The Sub-Committee did not have a quorum. However, the members present felt it would be appropriate to hear the reports of the officers and make recommendations, as necessary that could be ratified by the Sub-Committee at a later date.

The Members of the Sub-Committee are asked to consider whether they have a personal or prejudicial interest in connection with any of the items on this agenda and if so to declare it and state the nature of such interest.

The members of the Committee were asked to consider whether they had a personal or prejudicial interest in connection with any item on the agenda and, if so, to declare it and to state the nature of the interest. The following declarations were made:

Councillor Clarke – a personal interest in minute 5 by virtue of her being a governor at The Observatory School.

Councillor PA Smith – a personal interest in minute 10 by virtue of him having a niece who was a teacher at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School.

The Chair agreed to vary the order of business.

Paul Ashcroft, Strategic Service Manager – Participation, reported that there were currently no special schools in Ofsted categories.

The members received a summary of the outcome of a recent Ofsted inspection of The Observatory School. The school had been graded as satisfactory.

Paul Ashcroft, Strategic Service Manager – Participation, remarked that the school had been open for just five years and commented upon the progress made at the school.

Recommended – That the report be noted and the Sub-Committee record its appreciation of this result.

Stuart Bellerby, Strategic Service Manager - Secondary and Lifelong Learning (Learning & Achievement) reported that there were currently no secondary schools in Ofsted categories. 12 out of the 22 secondary schools were graded as ‘outstanding’, only one other authority in the North West (Trafford) being better placed. The national average for outstanding schools was 17%.

The members received a summary of the outcome of the recent Ofsted inspection of the Oldershaw School. The school had been graded as good.

Recommended – That the report be noted and the Sub-Committee record its appreciation of this result.

Stuart Bellerby provided further details of Wirral’s National Challenge Plans and circulated an update for the Members.

The progress of the schools was monitored by the National Strategies and the DCSF and he gave details of the last two monitoring meetings in December, 2009 and March 2010. There had been general agreement between the LA officers and representatives of the external agencies at the most recent monitoring meeting on 10 March concerning progress at the 6 schools. All schools were either on a sustainable trajectory to be above the floor target (30% 5A*-C including Maths and English) by 2011 or were in or being considered for a structural solution.

There was a provisional agreement at the March meeting to provide total funding for 2010/11 for the schools of £325,000 under the National Challenge programme.

Recommended – That the update report be noted.

Mark Parkinson, Head of Learning & Achievement, reported on the two primary schools which were in special measures, Manor and Well Lane.

An action plan had been put in place for Manor Primary to address very specific issues and the school was making progress although there were still some actions to be addressed.

An action plan for Well Lane Primary had yet to be returned from Ofsted and much work was still to be done. A first case conference had been held.

Recommended – That the report be noted.

The members received a summary of the outcomes of recent Ofsted inspections of primary schools. The various schools had been graded as follows:

Inadequate School

Well Lane

Satisfactory Schools

Birkenhead Christ Church C of E

Cathcart Street

Church Drive

Pensby

St Paul’s Catholic

Good Schools

Bidston Avenue

Black Horse Hill Junior

Christ the King Catholic

St Joseph’s Catholic

Woodchurch C of E

Outstanding School

Great Meols

Members commented upon each school in turn and Mark Parkinson, Head of Learning & Achievement, confirmed that he did write to every Head Teacher after an Ofsted inspection. With regard to the quality of early years teaching in the private sector he suggested that an annual overview could be provided.

The Chair referred to an email which had been received from Richard Neale, C of E Diocesan representative, with some comments on the various Ofsted reports and Mark Parkinson agreed that he would reply to Mr Neale’s comments and forward his response to members of the Sub-Committee.  

Recommended – That the reports be noted and the Sub-Committee record its appreciation of these results.

Recommended – That the next meeting be held on Tuesday 13 July, 2010 at 6.00pm.