Agenda item

Report DCYP10113

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report providing an overview of the policy direction and key areas for reform, including the academies agenda, together with the potential implications and strategic planning issues for Bromley Council’s local policy and strategy.

The Director CYP provided a presentation to the Committee outlining the main aspects of the Government’s Reform Agenda for education and wider children’s services, and the implications for schools, individually and collectively, and for the Borough.  The Director stressed that the reform agenda was moving at a fast pace, in many areas only headline information was available and details were awaited.

Referring to the proposed amendments made by the House of Lords to the Academies Bill, and specifically the duty to consult, a Member asked about the range of consultees.  The Director CYP explained that the Bill had no requirement on schools to consult, however, the proposed amendments suggested a duty to consult with parents and the local community.  As yet there was no information regarding how the consultation should be undertaken.

Another Member asked whether there was any information emerging regarding the school leaving age, the abolition of AS examinations, the future of the International Baccalaureates and International GCSEs and whether CRB checks would be portable.  The Director CYP responded that as yet there was no information regarding these areas.  The Secretary of State for Education had indicated that he wanted to reform qualifications.  In terms of the CRB checks, the Department was awaiting further information.

A Co-opted Member expressed concern regarding the delay imposed for special schools applying to be academies and asked which officers and organisations would be briefed.  The Director CYP confirmed that special schools with ‘outstanding’ status could only apply for ‘conversion’ to Academy status from September 2011.  All head teachers and governors had been invited to the Director’s briefing sessions during June and July. The Local Authority would continue to provide guidance and advice to schools as further details of changes emerged in the autumn.

A Member sought clarity regarding academy status for underperforming schools.  The Director CYP explained that the Academies Bill determined that the Secretary of State would have the power to convert underperforming schools.

Councillor John Getgood raised a procedural issue relating to the motion that had been deferred to the Committee from Full Council.  Following legal advice and a vote, the Committee agreed to defer consideration of the motion to a future meeting.  Councillor Getgood was against deferring consideration of the motion.

Concerns were also raised by a Member that as schools transferred to academy status and top-sliced Local Authority funding, there may be insufficient funding available to support young people who had been excluded.  This would represent a huge loss to the collective responsibility that had existed in the past.  The Director CYP responded that this was a concern and that a lot would depend on the ability to negotiate with schools to focus DSG funding to support vulnerable groups such as those children with behavioural issues.  The importance of engaging with all schools in order to minimise risks was highlighted.

The Chairman sought assurances that the Department was in a position to sell its services to other Boroughs and schools.  The Director CYP confirmed that the Department, and Council, had a strong track record in the provision of sold services to former grant maintained schools, now foundation status schools.  During August Officers would be modelling the full costs of services which could be offered to those schools ‘converting’ to Academy status.  Consideration would also be given to other Local Authority markets.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

(i)  consider the policy direction, key areas for reform and implications for Bromley;

(ii)  note that further reports will be presented to Members to outline forward planning arrangements for local implementation.