To note the feedback from the Herefordshire Schools Task Group (HSTG) formal consultation, and to consider the recommendations of the Herefordshire Schools Task Group.

The Cabinet Member Educational Achievement and ICT presented the Herefordshire Schools Task Group Consultation report and introduced to Cabinet the Chairman of the Task Group, David Brown.  He emphasised the importance of the process and that extensive consultation had been carried out resulting in broad agreement.  In referring to Recommendation (c) of the report, he advised that it had been agreed that further work needed to be done to define what a small school was and what defined a sustainable school.  He stressed that the process had engaged with everyone that had wanted to be involved, professional, public, school governor etc., and that there was unanimous agreement that standards must be maintained at schools.  The Cabinet Member thanked David Brown for the work he had done and how quickly he had provided the report and recommendations.

The Director went on to highlight the key principles and points:

• The Leader’s announcement that no school closures would be carried out within this administration unless it already fell into the current small schools policy.
• School professionals involved in the debate –  response rate of 95 replies.
• That the status quo was not sustainable.
• Provide clear steer to Cabinet for the long term provision of sustainable education for young people.
• Work schedule already identified and issues were around finance, performance, falling roles and recruitment of head teachers.
• The Schools Forum has considered finance in detail and discussed at head teacher meetings.
• The dedicated schools grant is under pressure and the current economic climate had added to the anxiety.
• Herefordshire schools keen to look now at possible clustering of schools.
• The term small school by design needs to be clarified and work is being carried out on this.

David Brown thanked stakeholders for their input to a challenging task.  He stated that schools would need to work in partnership / form cluster groups and provide a different way of working.  He stressed that as head teachers step down governors would need to understand the financial issues that apply not just to primary but secondary schools also.  All must work closely together to ensure standards are not just maintained but improved and school premises sustained to deliver good education.  He added that falling numbers and parental choice could have a significant impact and moving towards cluster working appeared to be the right road to take.  In addressing sustainable communities travel costs must also be addressed as often not recognised by governors, but has significant impact.

Cabinet noted that the report had not been included on the forward plan and was advised that the processes involved were being reviewed and this should not happen in future.  Concern was raised that high performing schools might be brought down and that it was important when looking at planning development to also look at education and transport issues.  It was also noted that all school governors and not just chairmen and head teachers needed to be supported and trained.

The Director reiterated to Cabinet the number of ways that schools had been involved in the process to date and how every school had received a copy of the consultation document, which had also been made available in public places and to parish councils.  Cabinet thanked Mr Brown for his work throughout the process.

RESOLVED

                        THAT:

                        (a)        the five cluster working proposals as detailed at paragraph 10 of the report be endorsed;

                        (b)       the four school leadership proposals as detailed at paragraph 12 of the report be endorsed;

                        (c)        the principle of establishing sustainability criteria and thresholds be endorsed and that officers and partners be requested to produce a detailed analysis of Small Schools by Design models, including sustainable schools criteria and thresholds, which can inform judgements on suitability of cluster plans, once submitted, be reported back to Cabinet within three months;

                        (d)       Cabinet endorsed the five finance proposals as detailed at paragraph 18 of the report and in addition request that officers progress the recommendation of the Task Group that further development be undertaken of the proposal at paragraph 17 (e) of the report to ensure an appropriate balance of provision across the county;

                        (e)       Cabinet endorsed the implementation of existing policies by Local Authority (LA) and Diocesan officers implementing existing policies in their work with schools which face challenging circumstances and in addition that recommendations (a) and (b) above be implemented with immediate effect in order to further support this; and

                        (f)        Cabinet supports the LA and Diocesan officers in their work with schools and clusters to develop local plans of partnership working to inform a long-term strategic plan for Herefordshire.