Agenda, decisions and minutes

Purpose: To receive any Declarations and advise Members accordingly.

            The Chairman invited members of the Committee to make a declaration if they were school governors and a number of members so indicated. 

That the Committee recommends to Cabinet  that it does not issue the Statutory Notice to Ysgol Mornant but works towards a federation of schools using welsh medium education. 

The Chief Officer (Education and Youth) introduced a report to inform the Committee of the responses from the statutory consultation period for the proposal to close Ysgol Mornant, Gwespyr Picton.  He advised that comments from the Committee were invited in advance of the Cabinet being requested to conclude on a formal proposal.

The Chief Officer provided background information and context and expressed praise for the Welsh Education Strategic Partnership (WESP) in Flintshire which had undertaken an ambitious agenda to improve Welsh and learning and social opportunities within the County during the last 5 years.  He advised that the WESP had also delivered an innovative practice which had been adopted across the country.  Estyn Inspectors had recognised the  quality of practice within Flintshire as being a good example to share with other authorities.  The Chief Officer commented on  local examples of the work which had made a real impact in terms of opportunities for children and young people and referred to new areas of provision through working in partnership and new areas of provision in the primary sector. 

The Chief Officer commented on the County’s good track record for the education, development and training of its workforce and referred to the partnership between Coleg Cambria and Wrexham County Council and the substantial work programme which was greatly valued and recommended. 

The Chief Officer commented on the period of uncertainty and anxiety that any educational review created and said that such controversial and emotive concerns were fully acknowledged by the Authority.  He expressed praise for the children, parents, carers, staff and Governing Body of Ysgol Mornant which had worked constructively to seek solutions to the challenges faced by the school.  The Chief Officer referred to the suggestion of a federation which had been put forward by Ysgol Mornant’s Governing Body and a number of consultees and advised that the governing body had actively sought potential federal partners.  He commented on the development opportunities for colleagues in educational provision as a result of constructive partnerships and  explained that the Governing Body of Ysgol Croes Atti, Flint, had given careful consideration to how to support Ysgol Mornant in the way ahead but could not move forward with a Federation proposal although it would support Ysgol Mornant and partners in the future.

The Chief Officer expressed further praise for the Governing Body and the leadership team of Ysgol Maes Garmon, which were committed to supporting the community at Ysgol Mornant and to looking at opportunities for creating greater resilience with their partnership primary schools and exploring the feasibility of federation with Ysgol Mornant.  The Chief Officer referred to the challenges faced by Ysgol Mornant and referred to the recommendation in the Hill review around how schools should work more collaboratively to address the challenges that smaller schools faced.  He explained that federations provided the opportunity to work together to bring sustainability and resilience to small schools to enable them to raise standards in quality of education provision for children and young people.  He commented on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

There were forty-six members of the public and three members of the press in attendance