Agenda item

(Report by Mr M Whiting, Cabinet Member, Education, Learning and Skills and Mr P Leeson, Corporate Director, Education, Learning & Skills)

1.               The Chairman invited Mr Whiting and Mr Leeson to introduce the report.  They highlighted that the report was visionary with many milestones and targets.  It success relied heavily on the determination and partnerships of schools.

2.               Members were given the opportunity to make comments and ask questions which included the following:-

a)    A Member raised a number of issues:  (1) He agreed that the aspirations of the document but read the report as electioneering as there was no outline of how the targets within the report were to be achieved or monitored. (2) The issue of “Selection” was not mentioned in the report.  He highlighted that less that 2% of those that attend grammar schools were on free school meals was an issue. (3) Kent had the highest number of schools under special measures and the highest number of grammar schools.  The report did not mention the 25% cohort chosen at 10 years, (4) The report referred to 5 good GCSEs he enquired what these were, (5) Referring to the final paragraph on page 17 he enquired why there was no part time employment for post 16 year olds and asked what KCC was doing about this, (6) He enquired what the number of apprentices on levels 2, 3 and 4 were; and (7) He requested data on the number of young unemployed in Kent to allow Member a base line to monitor in the future. The outcomes/targets needed to be more specific on outcomes and the question asked whether these resulted in people getting jobs.

In response to (1), Mr Whiting considered that the remark on the report being electioneering to be disingenuous and that it was about better education.  He agreed to data being made available for monitoring as this would define success.  The Chairman suggested and asked the Democratic Services Officer to set up a meeting with the opposition spokesmen, Vice-Chairman, Cabinet and Deputy Cabinet Member, the Corporate Director of ELS to discuss the monitoring of ELS portfolio.

In response to Mr Leeson advised that there would be a Performance Monitoring report to each ECC meeting in future.

In response Mr Cubitt advised that this was a strategic report and sets out the broad objectives and the detail to meet the target would be produced in the ELS Directorates Business Plan, which the Committee had a duty to monitor. 

b)    The Chairman considered that there should be target for grammar schools on the education they provide.  Mr Leeson advised that work was currently being undertaken with Christ Church University on this.

c)     In reply to a request Mr Leeson agreed to produce a detailed report on the recruitment of Headteachers/teachers to a future meeting.

d)    Mr Christie said that he could not support the recommendations in the report.

3.               The Chairman asked Members to vote on the recommendations in the report. 

Carried 8 votes for 1 against

4.               RESOLVED that:-

a)              the information given in response to comments and questions by Members be noted; and

b)              the Education, Learning and Skills’ Vision and Priorities for Improvement, in order to create the conditions in which pupils experience the best teaching and learning, so that:

·                 excellence is promoted across the system;

·                 every child in Kent meets their full potential; and

·                 every young person benefits from a broad range of pathways in further learning employment, both for their own sense of achievement and for the success of the economy be endorsed.