Presentation.

The Committee considered a presentation introduced by Sue Talbot, Lead Commissioner: Schools. The presentation provided Members with a comprehensive update on Wirral Council’s Schools Strategy. The Committee was informed of the three aspects system of leadership that underpinned the Strategy, namely:

•  Teaching Schools (Specialist Leaders in Education SLEs)

•  National Leaders in Education (NLEs) and Local Leaders in Education (LLEs)

•  National Leaders of Governance (NLGs)

The Lead Commissioner: Schools informed that Teaching Schools had an important role to play in a school-led system and in school improvement, and that Teaching Schools will become centres of excellence, taking on a more focused role that prioritised the co-ordination and delivery of high quality school-based initial teacher training (ITT). In addition Teaching Schools were to provide high quality school-to-school support to share best practice, particularly to schools that need it most, and provide evidence-based professional and leadership development for teachers and leaders across their network.

The Committee was apprised that NLEs were outstanding head teachers who, together with the staff in their national support school (NSS), used their skills and experience to support schools in challenging circumstances. In addition to leading their own schools, NLEs worked to increase the leadership capacity of other schools helped raise standards.

The Lead Commissioner: Schools explained that NLEs could be deployed in a number of ways and each deployment could be tailored to suit the needs of the school receiving support. NLEs were expected to support schools in the most challenging circumstances such as those in an Ofsted category, facing closure or amalgamation or falling below the floor standards.

The Lead Commissioner: Schools further explained that a NLE met with the head teacher(s) and senior staff to discuss the challenges faced and what help was needed and that their work was tailored in partnership with the school.

The Committee was further updated on the local context, in summary:

• Currently there were 3 Teaching Schools (St. John Plessington, Weatherhead High School and Our Lady of Pity Catholic Primary School).
• One more primary school had submitted an application.
• Three primary schools were working on a collaborative bid within twelve months.
• Wirral contained Six National Leaders in Education.
• The school improvement work of the teaching schools was strategically led by the School to School Partnership Board.
• The LA Lead School Commissioner commissioned school improvement work from the Teaching Schools and NLEs.
• Four Locality Boards would be operational from September 2017.

Members questioned the Lead Commissioner: Schools on a variety of topics arising from her presentation that included teacher training, funding for improvements, special schools, private schools and retention of teachers.

A Member also requested additional feedback on the matter of the statistical information provided re Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The Lead Commissioner Schools confirmed that the relevant statistics would be provided to Members following the meeting.

The Committee noted that the Schools Strategy provided the following information, in summary:

• An over-arching  strategic view of the education offer / provision;
• Pupil Places - offering parental preference;
• A coordinated approach for system leadership and school to school support;
• The changing relationship with schools as school improvement statutory duties move from the Local Authority to the Regional School Commissioner’s office; and
• The development of Multi Academy Trusts.

The Lead Commissioner: Schools presentation also summarised information regarding:

Wirral’s Priorities are to:

• Ensure all Wirral’s children and young people attend schools judged as ‘good’ or better by Ofsted.
• Raise the aspiration of all children and young people, with a particular focus on Wirral’s most vulnerable pupils, so they are ready to learn, resilient to change and have the skills and confidence to lead successful lives.
• Ensure that all Wirral’s children and young people were educated in schools that were right for them and which best met their needs.

Members noted the risks i.e. the removal of the Education Services Grants (ESG) that meant, that from April 2018, funding available to offset salary costs for a number of Council employees who were responsible for facilitating the delivery of the strategy and ensured the Council was able to meet its current statutory duties will be reduced by a further £940,000. This meant that unless these posts were funded from core budget the posts will be at risk which could result in reduced LA strategic overview and knowledge of Wirral schools.  Many of the LA’s statutory duties could be compromised.

Resolved – That the report be noted.