Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosureofinterests

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

To approve and sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Resolved that the minutes of the Education & Skills Policy Development & Delivery Committee held on 9 August 2017 be approved as a correct record.

·       Role of the Local Authority

·       Role of ERW

·       Estyn

·       Learning City

·       New Curriculum

The Chief Education Officer and the Head of Education Improvement Swansea/Neath Port Talbot Hub gave a comprehensive and informative overview presentation to the Committee on the outline and background to the current Education landscape in Swansea.

As part of the presentation, they outlined and referred to the following subject areas:

·       General Role of the Local Authority: To promote education standards, the development of young people and higher outcomes, planning of school places, school financing;

·       Local Authority General Responsibilities: Governed mainly by Education Act 1996;

·       Local Authority General Responsibilities: Requirement to provide sufficient schools, power in respect of Post 16 education and special educational needs provision;

·       Breakdown of Role of the Local Authority: School places, Foundation Phase, EOTAS – current provision and new proposals, new Additional Learning Bill and its major implications for the Local Authority and Schools post 2019, School Transport, Exclusions, Curriculum Assessment, Religious Education & School Meals;

·        Breakdown of Role of the Local Authority: School Finance, Appointment & Training of School Governors, School Sites & Buildings, Inspection/Intervention  role, Staffing, Various Statutory Duties;

·       Statutory Role of the Chief Education Officer: Governed by Education Act 1996, responsibility for Schools & Education, Intervention Powers;

·       Role of ERW: Regional School Improvement Service, Digital Learning leaders, Curriculum for Wales, Support and Challenge to Schools;

·       Well-being Objectives: 5 priorities – Safeguarding, Improving Education & Skills, Transforming Economy & Infrastructure, Tackling Poverty & Transformation & Future Council, City Deal Implications and potential local skills shortage and the need to ensure the better promotion of and encouragement for young people to take up apprentice course, non-vocational courses etc in order that the economic needs of the City going forward are met, Emotional Support for Pupils;

·       Curriculum for Wales/Curriculum for Life: New regime where digital competency will be given the same status as Numeracy and Literacy, Emphasis on Digital Learning and Skills Application, Real Life Context and Partnership Working;

·       Role of Estyn: Inspection, reviewing and challenging role to schools, thematic reviews and reports on STEM subjects.

The Committee discussed the issues raised and highlighted by Officers above, and asked series of questions centred around the following topic areas, Officers responded accordingly: -

·       City Deal implications and urgent need to address current skills shortage locally;

·       Promotion and expansion of Digital Competency and Computer Science teaching and courses in schools is crucial;

·       Need to expand and encourage “digital” courses for adult learners;

·       Need to update initial teacher training, particularly with regard to Computer Science as a matter of urgency(Trinity St David’s University to be invited to a future meeting to discuss the issue);

·       Need for additional digital/computer training and upskilling for current teachers, and potential for a “digital champion” in each school;

·       Need for teachers in schools to share their “digital” expertise with their colleagues;

·       Good practice and ideas need to be shared amongst schools;

·       Need to develop a short City Deal video presentation to be shown at parent evenings in schools, to encourage and promote to both young people and parents, the good job/career prospects arising from entering into apprenticeships schemes and vocational courses to obtain “trade” qualifications;

·       Pioneer school feedback and experiences will need to be shared with other schools;

·       Potential impact of the new Curriculum for Life, where Digital competence will be given the same standing as Numeracy and Literacy;

·       Current shortage of teachers across Wales both in post and in training(information on numbers in Swansea to be supplied to Members);

·       Need to further development and expand the current links between schools and local businesses/industry.

The Chair thanked the officers for their informative presentation.

Resolved that the presentation be noted.

The Chair outlined the Workplan for the Committee for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2017/2018.

Resolved that the Work plan as outlined be noted, with the addition of an invite to Trinity St David’s University to a future meeting to discuss Teacher Training provision, particularly the Digital/Computer Science aspect of the training.