Agenda and draft minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

Personal Interest Beth Allender (Co-otee) for Item 8.

None

Minutes of the meeting on the 14 November 2024 were approved.

The Letter to the Cabinet Member following the meeting on the 14 November 2024 was noted.

Questions can be submitted in writing to Scrutiny scrutiny@swansea.gov.uk up until noon on the working day prior to the meeting. Written questions take precedence. Public may attend and ask questions in person if time allows. Questions must relate to items on the open part of the agenda and will be dealt with in a 10 minute period.

No public question were received.

Cllr Robert Smith (Cabinet Member Education and Learning), Helen Morgan Rees (Director of Education) and Kate Phillips (Head of Vulnerable Learners Service)

The Panel thanked the Head of Vulnerable Learners Service for presenting the detailed report and answering their questions.  The report looked at the Councils Education Inclusion Strategy and included an update on the Behaviour Strategy.  It covered:

·       Background to the Strategy.

·       An update on progress against each priority, including:

­   Promoting attendance

­   Promoting inclusion

­   Embedding effective universal provision while supporting sufficient specialist places

­   Promoting a shared inclusion ethos

­   Emotional Health and psychological wellbeing whole school approach

·       Progress on development of the new behaviour strategy.  The Panel heard work on developing a new behaviour strategy is aligned to the priority of promoting inclusion and also incorporates elements of other priorities.

The Panel discussed the update and the following issues were raised, these points will be detailed in the letter to the Cabinet Member written following this meeting.

·       What does/will success look like and how are looking to measure this.  Important to ensure measures are qualitative as well as quantative.

·       How is the pupil voice being fed in to this.

·       How are we and our partners maintaining continuity of support and services when pupils are not in the school environment and in holidays times.

·       Are we sharing good practice that has been identified especially in relation to improving attendance.

·       Should one of the Education priorities explicitly be ‘all children and young people are safe and feel safe’ in Swansea.

To include an update on progress with Estyn Inspection recommendations in relation on Post 16 Education and the Welsh in Education Strategy. Also, an update on Elective Home Education.

Cllr Robert Smith (Cabinet Member Education and Learning), Helen Morgan Rees (Director of Education), Sarah Tillman (Team Manager for Education Strategy) and Helen Howells (Team Manager Pupil Support)

The Team Manager Education Strategy outline the comprehensive account of the work carried out by the Directorate over the last year, giving areas of achievement and areas where work is ongoing.  The progress update included:

1.     Progress against Estyn Inspection’s two recommendations (following Inspection in 2022) including questions sent to Education in advance of the meeting:

a.     Review Post 16 Education

b.     Strengthen Welsh-medium provision across all ages and areas of the local authority.

2.     The Education Directorate Annual Report for 2023/2024 including the Blue, Red, Amber and Green (BRAG) status of each element.

3.     Update on Elective Home Education

4.     Update on Partneriaeth Governance arrangements.

The Panel discussed the update and raised the following issues, these and responses will be detailed in the letter to the Cabinet Member written following this meeting.

·       Consistency of School Improvement Advisers allocated to schools.

·       Universal free schools meals – pleased to hear now rolled out across primary schools but concern was raised about the size of the meal.

·       Do we track why children and young people are being home schools.

·       The importance of Partneriaeth being invited to Scrutiny given the Governance changes.

The work plan was noted, the Panel agreed to add an meeting with Morriston Comprehensive School.