Agenda item

1.50 pm

Report by Deputy Director Education (ESC8).

The report considers the evolving relationship with schools and colleges, particularly in light of local and national contexts. The report includes a breakdown of the staffing and roles of the four service areas.

The Education Scrutiny is RECOMMENDED to note the report for discussion.

At a previous meeting, the Committee had asked for a report following recent significant change both nationally and locally, which had meant that the Council’s relationship with schools and colleges had evolved from being predominantly the sole provider for schools and colleges to one where it worked in collaboration with a range of partners.

Accordingly, The Deputy Director for Education, David Clark attended the Committee to give a brief presentation to explain the new role of the local authority (a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of the minutes).

In introducing the presentation, the Deputy Director explained that to meet these changing needs and structures, Oxfordshire County Council was realigning its ways of working with schools and colleges to reflect the complex educational landscape, whilst remaining true to its moral purpose of driving school improvement to ensure that children and young people and their families all had access to excellent schools.

The County Council, like schools, had undergone budget cuts which had meant that it had found it necessary to evolve its relationships with schools to be:

·                a champion for all children and young people and their families by utilising its democratic mandate to ensure good outcomes for all, particularly those from vulnerable groups, and lead on educational transformation;

·                a convener within the Oxfordshire education system to bring leaders together, connecting best practice and facilitate partnerships; and

·                a commissioner for all schools, to bring the strategic picture to reality, utilise its unique position in relation to local knowledge, intelligence and countywide data and facilitate school improvement support and development.

However, he explained that, whilst the ways of working with schools and resulting budget cuts had significantly changed, the statutory duties in relation to the Local Authority had remained. These centred around:

·                ensuring a sufficient supply of school places, including SEND;

·                challenging underperformance in schools and ensuring high standards;

·                supporting vulnerable children.

Local strategic feedback had resulted in shifting the vision of the Council’s Education service to supporting vulnerable families, as it was uniquely placed to liaise and collaborate with all partners to support schools and colleges to meet the challenges and demands they face in providing high quality education for all.

Schools were looking to the Council to facilitate and lead on vision that will bring all schools and colleges into a ‘One Oxfordshire’ educational landscape. This was an exciting time for education and with a new structure and new staff, The Deputy Director felt that they were well placed to build on the existing relationships with schools to enhance the quality of education in Oxfordshire.

He went on to explain the local strategic positioning including the vision set out in the Corporate Plan and Children & young People Plan to increase school attendance; help early, supporting prevention; to safely reduce the number of looked after children and managing demand and improving the confidence and capability of the whole workforce, together with the local vision on vulnerable families.

During discussion the following points were made:

Members welcomed the new structure that had been put in place in relation to Access to Learning, Leaner Engagement, SEND and School Improvement and Learning.

Members expressed concern over the large numbers of children in care being placed out of County, (often for their own safety and often in the middle of term) as there was a great reluctance to take these children into schools. Members stressed the need to do everything possible for these children and to ask central government to do everything they could.  In response, officers agreed to liaise with the virtual school to pick these children up.

Members noted that links with Adult Services would be needed to support ‘vulnerable families.  Officers commented that work would be focused on the child, but that it was clear if the child was supported the family would need to be supported too.