Agenda item

To consider the latest trends, priorities and pressures in terms of departmental performance as reported in the Quarterly Service Report for the third quarter of 2014/15 (October to December 2014) relating to Children, Young People and Learning, giving particular attention to the outcomes of Ofsted school inspections, Special Educational Needs provision, Child Sexual Exploitation (2 documents are attached to this agenda to be read in conjunction with the QSR) and a head teacher recruitment update.

Please bring the previously circulated Quarterly Service Report to the meeting.  Copies are available on request and attached to this agenda if viewed online.

Panel members are asked to give advance notice to the Overview and Scrutiny Team of any questions relating to the Quarterly Service Report where possible.

The Panel considered the latest trends, priorities and pressures in terms of departmental performance as reported in the Quarterly Service Report (QSR) for the third quarter of 2014/15 (October to December 2014) relating to Children, Young People and Learning.  The Panel also received a copy of the presentation slides shown at the recent Members Development Seminar on Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).

From the comprehensive QSR, the Panel noted the following key messages:

·                     The current head teacher recruitment exercise was proceeding very satisfactorily.  Six new heads had been appointed, having been selected from a strong pool of applicants.  A further three posts, each at a different stage in the recruitment process, had yet to be filled.  A number of the appointments comprised deputy heads already teaching in the Borough, reflecting the success of development work offered to staff by the Council.  An update in respect of head teacher recruitment would be provided at the June 2015 Panel meeting.

·                     ‘Adopt Berkshire’ working across four Berkshire Boroughs was launched on 1 December 2014 and formally endorsed on 26 February 2015, to encourage and support Adoption Services.

·                     A strong focus on school improvement was being made through use of the Pupil Premium.  Attention was centred on school leadership and governance, quality teaching and the work of the Executive Headteachers, and a sharper focus on performance data.

·                     CSE was a key area for further focus, having been the subject of recent Member briefings.  It had become a topic of major national and local interest following reviews in Oxfordshire, Manchester, Rochdale and Rotherham.

·                     Phase 1 of the Department for Communities and Local Government Troubled Families initiative had been successfully completed and the Authority was on an early starter for Phase 2.

With particular reference to school improvement, the Panel was informed of the programme of work with primary school leaders to address performance issues.  A paper was tabled detailing the Ofsted Inspection outcomes for schools in reports published up to March 2015.  Recent Ofsted reports had included heavy criticisms of school governing bodies, notwithstanding the role of a school governor was a voluntary one.  Guidance notes on the issues raised had been circulated for the assistance of schools, particularly those preparing for an inspection.  Ofsted was also reviewing in detail the gap between the attainment by pupils generally and those attracting the pupil premium, with a view to checking how well the pupil premium was being used to close this gap.

With reference to CSE, the Panel was informed of the work of the Operational Group, a multi-agency group of professionals formed specifically to aid the prediction and prevention of children who may be at risk of exploitation in the area.  The Group met on a monthly basis, reviewing the cases of about 20 children each month, involving a range of people to engage with them and ensuring that sufficient actions were in place to reduce risk.  All children were subject to a sexual exploitation risk assessment (SERA) which graded them from Level 1 to Level 3 (the most serious concern/level of risk).  In Bracknell Forest there were currently 4 cases at Level 1; 2 cases at Level 2; and 2 cases at Level 3.  Referrals to the Operational Group were most commonly through schools but some came now through engagement with young people themselves.  Members’ attention was drawn to the ‘Quick Guide’ to identify the risk indicators for CSE.

The Panel received responses to their numerous questions and comments relating to head teacher recruitment, Ofsted inspections and CSE before thanking officers for their informative updates and congratulating all those concerned in the good work taking place.