Issue - meetings

(a)       That the report be noted; and

(b)       That a further report outlining the Authority’s approach to the proposals set out in the Review be presented to a future meeting of the Committee. 

The Director of Lifelong Learning introduced a report on the Authority’s formal response to the Welsh Government’s consultation on the Hill Review and to update the Committee on latest developments. 

                           The Director provided a presentation on the Hill Review which covered the following main points:

·        Purpose

·        Hill Review – the history

·        5 key areas

·        WLGA & ADEW Evidence to Hill

·        Key issues for national model

·        Next steps

It was agreed that the Housing and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Facilitator would distribute statements released by the WLGA and WG in relation to the Hill Review to members following the meeting.

Mrs. R. Stark welcomed the proposals in the Hill Review on rationalisation of initiatives and correlation in terms of classroom size.  She commented on the impact of initiatives on individual pupils and expressed a need for greater consideration to be given to how outcomes were reported to pupils.

Councillor C. Legg referred to school performance and asked if evidence could be provided on where and how improvements had been achieved.  The Director advised that the annual report of the School Performance Monitoring Group which would be presented to the next meeting of the Committee would provide members with case studies to show improved outcomes in relation to school performance.  A full review of learner outcomes also features annually in the Scrutiny forward work programme.

 Mr. D. Hytch welcomed the findings of the Hill Review which identified that greater autonomy for schools did not on its own result in school improvements. 

In response to the questions raised by Councillor A.I. Dunbar regarding timelines for implementation the Director advised that a further report outlining the Authority’s approach to the proposals set out in the Review would be presented to a future meeting of the Committee. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the report be noted; and

(b)       That a further report outlining the Authority’s approach to the proposals set out in the Review be presented to a future meeting of the Committee.