Agenda item

(a)       That the update be received and the planned development of the regional service within the framework provided by the National Model for regional working on school improvement be supported; and

(b)       That scrutiny incorporates the school improvement business plan for Flintshire and outcome reporting, envisaged within the National Model, into its annual work programme.

The Chairman welcomed and introduced Mr Huw Foster Evans, Chief Officer of GwE and invited him to give a presentation on the Regional School Effectiveness and Improvement Service (GwE).

The Director of Lifelong Learning introduced a report to provide an update on progress with the development of GwE.  He provided background information and reported that the Minister for Education had recently supported the GwE business plan for 2014-15.  He advised that Flintshire and all North Wales Local Authorities were committed to working collaboratively with each other and the Welsh Government to ensure that children and young people were given the best possible start in life and achieve life skills of the highest standards.  The commitment was embodied in local improvement plans and the development of the National Model for regional working on school improvement.

Mr. Huw Foster Evans gave a presentation on progress with development of the service which had been in place for 12 months.  The main points of the presentation were: 

·        The national context

·        The regional context

·        Supportive challenge

·        Challenging support

·        School to school support as the main driver

·        Structures

·        Shared accountability

·        PISA tests, skills and the national expectations

·        Leadership

·        HR support

·        Governor support 

The Director advised that GwE was commissioned by and accountable to North Wales local authorities including Flintshire.  This was embodied in the developing mode for performance planning and reporting (including to scrutiny) , in the participation of the Cabinet Member, Chief Education Officer and school representatives, in service governance, in the participation of commissioning officers, and delivery officers in local scrutiny. 

The Cabinet Member for Education spoke in support of GwE and said he was confident of progress and that the Service would continue to provide better outcomes for pupils in Flintshire schools.

Mr. Evans provided detailed responses to the written questions which had been submitted prior to the meeting by Councillor Ian Dunbar and Mr. David Hytch.  Councillor Ian Dunbar asked that written responses to the questions be circulated to the Committee following the meeting.  A copy of the questions and the responses are attached at Appendix 1. 

The Chairman invited members to raise any further supplementary questions.

Councillor Paul Shotton commented on the educational results achieved in Scotland and asked if GwE could look at how these had been gained.  Mr. Evans advised that he would be meeting with Professor Graham Donaldson on 1^st May 2014, who had previously undertaken a personal review of teacher education in Scotland, concerning a review Professor Donaldson would be carrying out on behalf of the Welsh Government on the assessment of the national curriculum.  He commented on the need to develop a more positive rather than negative language in terms of the education services in Wales and the accomplishments achieved.

Councillor Stella Jones referred to the mission statement for GwE and commented on the possibility of duplication of roles between GwE and Flintshire County Council..  She expressed further concerns in relation to the decisions made by GwE and adoption of a “one size fits all approach”.  She referred to the need for effective scrutiny by individual scrutiny committees and more input in decision making.   Mr. Evans and the Director acknowledged the points raised and responded to the concerns.  The Director gave an assurance that there would be no duplication of work and commented on the importance of providing a streamlined coherent service.  He also gave an assurance that no decisions would be taken about how services would change without an individual business case being considered.  Regarding Scrutiny’s involvement in the decision making process, the Director of Lifelong Learning confirmed that reviews to the annual delivery plan during the year would be incorporated into the Committee’s forward work programme.

The Cabinet Member for Education commented that the duties and responsibilities between GwE and Flintshire County Council had previously been agreed with Members during consideration of the Service Level Agreement.

Councillor Dave Mackie referred to the views expressed by the Committee in previous meetings that whilst acknowledging the need for a regional service members did not want standards to reduce.  He said his concern was that a year had passed and Flintshire schools had not had the same level of service that they had been provided with previously.  In his response the Director referred to the lengthy and detailed discussions which had taken place with Members around the development of the service and the national model.  He said there was agreement on a need to improve opportunities for learning and outcomes in Flintshire schools.  He explained that schools still had access to specialists in relation to core subjects but that the curriculum advisor role that existed in the past was now being undertaken by the Head of Department in schools working in collaboration with other schools.

In response to the queries raised by Councillor Nancy Matthews around commissioning, the Director advised that there was the facility to  decommission, however, all 22 local authorities had signed up to work through a regional consortia and there would be a consequence if an individual local authority was to withdraw. 

Mrs Rita Price made a number of observations in relation to sharing of good practice amongst schools and referred to a culture of encouraging schools to compete with each other.  She also said there was little reference to the fact that schools were different and there was no regard to what diocesan schools were. 

Councillor Nigel Steele Mortimer expressed the view that whilst it appeared GwE worked well in secondary schools, in his view this was not replicated in the primary sector.  He commented on the level of reassurance which had been provided to teachers under the old system through direct contact with curriculum subject advisors.  He said the new system had “gaps” in provision and that primary schools were left to bring in services as required.

Mr. Evans acknowledged the concerns raised and referred to the reintegration of some of the services and that the perceived “gap” would be filled in  a year or two.  

            The Chairman referred to monitoring visits of the System Leaders and asked how GwE ensured consistency across all local authorities.  He asked whether the four regional consortiums would be subject to Estyn Inspections and for further information around the procedures in place to ensure local authorities were informed of areas of concern.  

            During discussion Mr. Evans responded to the questions raised by the Chairman regarding the monitoring of System Leaders visits and consistency across all local authorities, inspections of the consortia by Estyn, the procedure for raising any concerns with a Local Authority and the process for Members to raise any concerns with GwE.  The Chairman suggested that the Chief Officer of GwE be invited to attend a meeting of the Committee annually and that future presentations include case studies of actions taken by GwE to improve education in schools in Flintshire.  The Chairman also suggested that a special meeting of the Committee be arranged in the future to address this item.

            The Chairman thanked Mr. Huw Foster-Evans for his attendance and for his detailed responses to Members’ questions.

RESOLVED:

 (a)      That the update be received and the planned development of the regional service within the framework provided by the National Model for regional working on school improvement be supported; and

(b)       That scrutiny incorporates the school improvement business plan for Flintshire and outcome reporting, envisaged within the National Model, into its annual work programme.