Agenda item

The Director of Education and Inclusion presented the report to members to give them the opportunity to contribute to the consultation process in respect of the Education and Inclusion Services Draft Strategic Plan for 2021-2024.  Any comments will be taken into account in the consultation process.

• Attendance – high priority
• Priority for CHYP Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Strong leadership and Teaching in Welsh Medium Schools.  A Shortage of teachers in Welsh Language Schools.  Pool is quite small.  Can we have an update?
• Courses for post 16 throughout the medium of welsh, how achievable and realistic?

In concluding the report the Director of Education and Inclusion commented that the recent pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges and the workforce has worked tirelessly to overcome these challenges for the benefit of the learners and communities.  A clear and cohesive strategy was now essential for ensuring learners have the best start in life and access to the right continued support.

The Chairperson highlighted three concerns being attendance, the mental health and wellbeing of learners and the shortage of welsh language teachers in schools and asked for officers to provide comment on these areas.

The Director of Education and Inclusion stated that leadership is critical to ensure we secure the best possible leaders as there is much competition and movement from one sector to another.  She advised that investment in staff and their professional development was critical to the retention of staff, developing aspiring head teachers and the school improvement services this was in addition to CSC also running leadership programmes.

She reassured members that the Mental Health and Wellbeing Agenda also remained a very high priority and they were very responsive to grant funding streams and utilising those to ensure they have highest possible impact.  Concerning attendance, she concluded that joined up working with the governors, head teachers and family engagement is ongoing and continually developing.

A Member commented that there was a possible missed opportunity to reflect the national agenda in the education mission.  He felt a stronger statement would have been to reflect children’s rights and the importance of the voice of the child.  The director of Education and Inclusion thanked the member for his comments and this would be taken on board.

A member asked had the Authority reviewed the first phase of 21^st Century Schools and had lessons learned ready for the second stage. 

The Director of Education and Inclusion advised that we are now in Band B of the programme with some Band A’s up and running for many years. 

Family engagement and termly reporting from those schools had formed a very robust monitoring process for the investment.  She added that self evaluation had also been undertaken to ensure that resources were being deployed to the right place.

She advised members that historical reporting of the performance always details inspection outcomes so performance is monitored, however she commented that the figures do not always give you everything you need to know and officers often have to investigate further to find the cause of any potential issues.  She reassured that any schools receiving enhanced support would be reported to members.

A Member referred to funding allocated for Children and Young People specifically for behavioural needs and asked how we ensure that this is appropriate and inclusive and offered through alternative educations.

The Director of Education and Inclusion advised that there was investment in trauma informed schools and there was also training around those approaches with wellbeing champions across the clusters appointed.  She advised that there has been huge investment in those areas.  She added that the key priority was using the framework to inform thinking and how schools use the resources and in developing bespoke alternative pathways for learners who don’t engage in the traditional pathways.  This she added had been successful as PRU referrals have decreased over time.

RESOLVED: The Chairperson thanked all members for their comments and advised that they would go forward as part of the consultation process.