Agenda item

Report ED13054

The Sub-Committee considered an information briefing providing an update on the baseline review of school improvement services.  The services included in the review comprised School Standards and Achievement, Pupil Support, the Education Business Partnership and Children in Care.  A formal consultation process had been undertaken in Autumn 2012 in response to proposals to rationalise and restructure these services where appropriate, with the new structure coming into effect on 1^st April 2013.

In considering the baseline review of the Education Business Partnership, the Assistant Director: Education confirmed that the service had been due to be reduced by 1.6 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) posts, but as there was a healthy income generated, the income target for the service had been raised instead, making a saving to the Revenue Support Grant of £91,150.  There were now fewer statutory duties related to this service; however a lot of work was undertaken with young people who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) and young offenders which benefitted other Local Authority services.  The Education Business Partnership also worked to support alternate provision for pupils in Year 10 and 11 who could not be placed in Bromley schools through signposting pupils to an appropriate package of support for their needs, which could include a work experience placement.

The Assistant Director: Education confirmed that Nina Newell, Early Years Manager had been appointed the Interim Head of Standards and Achievement and would be overseeing commissioning and quality assurance to fulfil the Local Authority’s statutory duties of intervention and support in schools causing concern.  Funding for the remaining vacant post in the service would be used to commissioning 15 day packages of work with schools that required support.  The Assistant Director: Education confirmed that the Pupil Place Planning and Admissions role had been filled on an interim basis for two days per week.  Councillor Nicholas Bennett JP highlighted the need to ensure that the target for increased online school admissions and free school meal applications continued to be prioritised.

The Pupil Support Team had been reduced from 17.7FTE posts to 7FTE posts to prioritise delivery of the Council’s statutory duties, including supporting a Local Authority action plan for improvements in any school causing concern and delivering training and guidance required by the Department for Education for national assessments and tests.  A small amount of essential school support continued in the form of early intervention in schools at risk of failing an inspection but the sold service element for school improvement was not full cost recovery and had been ceased.

The Assistant Director: Education advised Members that the Children in Care Team worked to fulfil the Council’s statutory duties for supporting Looked After Children and for monitoring academic achievement of children in care.  This service was considered essential and the service budget had been cut by the equivalent of 1FTE post. 

In response to a question from the Portfolio Holder for Education around the level of attainment of Looked After Children in Bromley, the Assistant Director: Education confirmed that the progress of every Looked After Child in the Borough was tracked and that each Looked After Child had unique support and education needs.  Councillor Nicholas Bennett JP suggested that the attainment of Looked After Children might be an area for the Education PDS Committee to consider in more depth in 2013/14.  The Portfolio Holder for Education noted that the Children’s Champion had been looking closely at this issue.

RESOLVED that the information briefing be noted.