Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Johnson oom - Tickfield

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies, Substitutions and Introductions

(AOB not on the Agenda to be identified and dealt with at the discretion of the Chair).

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Mr J Johnson, Ms K Willis, Mr T Barrett, Ms L Clark, Mr S Leftley and Councillor Boyd.

2.

Minutes of the meeting held on 5th June 2018 pdf icon PDF 77 KB

Minutes attached

Minutes:

Resolved:

 

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 5th June 2018, subject to the inclusion of Gary Bloom in the attendance list, were agreed.

3.

Operational and Good Practice Guidance, Powers and Responsibilities and the Structure of the Education Board pdf icon PDF 60 KB

Report attached

Minutes:

The Board considered a report from the Clerk providing an overview of recent guidance issued by the Education & Skills Funding Agency in September 2018 concerning the operation, powers and structure of Schools Forum (Southend Education Board).

 

Resolved:

 

That a time-limited Task and Finish Group be set-up to review the operational and good practice guidance and bring back recommendations to a future meeting of the Board.  The Task & Finish Group will consist of the following Board Members and Council officers:

 

Niki Lamont

Robin Bevan

Annette Turner

Maurice Sweeting (Chair)

Brin Martin (officer)

Robert Harris (Clerk)

4.

Early Years 2019/20 Funding, Provider rates and deprivation entitlement pdf icon PDF 92 KB

Report attached

Minutes:

The Board considered a report from Elaine Hammans setting out proposals for a further review of the deprivation supplement and the indicative funding for The Early Years’ Service from April 2019.

 

The Board discussed the report in detail and reiterated its concerns regarding the inadequacy of Government funding, particularly the capacity and sustainability going forward. 

 

In response to questions concerning the early year’s provider portal the Board noted that:

 

Ø  The portal was an automatic self-service tool;

Ø  Funding was in place to put the system/portal in all schools;

Ø  All schools and PVI’s have access to the portal;

Ø  Schools will not be required to pay for the EY Pupil Premium eligibility claims checking (as they currently do – as this is available through the portal).

 

Resolved:

 

1. That it be agreed that a further review of the deprivation supplement criteria be undertaken from October 2018 to align the supplement with the EYPP criteria from April 2019 onwards.

 

2. That the indicative provider funding rates for 2019/20, which complies with government funding regulations to have all providers on the same base rate from April 2019, be approved/agreed.

 

3. That the proposed funding of the Early Years’ Service, be noted.

 

4. That the parents entitlement and access to the Early Years Element of the DSG, be noted.

 

5. That it be noted that the DfE funding is to support a child in a placement for 38 weeks of the year, to a maximum of 570 hours for 2 year old and Universal 3 & 4 year old funding and 1140 hours for Extended funding.  These hours can be stretched across up to 52 weeks per year at proportionally less hours per week up to the maximum allowed.

5.

Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) 2018-19 Forecast Outturn and 2019-20 Budgetary Planning pdf icon PDF 152 KB

Report to follow

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board considered a report from the Senior Finance Officer presenting the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) forecast outturn for 2018/19 and budget planning for 2019/20 schools budget, high needs, early years and centrally retained.

 

The Board discussed the report in detail and reiterated its concerns from previous meetings of the Board that due to the DfE cap on funding gains in the High Needs National Funding Formula (NFF) Southend was significantly underfunded.

 

In respect to independent providers the Board recognised the significant funding pressures in this area with a range of volatile factors, such as an increase in required numbers of looked after children, combined with a private market that has reduced its capacity, effectively ‘supply’ was outstripping ‘demand’.

 

Resolved:

 

1. That the forecast 2018/19 outturn, and subsequent potential DSG reserve balances for each funding block to now be carried forward into 2019/20, be noted (as referenced in paragraph 4.50).

 

2. That the continual need to constrain the distribution of high needs funding until the end of 2019/20, be noted (as referenced in paragraph 4.51).

 

3. That the targeted restoration of depleted DSG reserves by the end of 2019/20, be noted (as referenced in paragraph 4.51).

 

4. That with regard to individual school’s budget planning for 2019/20 it will continue, as followed in 2018/19, with the trajectory of adopting the principles of the National Funding Formulae in full (as reference in paragraph 3.9).

 

5. That the principles of the National Funding Formulae, continue to be adopted, that for each separate funding block the distribution of funding is affordable within its own allocation (as referenced in paragraph 3.9).

 

6. That the 2019/20 budget paper to finalise the agreed distribution of DSG funding for individual mainstream schools be presented to the Board in December 2018, including centrally retained (as referenced in paragraph 4.10).

 

7. That an additional options paper and recommendation on the application of growth fund awarded to schools from 2019/20, be presented to the Board for approval in March 2019, once it has been considered first through the Resources Sub Group (as referenced in paragraph 4.22).

 

8. That the 2019/20 detailed High Needs budget allocation, be presented the Board for approval in March 2019, once it has been considered first through the Resources Sub Group (as referenced in paragraph 4.43).

 

 

6.

Secondary School Places Update

Verbal report (no papers)

Minutes:

The Board received a verbal update on the position regarding the provision of secondary school places across the Borough for 2018/19 and 2019/20. 

 

The Board noted that an additional 120 schools had been met through expansion by one form of entry at both Shoeburyness and St Thomas More and a further two forms of entry at Belfairs. 

 

In terms of the expansion with schools for 2019/20 plans are progressing for a further form of entry at Shoeburyness (bulge) plus one permanent form of entry at Eastwood Academy and St Bernard’s with a possible two forms of entry at Chase High School.

 

The Board discussed the future provision of school places in relation to the proposed development of 10,000 or more homes in the Borough and the need for further expansion to meet the additional need for school places beyond 2020.  The Board was advised that there needs to be a balance between a surplus of school places whilst not being detrimental to the schools.

 

Resolved:

That the update on the provision of secondary school places across the Borough, be noted.

7.

Children's Centres Utilisation

Verbal update (no papers)

Minutes:

The Board received a verbal update on the utilisation Children’s Centres.

 

The Board discussed the significant challenges and the sustainability of Children’s Centres and noted that a Task and Finish Group had been set-up to develop a model which makes the best use of the Children’s Centre within current resources and financial pressures.  It was emphasised that in order to fully utilise the Children’s Centre a fully integrated approach was needed between all partners (Council, health, schools, voluntary and community sector, etc).

 

Resolved:


That a summary paper on the utilisation of Children’s Centres, be circulated to all Board Members for information.

8.

SEND Inspection

Verbal Update (no papers)

Minutes:

The Board received a verbal update concerning the recent SEN Inspection and noted that this was not a ‘judged’ inspection.  The Board received an overview of the key findings from the inspection and noted that an action plan would be produced to address the areas for improvement set out in the findings.  There were a number of strengths identified through the inspection, which included the validation by the Inspectors of the SEN self-assessment form completed by the partnership (and endorsed by the Education Board).

 

Resolved:

 

That the update on SEND Inspection, be noted.

9.

Fair Access Protocol pdf icon PDF 81 KB

Report to follow

Minutes:

The Board considered a report of the Head of Access and Inclusion providing an update on the use of Managed Moves within the current Fair Access Protocol (FAP) 2018, as agreed through the Headteacher consultation in May 2018.

 

Resolved:

 

That Managed Moves at the point of permanent exclusion continue to be included within the protocol and provide guidance for Fresh Start Managed Moves.

10.

Annual Needs Analysis in relation to nurture and provision across the Borough

Verbal update (no papers)

Minutes:

The Chief Executive/Executive Headteacher from the Parallel Learning Trust (PLT) provided a verbal update on the current and future provision at the Victory Park Academy.  The PLT was in the process of making wholesale improvements to the service, which included the recruitment of good/outstanding staff to replace the current team, providing better quality services, value for money and a more flexible approach to nurture provision.  The work in this area was due to be concluded by December 2018.

 

The Board reiterated its concerns regarding the historical issues with the alternative provision offer which included insufficient places and inadequate quality.  The Board had expected some historical and statistical data to be provided to them on the scale of need and provision, take-up of nurture places and cost-effectiveness (e.g. efficiencies generated from co-location).  In response the Board was assured that a report would be presented to its next meeting.

 

Resolved:


That a report setting out the scale of need and provision in respect to nurture and provision of the alternative offer across the Borough be presented to the Board in December 2018.  The report to include statistical data on the scale of need, take-up of nurture places and provide a detailed overview of the progress and actions being taken by the Parellel Learning Trust on alternative provision at Victory Academy Park.

 

 

 

11.

Teacher Workload and Wellbeing Strategy pdf icon PDF 64 KB

Report attached for noting

Minutes:

The Board considered a report on the production of a Teacher Workload and Wellbeing Strategy to support the DfE commitment to remove unnecessary workload for teachers and leaders and enhance recruitment and retention.

 

The Board welcomed the production of this strategy and noted that a report on the findings and a proposed future strategy would be presented to the Board in October 2019.

 

Resolved:


That the report be noted.

12.

Feedback from Sub Group Chairs pdf icon PDF 67 KB

(a) School Performance S.G. – Minutes attached

 

(b) Vulnerable Learners S.G – Minutes attached

 

(c) Resources S.G. – Minutes attached

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board received the minutes of the following sub groups:

 

(a) School Performance S.G;

(b) Vulnerable Learners S.G;

(c) Resources S.G.

 

Resolved:


That the minutes of the sub groups be noted.

13.

Any Other Business

To be notified to the Chair/Clerk prior to the meeting.

Minutes:

Data Sharing

 

The Board received a verbal update on the development of a data sharing protocol with schools.  The aim of the protocol was to improve the quality and accuracy of data sharing.  The protocol would also meet the statutory requirements around data-sharing.

 

Resolved:

 

That the development of a data sharing protocol be noted and that all schools be encouraged to sign-up to the protocol.

14.

Date and time of future meetings

18th December 2018 at 8.15am

22nd January 2019 at 8.15am

26th March 2019 at 8.15am

 

Minutes:

18th December 2018 at 8.15am – Tickfield Centre

22nd January 2019 at 8.15am – Tickfield Centre

26th March 2019 at 8.15am – Tickfield Centre

 

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