Agenda item

As detailed in the recommendations with recommendation (3) being amended to: That there should be a short pause to allow officers to work with the Governing Bodies of Lixwm and Brynford”.

Councillor Roberts introduced the report on School Organisation which outlined conditions attached to a funding initiative recently announced by Welsh Government (WG) to promote innovation and raise standards in small and rural schools.  Details of the Council’s bid for funding for small and rural schools in Flintshire was highlighted in the report.

                        Also detailed in the report was the positive developments in the creation of new school federations within the Council’s school network.

                        The funding for small and rural schools was to be used to facilitate and encourage innovation and change which was beneficial to those schools, their pupils and the communities they served.  They key purposes of the grant funding was:

·         To encourage innovation;

·         To support greater school to school working;

·         To provide additional administrative support in schools where the head teacher had a significant timetabled teaching commitment of at least 10% of the timetable; and

·         To increase the community use of school buildings whether for education or non-education purposes.

On progress on school federations, Councillor Roberts explained that School Governors had the power to federate by choice under provisions introduced in 2010.  Until recently there had only been one example within Flintshire of Governors using their powers to federate with a formal federation.  A formal federation between Ysgol Mornant and Ysgol Maes Garmon was agreed during the process of statutory proposals to close Ysgol Mornant.  The Council would endeavour to support federation when there was mutual agreement between school governing bodies.

The Governing Bodies of Ysgol Gronant and Ysgol Trelogan and Ysgol Y Waun and Gwernymynydd CP School agreed to carry out a consultation on a proposal to establish a federation in their respective schools/areas. For Ysgol Gronant and Ysgol Trelogan, federation would be officially implemented on 8^th January 2018.  For Ysgol Y Waun and Gwernymynydd CP federation would be officially implemented on 8^th February 2018.  Each federation would be managed by one Executive Headteacher.

In December 2016 Cabinet commissioned consultation on statutory proposals on two sites, one of which was Brynford and Lixwm CP Schools amalgamating to form one school on a second site.  Following discussions with both schools it was recommended that there should be a short pause to allow officers to work with the Governing Bodies of both schools before a recommendation was put before Cabinet, which was supported.

On Nercwys Voluntary Aided (VA) School, the Diocesan Authority and the Governors had held positive discussions on the potential to form a formal federation with a suitable partner and early discussions with another school had begun.  Governors had agreed, in principal, to collaborate more closely with another school and to set up a joint Sub-Committee which would be held in the autumn where federation would be discussed.  This was supported and it was recommended that more time be allowed for discussions.

The Chief Officer (Education and Youth) commented on the positive steps made by some schools in actively seeking to federate.

The Chief Executive said that more time would be spent with the Governing Bodies of Lixwm and Brynford Schools and that an update would be provided to Cabinet.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That Welsh Government intervention for small and rural schools and the proposed consultation to amend the School Organisation Code be acknowledged;

(b)       That the progress towards school federal arrangements be acknowledged;

(c)        That there be a short pause to allow officers to work with the Governing Bodies of Lixwm and Brynford Schools; and

(d)       That the previous decision of Cabinet on Nercwys CA be maintained to allow more time for the Council, Diocesan Authority and the school’s Governing Body to follow through strategic options for collaboration and sustainability of its school estate.