Agenda item

Consideration was given to the report of the Strategic Education Improvement Manager which was presented to provide Members of the Joint Safeguarding Scrutiny Committee with an opportunity to scrutinise the findings of ongoing self-evaluation and business planning processes undertaken within the Education Directorate, across the Council and with key partners.

The Head of School Improvement & Inclusion spoke to the report and highlighted the main points contained therein.

The Chair felt that the policy should put emphasis on pupil’s voice as pupils raise safeguarding concerns to teachers through this system.

A Member referred to paragraph 6.1.1. bullet point 3 - Recent work to respond to community safety issues, counter potential terrorism and extremist behaviours has progressed well, for example, the Safer School Partnership, and the Respect and Resilience Action Plan, and felt that extremist behaviours were being witnessed in communities.  He gave an example of off-road motorcycles being driven towards cars and people feeling terrorised.  He suggested the Head of School Improvement & Inclusion raise these issues in her meetings with colleagues.

A Member referred to the new ALN Bill and commented that this was a massive change for schools on how they worked in this area and enquired if the policies, procedures and appropriate training for schools was in place in readiness for the implementation of the Act.  The Head of School Improvement & Inclusion said the Inclusion team had worked hard, particularly with ALN Co-ordinators, so they understood what was needed in relation to the new ALN requirements, particularly around the Individual Development Plans (IDP’s).  The ALN Co-ordinators had responsibility for training other staff and Tredegar Comprehensive School had been commissioned to support Headteachers and Senior Leadership Teams over the next academic year with regard to processes etc.  The Inclusion Team and ALN support workers were all fully trained on the requirements of the Act and were able to support Blaenau Gwent schools.  The EAS had trained all their Challenge Advisors who would be School Improvement Partners from September and they would also be able to support teachers and senior leaders.

The Corporate Director of Education said that in relation to ALN reform a report had previously been presented to the Education & Learning Scrutiny Committee around ALN readiness from a Blaenau Gwent perspective.  The Welsh Government were taking a pragmatic approach from September around ALN implementation which he felt would be well received across the sector.  In relation to capacity within the Education Directorate the Head of School Improvement and Inclusion would be working full-time for the Council from 1st September, 2021, and he felt there was sufficient capacity within the team to roll out ALN reform.  He reassured Members that recruitment to the vacant post of Service Manager Inclusion was planned for the autumn term. 

The Chair enquired if it would be beneficial for the EAS to add a standard item on ALN and new reforms to the agenda for Governing Body meetings. The Head of School Improvement and Inclusion would discuss this with Governor Services.

The Committee AGREED to recommend that the report be accepted and endorse Option 1; namely that the report as presented be accepted.