Issue - meetings

That the report be noted.

The Chief Officer (Education & Youth) presented the report to consider progress towards the delivery of the impacts set out in the 2015/16 Improvement Plan, focussing on the areas of under-performance relevant to the Committee during the fourth quarter/year end.

Councillor Nancy Matthews asked whether apprenticeships were tracked to establish outcomes.  The Chief Officer referred to Flintshire’s excellent record in engaging 16 year-olds in education, training and employment.  Whilst there was no individual tracking mechanism and no national data on this, targeted local support and statistics were in place to monitor young people not engaged in training or employment.

The Chairman asked if data was available to indicate whether students at the new Deeside sixth form centre were completing their courses.  The Chief Officer said that cohort numbers were available but individuals were not tracked.  In response to a question from Councillor Matthews about tracking students’ progress at the centre, the Chief Officer explained that achievement of high grades at ‘A’ level was an issue across the county and that the new centre aimed to provide a learning environment with quality teaching in which young people to thrive.

The Chairman asked that the next School Modernisation update report include data on which high schools the students at the Deeside sixth form centre had attended.

Mrs. Rebecca Stark questioned the risk on school places to meet future demands.  The Chief Officer spoke about a range of factors including changing demographics, education contributions from larger local housing developments and the reconfiguration of classroom spaces according to need.  He also said there was a need to balance school place planning within the national guideline on surplus places whilst maintaining reasonable access to education.

In response to a query from Councillor Paul Cunningham, there was discussion on the range of apprenticeship opportunities within the Council’s programme and those in partnership with others.  Reference was also made to the first Apprentice Fair held by the Council earlier in the year.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.