The Corporate Director Education and Family Support reported on a proposal to secure Cabinet’s commitment to the long-term future of the Central South Consortium Joint Education Service. 

He informed Cabinet that the Welsh Government is making significant changes to the delivery of education in Wales and in the autumn of 2018, the five Education Cabinet Members of the Central South Consortium Joint Committee commissioned the ISOS Partnership to undertake an independent review of Central South Consortium to ensure it was fit for purpose and financially viable for the foreseeable future.  He stated that the Joint Committee approved a request that five local authorities share the ISOS report with the Cabinets of the five local authorities to Central South Consortium before the end of February 2020, and that the five Councils consider and restate their commitment to a joint approach to school improvement through Central South Consortium. 

The Corporate Director Education and Family Support informed Cabinet that the ISOS report provides robust evidence that the educational performance of the Central South Region has significantly exceeded that of the other three Welsh regions.  He stated that the majority of the region’s head teachers are positive about the support, advice and guidance provided by the Joint Service.  Given fundamental changes to the educational landscape in Wales against a backdrop of continued funding pressures, it was critical that the service evolves to meet needs in a flexible and sustainable manner.  He stated that the Joint Committee of Education Cabinet Members has been proactive and commissioned the ISOS review to independently evaluate the performance of the Joint Service, identify the areas for improvement and to ensure it is fit for purpose and financially viable for the long term.  He informed Cabinet that in one of the four regions, there has been some uncertainty as to the long-term future of their shared educational advisory services.  He stated that a clear commitment was being sought from each of the five Councils to the long-term future of Central South Consortium and provide schools and Central South Consortium staff with some certainty in a period of significant flux for the education sector in Wales.  There would be significant engagement with headteachers and governors as part of the remodelling of Central South Consortium, and in the delivery of future work programmes.

In response to a question from the Cabinet Wellbeing and Future Generation as to how the schools had been selected to participate in the review of the Central South Consortium, the Corporate Education and Family Support would provide Cabinet with that information.  

RESOLVED:           That based on the fact that an independent review of the work of Central South Consortium has determined the Joint Service will be well placed to deliver school improvement functions effectively, and support schools to manage the major reforms across the region, along with positive feedback received from head teachers at recent Scrutiny sessions, it Cabinet agreed to support the decision of the Central South Consortium Joint         Committee to continue to deliver shared educational advisory services in partnership with the other four Councils in the region for at least the next three years.