Agenda item

(To receive a report from Maggie Freeman, Head of Service 14 – 19 and Tim Culpin, Head of School Improvement, which provides the Committee with a summary of performance of the Local Authority (LA) of the FSM children and the Local Authority’s progress in closing the gap between the performance of FSM children and those not eligible for FSM)

The Director of CfBT Education Services, Jill Hodges, introduced the report which focussed on the eligibility of free school meals. It was noted that a significant piece of work was required and that this report was an introduction into this work.

During discussion, the following points were noted:-

• The language in relation to this item was changing nationally and would be known as "Closing the Gap" rather than "Narrowing the Gap".
• Analysis was to be undertaken to determine which area would be the initial focus.  The idea was to plan and scope this piece of work through the programme board throughout Christmas and the New Year to ensure this will be thorough and comprehensive.  Although this was a national issue, specific analysis of children within Lincolnshire would also be the focus.
• The report did not mention inclusion of parents and it was felt that this was key to the success of this piece of work.  It was acknowledged that a number of schools employ parent advisors and do work well with parents but that this success needs to be widely shared.  It was possible to include this within the work being undertaken but this would be identified at the scoping stage.
• Schools who have a large number of children receiving free school meals ensured that pupils make better progress than in schools where there were only a few children claming free school meals.
• It was suggested that the current focus may be wrong, with figures highlighting underachievement rather than focussing on how to support all achievement thereby encouraging children or to try and ascertain what is blocking a child's achievement and helping them overcome that.
• Work continued to reduce the stigma associated with free school meals by promoting the Pupil Premium and the benefit to both schools and parents by accepting help where eligible.
• Only ten secondary schools in Lincolnshire had not become an academy but the majority of those who had were requesting that the Local Authority work in partnership with them on these issues.  It was felt that the dynamic of the relationship between academies and the LA was improving.
• Members felt it was important to include the background of progress made to to-date as the report contained little information on what had been done previously.  It was felt that it was important to be clear about why this direction had been taken.
• An action plan had been developed in relation to free school meals and an increase in what had been seen which had resulted in more funding coming into Lincolnshire.  A paper had been presented to the School's Forum which explained both local and national figures and how they were moderated.  Officers agreed to provide detailed information to the Committee following the meeting.
• It was the responsibility of each school to decide the individual needs of the children and what their Pupil Premium would be spent on.  A paper had been produced by the Sutton Trust which detailed the most effective way of spending their Pupil Premium and that report had been shared with all schools as part of an Ofsted package.  There was also a requirement for all schools to publish details of the Pupil Premium received and how this had been spent.
• Although the government was aware of the number of people claiming benefits and, therefore, eligible for free school meals, the Department for Work and Pensions would not provide the individual details to Local Authorities to be able to close the gap.
• Work was ongoing with Ofsted to ensure that all children were supported but the focus on this report had been Free School Meals as requested by the Committee.  School Improvement Officers were focussed on all children within schools.
• It was agreed that the Committee would be presented with an update and a request for members on the Programme Board once the scoping exercise had been completed. 

RESOLVED

1.    That the report be noted.

2.    That an update be added to the Work Programme for April 2014.