Issue - meetings

To receive a verbal brief from the Director of Children’s Services

Fintan Bradley attended to provide a presentation on the Government White Paper on Education. In providing an overview to the Paper, it was made clear that what was available at the current time were mainly policy headlines, as the background and detail to these had not yet been made available.

With this in mind, the main issues relating to the White Paper were outlined as follows:

• Enhance prestige and status of teaching profession
• Safe, secure and orderly learning environment
• Reform curriculum and qualifications
• Greater autonomy for schools and school leaders
• Engage new providers and improve parental choice
• Sector led school improvement
• Reform accountability systems – new role for OFSTED
• Reform funding system

Fintan Bradley continued to report on and add what detail was available to a number of these key priorities in the White Paper, touching on issues that had particular relevance to Cheshire East. For instance, in relation to ‘sector led school improvement’, it was explained that the Government expected well performing schools to support other schools in the area. Attention was drawn to the fact that work of this nature already occurred in Cheshire East with Tytherington High School providing assistance to Macclesfield High School. It was reported that this policy would continue to be implemented, as and when appropriate.   

With regards to reforming the funding system two issues were touched upon. Firstly, it was reported that more categories of children would be covered by the ‘pupil premium’ program and that this would have consequences. It was explained that it was difficult to know what these could be at the current time. Secondly, the schools funding formula was to be simplified and made more transparent.

In terms of improving the quality of teaching, it was reported that among a number of initiatives, the role of schools as teacher training institutions would become more pronounced. Attention was drawn to the fact that two schools in Cheshire East (FallibroomeHigh School and HolmesChapel School) were already operating as teacher training schools and would continue to do so.

With concern to improving behaviour in order to have a ‘Safe, Secure and Orderly Learning Environment’, it was reported that teachers would have increased powers and authority. It was explained that there was little detail to how this would be practically implemented but it was expected that teachers would be able to sanction behaviour “beyond the school gate”, having potential consequences for school buses etc. Furthermore, it was noted that the Government would pilot a new approach for permanently excluded pupils, following other examples in which the school excluding the pupil had to find an appropriate alternative rather than the local authority.

It was explained that the curriculum, assessments and qualifications would possibly look very different in the future. Schools could be measured against how many students achieve an English Baccalaureate – a core number of subjects including English, Maths, Science, a Modern or Ancient Language and either Geography or History. Mark Bayley explained that last year’s performance data  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24