Agenda item

Context:

We received the South East Wales EAS Business Plan 2017-2020. The plan sets out the priorities, programmes and outcomes to be achieved by the Education Achievement Service on behalf of the South East Wales Consortium. This consideration by key partners is part of the construction of the plan.

Key Issues:

The South East Wales Consortium is required to submit to the Welsh Government a three-year business plan that will be updated annually. This is the fourth iteration of the plan first submitted in 2013. This plan covers the period 2017-2020.

The South East Wales EAS Business Plan sets out four priorities: Improving attainment overall but narrowing the gap between eligible for Free School Meals (eFSM) and non Free School Meals (FSM) pupils; raising attainment in English; Welsh and Mathematics. These are the core priorities for the service and all other activities and programmes are now supporting the achievement of these outcomes.

The Education Achievement Service (EAS) for South East Wales has prepared this Business Plan for 2017-2020 to outline the programme of work required to achieve improved outcomes for children and young people. This version builds on the current Business Plan for the service (2016-2019) but takes account of the framework of new Welsh Government (WG) policy, particularly:

·         National School Categorisation system.

·         ‘Qualified for Life 2’- the National Education Improvement Strategy.

·         ‘Successful Futures’ - the review of curriculum and assessment.

·         ‘Teaching tomorrow’s teachers’ - the review of Initial Teacher Training.

The programmes of work are closely targeted to achieving improvement where the needs are greatest. The aim of the Education Achievement Service (EAS) in partnership with Local Authorities is to:

• Improve leadership, teaching and learning to secure sustained improvement in outcomes for learners (in literacy/ Welsh / English and numeracy / mathematics) at least in line or above the rate of progress in Wales.

• Increase the pace of improvement for groups of learners across the region, particularly FSM and more able learners in Key Stage 4.

·         Improve regional capacity to implement a self improving system.

There is a comprehensive consultation with all stakeholders that will lead to the publication of the final version of the Business Plan within the timescales agreed in the EAS Business Planning Cycle. The first draft version has been shared with each local authority Director of Education and takes into account actions and deliverables that have been requested.

There is a high level summary of the main actions within the Business Plan and a section with Accountability Measures. In addition, there are detailed delivery plans and detailed reviews of progress for the previous Business Plan.

The Business Plan sets out the overall priorities for the South East region and in addition an annex that focuses in particular on the priorities and programmes for each local authority in the Consortium, these have been discussed with local authority Directors and Cabinet Members prior to submission. These documents will also form part of the consultation process.

Member scrutiny:

·         The Regional More Able Strategy will be linked to the 14-19 Strategy and the aim is to get primary schools involved.  Primary schools are being challenged in preparation.

·         The EAS has re-aligned the structure of its teams internally to reflect the model of the new curriculum.  With every review of the Business Plan the EAS will look to align it more closely with the new curriculum as it comes on line.

·         Each school cluster is in the process of drawing up a plan to work with £20,000 within their cluster to dedicate that spending on areas that they have identified from their data.  The EAS will review this and take it forward with a view to developing it further.

·         For some of Monmouthshire’s cluster areas, the Authority is looking to develop a solution around business managers working across clusters bringing in additional levels of support and expertise but also looking at developing ALN provision based on clusters.  Also, looking to provide a north / south cluster arrangement.

·         The children’s wellbeing is key and is being catered for. A part of the Business Plan refers to wellbeing in education.  However, it is difficult to measure a child’s wellbeing. This is best achieved by listening and talking to individual pupils and checking that they feel safe and cared for.

·         Involving the family in the child’s learning and raising expectations and aspirations is key. Many of Monmouthshire’s schools already do this.

·         All data relating to individual pupils is kept.  However, it is more difficult to track the holistic wellbeing of pupils.  The Youth Service undertakes surveys to understand how safe children feel.  Interventions have been put in place within schools to make pupils aware of the risks of E bullying via social media.  The Authority works with the NHS to understand the levels of need with regard to children’s mental health.  Therefore, the Children and Young People Directorate and schools provide more than just a set of examination results.

·         The Principal Challenge Adviser recognises the different needs that Monmouthshire’s schools require.  The EAS has a close working relationship with the County Council and its officers.

·         In response to a Select Committee Member’s question regarding any potential threats to the Business Plan, it was noted that there were two issues, namely, the nature of the curriculum and the coming changes and the unpredictability and volatile nature of the grant funding.