Agenda item

2:00

The report (ESC9) is the result of a deep dive by the Education Scrutiny Committee, as set out in its Forward Plan of work. The Committee formed a working group to take the deep dive forward, which met with key officers in the Education Service and visited four secondary schools to learn about good practice and innovation in teaching disadvantaged children.

This report sets out why attainment (and progress), particularly of disadvantaged children, was chosen as a deep dive topic, what examples of good practice in education of disadvantaged pupils at secondary schools the working group learned about, and sets out the Working Group’s conclusions for officers, Education Scrutiny Committee and the Cabinet Member for Education and Cultural Services. The Education Service is beginning the development of a comprehensive 3-year Education Strategy for Oxfordshire. This report is therefore presenting the findings of the deep dive investigation, and the Working Group's conclusions in the interim, ahead of this important scheme of work.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to consider the conclusions of the report.

The Committee had before it a report (ESC9) which was the result of a deep dive by the Education Scrutiny Committee, as set out in its Forward Plan of work. The Committee formed a working group to take the deep dive forward, which met with key officers in the Education Service and visited four secondary schools to learn about good practice and innovation in teaching disadvantaged children.

This report set out why attainment (and progress), particularly of disadvantaged children, was chosen as a deep dive topic, what examples of good practice in education of disadvantaged pupils at secondary schools the working group learned about, and sets out the Working Group’s conclusions for officers, Education Scrutiny Committee and the Cabinet Member for Education and Cultural Services. The Education Service was beginning the development of a comprehensive 3-year Education Strategy for Oxfordshire. This report was therefore presenting the findings of the deep dive investigation, and the Working Group's conclusions in the interim, ahead of this important scheme of work.

Councillor John Howson in introducing the report, thanked members, officers and the schools who had taken part in the deep dive for their helpful advice and suggestions.

The Group had looked at good practice which was a key area for Oxfordshire and further consideration to how best practice could be disseminated and collaborated on needed further consideration.  Oxfordshire had made significant improvement to absolute deprivation figures, but further work was needed on Progress 8.

The Committee held a detailed debate around pupil premium and the difficulties of parent/pupil take up.  The Department for Work and Pensions held the information needed to allow schools to get the relevant funding and the Committee had previously written to the Government jointly with the Cabinet Member for Education & Culture imploring it to release the necessary information.

The Chairman suggested that a further briefing be drawn up for MPs to press the issue further.

Carole Thomson suggested that school admission forms could include a question on pupil premium.

RESOLVED: to agree the following conclusions from the report:

1.             Education Scrutiny Committee should consider adding to its Forward Plan the following items:

·       annual monitoring reports of both the progress and attainment of disadvantaged children across primary and secondary phases;

·       a report on levels of disadvantage compared with those in existing Opportunity Areas, by Parliamentary constituency.

2.             Education Scrutiny Committee should consider using its next visit from the Regional Schools Commissioner to ask how best practice can be actively disseminated and collaborated on by academies for the education of all children in Oxfordshire.

3.             Education Scrutiny Committee should consider asking Property Officers to consider investigating how the county council might work with District Councils, Universities, Dioceses and businesses around supporting accommodation access for teachers in the county, including reviewing any county council assets that may be suitable for use as rented teacher accommodation.

4.             The Educational Attainment Working Group asks the Cabinet Member for Education & Cultural Services to consider working with Communications on a campaign encouraging Pupil Premium registration.

5.             Education Scrutiny Committee should consider asking officers to work with appropriate bodies to identify subjects and phases of education where insufficient teachers are being trained for Oxfordshire schools, being mindful of the forecast secondary school population growth.

6.             Education Scrutiny Committee should ask officers to investigate with the teaching school and local universities the possibility for the formulation of a tailored package of professional development for Oxfordshire schools with the aim of closing the attainment gap in the county.