Democracy

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber

Contact: Georgina Moore 

Items
No. Item

21/1

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest received at this point in the meeting.

21/2

Minutes - Children and Young People's Learning Scrutiny Panel - 19 April 2021 pdf icon PDF 331 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of the Children and Young People’s Learning Scrutiny Panel held on 19 April 2021 were submitted and approved as a correct record.

 

21/3

Education and Learning - An Overview

Verbal Report

 

Officers from Children’s Services will provide the Scrutiny Panel with an overview of the main service areas within its remit and an outline of priorities, key issues and challenges for the year ahead.

Minutes:

The Director of Education, Prevention and Partnerships; the Head of Achievement, Education, Prevention and Partnerships and the Strategic Lead for Inclusion and Specialist Support Services were in attendance to provide the scrutiny panel with an overview of the main service areas within its remit and an outline of priorities, key issues and challenges for the year ahead.

 

The Director of Education, Prevention and Partnerships advised that in respect of Covid-19, the numbers had previously declined quite significantly, however, over the past three weeks the number of cases had increased once again. It was commented that the Local Authority had been working with Sir Kevan Collins (the Government’s Education Recovery Commissioner) and Sir Alan Wood to discuss education recovery and the role of councils in supporting that work.

 

It was anticipated that if self-isolation requirements were to remain unchanged, the impact of Covid-19 would cause disruption into the new academic year, as children and young people had not been vaccinated. It was anticipated that keeping groups separate (in ‘bubbles’) and delivery of remote learning would continue throughout the new academic year.

 

Members were advised that in a recent announcement by the Department for Education (DfE),  proposals for a “landmark investment” of £15bn in teachers, tutoring and an extended school day to help children catch up had been watered down to £1.4bn for schools in England. Nationally, there was not currently a clear picture of what recovery looked like for education. However, it was envisaged that recovery would be focused at a school-level and would be bespoke to each local area.

 

With Covid-19, the home learning environment was vital in supporting education and that was typically defined by child’s or young person’s social circumstances.

 

Members heard that there was a need to identify a baseline of performance and determine how schools would deliver a comprehensive programme of catch-up, which would be aimed at young people who had lost out on learning due to the pandemic.

 

In terms of elective home education, there had been an increase in the number of children and young people being educated at home and there was a need to determine the drivers behind that. It was also added that there had been an increase in the number of children and young people missing education. It was advised that children and young people from eastern European countries had been migrating in and out of the area and there was a need to understand the reasons for that. There was also a need for the Local Authority to track those families and ensure those children were safe.

 

The Director commended the work that schools had undertaken in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, schools had coped exceptionally well in ensuring their pupils remained safe and continued to learn.

 

Members heard that an Achievement Strategy had been developed, which would be sent to schools at the end of term. The strategy focused on key areas of recovery and business as usual and included performance measures. It was planned that schools would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21/3

21/4

Setting the Scrutiny Panel’s Work Programme - 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 312 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Democratic Services Officer advised that the purpose of the report was to invite the scrutiny panel to consider its work programme for the current municipal year.

 

It was commented that the report contained a list of topical issues, which were anticipated to be of particular interest to the scrutiny panel, those included:

 

·         the impact of COVID-19 on education and the Council’s Recovery Plan;

·         post-16 education;

·         children missing education;

·         sexual abuse in schools and colleges; and

·         an update on sufficiency of school places.

 

Also included within the submitted report were suggestions that had been received from Children’s Services, those included:

 

·         recovery;

·         Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND); and

·         Inspecting Local Authority Children’s Services (ILACS) improvement

 

Reference was made to the aid attached at Appendix 1 of the submitted report, which would enable Members to prioritise issues where scrutiny could make an impact, add value or contribute to policy development.

 

It was recommended that two topics be selected for the work programme for 2021/22.

 

A discussion ensued:

·         Members commented on the importance of the scrutiny panel investigating the impact of COVID-19 on education and the Council’s Recovery Plan.

·         A Member suggested the following topics:

o    The changes to the national curriculum, the new curriculum - relationships and sex education (RSE) and the impact on schools.

o    In terms of those with SEND, what support was provided to high achievers.

·         A Member recommended that in respect of SEND, there was a need to ensure that children and young people were receiving appropriate provision for their needs.

·         A Member commented that it would be advantageous to investigate the reasons for those pupils with SEND missing education.

·         A Member commented that Post-16 education was of interest and there was a need to ensure that young people receive the skills and training to find great jobs.

·         A Member suggested that sexual abuse in schools and colleges should be investigated to identify the prevalence of the issue in Middlesbrough.

·         A Member recommended that the bullying of pupils with SEND should be investigated.

 

Following discussion, Members were in agreement that SEND, the impact of COVID-19 on education and the Council’s Recovery Plan and Post-16 education should be included in the work programme for 2021/22. It was agreed that the comments made by Members throughout the discussion, in respect of SEND, would be taken forward when determining the terms of reference for the SEND review.

 

AGREED


That the topics listed below be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Board for approval and inclusion in the work programme of the Children and Young People’s Learning Scrutiny Panel for 2021/2022:

 

In-depth reviews

·         Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

·         The Impact of COVID-19 on Education and the Council’s Recovery Plan

 

Short review/one-off meeting

·         Post-16 Education

21/5

Education and Covid-19 Recovery

Verbal Report

 

The Executive Director of Children’s Services will provide the Scrutiny Panel with an update on education and Covid-19 recovery.

Minutes:

The Director of Education, Prevention and Partnerships commented that in respect of Covid-19, the numbers had previously declined quite significantly, however, over the past three weeks the number of cases had increased once again. As previously stipulated, it was anticipated that if self-isolation requirements were to remain unchanged, the impact of Covid-19 would cause disruption into the new academic year, as children and young people had not been vaccinated. It was anticipated that keeping groups separate (in ‘bubbles’) and delivery of remote learning would continue throughout the new academic year.

 

It was commented that due to Covid-19, sports days had not been family events and physical transitioning from Year 6 to Year 7 had stopped.

 

Members were advised that at a future meeting, the impact that Covid-19 on particular age groups would be reported.

 

Currently 23 (out of 54) schools currently had pupils self-isolating - 18 bubbles had been affected.

 

NOTED

21/6

Proposed Meeting Schedule for 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 189 KB

Minutes:

A proposed meeting schedule, for the Children and Young People's Learning Scrutiny Panel, was submitted for the scrutiny panel's consideration.

 

AGREED


That the proposed meeting schedule, for 2021/22, be approved.