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Agenda item

Agenda item

Portsmouth Education Strategy 2020 - 2023

Minutes:

Mike Stoneman, Deputy Director, Education, introduced the report, noting that the strategy had incorporated much of the work of the last six months and many of the priorities were Covid-19 related. Some consultation has taken place though not as much as was originally planned pre-Covid. The aim is to publish the strategy the following week. It will be delivered under the auspices of the PEP. The merger of the MATs Strategic Forum with the PEP Strategic Board is a welcome development as MATs (there are 11 in Portsmouth) have an important role in sharing their expertise. Mr Stoneman outlined the nine priorities. Inclusion, Early Years and post-16 will continue to be a central theme running through all the priorities. Key points to note from the nine priorities were as follows:

 

1.    Sue Samson, Chief Executive of the University of Chichester Academy Trust, has agreed to chair the School Leadership and Effectiveness Board. Andrew Olive, former chair of School Improvement Board, will continue to be part of the new Board.

 

2.    A digital learning pioneers' group has been created by building on work done in the summer on remote access. The Thinking Schools Academy Trust has been commissioned to support this work with Natalie Sheppard, TSAT's Director of Education for Portsmouth in the lead. Until now Alison Bradley, a senior HMI seconded to Portsmouth, led a digital and home learning group. Since September officers have refined what schools need for digital learning; they do not want schools to be left behind. The first of a series of webinars was on safeguarding and the dangers of remote learning. Others have covered hybrid and flipped teaching; flipped teaching is where the teacher is at home and the pupils are at school. Secondary schools are more used to digital learning as the students are older and more independent but infant and primary schools might need more support. It was noted that there is a requirement for all schools to have remote learning plans in place by 22 October. Work is also taking place to ensure disadvantaged children have access to devices and the internet, including an initiative with Shaping Portsmouth and employer members.

 

3.    Despite the focus on literacy maths is still important and there have been some successes with maths through the Solent Maths Hub. However, there are still significant issues with literacy and early language and this will be a key priority in 2020/21.

 

4.    Simon Barrable, Principal of Portsmouth College, is chair of the ITT, Teacher Recruitment and Retention Group. Since Covid-19 there has been renewed interest in teaching as a career and most ITT providers are reporting an increase in numbers but work is still needed to attract and retain the best teachers.

 

5.    The Infection Control and Health & Safety Group builds on the work done in the summer. It is chaired by Helen Atkinson, Director of Public Health, and will continue for the foreseeable future.

 

6.    Safeguarding is a new priority following two schools being judged by Ofsted as inadequate due to safeguarding and weaknesses identified in some schools' completion of the Safeguarding and Early Help Compact Audit tool.

 

7.    Sarah Christopher reported that funding has now been secured for a third Mental Health Support Team so that all schools in the city will be supported. Portsmouth may now be one of the few areas in the country with full coverage across schools.

8.    There have been some improvements with attendance and reductions in exclusions last year. The attendance campaign Miss School Miss Out is likely to resume after half-term and some elements have returned, for example, penalty notices for holidays taken in term-time. The focus to date has been on welcoming back pupils and tracking and monitoring vulnerable children and young people, supported by the LA Education Link Co-ordinators.

 

9.    There has been a significant expansion of primary school places and now the focus is on expanding secondary school places. The most significant and challenging area of work, however, is meeting the demand for children with complex special educational needs. Education is working on an inclusive strategy of expanding special school places but also supporting mainstream schools to become more inclusive. Meeting the demand has significant revenue funding challenges. The review of SEND and AP (Alternative Provision) accommodation review will be completed in November and will form the basis of a 3-5 year capital strategy for SEND and AP. This has already helped to inform a capital bid to members. .

 

Ms Calderbank noted the government was saving money on bursaries for new teachers as they realised more people were now interested in teaching; for example, the bursary for some science subjects had reduced from £30,000 to £7,000 and from £15,000 to zero for geography.

 

In response to questions from members, the following points were made.

 

With regard to the quality of new teachers and what type of applicants are being sought, the Chair said Teach Portsmouth was definitely having an impact; the first of a series webinars will give the opportunity to meet newly qualified teachers. Communications are designed to reach as many people as possible. She knew people who had become good teachers after other careers; however, members agreed it was important to attract teachers who are sufficiently resilient, not those who have no other plans.

 

Mr Stoneman said the first monthly Teach Portsmouth e-newsletter was published last week and there will be a teacher recruitment survey after half-term to establish the baseline on recruitment and vacancies. He would be happy to share the results with the Board.

 

Ms Anderson explained families had been surveyed to see what devices they had, particularly amongst younger children or multiple siblings, which showed where help was needed. Alison Critchley, Education & Business Partnerships Manager, is working with a digital donation scheme where devices are wiped and re-distributed. Ms Calderbank said about 15 Year 11 pupils had no devices but now there is only one as over the summer parents had obtained devices. Her school had purchased Chromebooks for pupils. Mr Stoneman mentioned 1:1 subscription models, which parents pay for but schools can fund some of the costs via the pupil premium. Mr Labedz said about 15% of 2,000 pupils had no regular access to devices; the position is about three to four times worse in disadvantaged families. As a Trust they provided access by investing funding from other projects but have since switched to a subscription model where disadvantaged families have a Chromebook for an annual subscription of £10. Schools needs to make this level of investment to provide digital access. Members noted it could be difficult for parents to support digital learning where children have different devices in the same household.

 

Mr Labedz's view, as Co-Chair of PEP, was that retention was a bigger issue than recruitment. Payments after two, four or six years and staff development were more effective than "bribery" for people who were inappropriate as teachers. He acknowledged that existing school staff such as learning support assistants could be encouraged to become teachers and there is much support in place, for example, subject enhancement. Some very good teachers had had other roles in schools. There are several different routes into teaching, including without a degree, but complicated training models can deter people.

 

The Chair commended the model of training local people who can gain a degree while working; Teach Portsmouth could highlight it specifically.

 

Sarah Christopher explained that in Portsmouth the Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) sit within CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services) so there is a very clear link between them. The MHSTs are school based so referrals come through schools rather than self-referrals. They are still at an early stage and support is currently allocated according to school size and the free school meal headcount. Officers are working with the Children's Emotional Health & Wellbeing Group to consider a fair and transparent way of allocating resources when there is additional capacity in January. Currently secondary schools have on average at least one day per week of support and smaller schools have a half-day fortnightly. The MHSTs will recruit and support Youth Mental Health Ambassadors, reducing pressure on schools. There will be individual as well as group work based around evidence based interventions like CBT for issues such as anxiety and transitions. The MHSTs will have links with educational psychologists through a partnership group also comprising CAMHS, school nursing and early help.

 

Mr Stoneman advised that the building work in priority 9 had all been completed; there were slight delays to the Admiral Lord Nelson School work. Councillor Jonas said parents had been very positive and asked for thanks to be passed on to the headteachers of Admiral Lord Nelson and Mayfield Schools.

 

Members thought the strategy was very comprehensive. Mr Stoneman said that an updated version to be published the following week will include a revised section in the introduction on early years and language. Comments on the strategy, especially on Early Years and post-16 education, can be sent to Mr Stoneman. The final version will be circulated to Board Members.

 

RESOLVED that the Education Advisory Board endorse the final draft of the Portsmouth Education Strategy 2020 - 2023.

 

 

Supporting documents: