Latest news with #SheffieldCityCouncil
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
'Urgent' action needed over Sheffield school exclusions
The rate of pupil exclusions from schools in Sheffield has risen sharply and has "consistently exceeded" the national average in recent years, a report has than one in every 1,660 pupils in the city's schools was permanently excluded in 2024, according to statistics revealed in the report to be considered by Mansergh, the report's author, said the figures suggested "deeper, systemic challenges not seen to the same extent elsewhere".Mr Mansergh, access and inclusion lead at Sheffield City Council, called for "urgent, coordinated action" to address exclusion rates, which had increased across pupil groups since 2022. The rate of permanent exclusions in England in the 2023-24 spring term was 0.04 per 100 pupils, equivalent to one in every 2,500 pupils, compared to 0.06 exclusions per 100 pupils in Sheffield in the same period.A report to be seen by members of Sheffield City Council's education, children and families policy committee next week stated that 190 exclusions had been recorded in Sheffield so far this to the figures, 160 of those pupils were at secondary schools, 25 were at primary schools and five were at schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).The report stated that children from disadvantaged backgrounds, with SEND, or from ethnic minority communities were over-represented in exclusion figures. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, councillors would be told that an exclusions strategy had been drafted and would be developed alongside the Learn Sheffield partnership and other children's Sheffield Inclusion Centre had already increased its capacity to deliver education for excluded children, while exclusion data would also be monitored in order to identify risks quicker and make more targeted interventions. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Children face 'unacceptable waits' for SEND referral
Children are facing "unacceptably long" waits for neurodiversity services after the number of referrals increased threefold in five years in Sheffield, according to a new report. Meredith Dixon-Teasdale, Sheffield City Council's strategic director of children's services, said an overhaul of the existing system was needed to enable services to cope with the rising demand. According to the report neurodevelopment referrals have grown from approximately 1,500 in 2019-20 to 4,600 in the past 12 months. The issue is due to be discussed by members of the council's education, children and families policy committee on 10 June. Ms Dixon-Teasdale said: "There is a shared view our children, young people and families are waiting for an unacceptably long time and service models that no longer meet need. "There is a shared view we need to work together to develop a radically different model of care and support across the city." She said improvement work had been taking place for three years with fortnightly city-wide meetings of directors from key organisations taking place since last summer. Learn Sheffield is also leading the development of a SEND Manifesto for the city, she said. Ms Dixon-Teasdale said the education committee will get an update of the work taking place in September. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North Increase in wait times for SEND support plans New SEND school planned for firm's ex-HQ Special needs transport costs go £7m over budget Sheffield council
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Children in Sheffield face 'unacceptable waits' for SEND referral
Children are facing "unacceptably long" waits for neurodiversity services after the number of referrals increased threefold in five years in Sheffield, according to a new Dixon-Teasdale, Sheffield City Council's strategic director of children's services, said an overhaul of the existing system was needed to enable services to cope with the rising to the report neurodevelopment referrals have grown from approximately 1,500 in 2019-20 to 4,600 in the past 12 issue is due to be discussed by members of the council's education, children and families policy committee on 10 June. Ms Dixon-Teasdale said: "There is a shared view our children, young people and families are waiting for an unacceptably long time and service models that no longer meet need. "There is a shared view we need to work together to develop a radically different model of care and support across the city."She said improvement work had been taking place for three years with fortnightly city-wide meetings of directors from key organisations taking place since last summer. Learn Sheffield is also leading the development of a SEND Manifesto for the city, she Dixon-Teasdale said the education committee will get an update of the work taking place in September. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
BBC News
18-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Plans to convert house in Stocksbridge into nursery rejected
A proposal to convert a house into a pre-school nursery in Sheffield has been plan would have seen an end-of-terrace house on Smith Road in Stocksbridge transformed into a two-storey nursery for a maximum of 22 applicant had said they wanted to create the nursery to cater for children from birth to four years old because "at present there are no nurseries within the Garden Village area of Stocksbridge".However, Sheffield City Council planning officers rejected the plans on several grounds, including its impact on neighbours, harm to the character of the area, parking and loss of biodiversity. 'Increased demand' The proposal was for the nursery to care for the children over two floors of the property, along with four staff members.A two-storey side extension and a single-storey rear extension were also planned "in order to cater for the proposed number of children", according to the their submission to the authority, the applicant had also stated that plans for the nursery should go ahead because, from September, additional government funding would be made available for working parents with children aged nine months and up, to receive 30 hours of nursery provision."As a result, the demand for nursery places will increase," they said."Stocksbridge is also undergoing an expansion in the provision of houses with planning applications being recently approved."According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a total of seven letters of objection were submitted to Sheffield City Council by people living close to the raised issues with the development, including access, inadequate space for 22 children, traffic and parking.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Sheffield's youngest councillor has been suspended
The youngest member of a city council has been suspended by the Liberal Democrats after a formal complaint was made to the party's national Marshall became the youngest person serving on Sheffield City Council when he was elected to represent the Woodhouse ward in a by election in November at the age of Alston, chair of the Sheffield Liberal Democrats, confirmed the group had been told Marshall was the subject of a complaint received by party HQ and, as a result, he had been "suspended from the party and from the Liberal Democrat group, pending the outcome of an investigation".The nature of the complaint has not been disclosed. Marshall has been approached for comment. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Marshall would continue to sit on Sheffield City Council as an Independent while the matter was investigated. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
