Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11^th March 2014 were agreed and signed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

Report of the Executive Director, People

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director, Resources that detailed the outcome of the public consultation and sought agreement to the School Terms and Holidays Calendar for 2015/2016.

The Local Authority was required to set term and holiday dates for community schools, community special schools, voluntary controlled schools, pupil referral units and maintained nursery schools. Governing bodies were required to set term and holiday dates in foundation and voluntary aided schools. The academy trust was responsible for the duration of the school year and term and holiday dates for academies and free schools. All schools in England were free to decide when their school day should start and end.

A public consultation on the two options for Coventry school terms and holidays dates 2015/2016, set out in an appendix to the report, took place from 11 February 2014 to 7 March 2014 and there were 112 valid replies. Option 1 was the more popular option with pupils returning to school on Wednesday, 2 September 2015 and finishing the academic year on Wednesday, 20 July 2016.

The Cabinet Member noted that the Government draft De-regulation Bill, currently in the House of Commons and set to take effect from September 2015, moved responsibility for determining term dates in community, voluntary controlled and community special schools and maintained nursery schools from the Local Authority to the Governing Body.  The Local Authority believed that a standard set of holiday dates adopted by all Coventry schools was better for school attendance, the organisation of admissions to Year R/Year 7 and for parents and carers arranging childcare and transport.The Cabinet Member expressed his support for the continuation of the Local Authority’s co-ordinated approach.

RESOLVED that, following consideration of the outcome of the public consultation on School Terms and Holidays, the Cabinet Member (Education):

(1)  Approves the adoption of Option 1 as the School Terms and Holidays Programme 2015/2016 for Community, Voluntary Controlled and Community Special Schools, and maintained Nursery Schools.

(2)  Agrees that the Catholic and Church of England Diocesan Authorities and the Governors of Trust Schools and Academies be invited to recommend the same calendar for their schools.

Report of the Executive Director, People

RESOLVED that, having met the Local Authority criteria for the appointment of Local Authority Governors, the Cabinet Member (Education) approves the appointment and re-appointment of the persons listed below for the schools and terms of office indicated:-

Authority Governor: New Appointments

Authority Governor: Re-Appointments

(Note: The appointment to Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School was withdrawn)

There are no outstanding issues.

There were no outstanding issues.

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

There were no other items of public business.