Agenda item

To receive a report by the Corporate Director, Education and Young People’s Services that sets out the way the Local Authority works with Headteachers to support them in being effective in carrying out their responsibilities to lead good schools, and how the Local Authority discharges its duty of care for the wellbeing of Headteachers.

(Report by Mr P Leeson, Corporate Director of Education and Young People’s Services)

1.            The Corporate Director, Mr Leeson, introduced a report that sets out the way the Local Authority worked with Headteachers to support them in being effective in carrying out their responsibilities to lead good schools, and how the Local Authority discharged its duty of care for the wellbeing of Headteachers.

2.            Mr Leeson advised that schools continued to be supported by local government services.  Every school has named officers from a range of local authority services that were attached to the school and worked with them, including the four Area Education Officers and School Improvement Advisors.

3.             The local authority supports the recruitment of new Headteachers and provides advice, support and guidance, training and other professional development opportunities. 

4.            The Kent Association of Headteachers supports collaborative working and partnership arrangements between Headteachers through specific funding allocated by the Schools Funding Forum.

5.            Kent continues to provide a wide range of support to school where Headteachers should not be without support, both professional and personal support.  Where Headteachers are experiencing stress they are encouraged to take up support from a trusted colleague or to access County Council’s counselling service.

6.            Mr Leeson responded to questions by Members as follows:

a)    A Member commented that this was a timely report as it listed the types of support that can be offered to Headteachers and teachers.

b)    A Member commented that the contents of the report was the right way forward in supporting Headteachers particularly those with difficulties in their schools.  He stated that Headteachers had made representation to him regarding their fears for their careers.  Mr Leeson stated that the success of the education system in Kent depended on the quality of its Headteachers.  Kent had strong school leadership with nearly 80% of schools in Kent being judged good or outstanding and this would not be achieved without good leadership and management.  Mr Leeson said that Kent was enormously grateful for the work carried out by its Headteachers to improve Kent schools.  25 schools in Kent had failed their Ofsted inspections and the aim was to reduce that number significantly and avoid schools having that experience in the future. In a number of cases that would have been through the failure in leadership.  He clarified what he said at previous meetings by stating that it was government policy that a failed school in Ofsted terms would become an academy with a change in leadership and governors as a result.  This was not necessarily the case as Kent had supported Headteachers in schools that received an inadequate rating because they had not been in post that long and were effective leaders.  Support would be given to continue the improvements they were there to achieve.  Kent had a responsibility to take action where leadership was unable to do the job.

7.            RESOLVED that:-

a)     the responses to questions by Members be noted; and

b)     the Education and Young People’s Cabinet Committee noted the contents of the report and endorsed the actions being taken by the Local Authority to support Headteachers to be effective leaders of their schools.