Agenda item

To submit a progress report by the Chair of the Education Scrutiny Panel.

 Submitted – a progress report by the Chair of the Education Scrutiny Panel.

The Chair of the Education Scrutiny Panel, Councillor Gwilym O Jones said that Education is one of the six key strategic aims of the Council Plan, and it is considered that Elected Members have a crucial role in realising this aim by scrutinising and holding to account and the work of the Education Scrutiny Panel contributes towards this aim.  He noted that this is the Panel’s third progress report and covers the period September 2023 – January 2024.  The Panel met on 4 occasions during this period and considered the following matters :-

•          Integrated Joint Working Model;

•          Wellbeing/Mental Health/Safeguarding;

•          Additional Learning Needs and Inclusion;

•          Schools Placed in Category, Estyn Follow Up or Receiving Additional Support;

•          Scrutiny Panel work programme for the period May 2023 – April 2024.

During consideration of the report questions were raised as to how to health and welfare of pupils are monitored.  The Senior Manager (Secondary Schools) responded that there have been many examples of good practice in schools on  Anglesey as regards to health and welfare and schools share good practices.   Further questions were raised as to whether the Panel has considered, within their forward work programme, as to how the budgetary savings will have an effect on the progress of schools and also whether the Panel has a strategy to monitor the effects.  The Deputy Chief Executive responded that continued monitoring will be undertaken on the effect of the budgetary savings by the Learning Service and the Scrutiny Panel will receive regular reports.  He noted that the Panel Members will have an opportunity to visit the schools and invite representatives from the schools before the Panel.   The Chief Executive said that a joint meeting of the Finance Scrutiny Panel and the Education Scrutiny Panel will meet at the end of this month to consider the impacts of the potential efficiency savings on the education provision.  He also said that there are uncertainties as regards to grant funding to schools and discussions will be undertaken within the joint meeting of both Panels on the impact from the next financial year onwards. 

Reference was made as to what suggestions can the Partnership and

Regeneration Scrutiny Committee have to further strengthen the work of the Education Scrutiny Panel.  The Chair of the Panel responded that it would be advantageous for the Panel to receive suggestions as to the areas within the Learning Service from Members of this Committee who are not members of the Panel.  Questions were raised as to whether to ‘voice of the pupil’ and ‘voice of the parents/guardians’ are considered as part of the scrutiny process.  The Scrutiny Manager responded that as part of the Panel’s Forward Work Programme the

Panel will be scrutinizing the matter raised as to the ‘voice of the learner’.  Further questions were raised as to whether the Panel consider that they need to receive specific areas of work that they are not having the opportunity to consider.  The Chair of the Panel responded that the Panel meets on a regular basis and discusses with the relevant Officers as to the areas within the Learning Service that they wish to receive and to scrutinize.   He noted that the Learning Service has provided the Education Scrutiny Panel with reports on each area of work the Panel have requested.  He emphasised that the meetings of the Panel are confidential as matters are discussed as regards to individual schools.  The Senior Manager (Secondary Schools) noted that the School Improvements Guidelines should become statutory in September 2024 and the Education Scrutiny Panel will have an opportunity to discuss and scrutinize the arrangements. 

Reference was made to the effect on social media and protection of children whilst viewing different websites and the potential bullying that can arise from social media.  Questions were raised as to whether web-safety issues are considered.  The Senior Manager (Secondary Schools) responded that all matters relating to safeguarding are important, including web-safety within the schools and a Data Protection Officer and Safeguarding Officer are available to support schools within the Learning Service. .  He noted that there are policies,  guidelines and processes available to support web-safety.  

Reference was made that the progress report discusses availability of the latest data on school attendance, exclusions, and de-registrations in the Local Authority schools.  Questions were raised as to what concerns does this data raise.  The Senior Manager (Secondary Schools) responded that school attendances are lower than pre-covid and whilst there are concerns this has been the trend across Wales since the pandemic.  He noted that it is important to work with the schools and the governors to raise school attendances and to monitor exclusions within the schools.  Further questions were raised as to whether there are trends in the school absences.  The Senior Manager (Secondary Schools) responded that there are no specific trends identified by the Learning Services, but that the Learning Service are using designated Officers to engage with families to target the issues of school attendances.

Questions were raised as to whether there are positive effects within the schools are regards to ‘Trauma Informed’.  The Senior Manager (Secondary Schools) responded that considerable work has been undertaken within schools as regards to ‘Trauma Informed’ and every school is committed to the work being undertaken.  He noted that it was too soon to report on the effects and it will take a few years to be able to gauge the effect that it will have on the schools.

Further questions were raised as to how the Learning Service will be able to monitor the cap in the achievement of pupils who receive free school meals and those who do not receive free school meals in the future as all primary school children will receive free school meals in Wales.  The Senior Manager (Secondary Schools) responded that the guidelines, which are non-statutory at the moment, put the responsibilities on the governing bodies of schools to ensure that schools priorities reflects the need to ensure equality within education for each individual pupil with the support of the Learning Service.  The Deputy Chief Executive said that the ‘Free School Meals Measure’ has been approved by Welsh Government that all primary school children in Wales will get free school meals by the end of 2024.  He further said that discussions continue with Welsh Government as regards to the specific challenges within the ‘Measure’.  

Questions were raised as to the long-term strategy of the Learning Service for the future.  The Deputy Chief Executive responded that whilst there will be financial challenges for schools and the governing bodies and the Learning Service will need to evaluate the short-term and long-term strategies within the schools.  He gave an example that each school has a Schools Development Plan which evaluates the short and long-term programmes within the schools and working with GwE is an important element for the success within schools.  He further said that collaboration within the schools is important and to be able to share good practice is an important element for improvements.  Further questions were raised whether there are concerns to the reduction of the support from GwE.  The Chief Executive responded that there will be a reduction in grants and there will a review of the middle tier provision of GwE.  Details of the timetable as regards to the changes to the support from educational consortia is awaited.  He noted that there will be significant changes in the responsibilities that GwE currently has within the six local authorities they support at present.  The Chief Executive said that there has been discussion taking place between the six local authorities over the last few months to protect the important provision afforded by GwE.  He further said that significant changes will need to be dealt with in the future as regards to the changes that will affect the schools and the Education Scrutiny Panel will be informed of the challenges that will need to be address for the best provision for the pupils in the schools.  

Reference was made to the shortage of Educational Psychologist.   Questions were raised to how long pupils are now having to await to be assessed.  The Senior Manager (Secondary Schools) responded that there is a shortage of Educational Psychologist, especially bilingual psychologists, and children are having to wait to be assessed for a period of time.  The Chair of the Education Scrutiny Panel said that discussion have taken place within the Panel as regards to the shortage of Educational Psychologist throughout Wales.   

It was RESOLVED to note the progress made during the last period in terms of the work of the Education Scrutiny Panel.  

ACTION : As noted above.