Agenda item

To receive verbal updates from the Cabinet Members for Education and Health Reform, Community Service and the Deputy Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services; and the Corporate Director for Education, Learning and Skills

1.            Mr Gough, Mrs Whittle, Mrs Hohler and Mr Leeson gave the verbal updates on activities that took place since the last meeting of the Cabinet Committee.

Basic Need and related funding issues

2.            The Local Authority considered the settlement for 2015 to 2017 by the government inadequate as it was significantly lower than £37 million received in the previous session at £27 million for this period, especially with the growth and demand continuing at the same rate.  Representation had been made to the government requesting a detailed examination on how the settlement was determined.  There was also a focus on inward migration into Kent which had come in higher than was forecast and the projections indicated that this would continue to rise and would be key to the Kent’s pitch for the a proper share of the £300 million allocated funds that had been held back by the government.

3.            Many of the provisions of the Children and Families Act  2014 would  be implemented in the Autumn of 2014, in particular the provisions  that related to Special Educational Needs and the establishment of the  Education and Health Care Plan that would replace the need for statements and bring education and health closer together.  Mr Gough added that although the Code of Practise for this was yet to be published Kent had already carried out a lot of work on this and was prepared for this change in Special Educational Needs.

Early Years Foundation Stage - Key Stage 2 Results

4.            Mr Leeson gave an update on the provisional results for the Early Years Foundation Stage - Key Stage 1 and 2 advising that at the early years foundation stage, Kent was above the national average with a significant improvement of 5% increase on the 63% achieved last year. In 2014, 68.5% of 5 year olds had achieved a good level of development.  The national figure was 60%.  At Key Stage 1 there had been an improvement of between 2.5% and 3% in standards at level 2b and above for reading, writing and mathematics, this took Kent above the national average figure.  Standards in reading had improved by nearly 3% and were above the national average and were now 82% in Kent of 7 year olds achieving a level 2b in reading compared to the national average of 81%.  For Level 2b in writing Kent was in line with the national average at 69% that was a 2.5% increase of what was achieved in 2013 and in Maths there was also an increase in the percentage of children that achieved at level 2b or above at 81.5% which was 2% above the national average.  At Key Stage 2 the percentage of pupils in Kent that achieved combined level 4 and above in reading, writing and mathematics had increased by 5%, it was now 80% and the national figure was 78%.  This was the first time Kent has been above the average for primary school standards.  There would be a detailed report submitted to this Cabinet Committee in September.

Recruitment of Social Workers

5.            Mrs Whittle advised on difficulties of recruiting and retaining Social Workers on a permanent basis and avoiding wasting money on agency staff overheads. 

Kent School Games

6.            Mrs Hohler advised that the Final Kent School Games were held in Canterbury when the Sports Minister, Helen Grant, MP for Maidstone & The Weald was in attendance.  Mrs Hohler considered that the Games had contributed to the general wellbeing of school pupils in Kent.

7.            Mr Gough, Mrs Whittle, Mrs Hohler and Mr Leeson  responded to comments and questions by Members which included the following:

a)    Members gave their congratulations on the Key Stage 2 results.

b)    Mr Leeson advised that the confirmed figures for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 would be available in September.

c)    Mr Gough advised that there were primary schools that would be expanded in Thanet to provide more places but recognised there were still pressures that he would continue to respond to.

d)    Mr Leeson advised that concerns had been raised regarding Academy Trusts taking responsibility for a large group of schools in an area but the decision of the sponsors of academes was not in the gift of the local authority but with the Department for Education.

e)    A Member congratulated all those who took part in the Kent School Games and considered it important for the Games to continue.

f)     A comment was made that it was better to have permanent Social Workers to create better intervention, stability and continuity for clients.

g)    Mr Leeson advised that there continued to be a good rate of improvement in those schools that required improvement.  He advised that there were 29 schools in Kent in the category of concern but a hard and slow process of work continued to be carried out with those schools and the number would be halved.

h)   Mrs Whittle advised that a report would be submitted to a future meeting of this Cabinet Committee on the progress made in the recruiting and retention of Social Workers.

i)     Mr Leeson explained that delays regarding the expansion and use of the field at Laleham Gap School, Margate, were due to planning permissions being secured which were due to take place in September 2014.

8.            RESOLVED that the responses to Members comments and questions and the information in the verbal updates be noted.