Agenda item

(To receive a report from Andrew Mclean, Children's Services Manager – Commissioning, which provides the Schools Forum with an update with regard to Sector Led School Improvement)

The Forum gave consideration to a report from the Children's Services Manager – Commissioning, which provided an overview of the future commissioning arrangements for school improvement in Lincolnshire.  The arrangements being focussed on embedding an integrative, school-led system, to establish a Lincolnshire Learning Partnership, to deliver a tiered approach to school improvement, which would include peer review; quality assurance and appropriate governance arrangements to drive forward the strategic vision for education in Lincolnshire.

It was reported to support schools in engaging and driving this approach forward, a school development fund had been established between the Council and CfBT Education Trust (CfBT).  The Schools Forum was asked to consider providing £0.5m additional funding to support ongoing development to schools through allocating funds from the 2014/15 DSG underspend, which had been previously considered by the Forum at the October 2014 meeting.

The Chief Commissioning Officer for Learning guided the Forum through the report making particular reference to:

·         Tier One: Peer Review and School to School Improvement;

·         Tier Two: Monitoring Outcomes and establishing a Network of Excellence;

·         Tier Three Lincolnshire Learning Partnership Board; and

·         Funding to Support Schools – It was reported that through the Council's agreement with CfBT, a non-recurrent school development fund had been established of c£0.297m, targeted to support schools in engaging with and developing a sector-led approach. 

The Forum was advised that 310 expressions of interest had been received to get involved.  The Forum were advised further that the Peer Review Training contract was hoped to be awarded within the next ten days and this would provide training to Headteachers on how to complete a successful Peer Review programme.  It was noted that this training was free of charge to all maintained schools and also to academies that chose to join the partnership.  The training would increase access to peer reviewers in Lincolnshire as well as increase the capacity of individual headteachers to precisely identify and focus their own school improvement activity.

During discussion the Forum raised the following issues:-

·         Concern was raised as to whether Headteachers of teaching schools would receive benefit by commercially being in an advantageous position to sell their services.  The Forum was advised that this was a risk and that the LA (for its commercial relationship) would take steps to identify and put systems in place to mitigate the risk;

·         It was highlighted that Teaching Schools broker through the DfE so that they were able to draw monies into Lincolnshire;

·         Existing arrangements of sharing best practise already existed with Academies.  Some concern was raised as to whether the proposal had been thought through as some schools were running on very little funds and that spending this sort of money on training seemed unfair at this time;

·         Some concern was also expressed that interest for the proposal was only an expression of interest and not a firm commitment.  If Academies chose not to take part then they would be penalised as the funding was for all schools.  The Forum were advised that it was up to schools to take part or not;

·         Some smaller schools would have capacity issues with ongoing training.  The Forum were advised that it was only the Peer Review that was on offer at the moment;

·         The purpose of the training was to up skill and set a strategic direction for the future.  The most important thing to consider was the outcomes for children as Lincolnshire had dropped below national standards at all Key Stages;

·         The Forum was advised that it was up to Headteachers to identify who they would like to work with; and

·         Jeremy Newham volunteered to represent the Schools Forum on the Lincolnshire Learning Partnership Board.

RESOLVED

1.    That the sector-led approach to self-improvement across Lincolnshire be supported.

2.    That Jeremy Newham be elected as the Schools Forum member to act as a representative on the Lincolnshire Learning Partnership Board.

3.    That agreement be given to the establishment of the proposed DSG fund to support the model going forward (voting 8 in favour, 4 abstained).

4.    That the development areas proposed for potential development be agreed.

5.    That additional areas be identified for development for which the fund can support.

6.    That it be agreed for the Chief Commissioning Officer to be responsible for the authorisation monitoring and management of expenditure against the fund with progress and evaluation being reported to the Schools Forum.