Agenda item

To consider a report on the progress against the recommendations of the Education Review, the current position of education for North Tyneside and the proposed approach in the context of national changes and local challenges. 

Cabinet received an update report on education provision in North Tyneside.

Cabinet was assured that the absolute focus of everyone involved was what mattered most to children, young people, their families and carers. North Tyneside had an education system to be proud of.  A strong performer regionally and nationally, with 84.4% of children attending a good or outstanding school with most families getting a much better choice of schools. This was a reflection of the hard work done by Head Teachers and their teams, governing bodies, Elected Members, Authority staff and children and young people.

Education in England continued to change.  This was the second year of the National Funding Formula which had been introduced in 2018/19 and the Fostering and Adoption Act passed in 2016 provided the Secretary of State with a power to convert schools judged as Inadequate or “Coasting” to academy status.  In November 2016 the Government had published a Green Paper, “Schools that work for everyone.”  While the policy intention of the Green Paper was to use incentives to encourage private schools, universities, selective schools and Faith schools to provide more good school places, the headlines focussed on a suggestion that selection would return and grammar schools expanded. 

Working with Chairs of Governing Bodies and Head Teachers, the Authority had responded to the consultation in December 2016.  The Government had finally published its response in May 2017.  However, there were no plans for an education bill in this parliamentary session.  Recent announcements had included a simpler accountability system in which the Department for Education would only intervene if Ofsted judged a school’s performance as Inadequate, the pilot sites for T Levels and for the new Institutes of Technology.

The report gave details of the following:

•           An update on the recommendations of the Education Review carried out between October 2014 and January 2015, and progress since it had last been considered by Cabinet in July 2018;

•           A summary of the issues for North Tyneside implied by the current position and the national context;

•           An updated proposal for how the Authority, Head Teachers, governing bodies and other partners would work together on the key priority issues - there remained a clear focus on financial review, analysis and planning, keeping children and young people in school and closing the gap in attainment between the most and least deprived children and young people along with special educational needs and disability provision and resources;

•           The proposed approach to the North of Tyne Devolution Deal Education Challenge developed in partnership with the North of Tyne Authorities, Head Teachers and other school leaders.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning responded to a request by Mr Layton, on behalf of the Trades Unions, by asking officers to provide a copy of the Authority’s response to the 2016 Government Green Paper on “Schools that work for everyone”.

The Elected Mayor paid tribute to all involved in working to provide the best possible education for North Tyneside and thanked staff for their work, in particular for the continued improvement in the School Estate.

Cabinet considered the following decision options:  to either to approve the recommendations as set out in section 1.2 of the report, or alternatively, to not approve the recommendations.

Resolved that (1) progress on the recommendations of the Education Review be noted;

(2) the improved position between April 2014 and June 2019 be noted;

(3) the continued financial challenges faced by schools and the joint work to deal with those challenges be noted;

(4) the next set of priorities which will be important to the Authority and schools be agreed;

(5) the approach being taken to work with schools be agreed;

(6) the work undertaken with schools in relation to SEND provision be noted; and a pre-publication consultation with schools, parents and other interested parties in relation to the amendment of the structure of provision for pupils with Special Educational Needs be agreed;

(7) the support for the work of the North of Tyne Education Challenge be agreed; and

(8) the receipt of further reports as required be agreed.

(Reasons for decision:  It reflects the recommendations agreed by Cabinet as part of the Education Review and the work done with the Elected Mayor, Cabinet Member, Head Teachers and Chairs of Governing Bodies.)