Agenda, decisions and minutes

To confirm the appointment of Chair for the Committee.

That Councillor Ian Roberts be appointed as Chairman for the Committee for the municipal year.

The Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator advised that the position of Chair for this Committee had been allocated to the Labour Group at the Council’s Annual Meeting.  The nomination from the Group for Chairman was for Councillor Ian Roberts and was therefore included in the agenda for the Committee to ratify the nomination.  On being put to the vote, the nomination was agreed.

            RESOLVED:

            That Councillor Ian Roberts be appointed as Chairman for the Committee for the municipal year.  

To appoint a Vice-Chair for the Committee. 

That Mr. David Hytch be appointed as Vice-Chairman for the Committee for the municipal year.

                        The Chairman sought nominations for the appointment of Vice-Chairman and Councillor Paul Cunningham nominated David Hytch.  The nomination was duly seconded and, on being put to the vote, was agreed. 

            RESOLVED:

            That Mr. David Hytch be appointed as Vice-Chairman for the Committee for the municipal year. 

Mrs. Rebecca Stark declared a personal interest in agenda items 6 (Learner Outcomes) and 7 (Skills for Life and Progression) as she was the parent of children in the education system in Flintshire. 

                        Mr. David Hytch declared a personal interest in agenda item 6 (Learner Outcomes) as he was the parent of a year 12 pupil.  

Purpose: To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Joint meeting of Education & Youth and Social & Health Care Overview & Scrutiny held on 24^th March 2016 and the meetings of Education & Youth Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 28^th April 2016 (Call-in 10am, Call-in 11.30am and Ordinary meeting at 2pm) (copies enclosed).

(a)       That subject to the amendment detailed above, the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman; and

(b)       That a letter be sent to the following people, to thank them for their involvement and hard work during the Eisteddfod:-

·         Jeremy Griffiths, Head of Ysgol Gwynedd

·         Pam McLean, Head of Flint High School

·         Nia Wyn Jones, Head of Music at Ysgol Maes Garmon

·         Aled Marshman, Music Service Manager

Prior to consideration of the minutes, Councillor Nancy Matthews congratulated the Chairman for his hard work in enabling the provision of the Urdd Eisteddfod to Flint.  The Chairman thanked Councillor Matthews for her kind words and provided a detailed explanation of how this had been achieved.  He said that it had been an extremely enjoyable event and had been attended by over 90,000 visitors. 

Mr.Hytch explained that he had worked at the event and he suggested that a letter be sent from the Committee to congratulate Jeremy Griffiths and his team for their hard work which had ensured the success of the event.  The Chairman suggested that Pam McLean also be thanked as she had allowed the land at the school to be used free of charge and that congratulations be passed on to the Head of Music at Maes Garmon for their involvement. 

Councillor Paul Cunningham said that he had been impressed with the level of the choreography in the show ‘Hairspray’ and he felt that the music and dance was a delight to see and hear.  Mrs. Stark echoed the comments and said that the number of children who participated was outstanding and she felt that the performances were fantastic.  The excellent presentations by the Music Service were also highlighted.  

Following the discussion, the Chairman suggested that an email be sent from the Committee to all schools in Flintshire to thank them for their tremendous achievements and that a letter be sent to Jeremy Griffiths, Pam McLean and Nia Wyn Jones, the Head of Music at Maes Garmon to congratulate them for their work.   

The Senior Manager – School Improvement referred to a special event that was being arranged to recognise the key people who had made the event such a success.  She spoke of a key strategic forum that was to be held in July 2016 and the hope that the success of the Urdd Eisteddfod would encourage more parents to consider the provision of Welsh Medium schools to educate their children even if the parents did not speak Welsh. 

The Chairman also gave congratulations to Trelawnyd school which had won the prize in the competition for the best decorated school as part of the Urdd Eisteddfod.    

The minutes of the Joint meeting of the Education & Youth and Social & Health Care Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 24^th March 2016 and the meetings of Education & Youth Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 28^th April 2016 at 10am, 29^th April 2016 at 11.30am and 28^th April 2016 at 2pm had been circulated to Members with the agenda.

            ACCURACY

            28^th April 2016 -10am meeting

                        Mr. Hytch asked that the apostrophe be removed from the word ‘Council’s’ in the fifth line on page 10. 

                        He also suggested that the word ‘considered’ be added after the word ‘been’ in the final sentence of the first full paragraph on page 14.

MATTERS ARISING

            28^th April 2016 – 2pm meeting

                        The Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator referred  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

That the attainment of Flintshire children and young people for the year 2014-15 be noted.

The Senior Manager – School Improvementintroduced a report to provide Members with a summary of pupil attainment in statutory assessments across primary and secondary school phases for the school year 2014-15.  The report also provided a summary of data in relation to attendance and exclusions. 

She introduced The Senior Challenge Adviser who would be able to provide up to date information on each of the key stages.

The report mainly focussed on the performance at each of the key stages and identified that across the foundation phase, key stage 2 and key stage 3 showed a steady trend of improved performance at both the expected and higher than expected level.  However, at key stage 4’s main indicator level 2+, Flintshire’s performance unexpectedly dipped in 2015 resulting in a drop in the local authority ranked position from 3^rd in 2014 to 8^th which was a worrying downward trend over the last two years.

The Senior Challenge Adviser explained that this year a new system had been introduced where schools set their targets at the beginning of the year in a uniform way, using an online system and there were three points in year where the projections were reviewed.  The most up to date projections were based on the most recent information available for key stages 2, 3 and 4 using data from December 2015/January 2016.  For Flintshire schools at Foundation Phase the latest projection was 87.1% which was an improvement on the figure for the previous year of 84%.  There had also been a significant increase in the projection for key stage 2 which had increased from 87% to 89.5% and for key stage 3 the figure had increased from 80% to 84% to 87% over the past few years to 87.5% and it was expected that this rate could be maintained or increased in the following years.  It was therefore felt that the schools could be fairly optimistic about the results that would be achieved when the outcomes were released in the summer.  For the county as a whole, the trend had been of positive improvement and it was felt that this could be maintained. 

Councillor Nancy Matthews said that the figures in the report were historical and she felt that it was very encouraging that the schools had continued to adapt their school development plans following the setting of their targets at the beginning of the year which had resulted in increases in the figures achieved.    

The Senior Manager – School Improvement explained that the previous model used to set targets had not been fit for purpose and the introduction of this new system had given schools the confidence to know that the data would inform the target setting and would create more robust targets.  She added that one benefit of the new system was that the targets were reviewed at various points throughout the year rather than never being reviewed once they had been set. 

The Senior Challenge Adviser spoke of the work of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

That the breadth of activity undertaken within schools to support leaners to engage effectively in a suitable outcome, including employment, post 16 be recognised.

The Senior Manager – Inclusion & Progression introduced a report to provide an overview for Members regarding the provision available through Flintshire schools, to support learners with the required skills to move on successfully from compulsory education. 

                        The Learning and Skills Measure (2009) enabled learners to follow a more individualised curriculum at Key Stage 4.  The range of vocational options on offer, taken alongside the vocational qualifications, had been supplemented through the use of additional funding from the Flintshire 14-19 allocation of the Education Improvement Grant (EIG).  This enabled the learners to access vocational courses through a range of external providers e.g. Coleg Cambria, North Wales Training and Motivational Preparation College for Training (Military Preparation).  Careers and the World of Work (CWW) was also an integral part of the Key Stage curriculum and the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification provided further opportunities for learners to develop their work-related skills.  Further support was available for learners who may need additional input to maintain their engagement in their education and to develop self-confidence, self-esteem and employability skills through the TRAC programme.  This was a regional project funded through the European Social Fund and provided a range of bespoke provision and support for 11-19 year olds in school or further education settings. 

Flintshire had a well-established 14-19 Network which oversees the strategic direction or provision for learners across Flintshire.  The success of Flintshire’s schools in preparing young people to move on effectively from compulsory education could be seen through the low NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) figures.  Flintshire had maintained the lowest national rate of Year 11 NEET learners in Wales (1.3% for two consecutive years indicating that learners were well prepared and able to transition effectively into Post 16 education, training or employment).  Similar measurements were taken for Year 12 and Year 13 learners and Flintshire figures were also very low for both of these categories (0.9% for Year 12 – 3^rd lowest in Wales, and 2.6% for Year 13 – 2^nd lowest in Wales).   

The Senior Manager – Inclusion & Progression advised that schools were under pressure to offer a broad and balanced curriculum which ensured learners were literate and numerate, had access to a broad and balanced curriculum and left education with the required employability skills.  These requirements placed a resource pressure on the available curriculum time to deliver these requirements and the breadth of curriculum also placed a resource pressure on schools in terms of appropriately trained and skilled staff who were able to deliver the curriculum. 

Councillor Paul Cunningham welcomed the breadth of options available.     

            RESOLVED:

            That the breadth of activity undertaken within schools to support learners to engage effectively in a suitable outcome, including employment, post 16 be recognised. 

(a)       That the Forward Work Programme be approved; and

(b)       That the Education & Youth Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator, in consultation with the Chair, Vice-Chair and officers, be authorised to vary the work programme between meetings, as the need arises.

The Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Committee Facilitator introduced the report to consider the Forward Work Programme for the Committee. 

            The Facilitator explained that the dates for the 2016/17 year had now been included following confirmation at the Annual Council meeting and items for consideration would therefore be populated for each meeting.  The Quarter 4 Improvement Plan Monitoring Report had been due to be submitted to this meeting but would now be considered at the 7 July 2016 Committee along with an update on GwE which Huw Foster Evans would be attending to present. 

            The Forward Work Programme would be circulated to Officers to populate the plan for each meeting and would then be shared with Members of the Committee. 

            Councillor Nancy Matthews suggested that school modernisation be included as an item for a future meeting.  Following a discussion, it was suggested that the 13^th October 2016 meeting be held at the new Holywell High School and the meeting on 17^th November 2016 be held at the Deeside Sixth Form Hub. 

            The Facilitator advised that the two reports showing on the Forward Work Programme as being for information ((i) Incidents of arson, vandalism and burglaries in Flintshire schools and (ii) Health & Safety in Schools) would be circulated to Members shortly.   

            RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Forward Work Programme be approved; and

(b)       That the Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator, in consultation with the Chair, Vice-Chair and officers, be authorised to vary the work programme between meetings, as the need arises.

                        There were no members of the public or press in attendance.