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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 5, Guildhall, Swansea. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services - 636923 

Items
No. Item

41.

Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests.

Minutes:

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

42.

Minutes. pdf icon PDF 125 KB

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

Minutes:

Resolved that the Minutes of the Education & Skills Policy Development Committee held on 13 March 2019 be agreed as a correct record.

43.

Pupil Development Grant. (Draft Cabinet Report) pdf icon PDF 136 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair presented the draft report to Cabinet from the PDC relating to recommendations around the future use of the Pupil Development Grant in schools.

 

He thanked Helen Morgan-Rees for her work in collating the information discussed by the PDC during their meetings over the past months and for drafting the report to Cabinet.

 

He verbally outlined several minor amendments to the reports that he would like incorporated into the final report. He would confirm the relevant amendments in writing with Officers following the meeting.

 

The Committee supported the amendments suggested by the Chair.

 

Resolved that the report with the amendments outlined by the Chair be approved and referred to Cabinet on 15 May 2019.

 

 

44.

New Curriculum. (Verbal)

Minutes:

Helen Morgan-Rees gave a powerpoint presentation to the PDC relating to information that had been provided by Welsh Government on “Preparing for the New Curriculum”.

 

She outlined a copy of the presentation would be circulated to Members following the meeting.

 

She indicated that the new curriculum is part of a ten year rolling programme, which is currently halfway through and still 2 years away from actual implementation.

 

As part of the detailed and informative presentation, the following topic areas were outlined and discussed:

·       Mains aims of the new curriculum;

·       Reasons behind the changes – current curriculum been in place since 1988/89 and is very prescribed;

·       Key recommendations from “Successful Futures” – will now be purpose not content driven and will be have an emphasis on achievement not attainment, with 12 key pedagogical approaches;

·       4 main purposes to support children & young people going forward;

·       Definition of new curriculum;

·       Support for new curriculum – new national approach to professional learning, new evaluation & improvement procedures;

·       Purpose led curriculum and continuation of learning from primary into secondary;

·       Knowledge and skills- no bias going forward;

·       5 new ideas about the curriculum – purpose, process, progression, pedagogy & professional learning;

·       Main new components – cross curricular responsibilities, wider skill perspective and school level curriculum;

·       6 main areas of new learning – Expressive Arts, Humanities, Health & Well-being, Science & Technology, Mathematics & Numeracy and Languages, Literacy & Communication.

·       What matters statements;

·       New achievement outcomes & assessment procedures;

·       Revised national approach to professional learning to be introduced from Autumn 2019.

 

She indicated that information on the new curriculum would be circulated to all schools after the easter break for consultation. The consultation period would last until July.

 

She also detailed the new peer review pilot scheme to be introduced in September for schools which will have Challenge Advisers to assist, the new roadmap being provided to primary schools by Estyn and the revised Estyn inspection arrangements in place going forward.

 

A suggestion to develop and better utilise the links with colleagues in the “further education” sector was made relating to the peer review groups.  The Officer welcomed this and indicated she would further discuss with colleagues and report back in the future.

 

Members discussed the topics covered during the presentation and made comments about and asked questions of the Officer, who responded accordingly, particularly around the following subject areas:

More freedom for schools to teach new/alternative subjects, the need for schools/teachers/pupils all to change their approach and attitudes to learning, need for appropriate support to be given to teachers with additional training etc, possibility of viewing/collating the responses to the consultation exercise from Swansea schools.

 

Members agreed to continue look at the issue of the new curriculum and its implications in the forthcoming municipal year.

45.

Workplan 2018/2019. pdf icon PDF 100 KB

Minutes:

The Chair following on from Minute 44 above, referred to the recent circulation of information relating to Pioneer Schools in Swansea. He referred to previous discussions that the PDC had undertaken relating to these schools and outlined the need to meet with and seek the views from both these and non pioneer schools going forward.

 

Helen Morgan-Rees also suggested that the views of both UCA and SCASH networks be sought on the new curriculum.

 

She also reported that further to the discussions at the previous meeting, representatives from local businesses had been appointed to the Skills Partnership Group.

 

Resolved that both pioneer and non pioneer schools be invited to attend meetings in the new municipal year, and the views of the cluster groups be sought and reported back when available.