Agenda item

This report provides an update on the current scrutiny review of the Extended Schools Agenda.

Members considered the draft final report of the Education Scrutiny Committee on their review of the Extended Schools Agenda.

The Assistant Director of Partnerships and Early Intervention advised the Committee that he was very pleased with the report and that it was in alignment with where they want to be and how they want to move forward and that it would add weight to discussions they would be having with schools.

Members discussed the draft final report and agreed some minor amendments. Members discussed which annexes should be included in the final report. It was agreed that annexes A ( Findings from visits to after school clubs) and B (Findings & Analysis from returned surveys) be included as annexes with the final report. However Members decided that Annexes C (Information received from particular schools) and D (ContinYou Presentation) were not required as annexes and should be listed as background papers. Members remarked that these should still be available to members of the public and the Scrutiny Officer agreed to put the web address within the report directing readers to these documents.

The Chair thanked the Assistant Director of Partnerships and Early Intervention and the Extended Services team for their input throughout the review, especially with regard to the survey, and asked that they pass on the Committee’s thanks to schools.  He also thanked the Scrutiny Officer and Vice Chair for their support to the Committee.

Members were also reminded that this was Dr David Sellick’s, (Co-opted Statutory Member and Church of England Representative) last meeting and the Chair thanked him for the significant contribution he had made over several years to the work of the Committee.

RESOLVED:            

(i)         That the amendments made to the information shown in the report and annexes be agreed and the Scrutiny Officer be delegated to make these changes to the final report. ¹

(ii)        That the recommendations arising from the review be agreed as follows:

Objective 1

            That Members recommend that:

i.               Officers continue to develop the Strategic Steering Group

ii.             The new Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee which is due to come into effect from the beginning of the municipal year 2009/10, consider reviewing the development of the Strategic Steering Group in the future

Reason:  In order to ensure the Strategic Steering Group is fit for purpose.

Objective 2

            That Members recommend that:

i.               The Childcare Sufficiency Audit be broadened to include Extended Services with a particular focus on accessibility, affordability, inclusive provision, and flexibility as detailed in the final bullet point of paragraph 21.

ii.             All local Authority schools in York identify a member of staff and a Governor responsible for Extended Services and community cohesion

iii.           The Executive Member for Children & Young People’s Services commission two reports highlighting how the issues raised in the final bullet point of paragraph 21 can be addressed.  The reports to be on:

·       ways of improving cluster arrangements and the establishment of a number of Extended Services Partnership Co-ordinators for York schools with the options for the medium / long term funding of these posts

·       how best to use the ‘Disadvantage Subsidy Funding’ (outlined in paragraphs 10-16 of the report)

iv.            The findings and recommendations arising from this review be brought to the attention of the Ofsted Sub-Committee and school improvement partners to inform their on-going work

REASON:      To enable the final report to be presented to Scrutiny Management Committee for comment and subsequently to the Executive for endorsement.