Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Julian Benington.  

Apologies were also received from Father Owen Higgs and Rachel Opadiran.

Apologies were received from Councillor Douglas Auld and Councillor Kate Lymer in relation to Item 5: Not in Education, Employment or Training – Strategies for Improving Participation.

The Chairman reminded the Committee that the Declarations of Interest made at the meeting on 2^nd July 2013 and 17^th September 2013 were taken as read.

Councillor Peter Fortune declared that his wife was currently undertaking teacher training at Perry Hall Primary School.

The minutes of the meeting held on 12^th November 2013 were agreed.

In considering matters outstanding from previous meetings, the Chairman noted that following representations made to London Councils to extend the use of ‘The Hub’ to support availability online of evidence needed for admission applications, the Local Authority had been advised that ‘The Hub’ verified information through National Insurance numbers and the Local Authority was not legally allowed to request this as part of the admissions process.  The Department for Education had also confirmed that there was no central admissions ‘hub’ for checking addresses and that there were no plans to implement one.

The Portfolio Holder was pleased to inform Members of the Committee that 95% of applications for primary school admissions had been submitted online for the 2014/15 school year.

Following a request at a previous meeting for Bromley Adult Education College to be included as part of the review of the Costs, Charges and Recharges Working Group, the Chairman confirmed that a draft charging template and accompanying guidance had been drawn up which were designed to support service managers as part of the budget setting process and would be considered by the Council’s Executive at its meeting on 12^th February 2014 for ratification.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th November 2013 be agreed and that matters outstanding be noted.

To hear questions to the Committee received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Friday 24^th January 2014 and to respond.  Questions must relate to the work of the scrutiny committee.

No questions had been received.

To hear questions to the Portfolio Holder received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Friday 24^th January 2014 and to respond.  Questions must relate to the work of the Portfolio.

Five oral questions were received from Andrea Asbury, Richard Asbury, Marjorie Ouvry, Consultant in Early Years Education and Author, and Rosalind Luff, Chair – Parent Bromley Voice and are attached at Appendix A.

The Portfolio Holder for Education gave an update to Members on work being undertaken across the Education Portfolio.

An interim Executive Board had been put in place to support the Grovelands and Kingswood Pupil Referral Units.  Work was being undertaken with the Department for Education and Local Authority to support the conversion of the units to academy status from September 2014, with Bromley College of Further and Higher Education as the sponsor. 

The need to create additional primary school places in the Borough had been identified as a priority.  The Bromley Bilingual Primary School had full approval and would open in September 2014.  Additional secondary school places would also be needed in the Borough from 2015/16, and the Local Authority continued to work with the Archdiocese of Southwark around the feasibility of establishing a new Catholic secondary school in the Borough.

Work continued to strengthen governance in schools, and Local Authority Officers had recently been approached to consider volunteering as Local Authority Governors in Bromley schools.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder update be noted.

The Education Portfolio Holder to present scheduled reports for pre-decision scrutiny on matters where he is minded to make decisions.

Report ED14009

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report outlining options for the future delivery of day nursery provision at the Community Vision and Blenheim nurseries.  The Education PDS Committee had considered a report at its meeting on 19^th March 2013 which proposed that both nurseries be placed on a trading account basis to gain a better understanding of the operating costs to the Local Authority of the direct provision of nursery places, and that an options appraisal be undertaken around how this nursery provision could best be delivered into the future.

The two nurseries had been moved onto a trading account basis from April 2013 with separate budgets established.  The options appraisal for the future delivery of the Community Vision and Blenheim nurseries had also been completed which had explored a range of options which comprised making no change to the existing service, the closure of both nurseries and market testing of nursery provision.

In considering the report, the Chairman noted that the proposal was to undertake market testing to explore the options for future delivery of the nurseries and that there was no intention to close the provision.  It was possible that the outcome of any market testing process would recommend the existing service be retained as an in-house provision.  The Head of Schools, Early Years Commissioning and Quality Assurance confirmed that parents and staff at the nurseries had been notified of the proposal, but that a full consultation and equality impact assessment could not be undertaken until it was agreed to proceed with market testing.

Councillor Kathy Bance MBE underlined that the move to a trading account had indicated that nursery provision covered its controllable costs and operated at a surplus, based on income from free early education and private fees, together with the recharges from the social Care purchasing budget for the provision of nursery places for Social Care referrals.  The surplus also covered the majority of non-controllable corporate recharges, which would be present regardless of the provision being in place.  Non-controllable corporate recharges comprised central support costs to the Local Authority of the provision, including human resources, information technology and finance support.  The Portfolio Holder noted that a significant number of the places were funded by Children’s Social Care as part of early intervention support to prevent family breakdown, and there was also a need to review whether this arrangement was appropriate.

A Co-opted Member advised Members of the Committee that over 90% of Early Years provision in the Borough was delivered by the private and voluntary sector and that the majority of settings were rated as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’.

Councillor Kathy Bance MBE requested that her opposition to the proposal to undertake market testing be recorded.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

1)  Note the outcome of the options appraisal;

2)  Agree the proposal to undertake market testing of nursery provision; and,

3)  Report the outcomes of the market testing of nursery provision to a future meeting of Education PDS Committee.

Report ED14011

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report outlining the revised Instrument of Government for James Dixon Primary School, which was seeking to change its status from Local Authority Community to Foundation Status.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

1)  Approve the revised Instrument of Government;

2)  Instruct that the Instrument be made by the Common Seal of the London Borough of Bromley; and,

3)  Note the change in category of James Dixon Primary School from a Local Authority Maintained School to a Foundation School from 28^th February 2014.

Report ED14004

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report detailing the allocation for the 2014/15 Dedicated Schools Grant, which had been notified to the Local Authority as a total sum of £231,457,975.  This would be allocated in three blocks comprising the Schools Block (£168,977,400), the Early Years Block (£15,507,575) and the High Needs Block (£46,973,000).

The proposed allocation had been considered at the meeting of the Schools’ Forum on 23^rd January 2014, and had been agreed.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to approve the Dedicated Schools Grant allocation and the changes to the funding formula for 2014/15.

The Information Briefing comprised five reports:

• Minutes of the Education Budget Sub-Committee held on 7^th January 2014
• Update from Member Officer Working Group for Special Educational Needs
• Annual Report from the Bromley Adult Education College
• ECS Contract Monitoring Report - Education Contracts
• Bromley Academy Programme Update

RESOLVED that the Information Briefing be noted.

Report ED14017

The Committee considered a report setting out the draft Education Portfolio Budget for 2014/15, which incorporated future costs pressures and initial draft saving options reported to the Council’s Executive on 15^th January 2014.  The draft Education Portfolio Budget for 2014/15 had also been considered at the meeting of Education Budget Sub-Committee on 7^th January 2014, the minutes of which had been provided to Members of the Education PDS Committee for their information.  Members were requested to provide their comments on the proposed savings and identify any further action to be taken to reduce cost pressures facing the Local Authority over the next four years.

In considering the draft Education Portfolio Budget 2014/15, the Portfolio Holder for Education confirmed that the Duke and Phoenix Youth Centres would continue to be funded for 2014/15.  There was scope to discuss how the Duke of Edinburgh Award might best be administered in future, with the potential for local academy schools or the Scout Association to be licensed to administer the scheme.

RESOLVED that:

1)  The financial forecast for 2015/16 to 2017/18 be noted;

2)  Members’ comments on the initial draft saving options proposed by the Executive for 2014/15 be noted; and,

3)  Members’ comments on the initial draft 2014/15 Education Portfolio Budget be provided to the meeting of the Council’s Executive on 12^th February 2014.

Report ED14013

The Committee considered a report outlining the attainment of Bromley Looked After Children.  The Education PDS Committee had considered a report at its meeting on 12^th November 2014 on education outcomes for Bromley children in care and had requested further information be provided to Members on the attainment of children in care, including case studies, to support better understanding of the Local Authority’s performance in this area. 

In considering the report, the Vice-Chairman queried what action was taken to reduce the need for Looked After Children to change schools.  The Head Teacher: Virtual School, confirmed that Looked After Children often frequently changed schools and might be close to permanent exclusion before coming into the care of the Local Authority.  Once a child or young person became Looked After, the core focus was on creating stability for them, including in their education.  Where a child or young person was close to permanent exclusion, a decision would be made as to whether to seek to maintain their current school placement or whether they would benefit from a new school environment.

In response to a question from a Member around selective schools, the Head Teacher: Virtual School advised that Looked After Children were entered for selective school tests where appropriate.  Twenty weeks of one-to-one tuition was given to all Looked After Children in Year 6, and if necessary, a proportion of this would be focused on selection tests.  Specialist tuition could also be arranged for younger Looked After Children if needed.  The Member noted that selection tests for selective schools in Bromley were particularly rigorous and suggested that Looked After Children also be encouraged to apply to out of Borough selective schools.

A Member commended the Head Teacher: Virtual School for the progress made by a number of Looked After Children. 

The Chairman thanked foster parents, Bromley schools and the Head Teacher and staff of the Virtual School for the excellent support they gave Looked After Children in their attainment.

RESOLVED that the attainment of Bromley Looked After Children be noted.

Report ED14014

The Committee considered a report outlining progress being made through the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Pathfinder Programme on testing and implementing the requirements set out in the proposed Children and Families Bill and the indicative Code of Practice, which had been released for consultation to highlight potential risks and issues presented by the changes in legislation.

The SEND Pathfinder had been developed in partnership with London Borough of Bexley to test areas within the Children and Families Bill, published on 5^th February 2013, which aimed to take a more holistic approach to special educational needs and disability for children and young people in England.  The Bromley and Bexley Pathfinder had been asked to test the development and application of Education, Health and Care Plans for children and young people with complex needs from birth to 25 years, as well as areas including development of personal budgets, banded funding and preparing for adulthood (transition).  Work had been undertaken with parents through Pathfinder work stream activity, and a series of parent and professional workshops had been held to develop new Plan templates and processes that would support a single multi-age assessment process for children and young people as they moved from pre-school to school and then towards transition.

In considering the indicative Code of Practice, a Co-opted Member underlined the need to focus on the improved outcomes the new approach to special educational needs and disability would have for children and young people with SEND and their families.  A Member noted the length of the Code of Practice and was concerned that it would be difficult for parents and carers to identify what their child was entitled to.

The Portfolio Holder highlighted the key role of the Clinical Commissioning Group in working with the Local Authority to develop joint commissioning arrangements, clear responsibilities, ownership and accountability across commissioning of SEND services.  The Health and Wellbeing Board was also working to seek input and information from all key stakeholders to contribute to the development of the strategy.

RESOLVED that:

1)  The implications of the new legislation be noted; and,

2)  Further reports be presented to the Education PDS Committee on specific changes arising from the new legislation.

Report ED14006

The Committee considered a report outlining the role of the Local Authority with academy schools. 

The Bromley Education Covenant was approved by Full Council on 21^st January 2013 and set out the Local Authority’s commitment to ensuring that the quality of education in the Borough continued to be of the highest standard.  To support this, the Local Authority had been working to encourage all schools to become academies to benefit from the freedoms and independence which support schools in delivering an outstanding education for all children and young people, whilst continuing to work with schools to fulfil its statutory responsibilities for education performance and children’s general wellbeing and safeguarding across the Borough.

In considering the report, the Chairman noted that the Local Authority was coordinating a conference for all Bromley schools and academies during Summer 2014 which would focus on the development of a strategy for future partnership and collaborative working between both academy and Local Authority Maintained schools and the Local Authority.

RESOLVED that the role of the Local Authority with academies be noted.

Report ED14019

The Committee considered the forward rolling work programme for the year ahead, based on items scheduled for decision by the Education Portfolio Holder and items for consideration by the Education PDS Committee.

The Chairman requested that a number of additional reports be considered at the next meeting of the Education PDS Committee to be held on 18^th March 2014.

• School Improvement and Risk Analysis for Schools
• Update on Pupil Referral Unit Alternative Provision
• Summer Born Children (to include legal guidance)
• Basic Need Report (to include update on The Glebe expansion)

The Chairman also requested a further report giving an update to Members on progress in strategies to target young people at risk of not being in education, employment or training be provided to Education PDS Committee in March 2015.

A Member requested that the regular report on ‘Ofsted Reports and Follow-up Items on Underperforming Schools’ include details of the support being given to schools working to improve and this was agreed by the Committee.

The Chairman highlighted the priority to strengthen school governance and proposed that the School Governance Working Group be reconstituted prior to the next meeting of Education PDS Committee.  This was supported by the PDS Committee and Member nominations were received from Councillors Nicholas Bennett JP, Kathy Bance MBE, Peter Fortune, Julian Grainger and Neil Reddin and Co-opted Members, Darren Jenkins and Joan McConnell

The Chairman noted that the Schedule of Visits for the Spring Term 2014 had now been arranged and encouraged Members and Co-opted Members to attend visits to schools where possible.

RESOLVED that the Education Programme 2013/14 be noted.

The Chairman to move that the Press and public be excluded during consideration of the items of business listed below as it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the Press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the items of business listed below as it was likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present, there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

RESOLVED that the exempt minutes of the Education PDS meeting held on 12^th November 2013 be agreed.

The Committee considered the report and supported the recommendations.