1. SSE Update for Somerset Schools Forum
March 2019
Our Vision
To improve the outcomes for all children and young people by working in partnership with others.

2. Recap on establishing SSE
In Dec 2014 the County Council considered a business case and decided to keep SSE as an in-house trading unit with the following objectives:
Continue delivering high quality services to schools that provide value for money.
Improve commercialisation.
Ensure a strong customer focus.
Full cost recovery - through price increases, growth and efficiencies.
Work with the LA on commissioning of services.
Provide update to members.

3. SSE – story so far
2014
SSE internal trading unit established - bringing together 15 education support services.
April 2016 –
SEN advisory teams joined SSE – Support for Learning; Hearing; Vision, PIMS, Autism and Comms. Increased to approx.
Sept 2016
Associated business support for SEN teams joined, plus two education safeguarding posts appointed.
Aug 2018
SSE move from Commercial and Business Services into Childrens Services.
Now 24 services
Sept 2018
15 staff TUPE’d from North Somerset.
End of 2018 – April 2019
Realignment of SSE Services within Childrens Services

4. SSE Services
- Outdoor residential centres - Somerset Music - Resources for Learning - Education Safeguarding and Welfare Service - Admissions and Entitlements
- School and EY Advisory
- Governor Support
- Commercial Development
- Educational Psychology
- Autism and Comms,
- Learning Support
- Vision Support
- Hearing Support
- Physical Impairment and Medical Support
- EY SENCO
- EAL and Travellers
- Human Resources - Health and Safety - Education Financial Service - Catering, Cleaning and Refuse Advisory Service - Learning &Teacher Training - e-learning & mngt info (ElLIM)
- Property and Grounds
N.B Other services available through SSE – both in SCC and external providers

5. SSE Funding and accountability
Funding Source:
Amount
SSE Commissioner
Accountability through…
LA budget
£1.367m 8%
Dave Farrow
Performance meetings between SSE and commissioner.
DSG High Needs
£5.146m
30%
Annette Perrington/ Emily Walters
Performance meetings between SSE and education commissioner.
DSG Central/
Early years
£1.265m 7%
Dave Farrow on behalf of Schools Forum
Schools Forum who agree amount of spend for each service area.
Grant income
£1.174m
Performance meetings between SSE and education commissioner
Traded income
£8.169m
48%
Schools, Trusts Academies, LAs – Somerset and beyond.
Individual customers – complaints and future buy back of service.
Client Group help shape services.

6. Funding for SSE Education Improvement servicesLA
DSG
Traded
Funding
Central
HNs
EYs
Grant
excl. NS
Total
%age £m
traded
Early Years
0.387
0.050
0.022
0.459 5%
School Improvement
0.326
0.221
0.118
0.665
18%
Governor Services
0.028
0.134
0.162
83%
Somerset Music
0.463
0.280
0.743
38%
Resources for Learning
0.341
100%
SORLS
1.745
Ed Tech Advisors
0.216
0.045
0.261
17%
0.713
0.465
0.000
2.685
4.376
61%
Percentage of group income
16%
11% 0% 1%

7. Funding for SSE Business ServicesLA
DSG
Traded
Funding
Central
HNs
EYs
Grant
excl. NS
Total
%age £m
traded
Education Finance
0.014
0.016
0.652
0.682
96%
Catering/Cleaning/Refuse
0.698
100%
SIMS Support
0.701
0.661
1.362
49%
Health and Safety
0.050
0.153
0.203
75%
Human Resources
0.033
0.322
0.355
91%
Property
1.271
SCIL/SCITT
0.099
0.011
0.711
0.892
1.713
52%
0.113
0.800
0.000
4.649
6.284
74%
Percentage of group income 2%
13% 0%
11%

8. Funding for SSE SEND ServicesLA
DSG
Traded
Funding
Central
HNs
EYs
Grant
excl. NS
Total
%age £m
traded
Autism and Communication
0.555
0.026
0.581 4%
Learning Support
0.589
0.078
0.667
12%
Edcuation Psychology
0.541
1.043
0.651
2.235
29%
Portage
0.318
0.003
0.321 1%
EYs SENCOs
0.560
0.022
0.582
Hearing Support
0.786
0.006
0.792
Visual Support
0.262
0.265
Physical and Medical
0.350
0.017
0.367 5%
Time Together
0.134 0%
Ethnic Minority/Travellers
0.538
0.029
0.567
5.135
0.835
6.511
13%
Percentage of group income 8%
79%

9. Engagement with Schools Forum
Focus has been on DSG funded services, particularly those funded from High Needs.
Updates and presentations on SSE and its services including:
A short paper re SSE finances in July 2017
A report providing an overview of Somerset’s SEND support services provided through SSE – incl. activities, funding, quality assurance, benchmarking.
Complicated with current internal commissioning arrangements.
Schools Client Group focuses on traded services.

10. Value for Money.
Need to distinguish between traded services and services commissioned by the LA.
Schools have direct choice over 51% of SSE funding.
All services mindful of market prices.
Buy back has remained consistent.
Some schools have left and returned once predatory pricing for competitors ceases or hidden costs discovered.
SSE is non-profit making and only has to cover full costs.
SCC Commissioners responsible for 49% of funding.
Services provided to meet their needs within budget.
Money spent on SCC staff/services.

11. SSE Financial Outturn N.B Excludes Dillington House 2014/15 £1.047m
(cumulative reserves across all traded services moving into SSE)
2015/16
£0.001m surplus
2016/17
£0.409m surplus
2017/18
£0.217m surplus
Sept 2018
Forecast £0.324m surplus
2019/20
Budgeting to break even
N.B Excludes Dillington House

12. SSE Surpluses - Reserves
Any operating surpluses or losses are retained within SCC.
Reserves required for:
Reflect operational risks including reduction in buyback of services resulting in potential redundancy costs.
Investment in services and systems.
Capital related expenditure
Reserves used previously to fund spending pressures within Education such as Team around the School and the SEP programme.

13. Summary of achievements (1)
Exceeding financial plans and breaking even and recovering full costs earlier than planned.
Development of a new ‘One-stop shop’ website as requested by schools.
Introduced customer service reviews to improve feedback and help shape services.
Consistent buy back levels across SSE services.
Collaborative work with North Somerset Council on the transfer of services/staff to SSE.

14. Summary of achievements (2)
Providing work experience and apprenticeship opportunities for young people.
Supporting staff with volunteering such as mentoring schemes and Governor roles.
Positive staff survey results and reduced staff absence.
Finalists in LGC ‘Team of the Year’ award in 2016, 2017 MJ ‘Workforce Transformation’ award and Public Finance Awards 2018.

15. GOING FORWARD……
In light of the move of SSE into Childrens Services we are structurally realigning services alongside other Education Services.
Some services moved early as part of implementing a new Inclusion structure
Education Welfare Service
Safeguarding Advisors
School Admissions and Entitlements.

16. Realignment of SSE Services
Principles:
-Remove internal commissioning for LA and DSG funded SSE services.
-Consolidate teams and create a strong focus on Inclusion and statutory SEND functions for all partners including schools.
-Bring School Improvement Services together to enable self improving education sector and broker support for schools.
-Continuing strong track record for contract management of external traded education services
-Look for further commercial opportunities within Childrens Services.

17. Services moving out of SSE
- Outdoor residential centres - Somerset Music - Resources for Learning - Education Safeguarding and Welfare Service - Admissions and Entitlements
- School and EY Advisory
- Governor Support
- Commercial Development
- Educational Psychology
- Autism and Comms,
- Learning Support
- Vision Support
- Hearing Support
- Physical Impairment and Medical Support
- EY SENCO
- EAL and Travellers
- Human Resources - Health and Safety - Education Financial Service - Catering, Cleaning and Refuse Advisory Service - Learning &Teacher Training - e-learning & mngt info (ElLIM)
- Property and Grounds
Services moving to the Inclusion Service:
Educational Psychology
Portage
Sensory and Physical Services (Hearing Support, Vision Support and the Physical Impairment and Medical Support Teams)
Autism and Communication Support
Learning Support Service (Already LM by the SEND Advisor/Acting Virtual School HT)
Early Years Area SENCOs
Services moving under the Head of Educational Partnerships:
School Improvement
Education as an Additional Language and Ethnic Minority and Traveller support service

18. SSE Structure – proposed from 1 April 2019

19. Services available through SSE
-SAPHTO, SenSE, SASH
-Teaching schools
-RSPB
-The Key -InspirED
-Carefirst
-Future for Somerset
One West
Occupational health
-Educational Psychology
-Autism and Comms,
-Learning Support
-Vision Support
-Hearing Support
-Physical Impairment and Medical Support
-EY SENCO
-Education Safeguarding and Welfare Service
-Admissions and Entitlements
-Primary School Advisors
-Early Years Advisors
-EMA and Travellers
Services delivered by external organisations
Services delivered by SSE services
Services delivered by various SCC services
- Human Resources - Health and Safety - Education Financial Service - Catering, Cleaning and Refuse Advisory Service - E-learning & mngt info (ElLIM)
- Property and Grounds
-Outdoor residential centres
-Duke of Edinburgh -Somerset Music -Resources for Learning -Governor Support
-SCIL – CPD and Teacher Training
-Scientific services
-HR Admin and Payroll
-Acoustic Services
-Insurance
-Legal

20. Benefits of realigned services
Stronger strategic alignment of services
Clearer roles, responsibilities and accountability
Less duplication and more opportunity for LA management efficiencies.
Simple and clearer message re delivery of services funded by LA and DSG.
Stronger focus from SSE on traded services

21. Future Priorities - Financials
Continue strong financial management - budget monitoring, cost control, debt mngt etc
Capital investment in services such as SORLs
Further efficiencies to keep costs and prices of services low:
Optimising the use of new IT equipment and systems
Rationalise accommodation
Continued service reviews
Further development of time recording and resource management systems.

22. Future Priorities - Services
Evidencing positive outcomes from service delivery.
Development of new traded services, previously funded centrally by either LA or DSG.
Continue developing bespoke services – particularly to meet the needs of large academies and MATs.
Development of brokered service arrangements for non-SSE services – SCC services and external providers.

23. Future Priorities - Customers
Development and implementation of Customer Relationship Management system
Feedback from existing customers to ensure services continue to improve and meet their needs.
Widen customer base:
Continue to raise profile of service offerings – develop and increase marketing
Work with education settings outside Somerset.
Work with other LAs in a similar way to North Somerset.

24. SSE Vision
‘improving outcomes for all children and young people by working in partnership with others’ ANY QUESTIONS?