This meeting was scheduled to include reports and discussions on a range of topics, including the quality of education in the borough's schools, provision for asylum-seeking children, the SEND strategy consultation, a presentation from the Young Barnet Foundation and the Board's forward work programme.

Asylum Seeker Children Living in Hotels

The Board was scheduled to hear a verbal presentation from Chris Hennigan of the Home Office on the topic of Asylum Seeker Children living in Hotels.

Education Standards in Barnet 2022-23

The Board was scheduled to receive a report on education standards in the borough's schools during the 2022-23 academic year. The report, which was due to be presented by Neil Marlow, Chief Executive of Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS), summarised standards across all key stages, drawing on data from the Department for Education.

The report highlighted a number of strengths, including:

• An above national average percentage of Good or Outstanding schools
• [P]ositive and productive relationship with schools
• Strong track record of supporting Schools and Settings Causing Concern to make the necessary improvements
• Improvements in EYFSP levels from 2022 to 2023
• Key Stage 2 results in the top 10% of all local authorities nationally

The report also noted a number of areas for development, which had been identified as priorities for improvement by the Schools and Settings Standards Partnership Board. These included:

• Attendance in Special Schools and Pupil Referral Units
• KS2 Reading and transition into KS3
• Vocational results at KS5
• Progress and progression pathways of low attaining pupils across all key stages, particularly those with SEND
• Achievement of disadvantaged pupils, pupils with SEND and other vulnerable groups (including Children in Need)

The report attributed the relatively low performance of pupils studying for vocational qualifications at KS5 to the strong focus of most of the borough's secondary schools on academic subjects. It went on to explain that:

This can largely be explained by the strong focus of nearly all Barnet secondary schools on the teaching of academic subjects at A level and the resultant strong pressure for pupils to take A level courses. In Barnet 86% of the examinations taken at KS5 are A Levels, with 12% Applied General Studies and 2% Technical Level. This compares to only 70% nationally being A Levels, 24% Applied General Studies and 6% Technical Level. As such the vocational student cohort across the borough is relatively small (i.e. only 238 Technical Level Examinations and 1,421 Applied General Studies examinations were taken across Barnet in 2023), and this in turn means some schools have very small cohorts of vocational students compared to the A Level cohort, meaning each student is more statistically significant.

However, it acknowledged that this was nonetheless identified as a priority area by Barnet’s Schools and Settings Standards Partnership Board (SSSPB) and is being reviewed on a regular basis.

SEND Strategy Consultation

The Board was scheduled to receive a report on the draft SEND and Alternative Provider Strategy for 2024-27, which had been discussed at a Cabinet meeting on 14 May 2024 and was due to be subject to a public consultation via the Engage Barnet website. The report was due to be presented by Karen Flanagan, the Director of SEND and Inclusion.

The report highlighted the legal requirement under S19 of the Children and Families Act 2014 for children and young people with SEND and their families to participate in decisions about services for them. This was described as coproduction, something we are deeply committed to in Barnet.

The draft strategy had been coproduced with stakeholders from across the borough, including parents, and had received positive feedback from Ofsted, who had noted that:

Co-production (a way of working where children, families and those that provide the services work together to create a decision or a service that works for them all) in Barnet goes beyond consultation and collaboration. Children, young people, and parents and carers influence and help deliver improvements across a wide range of services.

The draft strategy set out a vision for children and young people with SEND:

"Our vision for all children and young people especially those with special educational needs and disabilities or who are educated in alternative provision is they are all supported to:

• achieve well - socially, emotionally, and academically,
• be healthy,
• be visible and heard,
• successfully transition at each phase of their education,
• be prepared for adulthood, including participation in their local community and/or the world of work”.

The draft strategy also included seven aims:

• To ensure that all children and young people with SEND and in alternative provision have their needs identified as soon as possible and receive the right support at the earliest opportunity.
• To work in a person-centred and family friendly way so children and young people and their families feel supported and know where to go for support.
• To ensure that children and young people with SEND and in alternative provision receive high quality, integrated and inclusive services, including opportunities out of education.
• That children and young people with SEND and in alternative provision are supported to ensure their voices are heard and acted on.
• To ensure services are delivered locally as close to home as possible so that children and young people with SEND and those who are educated in alternative provision can benefit from community integration and support from local services in Barnet.
• Value individuality and celebrate diversity. We want children and young people and those who support them to be their ‘authentic’ selves, for example to reduce masking where appropriate and build their confidence.
• Have high expectations for children and young people with SEND, and their achievements are celebrated so they inspire others.

In addition, the draft strategy included seven priority areas:

1. More families feel listened to and able to participate in shaping service developments and have a greater sense of co-ownership.
2. More young people with SEND irrespective of whether they have an EHCP or not, feel listened to, valued and seen and are respected for who they are.
3. We will refine and improve our local offer as well relationships with children and young people with SEND and their families by adopting a ‘family friendly’ approach to processes, support and information.
4. We will continue to improve the educational progress, outcomes and experiences of our children with SEND and in AP, across all phases and types of institution from early years to post-16, including transitions and progress into independent living, apprenticeships, supported internships, higher education, training or employment.
5. Develop our Alternative Provision PRU pathways so they are in line with the three tiered approach as set out in the DfE’s Improvement Plan.
6. There are sufficient high-quality school places in Barnet including specialist and additionally resourced provisions, from early years through to post 16 to meet current and future demand to ensure children and young people with SEND are able to access appropriate provision that is as close to home as possible.
7. Putting in place earlier intervention and support to children and young people who have health (including mental health) or development needs including those who waiting for a diagnosis and their families.

Housing Strategy

The Board was scheduled to receive a presentation on the Council's Housing Strategy from Laura Giles, Director of Strategy for Barnet Homes.

Collaborate Project

The Board was scheduled to hear a presentation by Janet Matthewson of the Young Barnet Foundation on the Collaborate Project, which was funded by a grant of £500,000 from the John Lyon's Charity. The project brought together clusters of organisations, including schools and voluntary groups, to address identified needs that have been exposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The presentation focussed on the Hendon Collaboration Project, a partnership between St Mary's and St John's CE School, Ark Against Knives, Terapia and the Saracens Sports Foundation.

Laurence Fox, the Assistant Principal for Inclusion at St Mary's and St John's, explained that the project provided:

• Additional Enrichment for at least 30 Pupil Premium students in Y8 and Y9
• Co-created creative sessions delivered by Ark Against Knives once a week for 30 weeks, plus 10 outreach sessions during holidays
• Therapy sessions for nearly 1000 students over 3 years

The presentation included an overview of attendance, rewards and behaviour data for pupils who had participated in the enrichment activities, as well as examples of their feedback on the project.

Youth Development Strategy

The Board was scheduled to receive a presentation on the Council's Youth Development Strategy from Ben Thomas, Assistant Director for Education, Strategy and Family Services.

Forward Work Programme

The Board was scheduled to consider its Forward Work Programme for 2024/25, which had been prepared by Farah Hussain, Governance Officer.

The Forward Work Programme included a number of significant items that were scheduled to be discussed at future meetings, including:

• an update on the Barnet School Food Audit and the collaborative work on developing the School Food Action Plan for Barnet (November 2024)
• an update on the Maternity Health Programme (Startwell) (November 2024)
• updates on the Schools and Settings Improvement Strategy (2021-24), the School Places Plan (2022/23-2026/27) and School Streets (November 2024)
• an update on the Neighbourhood Model Programme, led by Daniel Heller of the North Central London Integrated Care Board (November 2024)
• a summary report of the Children and Young People Plan (November 2024)
• the Young People’s Survey (November 2024)

In addition, the Board was scheduled to be provided with a list of acronyms used in the reports.