Issue - meetings

That the report be noted.

The Chief Officer (Education and Youth) introduced the Quarter 2 Improvement Plan Monitoring report for consideration.  The report presented the monitoring of progress for the second quarter of 2015/16 focussing on the areas of under performance relevant to the Committee.  Members were advised that detailed sub priority reports were appended to the report.

                        The Chairman invited members to raise questions.

                        Councillor Dave Mackie commented on the risk that the number of school places would not be sufficient to meet the future demands of changing times.  The Chief Officer advised that the risk was in response to how the Authority managed school places to ensure there were no gaps in the future.

                        In response to the questions and concerns raised by members relating to school admissions the Chief Officer explained that the Authority was not allowed to direct pupils to alternative schools.  Parents had to express a preference for the school where there child was educated.  He also explained that the admissions form which is sent to parents details all schools and parents are asked to indicate a first and second preference.  

                        Mr. David Hytch referred to the need to continue to support young people to access employment and training and that the earlier that issues are tackled the greater success of outcomes for those young people.  He commended the Council on their work in this area.  In response, the Chief Officer advised that Flintshire had the lowest level of young people 16+ not in education, employment or training in Wales and that the Council would continue to support the most vulnerable people in Flintshire to access employment and training opportunities. 

Mr. Hytch also commented on the action for schools to work effectively with the Regional School Improvement Service (GwE) and raised concerns around the impact this could have on headteacher workloads.  Councillor Nancy Matthews also expressed concerns that there was no additional funding provided to schools to pay for the cost of employing supply teachers when headteachers were visiting other schools to give support, and asked that the Chief Officer feed her concerns back to GwE.  The Chief Officer advised that the School Improvement model was continuing to develop from feedback and evaluation from participants and therefore members could be confident that any similar feedback from the Committee would also be given proper consideration by GwE.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.