Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

a)  To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 4^th October, 2018

b)  Matters Arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 4^th October, 2018 were agreed as a true record.

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

Further to minute 12/18 the Scrutiny Board considered a briefing note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People) which provided a progress report on the Children’s Services Improvement Plan and succession planning in preparation for the cessation of the Improvement Board.  The information had been reported to Children Services Improvement Board on 3^rd October, 2018 and their next meeting would be held on 24^th January, 2019 to sign off the full Children’s Services Improvement Plan.

The Department for Education (DfE) removed Children’s Services from intervention on 13 June, 2017, the service was no longer subject to an improvement notice.  Supervision and support had been provided by the DfE over the last 12 months, which included two reviews held in January 2018 and June 2018 and this had now ended.  A further Ofsted focused inspection or Joint Targeted Area Inspection could occur at any time and a full standard inspection was anticipated in the future.

To oversee the improvement journey and as a response to the inadequate rating a Children’s Service Improvement Board was established and was chaired by an experienced improvement consultant and retired Her Majesty Inspector (HMI).  The Board included elected Members and representatives and from the Council, partner agencies and the Department for Education. Progress was reported to the Improvement Board every twelve weeks.

The briefing note recognised that recruiting and retaining experienced social workers was a challenge across children and families social work, and particularly in area based teams.  This was a national and regional issue.  To increase the number of experienced social workers, Children’s Services held an Open evening on 2 October 2018, offering experienced social workers an opportunity to apply for vacancies and be interviewed on the same day.  The evening was actively promoted through Facebook/LinkedIn/Guardian/radio and the job shop.  The event successfully resulted in seven offers of appointment and a further event was being planned in January 2019.

Through the continued work on the Social Work Academy model, it was an aspiration to be a leading regional employer of choice for social workers.  As a member of the West Midlands Teaching Partnership, Coventry offered a number of opportunities and benefits to social workers which included, a Step Up to Social Work Graduate Pathway; a Frontline Programme and an Aspirant Social Work Programme Pre-Qualifying Pathway.

The briefing note also highlighted the progression scheme, exit interviews and the seven Practice Standards.

The report detailed progress regarding:

·  improving Looked After Children school attendance

·  police guidance on Child Sexual Exploitation and the dedicated gang team

·  new early help assessment

·  signs of safety training

·  the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Looked After Children Service (LAC) launched in April 2018

The report also provided an update on performance:

·  Increasing Looked After Children numbers

·  Contact timeliness

·  Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) timeliness

·  Re-referrals

·  Recording issues

·  Assessments

The Board questioned the Cabinet Member and officers on the following:

·  Workforce recruiting

·  Continual recruitment required due to the low average career timespan for social workers

·  Retention initiatives  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

a)  Secondary School Places

Cabinet Report - Coventry One Strategic Plan and Education Capital Programme

b)  SEND Phase One

Cabinet Report - One Strategic Plan – SEND proposal for the use of the Woodlands site

The Scrutiny Board considered a briefing note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People) which provided information to enable members to comment and respond to the consultation on the Education and Learning One Strategic Plan 2018-2022, including SEND (Special Educational Need and Disability) Phase One (Woodlands site).  There were 2 Cabinet Reports appended to the briefing note one which detailed proposals for Secondary school places, Coventry One Strategic Plan and Education Capital Programme (Cabinet Minute 46/18 refers).  The other Cabinet report was regarding proposals for the first stage of changes to SEND provision, One Strategic Plan -  SEND proposal for the use of the Woodlands site (Cabinet Minute 64/18 refers).

The Cabinet noted that Under Section 14 of the Education Act 1996, Coventry City Council had a statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places and fair, appropriate access to education.  It was the Council’s role to plan, commission and organise school places in a way that raised standards, managed supply and demand and created a diverse infrastructure.

The Coventry One Strategic Plan, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, set out pupil forecasts for primary and secondary education planning areas in response to rising or falling pupil cohorts across the city.  It outlined the strategy proposed by the Local Authority and the Coventry Secondary Headteacher Partnership to meet the additional places required in secondary provision from 2019 – 2021.

It was proposed that the strategy would be a flexible document, able to adapt to shifting mechanisms of parental preference, unforeseen changes in supply and demand of school places, and future birth rates.  To do this, the One Strategic Plan would be monitored and updated annually, alongside a wider process of constant review of School Place Planning.  In addition, the procuring of places would take place annually so as to not create an unstable amount of school places.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) had been established to ensure partnership commitment between the Council and secondary schools (and would be rolled out to primary and special, subject to approval).  These partnerships signify a commitment and cooperation between the Council, governing bodies and school leadership teams to meet the educational needs of children and young people in Coventry, ensure the sustainability of Coventry schools, and to enable the City Council to meet its statutory obligations.

This partnership commitment signified a statement of intent to collaborate and work in partnership to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people in Coventry, ensure the sustainability of Coventry schools, and to enable the City Council to meet its statutory obligations. As part of this process, numerous options had been discussed at both full partnership meetings, and the Secondary Headteacher Executive. 

The Cabinet had also given approval in Principal to co-locate Woodfield Primary and Secondary Schools to the site previously occupied by Woodlands School, Broad Lane, Coventry.  The One Strategic Plan also outlined the strategy to meet the growing demand for places for children with special educational needs and disabilities including provision for children age 5  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

Briefing Note of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator

The Scrutiny Board noted that the meeting in January, 2019 would be moved to 14th February, 2019 to enable a discussion about the Improvement Board as discussed in minute 33 above.

The meeting on 29th November, 2018 would be held in a library and the meeting on 14th February would be held in an Early Help Hub.

RESOLVED that the changes requested be arranged.

Any other items of business which the Chair decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no other items of business.