Issue - meetings

            That the update be received.

The Chief Officer (Education and Youth) introduced a report to provide the Committee with relevant sections of the Improvement Plan for consultation and input, along with the proposed targets for the national performance indicators. 

                        He highlighted page 21 on the sub priority of Apprenticeships and Training and said that this was a key indicator for young people in education and training.  He also referred to the impact of improving learning provision and opportunities to achieve better learner outcomes under the sub priority Modernised and High Performing Education.  The Chief Officer commented about working effectively with partners across the region to secure efficiency and improved outcomes from educational improvement programmes.  He also spoke about the role of Councillors in making more efficient use of education resources through School Modernisation.      

                        Councillor David Healey referred to the priority to reduce the impact of poverty and of the issue of the connection between free school meals and under performance and queried whether there were any schools in Flintshire that went against this trend.  The Chief Officer suggested that this issue could be raised at the meeting in July when a report on GWE was to be considered.  He added that a range of strategies had been put in place that had had an impact on individual learners but there were no schools where the gap had been completely eradicated; this still remained a priority. 

                        Mr. David Hytch raised concern on apprenticeship schemes because of the impact of the significant budget cuts on the Further Education sector.  He welcomed the reference about the impact of cohorts and queried how many other schools were to be reviewed as part of the school modernisation programme.  In response, the Chief Officer said that there were two area reviews being considered under the School Organisation Code, one in Nercwys and one involving Brynford, Lixwm and Rhos Helyg. 

            RESOLVED:

            That the update be received.