Agenda item

To submit a report by the Scrutiny Manager.

Submitted – an update report on the progress of the Education Scrutiny Panel,

Councillor Gwilym O Jones, the Chair of the Education Scrutiny Panel said that this is the Panel’s second progress report and cover Q2 of the current administrative year.  He noted that the membership of the Panel comprises of 2/3 of newly elected members since the May local government elections.  It is therefore necessary for the Council to continue to create the conditions for all Members to fully take part in the Panel’s scrutiny work e.g. skills for effective scrutiny, questioning, understanding of the Education system, raise awareness of national education work streams and it is the intention to make full use of the forward work programme to ensure appropriate and timely inputs to support members of the Education Scrutiny Panel.  Councillor Jones further said that 5 meetings of the Panel were held during the period of Q2 and the following matters were considered:-

·           Estyn Inspection Report for Anglesey County Council

·           Curriculum for Wales

·           Shadowing GwE

·           Role and Expectations of the Regulatory Framework – Political Leadership and Scrutiny

·           Terms of Reference and Context for the Panel’s Work

·           Schools’ Improvement Guidance – Framework for Evaluation, Improvement and Accountability (Welsh Government)

·           Role of Elected Members, School Governors and the process for schools causing concern

·           Anglesey’s Annual Report from GwE : 2021/2022

·           Scrutiny Panel’s work programme for the period September 2022 – April 2023

The Director of Education, Skills and Young People reported that the Panel has been supportive of the work of the Education Service and the development of children and young people’s education is at the forefront of the work of the Panel. 

In considering the Education Scrutiny Panel – Progress Report the Committee discussed the following:-

·           To what extent is the Scrutiny Committee satisfied with the initial direction of the Panel’s work?

The Chair of the Education Scrutiny Panel said that the Panel has been guided and supported by the Education Officers’ and the Scrutiny Manager in their work. He noted that the Panel scrutinises the reports that are afforded to the Panel and further work will be undertaken in some areas within this academic year.  He noted that representatives from Estyn and GwE have attended meetings to support the Panel’s work.

·           What other areas does the Scrutiny Committee consider that the Education Scrutiny Panel needs to scrutinise?

The Chair of the Education Scrutiny Panel said that as 2/3 of the membership of the Panel are new, discussions have been undertaken to afford a development programme to allow for the upskilling of Members as regards to the work of the Panel.  The Scrutiny Manager said that in collaboration with the 3 Chairs of the Scrutiny Panels, a bespoke development plan will be put in place which will be targeted within the Education Scrutiny Panel in the first instance.  She noted that financial expertise has been commissioned to the Finance Scrutiny Committee so as to enable the Panel to be able to scrutinise the Councils financial budgets etc.  It is hoped that a similar programme of support will be afforded to the other 2 Panels in due course.  The Leader of the Council said that there will be a requirement for Education Scrutiny Panel to include within their forward work programme the new Curriculum for Wales and to gather information so as to ensure that the key stages are achieved to address literacy and numeracy within the schools and to report back to the Executive.    The Director of Education, Skills and Young People said that the course of the education service is developing continuously and especially with the new Curriculum for Wales and the Additional Learning Needs Code.  He noted that the Education Panel will be able to scrutinise the key stages within the Curriculum for Wales and to develop a better relationship with the schools on the Island and to invite leaders of the schools to address the Panel as to the process of addressing the new Curriculum. 

It was RESOLVED:-

·           To note the initial progress to date regarding the work of the Education Scrutiny Panel;

·           To support the intention to develop a revised scrutiny model for Education matters as a basis for the Education Scrutiny Panel and the two parent Scrutiny Committees as noted in Part 5, paragraph 2.7 of the report.

ACTION : As noted above.