Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

Cllr Susan Jones, personal interest item 5/6

It was agreed that Cllr Mo Sykes will continue as Convener and that Cllr Lyndon Jones will act at Vice Convener for the Panel.

Notes and Conveners letters from Panel meeting on 15 March 2018

Conveners letter and notes were received by the Panel.

Nick Williams, Chief Education Officer

The panel met with Helen Morgan Rees, Head of Achievement and Partnership Service to discuss the current issues affecting education.

The following points were discussed:

·         The vision Every child and young person will be able to develop their potential

·         The links with the corporate plan and key priorities

·         The education departments priorities 2017/18

·         Those issues that are on the forward look with particular reference to the following key issues:

―   New standards for teacher and leaders that will come into force in September 2018 and the implications for schools

―   Alternative Learning Needs Reform and implications of new legislation

―   Draft new curriculum

―   Development of a wellbeing and behaviour strategy

―   Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) developments

·         The panel also discussed:

―   Home schooling and the registration of home schooled children

―   21^st Century School Programme

―   English as an additional Language service (EAL), the panel heard that reduction in grant from welsh government will have big impact on this service. Currently the education department are consulting on the implications and way forward.  The Panel asked for more information on the timeline of this decision and would like to include it in their work programme for the coming year, possibly as a pre decision scrutiny item.

―   Teacher training/professional development for existing teachers

―   Headteacher induction programme and the senior leader and aspiring leaders development

―   Local Government Reform and implications for how we do things

―   Data Protections Act and schools

―   After school clubs and homework clubs.  The panel would like to schedule to look at this in their work programme.

·         The financial and savings targets for education over next 3 years.

·         Abertawe 2025, what we want to see for our children and young people, the expectations, goals, aims, objectives, rights and priorities.

·         What is needed for children and young people to get the best outcomes:

―   The right curriculum

―   The right support for learners

―   The right leaders

―   The right workforce

―   The right environment

The Panel considered the following questions about their scrutiny over the past year

1.    What has gone well

2.    What has not gone so well

3.    Has the panels works programme focussed on the right things

4.    What have we learned that will help us with future education scrutiny

From this members of the panels said:

·         Good to speak to a selection of different schools

·         Would like to go out to school a bit more this year

·         Good to see red/amber schools but would also be useful to speak to Green schools and how they sustain that level

·         Would like to see ERW, how we stretch most able pupils, after schools clubs and Welsh Language built in to work programme

The panel then discussed their work programme for the coming year, agreeing to include the following issues:

·         Public questions a selection of panels

·         Science in Schools in Swansea

·         Sessions with schools including

―   Site visit to Green primary school doing well in the area of Foundation Phase

―   2 Amber schools

―   Visit Morriston Primary School to see improvement embedded following session with them in Feb 17

·         Progress with Education Other Than At School Improvements

·         New Wellbeing and Behaviour Strategy

·         Looked After Children educational outcomes

·         Pupil deprivation grant spend to support vulnerable pupils

·         ERW Business Plan and progress with priorities both regional and local

·         Schools Improvement Service annual performance update

·         Annual Education Performance Data (incl. verified data) and latest school categorisation

·         Readiness for Schools Scrutiny Inquiry outstanding recommendations follow up

·         Scrutiny of Annual Budget as it relates to education

·         New standards for teachers and school leaders – implications and progress

·         Draft New Curriculum (panel agreed to have a development session on this issue)

·         ALN Reform implications and preparation

·         Pre-decision Scrutiny of ALN Commission review outcomes

·         Changes to EAL service (possible pre decision scrutiny)

·         Availability of after school/homework clubs

The scrutiny officer will put together a work programme covering this issues for the next meeting of the Panel on 7 June.

Recent Estyn Inspections published for individual schools

The Panel received information on the School Estyn Inspections published since their last meeting in March.