Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosureofinterests

In accordance with the code of conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interest was declared:

Councillor R V Smith – Personal – Minute No.33 – My employer is involved with the Education Endowment Fund project.

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 Committee held on 112 December 2018 be agreed as a correct record.

Dylan Williams, Leader of Learning for the Pupil Development Grant (PDG) in ERW gave an overview presentation to the Committee on the barriers to learning and links to the PDG.

Included in the presentation were the following areas:

·       His regional role;

·       Close working relationship with Welsh Government, Consortia PDG leads, Local Authority PDG lead and Challenge Advisors;

·       Research carried out at local, national & international levels;

·       Support for schools to plan, monitor and evaluate their PDG spend;

·       Challenge and monitoring of schools;

·       PDG eligibility – Disadvantage v Vulnerability issues and influences;

·       Barriers to Learning – reduced funding to schools, health & well-being, parental support, guidance & support in schools, mental health issues, ACEs, poverty;

·       School to school peer reviews, pilot schemes, sharing good practice, research & reviews, training;

·       PDG mitigation – whole school approach, Welsh Government guidance on PDG spend, developing resilience, anti-bullying initiatives, nurturing schemes, restorative practice, importance of attendance;

·       Impact of new curriculum;

·       PDG Post 2019 – funding amounts been set for next 2 years, good practice around the pupil premium review in England and possibility of pilot schemes being introduced in Wales, is there a need to review and reinvigorate the PDG, use of templates in schools and need to update these, future training.

Members and Officer asked various questions of Dylan around the topics and areas raised during his presentation, he responded accordingly.

Further to the issues raised by Dylan above, the following areas and issues were discussed by Members and Officers:

·       Recent event held with 3 Swansea schools/Welsh Government & ERW;

·       Need to nurture and encourage the more able & talented young people who fall under the disadvantaged/vulnerable categories;

·       Impact of additional out of school “paid for” tuition on achievements, and steps being taken by schools to provide additional learning opportunities outside core hours for all pupils;

·       Sharing of best practice ideas already in place at local and regional level;

·       Availability of good academic research via Education Endowment Fund;

·       Welsh Government self-evaluation proposals;

·       Progress of vulnerable learners;

·       Recent report on the review of PDG undertaken by challenge advisors

The Chair outlined the following areas as items for further discussion at the next meeting:

·       Directory of Practice;

·       School to School Peer Reviews;

·       Templates;

·       Challenge advisors report:

`The Chair outlined the Workplan for the Committee for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2018/2019.

He asked for an update on the 14-19 Skills Cabinet report to be provided to a future meeting.

He indicated that the committee may wish to look at the implications of the new curriculum going forward.

Resolved that the Workplan as shown in the report with the amendments outlined above and in Minute 33 be noted.