Invitees

Deborah McMillan, Corporate Director – Education and Transformation

Cllr Huw David, Deputy Leader

Nicola Echanis, Head of Strategy Commissioning and Partnerships

Sue Roberts, Group Manager – School Improvement

John Fabes, 14-19 Co-ordinator

The Scrutiny Officer introduced an update report on the work of the Schools Task Group in supporting the development and rationalisation of the curriculum and provision of primary, secondary and post 16 education.   

The Corporate Director Education and Transformation informed the Committee that Cabinet at its meeting on 11 July 2006 had received a report of the Overview and Scrutiny process which contained 14 recommendations proposing a strategic review of the provision of primary, secondary and post 16 education and school reorganisation.  She stated that a Schools Task Group had been established to consider falling rolls, a large number of surplus primary and secondary school places, and the number of head teachers reaching retirement age in the near future and financial constraints which had led to a number of schools in a budget deficit situation. 

The Corporate Director Education and Transformation commented that the outcomes for learners had improved above the Welsh average, with 55% of pupils leaving school with 5 GCSEs A* - C grades, however 45% of pupils left without qualifications. 

The Corporate Director Education and Transformation informed the Committee that the Task Group had established six work streams, namely: Analytics; School Modelling; Post 16 Provision; Welsh Medium Provision; Catchment Review and 21^st Century School Modernisation.  It had been identified by the Task Group that each work stream had interdependencies which meant that none of the issues could be tackled in isolation and had led to the development of a strategy.  The purpose of the strategy was to consider decisions relating to the organisation of school places and to deliver a managed programme for change.  Each work stream had recognised the need to bring the work together to develop a coherent strategy, however due to the limited expertise and capacity in house it was proposed that a strategic partner be sourced to contribute to the development of the strategy.  It was expected that the strategic partner will develop an options appraisal paper for presentation to Cabinet. The Corporate Director Education and Transformation highlighted the specification for the review and sought the views of the scrutiny function on what should be in the specification for the review to inform preparation of the review and welcomed the opportunity for Member representation on the Task Group from this Committee.  

The Corporate Director Education and Transformation also highlighted the range of options the will consider, namely:

·         Some secondary schools may not have a sixth form;

·         Some schools may operate within federations;

·         Some schools may become all through schools for the age range of 3-16 or 3-19, and

·         Some schools may not have a non-teaching head. 

A member of the Committee commented that he had previously sat on the Learning Pathway Group which reviewed 14-19 education and had met over a five period with consultants prior to the Group being disbanded.  He expressed concern that a similar group was now being created employing consultants to develop the strategy.  He stated that all governing bodies were against schools operating within federations and that the best model was cluster groups led by secondary schools.  He also stated that to reduce the number of sixth forms at the same time as changing learner transport arrangements to potentially introduce charging was potentially dangerous as it could lead to an increase in the number of NEETs.  The Corporate Director Education and Transformation informed the Committee that the previous Group had concluded its work.  The Corporate Director Education and Transformation also confirmed that post 16 transport had not been cut and would be in place until 2020.  

A member of the Committee questioned how church schools and faith schools would fit in to the strategy and expressed concern that a full Equality Impact Assessment would only be carried out following the formal consultation stage.  Also would children and young people be consulted on the strategy.  The Corporate Director Education and Transformation confirmed there would be representation from the Diocese on the Group.  Although the review was in its early stages there would also be engagement with children and young people and that the rights of child are an important component.  

The Deputy Leader informed the Committee that one of the advantages of having sixth forms is that it saved on not having to bus pupils across the County Borough which is diverse.  He stated that it was not all about the cost of class provision but also about the cost of transport.  He also stated that 20% of pupils undertake their studies in more than one centre.  The model of charging pupils and travelling in order to undertake their studies was not sustainable but there was a need to weigh up the cost of travel. 

The Committee expressed concern at the sustainability of sixth form education in schools as tertiary education was not viable in this area however the tertiary model is the favoured approach of the Welsh Government.  The Committee considered that head teachers would favour retaining sixth forms as it would also help in the retention of teachers who want to teach sixth form classes.  Concern was expressed that the Group did not come up with any proposals after a year’s worth of consultation.  The Corporate Director Education and Transformation informed the Committee that each work stream had come up with a series of recommendations but did not want to put them in the public domain as yet.  A member of the Committee commented that following consultation 9 head teachers believed that the current model of post 16 education was not sustainable and that the Welsh Government was considering developing a sixth form centre.  The Head of Strategy Commissioning and Partnerships commented that the head teachers had agreed that the existing model of post 16 education was not viable.  She stated that significant cuts were anticipated to the 16-19 education budget and that work was being undertaken with head teachers on longer term solutions which may encompass a mixed tertiary model.

The Committee requested more detail on the views of senior management on the proposals for post 16 education.  The Deputy Leader informed the Committee that the proposals were at present sensitive and he gave an assurance that a great deal of work was being undertaken and it had been a productive process with there being tangible outcomes.  There was a need to develop provision at the Kenfig Hill site and there would be an options report presented to Cabinet. 

A member of the Committee stated there were at present 300 pupils in the sixth form in the Llynfi Valley and expressed concern at the impact this would have on the futures of pupils if sixth form provision was removed from schools.                                                                                 

The Committee questioned the number of surplus nursery places at the newly opened Coety Primary School and whether the surplus places would influence the closure of other schools in the locality.  The Deputy Leader commented that the Welsh Government was focused on surplus places at the expense of future provision.  He stated that the Parc Derwen when complete would comprise 1,400 properties and there would then be no surplus places at Coety Primary.  He also stated there were no plans to close Litchard Primary which had seen an investment of £3m in refurbishing facilities at that school. 

The Committee requested more detail on school modelling which affects pupil outcomes and work streams and the timescale for developing the strategy and the reasons why Bridgend College is part funding the strategy.  The Corporate Director Education and Transformation informed the Committee that the strategic partner would not drive the review; their role is to provide technical advice and expertise which needed to be procured.  The strategic review would be carried out by the Council.  In terms of the timescale, the draft specification would be considered by the School Modernisation Board and the Safer Communities Board.  Once the specification had been written a strategic partner would be procured.  The Welsh Government would pay for the costs.  It was intended to start the review in February 2016 with an options paper being presented to Cabinet in mid-2016.  A final decision would then be made in 2017-18.  The Corporate Director Education and Transformation commented that the College was working with the Council but was not contributing financially to the strategy. 

A member of the Committee referred to three schools in the Garw Valley having an open door policy on federations and that the big issues on school modelling are change management, performance management and people.  This had resulted in a Memorandum of Understanding being put together by the three head teachers.  The Committee how the Garw Valley project could fit in and how it can benefit from the strategic review.  The Head of Strategy Commissioning and Partnerships informed the Committee that the model developed in the Garw Valley is the exact model that is needed to be adopted which could be replicated elsewhere.  A member of the Committee stated that flexibility was needed as the Council could not carry on as at present.  Concern was expressed at the data analytics and inward migration needed to be taken into account.  The Corporate Director Education and Transformation informed the Committee that an officer in her Directorate possessed excellent data analysis skills and who was able to accurately predict future birth rates and where housing development would take place.  She offered to meet the member with the officer responsible for analysis. 

A member of the Committee questioned the reason for the surplus places at Coleg y Dderwen.  The Deputy Leader informed the Committee that 2,000 new properties are to be built in the gateway to the valleys area and three feeder primary schools are full to capacity.  The Head of Strategy Commissioning and Partnerships informed the Committee that the calculations for Coleg y Dderwen had been inaccurate and should have been done on the basis of 10% capacity.

The invitees were thanked for their contributions. 

Conclusions   

1.      Members acknowledged the sensitivities around the subject, however expressed disappointment at the lack of detail contained in the report in relation to the information gathered by the work streams such as, for example, the benefits and drawbacks of Federations which would have helped them better understand the work being undertaken.

2.    The Committee commented that any proposals must clearly consider the geographics of the County Borough due to the view that closing some sixth forms could potentially have significant implications for pupils and their continuing in education and therefore a resulting increase in the number of NEETs.  Members stressed that there must be suitable access to Post-16 education across the County Borough and agreed that this would be a point for detailed consideration by the Committee at future meetings.

3.    In relation to the Consultation process, the Committee stressed that a Quality Impact Assessment needed to be carried out at an early stage to inform the consultation in order that it can effectively contribute to the process.

4.    The Committee also stressed the importance of the views of children and young people in the consultation process, with the rights of the child in mind.

5.    The Committee supported the proposal put forward by the Deputy Leader that the work of the Schools Task Group and its workstreams, along with future work around eth development of the Strategy, be cascaded down to School Governing Bodies and staff to ensure that they are kept informed of progress.

6.    Members requested that they received feedback as soon as possible on who the Strategic Partner will be and asked that they be invited to any future meetings on this subject item.

7.    Members welcomed the opportunity offered to them to meet with the Director and consider the comprehensive reports behind each workstream to better understand the information and have confidence in the findings thus far.  Members agreed that they would individually contact the Director for this should they wish to follow this up.

8.    The Committee welcomed the opportunity to have its own representatives on the Working Party tasked with developing the Strategy for future education provision in the County Borough.  Members nominated Cllr G. Phillips and Cllr DK. Edwards to be the Committee’s representatives and provide feedback at future meetings.