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Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Fiona Rutley 01392 382305  Email: fiona.rutley@devon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

67.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 82 KB

Minutes of the meeting held on 15 January 2018  attached

Minutes:

DECISION:

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on  15 January 2018  be signed as a correct record.

68.

Matters Arising from the Last Meeting and Report back on Issues Raised with Cabinet

To consider any matters arising from the last meeting where no otherwise covered on this agenda and to report on items considered at the Cabinet.

Minutes:

DISCUSSION:

 

Matters discussed within the Head of Education & Learning’s Update minute.

 

 

69.

Membership

Minutes:

DISCUSSION:

 

The following membership changes were noted:-

 

 Mr Arnet Donkin had resigned as 16-19 substitute member, with elections in hand for his replacement.

 

ACTION:

 

County Solicitor (Fiona Rutley)  

70.

Head of Education & Learning Update

Head of Education & Learning to report. 

 

For information,  links herewith for the following documents:-

 

-CS/18/10  2017-18 Strategic Review of SEND Provision (to Cabinet, 14 March 2018)

http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/documents/s15084/Review%20of%20SEN%20Provision%202017%20CS1810.pdf

 

 

-SEN Annual Report  (to Children’s Scrutiny Committee, 20 March 2018)

http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/documents/s15214/CS1813%20-%20Q3%20EAL%20Performance%20Report.pdf

Minutes:

DISCUSSION:

 

The Head of Education & Learning reported on progress with:-

 

Public Health Nursing and Portage was to be in-sourced into Children’s Services and Education & Learning respectively wef April 2019, with benefits from these services being joined up;

 

Safer Devon Partnership funding was to be available to support personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), with 100k over the two phases (education/core) to support staff to deliver the curriculum;

 

Devon County Council had met its target to transfer all Special Educational Need statements to new Education Health and Care Plans by 31 March 2018.  However there was continued concern at the length of time taken to progress new assessments.  The Council had approved an additional 10 staff to increase turn around and the quality of EHCP work, together with an additional 2 staff for the independent advice service and increases in the educational psychologist’s team wef 1 April 2018;

 

Strategy Improvement Fund bids for mathematics, middle leadership mathematics  and training and support for governors and other bids from teaching schools

 

Alternative Provision government review, where Devon Inclusion Project had already identified themes and the Regional Schools Commissioner was working with SchoolsCompany Trust and other providers to secure the provision.

 

The following documents  (links below) were also drawn to members’ attention:-

 

-CS/18/10  2017-18 Strategic Review of SEND Provision (to Cabinet, 14 March 2018), with funding schools could bid for,  for small changes eg break out  space.

http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/documents/s15084/Review%20of%20SEN%20Provision%202017%20CS1810.pdf

 

-SEN Annual Report  (to Children’s Scrutiny Committee, 20 March 2018), showing that Devon was 9 out of 52 LAs nationally for its performance for children with SEN and ECHP at key stage 2.  The Phonics dip was due to the cohort of children with particularly complex needs.

Exclusions of SEN pupils remained an issue which was being picked up by the Devon Inclusion Project.

http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/documents/s15214/CS1813%20-%20Q3%20EAL%20Performance%20Report.pdf

 

The associations congratulated the Head of Education & Learning on the positive action and progress above.

 

DECISION: that Devon’s success in bids, SEN performance, ECHP target and SEN additional staffing resources for EHCP plans as above be welcomed. 

 

ACTION:

 

Head of Education & Learning (information to DEF members awaited on universal cohort data as per page 3 of the CiC Annual Report)


71.

Finance Update pdf icon PDF 199 KB

Report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services and County Treasurer (DEF/18/03) attached

Minutes:

DISCUSSION:

 

(Ms Marder declared an interest in the Growth Fund proposals for Cranbrook by virtue of being the Chief Executive Officer of the Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust, of which Cranbrook Education Campus was a member - (c)(ii) below and refrained from voting on this matter only).

 

(Miss Mitchell declared an interest in the Growth Fund proposals for Cranbrook by virtue of being a Headteacher within the Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust, of which Cranbrook Education Campus was a member - (c)(ii) below and refrained from voting on this matter only).

 

The Forum received the report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services and County Treasurer (DEF/18/03).

 

The Forum also noted the respective minutes of the Schools Finance Group (SFG) of  

7 March 2018 and issues highlighted by SFG including:-

 

Growth Policy, Cranbrook (SFG note 2a);

SEND/High Needs (SFG note 4) – discussed at minute 73 below;

Carry Forwards (SFG note 5).

 

The report (DEF/18/03) covered:-

 

Budget Monitoring Report Month 10 (2017/18) - Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG);

2017/18 Advanced Notice of Planned Carry Forward;

Growth Fund.

 

Budget monitoring month 10 summarised the forecast position and major variations and High Needs budgets and forecast position, where continued management action was starting to come through.

 

In response to the growth fund discussion the County Treasurer advised that the growth fund financial plan proposals included an additional allocation of £1m for 2019/20 to be top-sliced from the Schools Block with a review taking place in following years.  This would effect the amount of funding on the lump sum for primaries and free school meal factors for secondary schools.   The Department for Education were currently reviewing the treatment of Growth Funding as part of the National Funding Formula which may change future decisions on whether there would be a continued need to deal with the Growth Fund locally.

 

The headteacher associations expressed their appreciation to officers for the ongoing collaborative working to improve outcomes.

 

DECISION:

 

(a) that month 10 DSG monitoring position as set out in section 1 of report (DEF/18/03) be noted;

 

(b) that in respect of the allocation of the deficit and surplus carry forward recommendations from 2017/18 as set out in section 2 of report (DEF/18/03):-

 

(i)  tables 3 and 4 be approved/noted as indicated:-

 

Table 3: Deficit budgets to be carried forward

 

Budget Line

Amount

£’000

 

Notes

 

Decision

Growth Fund

217

Deficit Balance – agreed to be carried forward by DEF (Note: Additional £175k highlighted not included at month 10)

 

2.1 Noted

(Approved in principle

23.11.17)

High Needs Block

2,517

Deficit Balance – agreed to be carried forward by DEF

2.1 Noted

(Approved in principle

23.11.17)

Total Central Provisions

2,734

 

 

 

 

Table 4: Surplus budget carry forward requests

 

Budget Line

Amount

£’000

 

Notes

 

Decision

Maternity

187

Rolled forward 2017/18 underspend to fund ongoing maternity cover

2.2 Noted

Schools and DSG Contingency

610

 

Rolled forward to fund contingency agreements in 2018/19 onwards

2.3 Noted

Total De-delegated budgets

778

 

 

Phase Associations

DAPH

 

DASH

 

 

82

 

43

 

Re-instated 2016/17 balances used against HNB

Re-instated 2016/17  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71.

72.

Implementation of Headteacher Associations (DASH & DAPH) Forming a Community Interest Company

Report from Headteacher Associations (Devon Association of Secondary Heads and

Devon Association of Primary Heads) (DEF/18/04) to follow.

Minutes:

DISCUSSION:

 

The Forum received the report from Headteacher Associations (Devon Association of Secondary Heads and Devon Association of Primary Heads) (DEF/18/04) outlining proposals to create a new “not for profit” CIC (named Schools Leadership Services), independent of the Local Authority, to provide a secure, sustainable future for association work on behalf of Devon’s primary and secondary schools and their leaders, with a strong desire to keep schools across all phases, DA, SHAD and the LA working collaboratively together.  A detailed commissioning specification was being worked up for the County Council to consider, with a view to agreement in principle end May 2018, in readiness for the November LA budget planning for 2019/20.  Subject to testing the CIC would commence trading wef 1 September 2018 shadowing DASH and DAPH until 31 March 2019 with the Associations wound up once the CIC was fully established.

 

DECISION:

 

That the implementation of DASH and DAPH forming a Community Interest Company to represent school leaders and to work in a partnership agreement with Devon County Council be noted.

73.

Standing (and other) Groups pdf icon PDF 162 KB

To review action for the Forum from its groups and to receive minutes:-

 

(a) Schools’ Finance Group

 

Minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2018, attached

 

Also available at 

https://new.devon.gov.uk/educationandfamilies/school-information/devon-education-forum/schools-finance-group

 

(b) School Organisation, Capital and Admissions Forum

 

Minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2018, attached

 

Also available at

https://new.devon.gov.uk/educationandfamilies/school-information/devon-education-forum/school-organisation-capital-and-admissions-group-soca

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Forum received the following minutes of its standing groups:-

 

(a) Schools’ Finance Group (SFG)

 

Minutes of the meeting held on 7 March 2018 (considered under Finance Update minute            71 above)

 

DISCUSSION:

 

In respect of SEND/High Needs (SFG note 4) regarding the split of social care and educational costs for children in residential settings.  Officers had identified and were looking into individual cases with some priority, but there was a general acknowledgement that if there was a care cost, that part would be paid for by the County Council.

 

(b) School Organisation, Capital and Admissions (SOCA)

 

Minutes of the meeting held on 27 February 2018.  

 

DISCUSSION:

 

The Forum noted for information that primary and secondary schools would provide improved admissions information to the LA’s Admissions team, to assist offers of school places for children moving into an area during the main school summer holidays and enable children to start at a new school sooner.

74.

Dates of Future Meetings

At 10am at County Hall, Exeter:

 

Wed 20 June 2018

Wed 17 October 2018

Wed 23 January 2019

Wed 20 March 2019.

Minutes:

At 10am at County Hall, Exeter:-

 

Wed 20 June 2018

Wed 17 October 2018

Wed 23 January 2019

Wed 20 March 2019.

 


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