Agenda item

Corporate Director’s Report of Education Services

To consider the report of the Corporate Director Education.

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director of Education which presented the Corporate Director of Education’s Spring and Summer Terms Report (2021).

 

The Corporate Director of Education spoke to the report and highlighted the main points contained therein.

 

A Member felt that progress around the seven recommendations on the last Estyn report should have been included in this report.  He raised concerns regarding performance data, the Welsh Government had suspended the publication of Key Stage 4 performance measures in 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic years stating that qualification awards data would not be used to report on attainment, but that data was included in this report.  The Corporate Director of Education explained that progress against the seven recommendations highlighted by Estyn had previously been shared with Members as part of the self-evaluation report.  This could also be included within future Corporate Director’s Report of Education Services.  In relation to performance data the information presented in the report was not attributable to any school and would only be used for self-evaluation purposes and not for wider accountability issues.  The Director explained that this information was via centre determined grades and was not comparable but did an assessment to move forward and provides a baseline of current performance.

 

In response to a Member’s question regarding the Governing Body at the River Centre, the Director said that Members would be aware from the Improving Schools report that over the last 12 months the River Centre had formally become a school causing concern.  As part of the Local Authority powers of intervention they had appointed additional LA Governors, including an LA Chair of Governors which had strengthened the Governing Body significantly.  The Director felt assured that the current Governing Body were starting to take steps around admissions, placement of learners and consideration around school development planning to improve the setting for children and young people.

 

With regard to reporting progress on the new curriculum, the Director said that from September 2022 elements of the initial changes around the curriculum for Wales would be introduced and confirmed that updates around ALN reform, curriculum reform and qualifications reform would become a formal part of the reporting mechanisms moving forward into the new academic year.

The Chair commented that close working with the Social Services Directorate in relation to the new ALN bill should be expanded upon, such as social workers being accessible at schools.  The Director said that between the Director of Social Services Annual report and this report they would be able to demonstrate cross directorate working that would be strengthened across both education and social care, particularly as they were dealing with the same children and young people in both community and school settings.

 

A Member welcomed closer working with the Social Services Directorate particularly around health and well-being as some children with issues such as behavioural problems, eating disorders and mental health issues had been waiting over 18 months for appointments with consultants.  The Corporate Director of Education said the situation around collaboration with health services had been particularly difficult due to the pandemic. Many services had been under pressure and one of those service areas was CAMHSs, the Director gave assurances that they would continue to work closely with health colleagues to support children and young people. The work of the Youth Services counselling service also ensured that emotional well-being considerations were at the forefront of the work undertaken with children and young people, taking preventative approaches.

 

A Member referred to page 54 – Risk Description EDDRR1 ‘Failure of schools in Blaenau Gwent to adapt and change accordingly to the requirements of the new curriculum and national agenda of the Welsh Government as laid out in the National reform agenda document "Education for Wales: Our national Mission” – and felt this paragraph should be reworded as many schools were working continuously on the new curriculum.  The Director explained that this was the risk associated with schools failing to adapt but agreed to revise the wording of this paragraph to avoid and misunderstanding of terminology.

 

The Committee AGREED to recommend that the report be accepted and endorse Option 1; namely that Members scrutinised the information detailed within the Corporate Director of Education’s Spring/Summer terms 2021 report and contributed to the continuous assessment of effectiveness by making appropriate recommendations to the Executive Committee.

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