Meeting documents

Cabinet
Wednesday, 22 June 2005

CA220605-09

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ITEM CA9

CABINET – 22 JUNE 2005

OXFORDSHIRE 14-19 STRATEGY

Report by Director for Learning & Culture

Background

  1. The Oxfordshire 14-19 area wide inspection report was published on 6 October 2003. The Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Learning and Skills Council and Oxfordshire County Council as the Local Education Authority were charged to take the lead in developing and implementing a Post Inspection Action Plan responding to the findings of the area wide inspection report. The recommendations of the area wide inspection report and the contents of the post inspection action plan were reported to the Executive on 14 January 2004. The Executive resolved to note these recommendations and resolved to approve the submission of the 14-19 Action Plan to the DfES and partner bodies.1
  2. The Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy Group2, a cross sector, high level group has been meeting since May 2004 to implement the 14-19 Post Inspection Action Plan. A key feature of the plan is the requirement to develop a strategy for 14-19 education and training in Oxfordshire.
  3. The 2004 inspection of Oxfordshire’s Education Service criticised slow progress in constructing a 14-19 Strategy for Oxfordshire. Recent appointments have enabled progress to be made since February 2005.
  4. Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy

  5. The Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy was developed in Spring 2005 and published for consultation in March 2005. The Strategy has been drawn up in the light of the 14-19 area wide inspection report, the 14-19 area wide action plan, the unfolding requirements for the Children and Young People’s Plan and the indicators to be used in joint area reviews. The Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy seeks to address the recommendations of the 14-19 area wide inspection. These are reproduced in Annex 1 for reference.

    Summary of key events

    Oct 2003 Oxfordshire 14-19 area wide inspection report published
    Jan 2004 Post Inspection Action Plan approved by OCC Executive
    May 2004 Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy Group (OFSG) established
    Mar 2005 Draft Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy published for consultation
    Apr 2005 Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy Event
    Jun 2005 Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy submitted to OCC Cabinet

  6. The Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy gives a commitment to young people aged 14-19. It describes the support they can expect to help them develop their potential and achieve the personal, intellectual and technical skills they will need not only to progress to further training, employment or higher education, but also as a foundation for their future development. The strategy sets out a framework for action by all partners in Oxfordshire to work in collaboration to deliver world-class education and training opportunities for young people.
  7. The full version of the Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy is provided in Annex 2, which comprises:
  8. 1. Vision

    2. Commitment to young people aged 14-19

    3. Curriculum framework

    4. Key performance measures

    5. Proposals to build capacity through 14-19 Partnerships to meet the commitment to young people

    6. Expectations and responsibilities of providers and stakeholders

  9. The commitment to young people aged 14-19 is central to the strategy, namely, that young people in Oxfordshire can expect:

    • impartial information, advice and guidance in relation to learning choices
    • equal access to learning opportunities
    • a programme of learning that meets their needs
    • preparation for employment and economic well being
    • the right conditions for high quality learning and a culture of high aspiration and high achievement
    • a safe and secure learning environment
    • personal and academic support throughout the 14-19 phase
    • to be listened to, responded to and respected.

Consultation on Draft Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy

  1. The Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy was finalised after consideration of consultation comments from a wide range of stakeholders and a stakeholder event held in April 2005. The Strategy in Annex 2 (download as .doc file) lists the stakeholder organisations and provides further details of the consultation responses.
  2. Funding for the Strategy

  3. The Strategy is supported by funding from the DfES, transferred via the Local Initiative and Development Fund of the Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Learning and Skills Council up to and including the 2006-07 financial year.
  4. 2004/05 - £476,000

    2005/06 - £965,240

    2006/07 - indicative figures of £900k

  5. A high proportion of this funding will be devolved to 14-19 Partnerships of schools, colleges and training providers working together to expand and improve education and training opportunities for Oxfordshire. If this provision is to be maintained beyond the period of external funding from the Local Initiative and Development Fund the County Council and its partners will need to identify how 14-19 development could be funded beyond 2006.
  6. RECOMMENDATIONS

  7. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

          1. subject to (b) below, approve the Oxfordshire 14-19 Strategy;
          2. note the need to consider how 14-19 development could be funded beyond 2006-07, if provision for additional vocational education and skills based training in accordance with the Strategy is to be realised.

KEITH BARTLEY
Director for Learning & Culture

Background papers: Nil

Contact Officers:
Christine Southall Tel: 01865 458543
Gautam Patel Tel: 01865 291845

June 2005

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