To receive apologies for absence from Members.

Apologies for absence were received from the following:-

Councillor L M Walters

Councillor S K Dendy

Councillor R J Collins

N Echanis - Head of Education and Early Help

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including whipping declarations)

Councillor TH Beedle declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report as he is the Chair of the Bridgend Governors Association. 

Councillor J-P B Blundell declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report as a governor of Cefn Glas Infants School. 

Councillor PA Davies declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report as a governor of Bryntirion Infants and Junior School. 

Rev Canon E Evans declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report as he is a governor of Bryntirion Comprehensive School.

Councillor J Gebbie declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report as a governor of both Mynydd Cynffig and Pil Primary Schools.

Councillor M Jones declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report as a governor of Bettws Primary School. 

Councillor B Sedgebeer declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report as a governor of Pencoed Comprehensive School and Croesty Primary School. 

Councillor R Stirman declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report as a governor of both Tynyrheol and Bettws Primary Schools. 

Councillor K Watts declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report as a governor of Newton Primary School. 

Councillor C Webster declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report she has a child in Secondary education in the County Borough. 

Councillor A Williams declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report as a governor of Pencoed Comprehensive.

Councillor AJ Williams declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 – LA Estyn Report as a governor of Coety Primary School and she has a child who attends Brynteg Comprehensive School.

To receive for approval the minutes of the meeting of 03/06/2019

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of a meeting of Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 dated 3 June 2019 be approved as a true and accurate record.

Invitees

Lindsay Harvey – Corporate Director – Education and Family Support;

Cllr Charles Smith – Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration;

Nicola Echanis – Head of Education and Early Help;

Andy Rothwell – CSC Senior Challenge Advisor;

Andrew Williams – Acting Assistant Director CSC   

The Corporate Director Education and Family Support thanked Scrutiny Members, and explained that he was not going to read through the full report as this had been presented to members in June. He did however report that the inspection was carried out by Estyn in March 2019, under the new Local Government Education Inspection Framework.  Inspectors from the Wales Audit Office and Care Inspectorate Wales were part of the inspection team.  A wide range of stakeholders were involved in the inspection, which included elected Members, officers, head teachers, learners and members of the public.  He further highlighted that he felt comforted that work that we are doing is effective.  He then went on to confirm that the authority was due to provide the PIAP by 31^st August and acknowledged the input that Scrutiny would have in shaping the PIAP and was keen to answer any questions.  The committee noted that there are 4 key recommendations made by Estyn and, along with the Central South Consortium, they had identified 14 within the sub plan.

A member questioned the timeliness of the PIAP, and highlighted that this was an opportunity for scrutiny to be part of that action plan.

A member explained that this was a good report, but highlighted that the report noted that weak teaching was taking too long to improve.  The member asked for clarification on what is weak teaching, what was the difference between sub-standard and weak teaching and how long should a weak teacher be given before it affects a class or cohort. The Corporate Director Education and Family Support highlighted that they had been really proactive, having regular visits, but highlighted that this takes some months to do but acknowledged that learners should not be disadvantaged and there needed to be support in place from day one.  He explained that where we have criticised teachers, they have taken that criticism on board and that satisfactory progress had been made in these cases, seeing teaching improved but that there was not necessarily a prescribed time for improvement. The CSC Senior Challenge Advisor was mindful of the development of staff, and that there is a duty of care to see progress post inspection but that this was done in a supportive way in partnership between the LA and CSC.

A member enquired at which point CSC go into a school and what work is being done to stop green schools sliding?  The Acting Assistant Director CSC explained that green schools were given 4 days support, however that had changed to a more agile approach so that issues can be spotted and dealt with from the outset. The CSC Senior Challenge Advisor advised the importance of conducting a learning walk and highlighted the example within the Estyn report where a learning walk conducted by a challenge adviser identified the need to improve teaching in a foundation phase. As a result, school leaders focused well on this area and brought about improvements in a timely manner. The Cabinet Member  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report, which provided an update on the above.

The committee noted the responses to the findings and recommendations and acknowledged that this item would come to full scrutiny in October 2019.

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report, which provided an update on the feedback from the previous meetings of the SO&SC 1 held on the 29 April and 3 June. 

The committee noted the responses and allocated a RAG status to the feedback.

The Scrutiny Officer presented the Forward Work Programme and informed the Committee that following a meeting of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee the Committee would consider reports on Post 16 Education and Plasnewydd Primary School at its next two meetings.

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

Several members raised concerns in regards to the timings of meetings. The Scrutiny Officer agreed to raise this with the Democratic Services Manager. Registered Representatives expressed their disappointment at not being invited to the Scrutiny Pre-meeting.  The Scrutiny Officer apologised to the Registered Representatives for not including them in the email to Members and agreed to provide confirmation going forward of timings for the next few meetings of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1.