Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

None

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(s) as a correct record.

Approved

Resolved that the Minutes of the Education & Skills Service Transformation Committees held on 17 April and 16 May 2024 be approved and signed as correct records.  

 

For Information

The Chair referred to the circulated Terms of Reference for the Service Transformation Committees, which were provided ‘for information’.

Approved

The Chair stated that he had met with the Cabinet Member and Director and had a discussion regarding a draft committee work plan for 2024/25 and referred to the potential following items as topics for consideration during the coming municipal year – Learner Progress and the development of a set of ‘Swansea Principles’ and Supporting Positive Behaviour in Schools.

 

The Cabinet Member supported the two topics and referred to the link between attendance and behaviour, the impact of the new Curriculum for Wales and Welsh Government policies in Swansea and outlined that the committee should focus on improving outcomes for young people across the city.

 

David Thomas provided committee with a verbal presentation relating to the potential development of a series of ‘Swansea Principles’. Included in the presentation were the following areas:

·       accountability and the process to confirm evaluation and progress is happening at school level,

·       accountability system should support school improvement activities not drive them,

·       accountability systems should be able to identify and rectify problems at an early stage,

·       role of the governing body in schools is key issue, all schools are different so help and support can take different forms,

·       local and regional scrutiny arrangements are in place and cross Wales input from Estyn and the procedures in place to support schools,

·       evaluating pupil progress through assessment,

·       allowing young people to make progress and develop at their own pace,

·       areas of learning experiences,

·       shared understanding of progression across the system,

·       assessment is an ongoing process and part of teaching and learning,

·       pupils are actively involved in process of assessment,

·       assessment and assessments are different things,

·       assessment is about the progress young people make and involves a range of stakeholders from young people, schools, parents etc,

·       three main rules of assessments,

·       definition of progression – how a learner develops and improves their knowledge and skills over time,

 

Members of the committee discussed the areas covered in the presentation and made comments and asked questions of the officer, who responded accordingly.

 

The Cabinet Member and Director also responded to the issues raised during the presentation and indicated that a more focused and simplified approach could be beneficial to schools.

 

Kate Phillips gave a powerpoint presentation to the committee on issues around pupil behaviour in schools.

 

Included in the presentation were the following areas:

·       definition of behaviour,

·       current situation and context,

·       Swansea council current approach and initiatives which aim to support young people,

·       steady increase of both fixed term and permanent exclusions over the last few years,

·       current position which shows increased demand for matters like revised timetables and specialist provision – increase in costs of this to the Dept,

·       changing environment in both schools and society – increased ALN and neuro diversity demands, post covid implications, impact of social media on young people,

·       speech, language, and communication issues,

·       legal obligations and what they authority has to provide – opportunity to review policies now,

·       next steps.

 

The Chair thanked both officers for their detailed and informative presentations.

 

He outlined that there were a lot of areas and factors affecting the progress of young people.

 

The Cabinet Member outlined that following the meeting he would convene a meeting with the Chair and Officers to discuss ideas and topic areas around the information they had been provided with in the presentation and report back to the next meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

24 July 2024	18 September 2024	23 October 2024
4 December 2024	15 January 2025	19 February 2025
9 April 2025	All at 4pm

 

Approved

The Chair referred to the dates of future meetings provided on the agenda.

 

Resolved that all future meetings in 2024/25 commence at 4 pm.