Agenda item

To consider and adopt a report resulting from the review of the 14-19 education entitlement undertaken by a working group of the Children’s Services and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Panel.  The report was considered by the Panel at its meeting on 16 December 2009.

In the absence of Councillor Mrs Birch, the Working Group’s lead member, Dr Josephs-Franks presented the draft report of the review of the development of
14 – 19 Years Education provision in Bracknell Forest by a working group of the Children’s Services and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

Arising in questions or in discussion –

• The Commission supported the report’s concerns that the Diploma would not meet the needs of young people who were not academic and did not appear to be appropriate for those not in education, employment or training.  This was a national government initiative with which the Council had to comply.

• Queries as to how universities would view this qualification.

• Worries about the logistics of transporting pupils to other schools in the borough.

• The Working Group had approached local employers to ascertain their views.  Questionnaires were sent to 100 local employers and the response was disappointingly low – only six replied and three of those were from Council departments.

The report would be published on the Council’s website as well as that of the Centre for Public Scrutiny. 

The Commission

RESOLVED that

(i)                  the report of the review of the development of 14 – 19 Years Education provision in Bracknell Forest be adopted  for sending formally to the Executive Member for Education; and

(ii)                the report be sent to the Secretary of State and Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to inform them of the Working Group’s concerns that the Diploma was unlikely to meet the needs of all children and young people;

(iii)               the Secretary of State be asked to respond to the concerns expressed.