To update Cabinet on the work of the schools task group, and to seek approval to appoint a strategic partner to support the development of a Strategy that will provide an evidence based rationale for change and will form a basis in order to reach informed conclusions about the nature of provision of primary, secondary and post 16 education and the need to add, remove or relocate school places.

The Corporate Director Education and Transformation presented a report, the purpose of which was to update Cabinet on the work of the schools task group, and to seek approval to appoint a strategic partner to support the development of a Strategy that will provide an evidence based rationale for change and will form a basis in order to reach informed conclusions about the nature of provision of primary, secondary and post 16 education and the need to add, remove or relocate school places.

             By way of background information, she confirmed that in August 2014 the Children’s Directorate established the Schools Task Group to consider the way forward for schools within the County Borough and to ensure we continue to plan for and provide a high quality education system for our young people, that gives them the very best opportunities for their lives in the 21^st century and builds upon the excellence and good practice that we already have in our county. The rationale behind this was explained in the report.

            She explained that the the Task Group established a set of principles and criteria to underpin the future of education and learning provision which may be applied to establish a strategy for the next ten years (Appendix A to the report referred).  These were approved by Cabinet on 3^rd March 2015. These criteria provide a framework upon which decisions may be considered and will contribute to the formation of a draft model of schools’ provision prior to full consultation.  It may be that alternative models could be designed for consultation.  The Schools Task Group had taken into account the different dynamics of Bridgend County Borough, ie towns, rural areas, valleys and such like and other issues as they arise. These were also detailed in the report, as was a summary of the findings of each workstream

            The Corporate Director Education and Transformation then gave a brief summary of the findings of each of these workstreams.

 In respect of developing a Strategy, the Corporate Director Education and Transformation explained that the new principles provided a structured approach to aid in consideration of the rationalisation of education provision in Bridgend. The principles and the strategy is an approach that will provide evidence based rationale for change and will form a valuable basis in order to reach informed conclusions about the nature of provision and the need to add, remove or relocate school places.  The approach will support the drive for improved pupil outcomes through the Central South Consortium by securing a more sustainable and effective pattern of provision than exists in all areas of the County Borough at present. The report then outlined the purpose behind the Strategy.

The Deputy Leader advised that a significant amount of work had been committed to this Review, particularly by the Schools Task Group. This work had to be undertaken in order that the quality of education presently being provided for young people within the County Borough could continue into the future ie over the next 10 – 15 years. As there was no capacity by which to undertake this internally, this work had to be carried out by a Strategic partner he added.

As paragraph 4.9 of the report illustrated, the review would consider a range of options as listed within this paragraph. The matter would be the subject of a further report to Cabinet therefore, in due course.

RESOLVED:     That Cabinet

(1)  Approved the sourcing of a Strategic partner to support the development of a Strategy that will provide an evidence based rationale for change, and will form a basis in order to reach informed conclusions about the nature of provision and the need to add, remove or relocate school places.

(2)  Approved the 5 outline areas for inclusion in the specification as set out in paragraph 4.8 of the report

(3)  Approved the review as set out in paragraph 4.9 of the report.