Agenda and minutes

In accordance with the code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

To approve & sign the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Education & Skills Policy Development & Delivery Committee held on 25 May be approved as a correct record.

To drive the development of the Council’s Education and Skills Corporate Policies for consideration and adoption by Cabinet and or Council as appropriate.

Note: PD&D Committees may co-opt others on to the Committee either for a

topic or for a term if the Committee consider that will assist their role.”

The Chair outlined the Terms of Reference for the Committee for information.

Chris Sivers, Director of People outlined to Members the background and rationale behind the introduction of the Policy Development & Delivery Committees (PDDC’s).

She indicated that the intention is they will focus on policy development and assurance of delivery, primarily through the Councils Policy Commitments, which are due to be adopted at Council on 27 July 2017. The aim is that the Committees will become a conduit for Members and Officers to work collectively, with a clear Member led approach towards the delivery of the Corporate Priorities.

She detailed the distinct difference between the PDDC’s and Scrutiny, and outlined how they are different to the previous CAC’s as the will be led by the Corporate Priorities via the Chair and not the Cabinet Member, although close links will of course remain with the Cabinet process and Cabinet Member.

The PDDC’s should aim to provide clear outcomes following the submission of research, evidence and information, and should seek to avoid any duplication of workload with the other 4 PDDC’s, although joint working could be necessary on some topic areas.

The Chair re-iterated that the Committee will be able to further discuss and formalise its Work Programme following the adoption of the Corporate Priorities at Council on 27 July 2017.

He indicated he had invited the Chief Education Officer to attend and give the Committee some background information and a brief overview of the Key Performance Indicator Areas for Education.

Nick Williams, Chief Education Officer then detailed, outlined and referred to the following areas:

·       National Performance Indicators – 7, 11, 14 & 16 (Foundation Phase, key stage 2, key stage 3 and key stage 4 –GCSEs )

·       Post 16

·       National reading and numeracy tests

·       Attendance monitoring

·       Exclusion monitoring

·       Need to equip young people with the necessary skills to leave school/college and enter employment

·       Impact of the Donaldson review

·       Pioneer schools

·       Entrepreneur schemes success

·       Sharing of good practice amongst schools

·       Impact of City Deal

·       Need to ensure enough Teacher Training provision is provided going forward

·       Continuation/Expansion of current excellent “integration” being carried out

Members discussed the areas above, and asked questions of the Officers who responded accordingly.

The Chair indicated that it would be beneficial for the Committee to receive a overview briefing on the City Deal and its implications for the Education Service going forward at the next meeting, before a wider debate could take place on the Workplan items at the September meeting.

RESOLVED that

1)      an overview presentation on the City Deal be presented to the August meeting.

2)      a further discussion on future Workplan items be undertaken at the September meeting.