Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Virtual Meeting - MS Teams

Contact: Robert Harris 

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Appointment of Chair and Vice-Chair

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board was informed that nominations for the Chair and Vice-Chair had been received prior to the meeting.  No other nominations were received.

 

It was therefore:

 

Resolved:

 

1. That Dr Jane Ladner be appointed to the Chair of the Education Board for the period of two years, ending October 2022.

 

2. That Robin Bevan be re-appointed to the Vice-Chair of the Education Board for the period of two years, ending October 2022.  

 

 

2.

Apologies for absence

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from S. Tollworthy and J. Johnson.

3.

Minutes of the meeting held on 24th June 2020 pdf icon PDF 96 KB

Minutes attached

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved:

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 24th June 2020 be confirmed as a correct record.

4.

Matters arising (not covered elsewhere on the agenda)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board noted that in respect to Resolution 2 relating to the recommendation from the Resources Sub Group a letter had been sent to the ESFA seeking clarification on the legal requirement to show individual year end balances for Learning in Harmony and Partnership Learning Trusts.

 

5.

Education Board Membership, Vacancies and attendance pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Verbal update and current membership attached

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Clerk provided a brief update on the current position with the membership of the Board and current vacancies. There was still one vacancy in the maintained primary sector and work was taking place to fill this vacancy.

 

There is also a governor vacancy within the primary academy sector as a result of the previous Chair’s departure and a governor vacancy in the secondary academy sector due to the resignation of J. Russell.

 

The relevant process to appoint the vacancies will be undertaken.

 

Resolved:

 

That the current position regarding membership be noted.

6.

Dedicated Schools Grant 2021/22 Budget Planning and 2020/21 Budget Update pdf icon PDF 134 KB

Report for decision attached

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board considered a report from the Senior Finance Business Partner providing an update on DSG budget planning for 2021/22, following the Department for Education (DfE) July 2020 School funding announcements.  The report also provided an update on the latest DSG budget for 2020/21, following the applied annual DfE July 2020 funding update changes.

.

The Board discussed the three options set out in the report to mitigate the loss of funding from the central block historic commitments.  A further report will come to the Board in December 2020 with a recommendation based on the options. The Board commented that, given that the funding was highly likely to be reduced by 20% year-on-year, the report needs to set out the impact/implications  over the next 3 year time period.  The report should also include an analysis of the value of the services/provision and set-out alternative ways to provide those services which are subject to reduction in funding.

.

The Board also made reference to the ‘area cost adjustment’ and the impact this has on school budgets and how this will be taken forward.  This matter will be looked at by the Resources Sub Group.

 

Resolved:

 

1. That, with regard to individual school’s budget (ISB) planning for 2021/22, to continue on the trajectory of adopting the principles of the National Funding Formulae (NFF), as referenced in 5.1 through to 5.6 of the submitted report, be  endorsed and therefore;

 

1.1 Any School that attracts their core NFF funding factors (i.e. with no MFG or funding floor protections applied), to benefit from the full NFF applied 3% increase to those core factors including the additional DfE DSG applied 2021/22 teacher pay award and pension grant protection funding;

 

Education Board are asked to note (with the continued principles of the NFF):

 

2. That it be noted that all remaining Schools whose per 2020/21 per pupil led funding rate plus the additional DSG applied 2021/22 teacher pay award and pension grant protection funding would be either above the revised NFF mandatory 2021/22 minimum funding amounts per pupil or core NFF funding rate as referenced in Resolution 1.1 above, would receive the same NFF maximum allowable % uplift per pupil.  This will be up to the NFF maximum allowed 2.00% uplift per pupil, which itself remains subject to the Options declared in paragraphs 10.7 to 10.10 of the submitted report in relation to the Central block Historic Commitment funding losses.

 

3. That it be noted that a DSG paper will be provided to the Board in December 2020 recommending an option based on the Local Authority review of these services.

7.

Education Response to Covid-19

Discussion item (No papers)

 

Collective view of the response to the pandemic so far, and what steps does the Board need to take to mitigate the next phase.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board received a verbal update from the Director of Learning on the education response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Director also extended his appreciation and thanks to all schools for their support and work during the pandemic.

 

The update covered:

 

Ø  Tier 1, 2 and 3 of the Government thresholds – Tiers 1 and 2 were not operational different for schools/education setting;

Ø  The Council is reviewing on a daily basis;5

Ø  Webinars from the Director of Public Health with schools;

Ø  ‘Track and Trace’;

Ø  5 outbreaks in schools – 56 secondary schools; 4 primary perimary and 8 staff; A total of 270 secondary pupils were required to isolate;

Ø  Highlighted the school gate campaign aimed at parents to social distance outside schools;

Ø  Recognition of the financial burdens on schools from the DfE as a result of the pandemic and that schools are drawing funding from existing budgets to deal with the pandemic (i..e PPE equipment, cleaning, etc);

 

The Board made the following observations/comments:

 

Ø  Sustainability of provision;

Ø  Ongoing concerns regarding PPE equipment, etc;

Ø  Cost of supply cover to maintain provision of education;

Ø  Winter period – significant heating costs;

Ø  Need to articulate with DfE/Government the demands of the pandemic on school budgets and the need for additional funds;

Ø  The extraordinary response from the whole education workforce should be commended and recognise that the experience of schools is different to other sectors (both private and public);

Ø  Workload of staff/teachers needs to be recognised by the DfE (e.g. to deliver lessons both in the school and virtually for pupils in isolation);

Ø  The significant amount of DfE guidance issued to schools;

Ø  The potential to extend the Christmas school holiday period to relieve some of the pressures;

Ø  The additional costs to ensure healthy environment for their pupils and staff based on some early modelling (i.e. £50-100,000 on utility bills, £50-100,000 on supply cover where this is normally very low; £20,000 cleaning/hygiene, £50,000 costs of marquee’s to provide pupils with socially distanced learning, etc;

Ø  The three-week extension to exams next summer – there needs to be contingency planning for the impact on pupils;

 

In response to the above observations the Director of Learning commended the schools for doing their upmost to keep children and young people safe.  In terms of an extension to the Christmas school holidays this can be escalated to the DfE/Government, however, the Government’s position is to keep schools open.

 

Resolved:

 

That the update on the education response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the observations/comments raised, be noted.

8.

Fair Access Protocol Sharing Update pdf icon PDF 291 KB

Verbal update (no papers)

 

(Fair Access Protocol document attached for information)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board received the final version of the Fair Access and Managed Moves Protocol for information.

 

Following a suggestion from the Board, the Head of Access and inclusion undertook to look at the potential production of a family friendly version of the Managed Moves Protocol (i.e. in the form of a diagram/flowchart).

 

Resolved:

 

That the Fair Access and Managed Moves Protocol, be noted.

 

 

9.

Report back from Sub Groups pdf icon PDF 86 KB

a) School Performance S.G. held 4th March 2020 – minutes attached

 

b) Vulnerable Learners S.G. held 1st October 2020 - minutes attached

 

c) Resources S.G. held 5th October 2020 – minutes attached

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board received for information the following Sub-Group Minutes:

 

(a) Resource S.G. held 5th October 2020;

(b) School Performance S.G. held 4th March 2020;

(c) Vulnerable Learners S.G. held 1st October 2020.

 

In respect to the Resources S.G. the Board was informed that there were currently two vacancies.  One of the vacancies was as a result of the resignation of the previous Education Board Chair and it was agreed that the new Education Board Chair, Jane Ladner, fill this vacancy.

 

The second vacancy required a person with early years’ experience and knowledge.  The Clerk would follow-up and seek nominations to fill this vacancy.

 

Resolved:

 

That the minutes of the Sub-Groups, be noted.

10.

Any other business

(To be notified to the Chair/Clerk prior to the start of the meeting)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There was no other business at this meeting.

11.

Exclusion of the Public

 

In accordance with paragraphs 65 to 67 of the Education Board Constitution, the press and public, be excluded for the items of business set out below in line with relevant legislation (such as the Data Protection Act) on the grounds that the matters contain sensitive information.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved:

 

In accordance with paragraphs 65 to 67 of themEducation Board Constitution, the press and public, be excluded for the items of business set out below in line with relevant legislation (such as the Data Protection Act) on the grounds that the matters contain sensitive information

12.

Primary School Place Planning Update

Confidential report for noting attached

Minutes:

The Board considered a confidential report from the Head of Access and Inclusion providing an update on the Primary School Place Planning discussions and agreements for admission numbers for reception 2022.

 

The Board discussed the report and asked a number of questions which were responded to by the officer.

 

Resolved:

 

That the actions taken to date and planned admission arrangement consultations taking place this term, be noted.

13.

Early Years

Minutes:

The Board considered a confidential report from the Head of Early Years providing an update on the actions taken and progress on giving additional support to early years providers during Autumn term 2020.  The report also updated the Board on the EY DSG outturn for Autumn 2020 based on initial headcount submissions.

 

The Board asked a number of questions which were responded to by officers.  In reference to ‘A Better Start Southend (ABSS)’ the officers agreed to circulate to the Board details of the ABSS and its current programme of activity.

 

Resolved:

 

That the actions taken and those in progress, be noted.

 

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