To receive for approval the minutes of the meeting of 10 10 2022 and 19 01 2023

RESOLVED:                  That the Minutes of the meetings of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 dated 10 of October 2022 and 19 January 2023 be approved as a true and accurate record.

Invitees:

Councillor Jon-Paul Blundell – Cabinet Member Education

Lindsay Harvey - Corporate Director – Education and Family Support

Susan Roberts – Group Manager School Support

Michelle Hatcher – Group Manager Inclusion and School Improvement

Gaynor Thomas – School Programme Manager

Robin Davies – Group Manager, Business Support

Mark Lewis - Group Manager - Family Support

Clara Seery - Managing Director - Central South Consortium

Natalie Gould – Assistant Director for Curriculum and Professional Learning

Darren Jones – Principal Improvement Manager – Central South Consortium

Nicole Goggin-Jones – Headteacher, Nantyfyllon Primary School

Mike Street – Headteacher, Penyfai Church in Wales Primary School

Ravi Pawar – Headteacher, Bryntirion Comprehensive School and Chair of BASH

The Corporate Director, Education and Family Support presented the report, the purpose of which was to provide the Committee with an opportunity to view and comment on the draft Education and Family Support Directorate Strategic Plan 2023-2026.

The Chairperson thanked the Corporate Director, Education and Family Support and Invitees and Members discussed the following:

·        The 15 strategic themes identified that underpin the three-year strategic plan, discussing:

-        The narratives of those themes

-        The success indicators: how they were measured accurately, and processes standardised for schools

-        The detail in the plan and how themes where achieved, and support increased

-        The understanding of the new curriculum

-        Collated data for comparison

-        Training of Officers

·        Pupil attendance, absence levels, the ownership of attendance and the responsibility.

·        School Governors statutory training modules and additional training available and whether more training should be mandatory.

·        Backlog of maintenance work in some older school buildings, increases in utility bills and what support was available.

·        Uplift in proficiency in the Welsh language among younger people and adults, the consideration of the introduction of Welsh medium catchment areas, the Local Authority’s aspiration to drive up the number of learners in their Welsh medium schools and the provision of home to school transport. 

·        RAYG self-evaluation guidelines and how the status of each theme could improve over the course of the strategic plan’s timeframe.

·        The demand for counselling services for children and parents and the waiting times, expert support for these learners and the map and gap analysis undertaken to see what support was offered and identify any gaps.

The Chairperson advised that there were no further questions for the Invitees, thanked the Invitees for their attendance and, advised that they may leave the meeting.

RESOLVED:            Following detailed consideration and discussions with Cabinet Members and Officers, the Committee made the following Recommendations:

1.    Members expressed concern regarding the retention of school staff and their wellbeing. They discussed the importance of the support pupils received for their wellbeing and felt that staff wellbeing should be of equal priority. Members recommended that the narrative regarding the support for staff in T1 Pupil and staff wellbeing be strengthened to reflect this.

2.     During discussions regarding pupil attendance and levels of absence, Members requested a breakdown of the reasons for and the numbers of absence and recommended that these be included in the Plan.

3.     Members considered the success indicators relating to T2 Support for pupil behaviour, attendance, and exclusions and highlighted that assessing progress towards the achievement of the objective ‘a reduction in fixed term and permanent exclusions’ would only be meaningful if all schools were following the School Attendance Policy to ensure consistency. Members recommended there be a standardised Exclusion Policy referenced in the Plan to ensure assurance in the data provided and accurate measurement of the improvements.

4.     Members recommended that there be more granular detail in the Plan on how the ambition for completion of the statutory training modules by School Governors could be measured annually  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

TheScrutiny Officer presented the report which requested the Committee to nominate one Member as its Corporate Parenting Champion to represent the Committee as an invitee to meetings of the Cabinet Committee Corporate Parenting.

The Chairperson invited nominations, following which it was

RESOLVED:        That Councillor Richard Collins be nominated to represent

                             Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 as an Invitee

                             to meetings of the Cabinet Committee Corporate

                             Parenting.

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.

None.