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Agenda item

Partnership Agreements with Schools - Scrutiny of the partnership agreement required under the Education Act between the Local Authority and the governing body of schools which agrees their respective functions.

Minutes:

Context:

 

To scrutinise the development of the Statutory Partnership Agreement and influence the way in which the Council works with schools and governing bodies.

 

Key Issues:

 

The Partnership Agreement includes those statutory functions that must be included, which are:

 

  • How the local Authority will promote high standards and support schools, in particular, those giving cause for concern, in special measures or requiring significant improvement and the factors the local Authority will take into account in identifying schools giving cause for concern.

 

  • The support the local Authority will provide for governing bodies where the authority has exercised its powers of intervention or suspended the right to a delegated budget, and in instances where an inspection of a school causes concern or the local Authority appoints additional governors.

 

  • Responsibility of the local Authority to provide governors with support.

 

  • The reports which the governing body provides to the local Authority on discharge of its functions.

 

  • The responsibility of the school and local Authority for Health and Safety matters and their duties to employees and other persons in respect of these matters.

 

  • The responsibility of the school and local Authority for the control of school premises and their maintenance and repairs and how the governing body may exercise its powers to provide community facilities.

 

  • The local Authority duties regarding the defrayment of expenses and maintaining schools.

 

In addition, for schools providing primary education the Agreement must include:

 

·         The exercise by the local Authority and governing body of functions that will promote high standards and secure effective transition of pupils from Key Stages 2 to 3.

 

·         Local Authority target setting in relation to education plans and governing body target setting in relation to pupil performance and absence.

 

For schools providing secondary education the Agreement must include:

 

  • The exercise by the local Authority and governing body of functions that will promote high standards and secure effective transition of pupils from Key Stages 2 and 3 and from key Stages 3 to 4.

 

  • Local Authority target setting in relation to education plans and governing body target setting in relation to absence.

 

Head teachers and the Monmouthshire Association of School Governors have been consulted on the Partnership Agreement and views and comments will be included in the final document that will be submitted to Cabinet in due course.

 

Options Appraisal:

 

Option 1: Do Nothing:

 

This option had been discounted, as it is a legislative requirement to have a partnership Agreement in place.

 

Option 2: Local Authority drafts Partnership Agreement for Governing Bodies to agree.

 

This is the preferred option, as it is a legal requirement to have a Partnership Agreement in place as defined by the Education Act 2002.

 

However, if the local Authority fails to reach an agreement with a school governing body, the local Authority may draw up a statement establishing how it and the governing body are to discharge their respective functions in relation to the school.

 

Member Scrutiny:

 

·         The Maintained Schools Partnership Agreement was a positive document which was needed as it establishes the expectations of schools and the local Authority. However, there were some concerns raised by the Monmouthshire Association of School Governors regarding the responsibility outlined in the document for governing bodies and the lack of acknowledgement of the professional staff within schools in some areas.

 

·         The relationship between school governors and head teachers / senior leadership teams is important.  It was considered that the document required some further work to incorporate the views expressed by the Monmouthshire Association of School Governors.

 

·         Concern was expressed that some prospective school governors might consider the document to be overwhelming in its current form with regard to the responsibility requirements outlined and therefore, might decide not to pursue taking up the role of a school governor.

 

·         In response to a question raised regarding suspension of staff when child protection / safeguarding issues are raised, it was noted that in these circumstances, all head teachers will contact the Local Authority Lead for Safeguarding and Education to discuss the incident / referral / allegation that has been made. It is important that the Authority takes care of any allegation made of a professional nature.  This would then escalate up into a process set down by the All Wales Child Protection schedules.  Therefore, the Authority has to work via this process. 

 

·         In response to questions raised in respect of the Partnership Agreement, it was noted that:

 

-       The responsibilities in consultation with Senior Leadership Team was included in the document. This was also on the recommendation of some head teachers. Head teachers are clear on what they have to report to the governing bodies.

 

-       The document outlines the responsibilities for governing bodies and the local Authority.

 

·         The Partnership Agreement is drawn up on the basis of Welsh Government guidance and is being used by local Authorities across the Education Achievement Service (EAS) region. However, there is a need to explore accountability.

 

·         It is the governing body who runs a school and the head teacher is employed to do this.

 

·         This document is a significant re-fresh of the original Partnership Agreement.

 

·         Work is required with a view to ensuring that governing bodies understand the depths of their responsibility as school governors.

 

·         Monmouthshire’s Partnership Agreement is in accordance with other nearby local authorities’ Partnership Agreements.

 

·         The Partnership Agreement also needs to be proof read before being finalised.

 

·         It was noted that there is one trade union representative seat on the Schools Budget Forum.  The Chief Officer for Children and Young People stated that he would check to see whether a trade union representative is regularly attending this meeting. Also, whether the procedure for election and re-election is being undertaken.

 

Committee’s Conclusion:

 

·         The Partnership Agreement required further work in light of the views expressed.

 

·         Governing bodies have statutory duties to uphold.

 

·         Statute is clear that governing bodies need to establish positive relationships with their respective local authorities.

 

·         It was proposed that a meeting be established between Officers and Monmouthshire Association of School Governors, which will be chaired by County Councillor M. Groucutt with a view to reviewing the Partnership Agreement.

 

Upon being put to the vote, the following votes were recorded:

 

In favour of the proposal   -   4

Against the proposal         -   0

Abstentions                       -   0

 

The proposition was carried.

 

We resolved that a meeting be established between Officers and Monmouthshire Association of School Governors, which will be chaired by County Councillor M. Groucutt with a view to reviewing the Partnership Agreement.

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents: