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  • Agenda and minutes
  • Agenda and minutes

    Venue: Darent Room, Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone. View directions

    Contact: Joel Cook/Anna Taylor  03000 416892/416478

    Media

    Items
    No. Item

    98.

    Minutes of the meeting held on 8 March 2016 pdf icon PDF 140 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2016 were an accurate record and that they be signed by the Chairman.

    99.

    Kent Education Trust - verbal update on progress pdf icon PDF 59 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    1)    The Chairman declared that this item would be withdrawn since Kent County Council was no longer pursuing the concept of a Kent Education Trust.

    100.

    Academies - successes and challenges in Kent pdf icon PDF 62 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    1)    The Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform introduced this item, it had been requested by the Committee and was an issue of Policy on which the County Council had made its views clear.  KCC was not opposed to academies, and worked well with the many across Kent.  Mr Gough considered that both academies and free schools could bring additional qualities to the Educational system with Multi-Academy Trusts being an important part.  There were, however, objections over the compulsion to convert schools to academy status.  KCC did not consider that there was a significant evidence base to support the proposal to convert all schools to academy status.  There were further questions around capacity needed to undertake the conversion with significant costs both in time and financially.  The local authority would continue to have a fairly significant role particularly in relation to place planning, the admissions system and children with special educational needs (SEN).  The County Council would adapt to emerging legislation, however there was considerable opposition to forced academisation.  KCC would seek to maintain responsibility for creating challenge in relation to school standards.

     

    2)     A Member commended the Cabinet Member for his clear and honest response, it was an ongoing situation and pleasing to see that the leaders of all parties had raised objections – had there been any discussions with Kent MPs?   It was felt that the White Paper proposals could be amended if there was enough political opposition.  Concerns were raised about the role of the local authority in relation to admissions, particularly where there were difficult relationships between the Council and the Academy Trusts and the removal of the role in school improvement.

     

    3)    In relation to school capacity Mr Gough explained that the Council worked with academies on this issue and this would continue.  In reality, if a maintained school did not wish to expand it was difficult for the Council to insist so this was a complex issue whether the system was academised or not. 

     

    4)    In relation to school improvement the suggestion was that the Local Authority should ‘step back’ from school improvement during summer 2017.  However many schools would not become academies until 2022.  The Cabinet Member recalled the weekly improving Ofsted ratings of many of Kent’s primary schools.  In response to the previous question the Council had been communicating with Kent MPs.

     

    5)    Other Members thanked the Cabinet Member for a clear brief; it was heartening that all parties were in agreement over the opposition to the proposal.  In response to a question about the costs to the local authority in the process of conversion, since 2010 180 schools had converted and there were more than double that number remaining still to be converted.  The legal cost to the County Council of the schools which had transferred to academy status already was £1.1-£1.2 million.  Staffing costs were also being considered, there was no reserve within the Education Directorate budget for the additional costs and planning work was beginning.    

     

    6)    Concerns  ...  view the full minutes text for item 100.

    101.

    Ensuring the provision of sufficient denominational school places in Kent pdf icon PDF 83 KB

    Additional documents:

    Minutes:

    1)    The Corporate Director introduced this report and explained that the Kent Education Commissioning Plan was an ongoing plan which was updated yearly and reviewed every 6 months.  Its primary purpose was to identify the need for additional school places in Kent to meet the statutory obligation to ensure every child in Kent had a good quality school place.  On the recent primary school allocation day 97% of parents had received their 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice of primary school in Kent with only 500 parents not getting their preferred choice of school.  Parental satisfaction had gone up with an increasing percentage of good and outstanding schools in Kent, this was 54% in 2011 to 86-87% currently.  The Council wanted to ensure it was meeting all the principles in the Education Commissioning Plan which included meeting parental preferences and a commitment to ensuring a balance of school provision in Kent.  The Council’s capacity to control school expansion and school places had reduced, and it was extremely important to maintain a close relation with Kent schools.  The Council had successfully engaged with schools across Kent with a willingness to expand where needed.  There were restrictions on the Council, however, the Council was unable to develop a new school, it had to be an Academy/Free school and the Council would have to rely on new schools rather than expanding existing schools.  There were also restrictions on the cost of the work with an extensive capital programme and insufficient funding from Government, cost-effectiveness was vital.  At September 2016 the Corporate Director was confident that all school places needed for children to be placed would be available.  18,000 children had applied for a primary school place in Kent for September 2016. 

     

    2)    In response to a question the Cabinet Member confirmed that in 2016 87% of parents got their first choice of primary school, which had increased from 2015. 

     

    3)    Dr Bamford, Director of Education at the Catholic Diocese of Southwark thanked the Chairman and the Committee for welcoming her as a witness to the Committee. Dr Bamford commended the authority on its work to provide places for school children as this was a challenge.  The Diocese of Southwark was very large and covered 14 local authorities falling between the south side of the Thames River to the English Channel.  The Diocese of Southwark worked closely with the local authority in providing provision of school places, the catholic sector represented approximately 10% of the total school places available across England.  There were concerns that some of the principles within the plan were not being carried out. Particularly:  High Quality provision, over 90% Catholic schools in Kent were good/outstanding however Dr Bamford stated that less than good schools had been expanded before catholic schools.  Effective use of public resources; the expansion of catholic schools was often more cost effective as the church owned the buildings and land etc.  Dr Bamford strongly supported the promotion of parental preference and the diversity of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 101.