Sheila Rye                               EYCS

Maggie McDonald                  EYCS

Tricia Livesley                          Pre 5 LSS Education Bradford

Ronnie Hartley                        EYCS

Jean Godward                        Wedgewood School

Brian Dobson                           Education Client Team

Nicky Symons                          Bradford Hospitals trust

Glenn Allgood                           Education Bradford

Liz Singleton                             Education Client Team

Margaret Robinson                   SAL Service

Gary Bowden                             Netherlands Avenue School

Lisa Hinett                                  Parent

Accepted

Ø      Vision into Practice group met on 15 March and had a presentation from a DfES architect.

There are lessons to be learnt from visits and from new builds about pitfalls and mistakes. The only member of this group who has visited schools is Gary Bowden.

Concern was expressed about what level of involvement the heads of the co-located Primary schools have had so far.

It was felt that there is potential for communication between the schools not to happen. Tricia thought that some sort of site co-ordination post would be helpful.

Nicky asked about therapy rooms.

Ø      DfES has postponed the funding announcement so the timetable has been put back. Prescribed information is not now needed before the end of April.

Ø      A principal Educational Psychologist has been appointed.

The meeting on 24 March was not well attended.

It was agreed that the meetings planned for 6 May and 13 July should go ahead ad they had already been advertised.

Ronnie and Maggie agreed to send out a reminder and flyers to a wider audience. Eg ADN

Dr Kumar (DMO Airedale) will attend the May meeting and Nicky Symons (DMO Bradford) will attend the July one.

Also attending will be Ronnie Hartley, Tricia Livesley, Rosemary Morgan, Clive Halliwell and possibly Maggie McDonald.

A meeting for these people will be held on 28 April at 10.00 at the Wool Exchange to agree the format of the parents meeting.

Discussion took place about services which had been discussed at the parents meeting.

Portage was described as “fantastic”.

Tricia pointed out that Portage is currently running a reduced service because of reduced staffing capacity. A commitment from Education Bradford to fund Portage fully is needed. Is an open discussion required about where Portage Is best sited? The Portage group has been heavily subsidised by EYCS.

At the moment there is no career structure within Portage. Some Portage home visitors are very knowledgeable and experienced and could take on some management functions if there was a structure which included eg Senior Portage Home Visitors.

Portage coincides with many of the current agendas.

These issues would fall within the remit of the suggested EYSN review, but there is already a lot of evidence from the National Portage association 2 year partnership with DfES.

Tricia will be raising these issues in a meeting with Bill Turner.

The high level of staff expertise in Resourced Nurseries and Community Nurseries was recognised and concern expressed that this should not be lost.

The question of different conditions of service for different staff in Children’s centres was raised. Canterbury Children’s Centre was cited as a provision where this issues has been continually addressed over the years.

Nicky raised grave concerns about children under 3 from Temple Bank.

Temple Bank have taken 2 year old children. When it closes in July 2004 children 3+ will attend other provisions, but nothing has been arranged for those children who will still be 2 in September or those who will become 2 and would otherwise have attended Temple Bank.

Nicky had raised this issue at the SN Task Group and Jane Brown had taken it back to EB immediately.

Discussion took place about possible placements for these children.

This was well received.

Information about Children’s Centres Plus and possible locations is needed to complement the Special Schools information.

Planning for each Children’s Centre is at a different stage.

Discussion took place about possible locations with South Bradford being recognised as being a priority area for a Children’s Centre Plus.

Ronnie will work with Robin on locations.  

Concrete discussions are needed about resourcing.

Discussion took place about full time/part time places. Currently children in special schools are entitled to a full time place from age 2. Which children in other provisions will be entitled to full time places?

Agreement is needed across agencies re assessment. The Framework for Assessment is not generally used by EB.

This will be paid for by EYCS and jointly commissioned  by EYCS/EB/Client side/Health(?)

Who, strategically, will we need to negotiate with to implement any recommendations?

Any changes may need re-negotiations of the contract but the contract should not drive the review.

Ronnie will prepare a draft tender to bring to the next meeting.

A suggestion has been made that EY provision on the co-located site could be a Community Nursery as part of the mainstream school not the special school. This would set the pattern for inclusion at an early age.

Does point 3 of EPP paper need to be widened to include this possibility.?

Sheila and Ronnie are meeting with Liz Singleton on 23 April.  

6 May 2004                9.30 – 11.30

16 June 2004            9.30 – 11.30

6 July 2004                9.30 – 11.30

At YOT Bank House Round the corner from The Wool Exchange next to Greggs.