Agenda item

The Committee requested an update on the School Improvement Strategy - Report enclosed.

Ian Budd, Assistant Director for Education Services and Sophie Thompson, Intervention Data and Project Management Officer presented a report on the Nuneaton Education Strategy (NES). This sought to highlight the need for a new approach in raising the aspirations and outcomes for children and young people in Nuneaton. The report ‘Performance in Bedworth and Nuneaton Schools’ had identified a number of concerns, with extracts being reported. Notably, Nuneaton had the lowest educational performance within the County and the lowest proportion of category A and B schools. Currently 44% of secondary school aged young people attended a school in the town judged by Ofsted to require improvement. Other points concerned the increasing pupil cohorts, the suggestion that some eligible Nuneaton families were not claiming free school meals and concerns regarding primary schools and three secondary schools in Nuneaton. Additionally, the data relating to engagement with the Youth Justice Service and teenage pregnancies were of concern. The key focus of the NES was ‘raising aspiration, working together.’ A proposed multi-agency approach would have the maximum impact, using the Bradford Education Covenant as a model. That approach sought to mobilise the whole community to play a part in helping young people to succeed in life. In order to maximise opportunity to raise aspiration, linkage with the Transforming Nuneaton Programme Board and regeneration within the town were considered to be key. Three scoping meetings of key stakeholders had begun to work as ‘task and finish’ groups. The focus of these groups was reported. Progress reports would be provided on a termly basis to the Education Challenge Board and Warwickshire Education Strategy Board. Detailed briefings for elected members were scheduled for September and October. The aims of local education strategies were to increase the wellbeing, aspirations and outcomes for learners.

In Warwickshire this built on the evaluation of previous strategies and initiatives. The importance was stated of effective leadership, networking and collaboration, system leadership roles and sustainability, together with rich data and shared learning. An outline was given of the proposed actions to reduce the number of underperforming schools. Bespoke solutions were important both in tackling the specific issues faced and giving school leaders and staff a sense of ownership. There were benefits for the wider school workforce where they were equipped, encouraged and successes were celebrated. It was proposed to facilitate conferences, schools working together in small groups and sharing outstanding practice that others could visit and learn from. Actions to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils included working in clusters to share effective multi-agency practice, support for tuition, working with parents and involving pupils in leadership programmes.

The following questions and comments were submitted by members with responses provided as indicated:

• There were concerns about the proportion of pupils attending schools in Bedworth, but especially in Nuneaton that required improvement.

• There had been previous meetings with Marion Plant of the Midlands Academy Trust (MAT) where several assurances had been made, but not delivered. It was considered that a further meeting should be arranged with MAT as a priority, to discuss the concerns at length and with transparency. It was questioned what else the Committee could do to pursue this.

• Officers confirmed that some Nuneaton schools were performing well and there was an opportunity to share good practice. Notwithstanding the positive collaboration work through the NES, the County Council had a duty and would intervene where governance or leadership were required and it did so both with schools and academy trusts.

• The Council didn’t have statutory levers, so it worked with and through others including the government, local MPs and the regional school commissioner’s office.

• A member replied that this situation had been ongoing for a number of years and needed resolution. • Many of the concerns related to a MAT. An example was quoted where pupil performance had deteriorated from primary to secondary education. Some parents were minded to send their children to schools further afield, for example at Atherstone.

• The level of performance at some of the schools in question was poor, but still above the threshold before intervention could take place, so it was more a case of seeking to influence. There were termly ‘keep in touch’ meetings with academy trusts as a way of raising concerns.

• There were concerns where some pupils were performing well which masked performance overall.

• Discussion took place about the admission policy requirements and legal basis. Given that parental preference was a key principle in law, the best way to get people to use their local schools was if they were high performing and there was local confidence in them. This was a key driver for the NES.

• There were children in neighbouring in north Warwickshire villages such as Hartshill and Arley and in nearby Galley Common that went to Nuneaton schools, but there had been a lack of communication with north Warwickshire or adjacent Nuneaton borough members about the member briefings which were taking place. Officers would check the invitation list to the briefing session.

• Pupil performance at primary schools was reported as good, so attributing poor performance at secondary schools to family backgrounds wasn’t appropriate.

• It was agreed as an action that Marion Plant, Chair of the MAT be asked to attend the Committee to give an update on progress and the priorities going forward. If helpful, the meeting could be held at the MAT. In addition to inviting the Chair of the MAT, it was suggested that the Regional School Commissioners Office be invited to the same meeting to advise members on the thresholds before action could be taken on poor performing schools.

• There was concern that previous assurances from the MAT had not been delivered and members needed to have a clear understanding of the issues and concerns.

• Ian Budd spoke of the roles for all including local members, to ensure that the education provision in Nuneaton was good and that perceptions were improved so people used their local schools. The Council had its own duties, but in terms of MAT governance it could only provide advice and seek to influence, sharing concerns directly at MAT meetings, with the RSC and with central government. It is reliant on government to take formal action.

• School performance data was provided annually and it was planned to bring the latest data to the Committee as part of the annual cycle.

• The NES was welcomed especially for those parents who were reliant on using the schools that were currently failing. A concern was the recent government announcement that Lawrence Sheriff had been turned down as the provider for a new secondary school in the town, given the successes achieved in Rugby. Sharing good practice amongst schools was encouraged as was providing vocational education options. The decision about Lawrence Sheriff had actually been a motivator for senior staff at the Nuneaton schools. • If the NES worked well, it would be rolled out across other parts of Warwickshire.

• The Teachers Representative Panel had a significant understanding of how schools operated. Sean Taylor spoke about the MAT’s prescribed methods of tuition. Significant numbers of teachers had left the MAT as a result of this, affecting continuity of teacher for the pupils and there were vacancies at MAT too.

• A member spoke of his own education in Nuneaton, the drivers for learning, dependent on individual strengths, the characteristics of each area, the local challenges for each area and the needs for all children to have a good education.

• Sophie Thompson reported that the Higham Lane School in Nuneaton, judged by Ofsted to be outstanding, had undertaken reviews of practice with challenge at MAT. She added that retention of teachers was a key strand of the NES. In turn this linked to the gathering of inspirational stories to share with young people.

• The importance of teachers was stated. Where schools were in decline, good teachers tended to move elsewhere. A further strand of the NES was the effective recruitment and retention of teachers.

• The Portfolio Holder, Councillor Hayfield noted the palpable frustration amongst members at the lack of improvement in performance at the MAT. It would be helpful if Ofsted revisited poor performing schools more promptly. Most of the endeavours over recent years hadn’t worked and officers shared the frustrations voiced by the committee. The NES and proposals in the report were a good way forward. Despite everything, the MAT could act independently and it had autonomy, but it was hoped they would accept the offers of others to help and intervene.

• A positive quotation was made in regard to the improvements being made at the Stockingford Primary School through the introduction of a clear reading policy.

Resolved

That the Committee:

1. Comments as set out above on the proposal to establish a multi-agency Nuneaton Education Strategy, which aligns to the wider Transforming Nuneaton Strategy.  

2. Supports that this model, if successful, be rolled out in other areas of the County at a later date (to be agreed upon evaluation of the first year of the Nuneaton Education Strategy in Autumn 2020) where appropriate.

3. That a meeting is convened with the Midlands Academy Trust and the Regional School Commissioner either in Warwick or at the Trust, to further discuss the issues set out above.