To approve the Strategic Plan for Education in Herefordshire.

The Cabinet Member for Young People and Children’s Wellbeing presented Cabinet with the Strategic Plan for education 2014 – 2017. The six priorities of the strategy were highlighted to members.

Since the report was published it has been confirmed that Herefordshire was one of only six Local Authority areas who achieved an improvement at Key Stage 4 (GCSE level) this year.

The Assistant Director, Commissioning and Education confirmed the plan is a live document which will continue to be updated. Access through the web site will allow people to navigate through to further information.

Following members’ queries about the estate strategy the Head of Education Development confirmed that it is forward looking and takes into account any planned strategic housing. Pressures concerning the maintenance and the rationalisation of buildings are also taken into account.

The Director of Children’s Wellbeing went on to say the Education Estate Strategy was a large piece of work. Concerning small schools (those with fewer than 100 pupils) the approach was for education efficiency and being effective with the resources available. Decisions are not based on size, but looking at different forms of sustainability. In some cases small schools can look at shared leadership. It is important that the education strategy looks at education provision as an education community which is both efficient and effective. 

Concerning a query about the staffing of the education department the Director of Children’s Wellbeing confirmed, as with other areas of the council, there have been reductions in staffing levels. This has meant the relationship with schools has changed, and, in line with government expectations, schools are expected to be more self-supporting. An Improvement Partnership has been set up with the ambition of securing highly effective peer to peer support.

Regarding school governors the Assistant Director, Commissioning and Education advised there is a regular newsletter sent to the chairs of governors. Each term the council attends the Herefordshire Governors’ Association meetings. Further briefings have been set up for governors, the next of which is concerning performance and trends. Members were asked to encourage people to become school governors.

The Assistant Director, Commissioning and Education confirmed £19,000 has been received by schools from Section 106 agreements so far this year. £76,000 has been spent by schools so far this year from monies accumulated from previous Section 106 agreements. Further details will be circulated to members. 

Following members queries about Academy Schools the Assistant Director, Commissioning and Education confirmed there had been good engagements with the head teachers in the preparation of the strategy. The educational achievements of academy schools are no different than those from non-academy schools. No further schools currently plan to become academies.

The Director of Children’s Wellbeing advised members the local authority have a duty to make sure every child has good deal through education and it still has the power to make improvements and influence education through high expectations and joint working.