Agenda and minutes
PDF 113 KBVenue: Committee Rooms, Bromley Civic Centre
Contact: Kerry Nicholls 020 8313 4602
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND NOTIFICATION OF SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Nicholas Bennett JP and Councillor William Huntington-Thresher attended as his substitute. Apologies for absence were also received from Councillor Teresa Ball, Councillor Mary Cooke and Councillor Ellie Harmer.
Apologies for absence were received from Hannah Barnard and Adil Ghani attended as her substitute.
In the absence of the Chairman, Councillor Neil Reddin, Vice-Chairman took the Chair. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Minutes: The Chairman reminded the Committee that the Declarations of Interest made at the meeting on 8th July 2015 were taken as read. |
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Additional documents:
Minutes: In considering matters outstanding from previous meetings, the Portfolio Holder for Education confirmed that discussions continued with the RC Archdiocese of Southwark around the potential to establish a six form of entry Roman Catholic secondary school in the Borough.
The Chairman noted that legal advice had been provided to Members to clarify the position with regard to conditions being placed on the number of classes or pupils at a school for any future school planning applications, and that it had been advised that education regulations did not override planning conditions.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 8th July 2015 and 22nd July 2015 be agreed and that matters outstanding be noted. |
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QUESTIONS TO THE PDS CHAIRMAN FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND COUNCILLORS ATTENDING THE MEETING To hear questions to the Committee received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Wednesday 23rd September 2015 and to respond. Questions must relate to the work of the scrutiny committee.
Minutes: No questions had been received. |
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QUESTIONS TO THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND COUNCILLORS ATTENDING THE MEETING To hear questions to the Portfolio Holder received in writing by the Democratic Services Team by 5.00pm on Wednesday 23rd September 2015 and to respond. Questions must relate to the work of the Portfolio.
Minutes: One written question was received from Sue Sulis and is attached at Appendix A. |
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PORTFOLIO HOLDER UPDATE Minutes: The Portfolio Holder gave an update to Members on work across the Education Portfolio.
The demand for pupil places across the Borough at both primary and secondary level continued to be high, and a range of work was being undertaken to identify where the pressure on school places was highest and consider how future demand for school places could best be met. A meeting of the School Places Working Group would be held on 4th November 2015.
RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder update be noted. |
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UPDATE ON PROGRESS OF THE YOUTH OFFENDING SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN Additional documents: Minutes: Report CSD15110
The Committee considered a report providing an update on progress in delivering the Youth Offending Service Improvement Plan.
The Local Authority was notified in early January 2015 that an inspection of the Youth Offending Service would take place from 19th January 2015, as a result of a number of concerns being identified around the Local Authority’s performance in certain key areas. Four HM Inspectorate of Probation Inspectors worked with Youth Offending Service Officers during the first week of the inspection to review a short list of 34 cases out of a cohort of approximately 60 young people. The Inspectors then returned to the Local Authority for a further week from 2nd February 2015 to review the partnership arrangements in place to support young offenders, after which the Local Authority had been advised that the outcome of the inspection was poor and that there were a number of areas for improvement, including a more robust Quality Assessment Framework and improved performance management and data reporting processes.
Following publication of the final report of the inspection, a number of actions had been taken by the Local Authority to deliver the required service improvement. This included the creation of a single, strengthened Youth Offending Service Management Board with senior representation which combined the Youth Offending Service Strategic and Operational Boards, and the development of an Improvement Plan which incorporated the outcomes of ‘Leadership and Partnership’, ‘Quality’, ‘Looked After Children’ and ‘The Voice of the Young Person’. The Local Authority was working closely with the Youth Justice Board to implement the Youth Offending Service Improvement Plan and improve quality assurance and data processes, and an Improvement Board which met on a monthly basis and reported to the Youth Offending Service Management Board had been established to monitor progress. The Local Authority was participating in a Youth Justice Board pilot scheme for live data tracking, and could now access up-to-date information on service users. A staffing review of the Youth Offending Service had been carried out following the Inspection, and a number of new permanent staff were now in post. A mock inspection would be undertaken by the Youth Justice Board in January 2016 to assess the impact of these changes in preparation for a re-inspection by HM Inspectorate of Probation, which would take place a maximum of one year from the publication of the final report of the inspection.
The Assistant Director: Safeguarding and Social Care advised Members that the Youth Offending Service Improvement Plan had now been approved by the Lead Inspector. Progress had been made against this plan, but the need to increase the pace of change had been identified. To support this, a new Interim Head of the Youth Offending Service had been appointed, and a further staff member had been recruited on a six month secondment from the Youth Justice Board. The Youth Justice Board had recently provided training to Youth Offending Service staff on using a comprehensive audit tool to ensure that casework would meet ... view the full minutes text for item 27a |
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PORTFOLIO HOLDER PROPOSED DECISIONS The Education Portfolio Holder to present scheduled reports for pre-decision scrutiny on matters where he is minded to make decisions.
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EDUCATION PORTFOLIO PLAN SEPT 2015-AUG 2016 AND EDUCATION COMMITMENTS Additional documents: Minutes: Report ED15116
The Portfolio Holder introduced a report outlining the draft Education Portfolio Plan for the 2015/16 academic year. The draft priority outcomes within the Education Portfolio Plan focused on seven key activities in support of the Education Covenant and Education Commitments and were underpinned by supporting aims.
In considering the Education Portfolio Plan, a Co-opted Member highlighted the need to expand popular and high performing schools such as St Olave’s and St Saviour’s Grammar School. The Portfolio Holder for Education noted that the Local Authority was working with schools across the Borough around potential expansion where appropriate, and that an outcome was awaited from the Department for Education on Weald of Kent Grammar School’s proposal to open a new grammar annexe in Sevenoaks before any similar plans could be developed for grammar schools based in Bromley.
In response to a question from a Co-opted Member, the Head of Schools, Early Years Commissioning and Quality Assurance confirmed that a report on building early years capacity within the private, voluntary, independent and maintained early years provision would be considered at the next meeting of Education PDS Committee. The Co-opted Member noted the aim to undertake a programme of support and challenge for early years providers (including child minders) which would focus on those achieving ‘below good’ in Ofsted and those taking two year olds, but emphasised that a number of providers had not been inspected for several years and that Ofsted ratings might not be an indicator of current quality. Recent restructures impacting the Early Years Service had also reduced its capacity to identify issues and offer appropriate support and challenge to early years providers.
RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to agree the draft Education Portfolio Plan for the 2015/16 academic year. |
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ADMISSIONS TO BROMLEY PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS 2015 Minutes: Report CDS15111
The Portfolio Holder introduced a report providing an update on the outcome of the primary admissions and secondary transfer process for Bromley children and in-year admissions for the 2015/16 academic year.
For the 2015/16 academic year, 97.2% of Bromley children remained in-Borough for their new reception mainstream primary education with the remaining 2.8% of Bromley children accepting out-of-Borough places. 5% of Bromley places were allocated to children who were resident out-of-borough. To ensure that the Local Authority was able to meet its duty to offer all Bromley children a place on National Offer day on 16th April 2015, it had been necessary to add bulge classes at three schools in the Beckenham and Penge areas and one bulge class at a school in the Farnborough area. Applications continued to be submitted and over 300 further applications had been received since National Offer day. It continued to be difficult to allocate school places to these children as they were applying in areas that were already over-subscribed and too far from schools with vacancies. There had been a total of 3989 reception mainstream primary applications received for 2015/16 (not including in-year admissions), of which 83% received their first choice preference and 8% received their second choice preference, which was an improvement on previous years.
The overall percentage of Bromley children remaining the Borough for their secondary mainstream education for the 2015/16 academic year was 78.7%. 16.6% of Bromley children accepted out-of-Borough places, including Grammar, Church and Harris Academy schools, and 4.7% accepted places in the Independent sector. There had been an unprecedented lack of available places for boys in the Beckenham and Penge area and with no availability within reasonable travelling distance, places were offered in neighbouring Croydon. In-year applications for secondary places continued to be submitted and were increasing every year, and due to a lack of places across the Borough, it was proving increasingly difficult to resolve the issue within statutory timescales. There had been a total of 3518 mainstream secondary applications received for 2015/16 (not including in-year admissions), of which 72% received their first choice preference and 13% received their second choice preference, which was a reduction on the previous year.
The Assistant Director: Education advised Members that the Local Authority had worked closely with secondary academies and schools in an informal Secondary Admissions Forum following the creation of three secondary bulge classes for 2015/16. Given the need to create additional school places across the Borough in a fair and transparent way, it was proposed that an Admissions Forum covering both primary and secondary admissions, be constituted with the first meeting to be held in the summer term 2016.
In response to a question from the Chairman, the Assistant Director: Education confirmed that some schools had been under-subscribed for the 2015/16 academic year, but that the available places were being taken up by the increasing number of in-year admissions. There had been a shortage of secondary places for boys in the Beckenham and Penge ... view the full minutes text for item 28b |
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EDUCATION INFORMATION ITEMS The items comprise:
Members and Co-opted Members have been provided with advance copies of the briefing via e-mail. The briefing is also available on the Council's Website at the following link: http://cds.bromley.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=559&Year=0 Minutes: The Education Briefing comprised one report:
RESOLVED that the Information Briefing be noted. |
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EARLY YEARS SERVICE UPDATE Minutes: Report CSD15112
The Committee considered a report outlining developments in Early Years’ Services and access to local high quality childcare provision across the Borough.
There were currently 777 early years providers across the Borough which comprised 110 pre-school settings, maintained nurseries (included as part of school inspection), 62 private, voluntary and independent nurseries and 597 childminders, 67% of which were rated as ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good’. All three and four year olds were entitled to 15 hours Free Early Education per week, with some two year olds also eligible due to parent income-related benefits or who were considered to be vulnerable, such as Looked After Children. As at July 2015, 683 two year olds had taken up Free Early Education placements, which was 70% of target numbers, and 6945 three and four year olds had taken up Free Early Education placements, which was 101% of target numbers due to children who were resident out-of-Borough accessing Bromley provision. A range of outreach work continued to be undertaken with parents and professionals to encourage the take up of Free Early Education, with 1151 parents contacted through outreach work and nine information sessions delivered during the 2014/15 academic year. The Early Years Pupil Premium had been introduced for two year olds in April 2015, with providers receiving a total of £27,853.20 to fund additional resources for 287 eligible children.
Early years provision in the Borough would be impacted by a range of policy developments in 2015/16, including the introduction of the Common Inspection Framework for all early years settings on the Early Years Register and integrated health and early years reviews for two year olds from September 2015. The Local Authority had volunteered to participate in a pilot scheme to test proposals in the Childcare Bill to double free childcare to all working parents of three and four year olds to 30 hours per week for up to 600,000 families. The Government had also committed to increasing the average childcare funding rates paid to providers for each free place with a Department for Education review underway. The Childcare Act 2006 stated that there was an exemption to the requirement to register as an early years provider with Ofsted in relation to early years provision for a child or children who had attained the age of three, if certain conditions were met, and the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act Clause 75 (2015) included an amendment to the wording from three to two years of age which reflected the Government’s encouragement for more schools to offer nursery provision for two year olds.
In response to a question from the Chairman, the Head of Schools, Early Years Commissioning and Quality Assurance confirmed that two maintained nurseries had been rated as ‘Inadequate’ as a reflection of their school’s Ofsted rating. This requirement did not apply to private, voluntary and independent nurseries based on school sites. A Co-opted Member highlighted the implications that the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act Clause 75 (2015) would have on private, voluntary ... view the full minutes text for item 30. |
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SCHOOLS PERFORMANCE UPDATE Minutes: Report CSD15113
The Committee considered a report providing an update on the performance of schools across the Borough and the academisation of schools.
There were 95 Local Authority Maintained and academy primary, secondary and special schools in the Borough (excluding free schools and Pupil Referral Units) of which 81% were rated as ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Good.’ 66% of Bromley schools were now academies, which included 94% of secondary schools and 72% of primary schools. A further 15% of Bromley schools were in progress to converting to academy status and 19% were exploring conversion. Nine schools were not actively exploring conversion.
A number of Ofsted inspections had taken place during 2015. Langley Park Boys School continued to be rated ‘Outstanding’. Bromley Road Primary School, St George’s CE Primary School, Harris Primary Academy Crystal Palace, and Ravenswood School had seen an increase in their rating to ‘Good’, the Highway Primary School continued to be rated ‘Good’, and Biggin Hill Primary School had seen an increase in its rating to ‘Requires Improvement’. Red Hill Primary School, Green Street Green Primary School and Raglan Primary School had seen a decrease in their rating to ‘Requires Improvement’, Burwood Special School continued to be rated as ‘Requires Improvement and Gray’s Farm Primary Academy continued to be rated as ‘Inadequate’, and measures were being put in place to support these schools to improve.
Indicative results for the 2014/15 academic year had been released that showed a 6% increase in children achieving a good level of development at the Foundation Stage, which was 6% higher than the national average. At Key Stage 1, there was a majority of 1-2% increases in performance on the previous year across all levels and subjects. There was a similar increase in performance at Key Stage 2, with the results for Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling showing increases of 4% at Level 4+ and 6% at Level 4B+. Both boys and girls were performing above the national average at Key Stage 2, with boys performing particularly well in the grammar tests with a 7% increase on the previous year. The gap between boys and girls was more pronounced at Level 5+, with girls significantly outperforming boys in grammar, reading and writing and boys outperforming girls in maths.
Bromley schools would be impacted by a range of policy developments in 2015/16, including the introduction of the Common Inspection Framework for all early years settings on the Early Years Register, maintained schools and academies, non-association independent schools and further education and skills providers. Short inspections would be introduced for maintained schools, academies and further education and skills providers that were judged good at their last full inspection every three years, and Ofsted now contracted directly with inspectors for maintained schools, academies, non-association independent schools and further education and skills inspections. A new national curriculum had been introduced in September 2014 for all year groups except years 2 and 6, and from September 2015, all year groups would be expected to follow the new national curriculum. From September ... view the full minutes text for item 31. |
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EDUCATION PROGRAMME 2015/16 Additional documents:
Minutes: Report ED15115
The Committee considered the forward rolling work programme for the year ahead based on items scheduled for decision by the Portfolio Holder for Education and items for consideration by the Education PDS Committee.
The Chairman advised Members that an update on progress in delivering the Youth Offending Service Improvement Plan would be reported to all future meetings of the Education PDS Committee. An update on the commissioning of Education services would be provided to the next meeting of the Education PDS Committee, and a report on Bromley Adult Education College would be provided to Education PDS Committee on 19th January 2016. Reports on elective home education and young people ‘not in education, employment or training’ (NEET) would be provided to Education PDS Committee on 1st March 2016.
A Committee Member requested that an update on GCSE and A Level results for the 2014/15 academic year be provided to the next meeting of the Education PDS Committee. The Committee Member also requested that the Ofsted Regional Commissioner for South East London and England be invited to attend a future meeting of the Education PDS Committee, and that an information briefing item on the role of the Ofsted Regional Commissioner be provided to the next meeting of the Education PDS Committee.
In response to a question from a Co-opted Member, the Assistant Director confirmed that the Council Member visits to schools was undertaken on rotation to ensure a range of schools and colleges were visited. The Co-opted Member underlined the need to visit all schools on a regular basis, and the Chairman noted that Members and Co-opted Members could request a school be included in the programme of Council Member visits.
The Chairman encouraged all Members and Co-opted Members to attend Council Member visits to schools and colleges, but reminded Members to send their apologies if they were unable to attend a scheduled visit.
RESOLVED that:
1) The Education Programme 2015/16 be updated as requested by Members; and,
2) The Ofsted Regional Commissioner for South East London and England be invited to attend a future meeting of the Education PDS Committee. |
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AS AMENDED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) (VARIATION) ORDER 2006, AND THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 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.
Minutes: 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. |
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EXEMPT MINUTES OF THE EDUCATION PDS COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 8TH JULY 2015 Minutes: RESOLVED that the exempt minutes of the Education PDS Committee meeting held on 8th July 2015 be agreed. |
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PORTFOLIO HOLDER PROPOSED PART 2 (EXEMPT) DECISIONS |
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NACRO CONTRACT AWARD Minutes: The Committee considered the report and supported the recommendations. |
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APPENDIX A: WRITTEN QUESTIONS TO THE EDUCATION PORTFOLIO HOLDER |