Suitable education is arranged for pupils on roll who cannot attend school due to health needs
Pupils, staff and parents/carers understand what our schools are responsible for when education is being provided by the local authority (LA)
Parents and pupils are supported with a range of medical conditions including long-term complex medical conditions which may require on-going support.
The educational impact and the social and emotional implications associated with medical conditions are considered and minimised.

This policy applies to children:

of compulsory school age
who are on the academy’s roll
who cannot attend school or can attend intermittently
who have a medical condition or injury confirmed in writing by a doctor (usually a consultant) which requires them to be absent from school

Legislation and Guidance

This policy is based on the following legislation:

The Education Act 1996
The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006

It is also based on the following statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE):

Alternative provision
Education for children with health needs who cannot attend school

This policy complies with our funding agreement and articles of association.

Responsibilities

Where possible, the child’s health needs should be managed by our school so that pupils can continue to be educated here with support, and without the need for the intervention of the local authority.

When our schools make the arrangements

Initially, our school will attempt to make arrangements to deliver the same high standard of education for children with health needs who cannot attend school.

There are a wide range of circumstances where a child has a medical need but will receive suitable education that meets their needs without the intervention of the local authority.

For example, where the child can still attend school with some support or where the school has made arrangements to deliver suitable education outside of school for the child.

In Co-op Academies Trust, any decision relating to a child not being in school full-time is made by the Headteacher with due consideration to safeguarding. The SENCo in each school is responsible for making and monitoring such arrangements.

Arrangements for a child whose medical condition/needs prevents them from attending school could include:

Sending work home
Use of Google classroom
Seeking a place at hospital school

SENDCOs will consult parents/carers and pupils about these arrangements.

If an absence is necessary, school leaders will aim to reintegrate pupils back into school as soon as possible, and will make reasonable adjustments to enable this. Reintegration will aim to support pupils’ academic and social needs, and will take into account that pupils who have been absent may have missed considerable parts of the curriculum, and may feel distant from friendships and relationships with school staff.

If a pupil requires local authority arrangements, they will remain on the school roll.

When the local authority makes the arrangements

If our school cannot make suitable arrangements, or if it is clear that a child will be away from school for 15 days (consecutive or over the course of the year) or more because of their health needs,Liverpool City Council will become responsible for arranging suitable education for children. For pupils who cannot attend school due to medical needs, we will refer to Liverpool SEN Team, Alder Hey or Mersey Care depending on the pupils medical needs.

When the local authority arranges alternative education, the education should begin as soon as possible, and at the latest by the 6th day of the child’s absence from school.

Where absences are anticipated or known in advance, the school will liaise with the LA to enable education provision to be provided from the start of the student’s absence.

Where full-time education is not in the child’s best interest for reasons relating to their physical or mental health, the local authority must arrange part-time education on whatever basis it considers to be in the child’s best interests.

In cases where the local authority makes the arrangements, our school will:

Provide to the local authority, at agreed intervals, the full name and address of any pupils of compulsory school age who are not attending school regularly due to their health needs
Liaise with the Local Authority frequently regarding the pupils’ attendance, learning and progress
Secure appropriate arrangements for sharing and acting on safeguarding information, including who will carry out welfare checks for pupils not attending (these will be planned for using this form)
Arrange regular review meetings with the local authority, parents, providers and other agencies
Work constructively with the local authority, providers, relevant agencies and parents/carers to ensure the best outcomes for the child
Collaborate with the local authority to ensure continuity of provision and consistency of curriculum, including making information available about the curriculum
Along with the local authority, regularly review the provision offered to ensure it continues to be appropriate for the child and that it is providing suitable education
Share information with the local authority and relevant health services as required
When a child has complex or long-term health issues, work with the local authority, parents/carers and the relevant health services to decide how best to meet the child’s needs (e.g. through individual support, arranging alternative provision or by them remaining at school, being supported at home and back into school after each absence)

Where possible, school will allow the child to take examinations at the same time as their peers, and work with the local authority to support this.

When reintegration is anticipated, school will work with the local authority to:

Plan for consistent provision during and after the period of education outside the school, allowing the child to access the same curriculum and materials that they would have used in school as far as possible, including through digital resources
Enable the child to stay in touch with school life (e.g. through newsletters, emails, digital learning platforms, social media platforms, invitations to school events or internet links to lessons from their school), and, where appropriate, through educational visits
Create individually tailored reintegration plans for each child returning to school, which includes extra support to fill any gaps arising from the absence
Consider whether any reasonable adjustments need to be made

Each academy will designate a specified staff member who is responsible for the following duties:

Serving as the primary point of contact for students, families, school staff, and external partner agencies.
Tracking student academic progress and facilitating their smooth reintegration into the school environment.
Providing external education providers with necessary details regarding students' capabilities, academic progress, and learning outcomes, as well as any relevant safeguarding information.
Collaborating with the Headteacher or a relevant identified academy staff member, education providers, and parents to establish appropriate programmes of study during student absences.
Updating absent students on school events and encouraging ongoing peer communication.
Acting as a direct liaison between students, their parents, and the Local Authority (LA).

At Co-op Academy Rathbone this is: Hayley Gorman and Natasha Smith

The attached proforma must be completed for each placement.

Reintegration

The primary goal is to reintegrate pupils back into the academy as soon as they are medically fit to do so. A tailored reintegration strategy will be constructed in consultation with the child or young person, parents/carers, Medical Needs Provision, healthcare professionals, and relevant partner agencies.

When a full-time return is not immediately possible, reintegration and ongoing educational plans will accommodate any ongoing health conditions or disabilities. The academy will deliver a personalised plan. If this plan requires a part time timetable, the academy will liaise with the Local Authority to complete and regularly review an MT1 form. Reasonable adjustments will be made to maintain suitable access.

Monitoring Arrangements

This policy will be reviewed every three years by the trust Safeguarding Lead. At every review, it will be approved by the Trust Board.