To receive a further update on the progress with the restructure of the Education Service and thereafter to consider proposals for the release of the second tranche of the ring-fenced £220,000 transferred from the Schools Block to the Central School Services Block.
Minutes:
The Forum was concerned that having noted at the previous meeting that a proposed restructure of the Education Service had been agreed there now appeared to be a further restructure in progress and consideration would need to be given as to whether the Forum would be willing to authorise release of the next tranche of ring-fenced funds.
The Executive Director – Wellbeing (Children and Learning) advised the Forum that he would welcome a formalised method of receiving feedback about the quality of the Education Service through the Forum or the Headteacher Conference Groups. The restructure had been driven by the Local Authority’s financial position and need to address historic overspends and there had been a number of changes of post and removal of the post of Deputy Director of Education. The focus would always be to support schools to deliver the best education, improve attendance and reduce exclusions. There was a need to improve educational outcomes and deal with deprivation to narrow attainment gaps and get all children ready for skilled jobs within the city. There would be efforts to achieve a consensus about adopting the Education Partnership model and returning SEND provision into mainstream schools.
There would be a general focus on transformation within the Local Authority and there was a hope that change could be driven in the next year. While the pace of change might cause some concern the Education Service intended to work collaboratively with schools, look at co-production and evaluate marketing strategies. Creation of a new post of an Interim Director for Transformation of Education would increase the capacity of the Service to work with schools and could be in place by September 2024.
The Forum was concerned about possible lack of transparency about how large transfers from the CSSB would be used to top up funding shortfalls in that process and how those funds were originally intended to be used. Schools in deficit might question whether they should receive those funds instead. It was noted that in the past there had been mixed messages from the Local Authority.
Councillor Winning, the Cabinet member for Children and Learning, acknowledged that the pace of change was rapid but that it was agreed that the culture must be right and it was acknowledged that services required improvement.
In answer to a question the Forum was advised that the money being requested under this item of the agenda was separate and additional to the transfer of funds for School Licences and School Admissions previously discussed at item 4. This transfer would fund existing services.
The Forum noted that past education budgets for Admissions had not been reviewed for several years and pressures from increasing costs of staff, appeals (such as panel expenses and couple with increasing requests for interpreters) and copyrights where the invoice from Government exceeded the allocated budget) had increased in the meantime.
The Forum agreed that given it was now difficult to ascertain how monies were spent in the past in the future there would be a need for openness and it was agreed that the Executive Director would provide the next meeting with a presentation covering the education budget, DSG, general fund, income, statutory responsibilities and how the money allocated by the Forum was to be used.