs of all learners to be met.

https://www.swansea.gov.uk/schoolattendanceandwelfare

Summary

Head Teachers and School Governing Bodies have direct responsibility for who attends the premises in the school day.

There are risks attached to allowing private professionals to work on site as outlined above. Consideration needs to be given to the full range of factors when making a decision.

Schools will need a clear rationale to justify their decision, and this should be conveyed to parents/carers in writing by the school as soon as reasonably possible after a request has been made.

This policy was created January 2024 and will be reviewed when required.