Agenda item

(Report by Ms R Turner, Managing Director, Children, Families and Education Directorate and Mrs S Hohler, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and   Education)

(Ms Dunn, Head of 14-19 Entitlement Team was present for this Item)

(1)         The Committee discussed a report on the response to recommendations following a review undertaken by this POSC into the Planning and Commissioning of 16-19 provision.

(2)         Ms Dunn advised that the local authority had a statutory responsibility to plan and secure all 16-19 and up to 24 year olds Learners with Learning Difficulties and/or Disability (LLDD) with appropriate provision for Kent resident learners had not changed. However, from 20 July what had changed was that the local authority no longer directly funded colleges and work based learning providers although the relationship with schools remained the same.  She added that the detail in the Education White Paper was due to be published by the government in November. The Minister for Education had announced that a root and branches review on qualifications would be carried out and an interim report would be published in the Spring 2011.  

(3)         Ms Dunn reported that six Planning Officers were in post and would be taking forward the recommendations made by Members as detailed in the report.

(4)         The Committee noted that Ms Dunn had evidence on the GCSE results at Key Stage 4 and the reasons on the trajectory in A to G was due to the introduction of the vocational programme in 2004 and those results had an impact on the results from 2006 onwards.  The vocational centres and the vocational work carried out in schools were there for learners who would not have traditionally succeeded in the traditional school environment had thrived and received equivalent qualifications through the vocational programme; there was evidence to track that analysis.  This was a positive outcome of Kent’s decisions to invest and promote vocational qualifications (now being called technical and practical education).

(5)         In response to a question by Mrs Todd, Ms Dunn said that with regard to 6^th Forms, Members should to be mindful of the notion of autonomous schools, academies and the local authority’s power to influence the planning. The local authority had to produce a robust case for providers to say that the current provision a) did not meet the learners needs because it did not offer positive progression into employment or further higher quality training; and b) in the use of the public purse e.g. 3 students for e.g. a biology course was not good use of public money.  The local authority had the power to influence and persuade, it had to have area planning and a common buy in to local programmes.  Ms Dunn felt there was a need to look at the inadequate provision and ineffective use of resources.

(6)         In response to questions by Mrs Rook, Ms Dunn suggested that being champions of parents and learners in careers guidance and choice was an area that would be explored.  In relation to employability skills, the Kent Skills Framework picked up a number of skills and areas that had been raised and was a way for young people receiving recognition of other activities and attributes over and above the academic when preparing for the open job market.  Ms Dunn agreed to submit a report on the development of the Kent Skills Framework to a future meeting.

(7)         In response to a question by the Chairman, Ms Dunn explained that the strategic priorities were being shaped through working with the Strategic Forum Committee which would be signed off by Cabinet and would be reported to this POSC at a later date.  Ms Dunn suggested that the emerging issues/successes in the localities could be reported back to this POSC in relation to the progressive pathways. The Committee was offered the opportunity to attend the Local Strategic Planning Forums, once they were up and running.

(8)         In response to a question by Mr Myers, Ms Dunn advised that the Learners with  Learning Difficulties and/or Disability (LLDD) was the most difficult to transfer as the local authority had a responsibility for 14-19 and 24 year old LLDD with a 139A statement.  The local authority had a responsibility for agreeing a placement although the local authority did not hold the funding, this sat with the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA), it was intended that the funding for the LLDD 19-25 year olds would transfer to the local authority next year.

(9)         RESOLVED that:

(a)     the Officers’ responses to the Committee’s recommendations arising from the review into post 16 years activities be noted;

(b)     a report on the development of the Kent Skills Framework  be submitted to a future meeting;

(c)     the Committee be invited to attend the Local Strategic Planning Forums in the future; and

(d)     detailed reports on 16 to19 year olds  Planning and Commissioning Strategic Developments, be submitted to this Committee as  part of the annual planning cycle be noted.