AGENDA ITEM NO. 7
REPORT TO: Executive Board
REPORT NO: CEO/18/05
DATE: 12 April 2005
LEAD OFFICER: Chief Education Officer
CONTACT OFFICER: Goronwy Morris (Ext 7550)/Hywyn Williams (Ext 7575)
SUBJECT: Supplementary Education Strategic Plan (SESP) 2005-06
WARD: N/A
1. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
To seek Executive Board approval to the Supplementary Education Strategic Plan (SESP) 2005-06 (enclosed) before the Plan is submitted to the Wales Assembly Government (WAG) by the due date of 30th April 2005.
2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2.1 The shelf life of the current Education Strategic Plan (ESP) for 2002 - 2005 ends on 31st March 2005. The WAG has decided not to request a new full Education Strategic Plan for the next three years as expected, but to request that all Authorities produce another SESP for a 12 month period up to 31st March 2006. This is due to the fact that WAG is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of all the plans affecting services to children and young people with a view, pending the results of a consultation exercise, to require Authorities to produce a single ‘Children’s Plan’ in future.
2.2 The priorities included in the attached Plan have been developed following an analysis of current performance, a process that has involved examining three main sources of information; namely:
· Performance data;
· Estyn and Audit Commission in Wales evaluations of Authority performance and Estyn/LEA evaluations of school performance, and;
· The Authority’s own self review processes.
Furthermore, current developments at national and local level have also been considered and included in the Plan. The Welsh Assembly Government provide detailed guidance on the elements that need to be included in the Plan and the attached Plan meet all those requirements. The final Plan will be submitted to WAG by 30th April 2005 and approval of the Plan for publication is due by 31st July 2005. Copies of the full Plan will be circulated to all relevant bodies at that time and it is an intention to produce a summary to be distributed more widely within schools, the voluntary sector, Council departments and other interested groups/individuals.
3. RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 That the Executive Board approves the Plan and authorises officers to submit the Plan to the WAG by the due date of 30th April 2005.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
In order for the Authority to meet the statutory requirement to produce a SESP by the due date.
Merfyn Lloyd Jones
Chief Education Officer
4. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
4.1 The priorities identified from the data, inspection evidence and the department’s own self review closely reflect the Council’s own over-arching priorities namely:
To raise educational achievement, and
Improve services to Children and Young People.
4.2 The underlying principle will be to reduce variation within the system and the key priorities identified below will be actioned on a targeted basis reflecting need within the whole community.
4.3 The key priorities for inclusion in the SESP are as follows:
· to continue to raise attainment, especially in the secondary phase;
· to further improve teaching and learning, with particular reference to the Foundation Phase and the 14 – 19 curriculum;
· to promote an inclusive curriculum, with particular reference to developing schools’ capacity to support pupils at risk of disengagement;
· to enhance the learning environment by reviewing the priorities in the capital programme and agreeing on a co-ordinated response to the need to deal with surplus places in the primary sector;
· to develop leadership and management, with a particular focus on self evaluation; and
· to support continuous professional development and the sharing of good practice.
4.4 During the next 12 months and beyond there will need to be a shift towards a more focussed way of working. The support and challenge offered by LEA Officers will be targeted on areas of greatest need. These may be:
· geographical areas such as Communities First areas;
· specific schools;
· particular groups of pupils; and
· individual subjects within schools.
4.5 Funding decisions and the structure of the Education Department will need to fully reflect these pressures. The approach towards school improvement will need to become more inclusive and integrated, making full use of the expertise and resources available in other Council departments, agencies outside the Council and in the voluntary sector. The time frame for developing a more cohesive and integrated approach will be influenced by the outcomes of the Children and Young People Review.
5. CONSULTATION
5.1 The contents of the Plan have been considered at the Primary Heads Federation, the Wrexham Association of Secondary Heads and by officers within the Education Department and Children Social Services.
6. SCRUTINY COMMITTEE COMMENTS
6.1 The emerging priorities for inclusion in the Plan were considered by the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee on 9th February 2005.
7. IMPLICATIONS
7.1 Policy Framework Under the terms of the constitution the Executive Board is required to approve statutory plans prior to submission to the WAG.
7.2 Budget There will be no additional financial implications.
7.3 Legal There are no legal implications.
7.4 Staffing There are no direct staffing implications as a result of this report.
7.5 Other No other issues to note.
8. EVALUATION OF OPTIONS
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND PAPERS / LOCATION / WEBSITE INFO.1. Preparation of Supplementary Education Strategic Plans (guidance
from WAG). / Chief Education Officer
Ty Henblas
Queens Square
Wrexham / www.learning.wales.gov.uk