The Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission met on Thursday 22 February 2024 to discuss the amalgamation of Bird in Bush School and to interview the Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Refugees. The commission reviewed the success of the Bird in Bush school amalgamation and discussed the broader implications of falling school rolls. They also received an update on early years provision, including nursery schools and the upcoming expansion of free childcare hours.

Amalgamation of Bird in Bush School

The commission received a report on the amalgamation of Bird in Bush School (BiB), which involved the merging of Camelot and Coburg schools in February 2023. James Robinson, Executive Headteacher of BiB, reported that the amalgamation, initially met with hostility from parents, had been a success, leading to a significant number of children being admitted to the new school. He highlighted the strong strategic leadership from the council, other local authority schools, and headteachers as a key factor in managing falling school rolls. Richard Hunter, Principal Advisor, added that governors and headteachers were instrumental in implementing the amalgamation plan, with a pragmatic approach taken to improve Coburg school.

The commission raised questions regarding concerns for the next academic year, support for staff on temporary contracts during the amalgamation, and the communication and timing of information provided to parents. They also discussed the process of moving governors from Coburg to Camelot and the impact of amalgamation on children. It was noted that the Pupil Place Planning Board had informed BiB of a continuing trend of falling pupil numbers. The commission learned that all seven teachers and full-time permanent teaching support staff from Coburg were transferred to Camelot, with 75% of teaching support staff on fixed-term contracts also retained. James Robinson explained that the existing governing body from Coburg was disbanded and a new Interim Executive Board was established, with governors subsequently moving to the BiB governing body. Richard Hunter emphasised the importance of considering the different operational styles of schools and the communities they serve, and that effective communication with parents is critical. James Robinson also stressed the importance of council support and investment in schools during periods of falling rolls. The commission heard that BiB is now in a stronger financial position, enabling it to offer more provisions for children, and that the Camelot school site offers better facilities. Richard Hunter also noted that the council had learned from the impact of previous school closures on children, particularly those with special needs.

Interview with Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Refugees

Councillor Jasmine Ali, Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Refugees, provided an overview of her portfolio. She reported positive Ofsted reviews, with 98% of schools rated as good or outstanding, and good feedback on care leavers and youth justice services. She highlighted that children and young people in Southwark had outperformed London schools in key stages 4 and 5, bucking national trends with improvements in English and Maths grades. Councillor Ali also noted the success of the Corporate Parenting Committee, strong GCSE and A-level scores, and good provision for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), with an investment of £4.5 million in SEND services.

Challenges mentioned included deficit plans for school closures within the Keeping Education Strategy, although the council remains committed to supporting schools. Councillor Ali also spoke about inclusion work and regular meetings with headteachers, councillors, and senior officers to exchange information, emphasising the importance of wrap-around services like early intervention, prevention, free mental health hubs, and free school meals.

The commission asked questions about changes in the council's leadership structure, retaining teachers, mental health support in schools, and free school meals. They also enquired about reducing the processing time for Education and Health Care Plans (EHCPs) for children under five, tracking SEND needs from early years to later education, and the refresh of the Keeping Education Strong (KES) strategy in light of falling pupil numbers. The government's expansion of early years provisions and Southwark's capacity to meet this demand were also discussed.

Councillor Ali assured the commission that officers would manage the transition in leadership structure competently, with inclusion work managed by early intervention and prevention. Anna Chiva, Assistant Director for SEND, confirmed the council's commitment to providing the best provisions for vulnerable pupils with special needs and improving communication with schools. Alasdair, referring to the reduction in central government funding for education, explained that the restructuring of leadership aimed to ensure the right people were in the right roles, with an emphasis on SEND provisions. Councillor Ali highlighted the appointment of a director with extensive experience in social care and a headteacher with an OBE as a positive step towards increasing SEND provisions. Regarding mental health support, £2 million has been invested, leading to the establishment of mental health champions and a drop-in service. Anna Chiva detailed efforts to support key workers, provide core training for SEND, and track data for SEND and EHCP needs in nurseries. She also mentioned a pilot programme to target young people with SEND for timely intervention. Councillor Ali acknowledged the downward trend in pupil intakes reported by London Councils and stated that Southwark is preparing for these challenges, alongside its commitment to building more houses.

Alasdair informed the commission that pupil place projections are being assessed with the GLA, but numbers need to be assessed at the time of school intakes. Neil confirmed that the council would move to a business-as-usual approach beyond the KES, ensuring outstanding actions are completed, and that cabinet receives annual reports on pupil place planning. Councillor Ali noted that the impact of falling school rolls on secondary schools is less severe, with some schools requesting an increase in their Published Admission Number (PAN). Southwark College Board is working with London South Bank University (LSBU) to provide post-16 offers. The commission agreed to request current percentages and future projected trends for Year 11 students going outside the borough for higher education. Neil indicated that secondary school numbers are likely to be affected by falling primary school numbers and that more information on post-16 offers would be available in March 2024. Regarding early years provisions, Neil mentioned ambivalence among councils regarding the government's policy and questions about sufficient budgets. He stated that Southwark has a broad network of early years providers that should have sufficient capacity for the expansion, and the council would monitor demands with improved infrastructure for nurseries to access funding.

Kate Bingham, Schools Finance Consultant, discussed the Dedicated School Grants (DSG), the statutory framework for various providers, and the council's responsibility for monitoring these grants. She explained that funding blocks would remain the same until 2027-2028, but the amount of funding would reduce. She also mentioned the Safety Valve Agreement, through which Southwark has moved funds to support inclusion and SEND provision. Regarding the early years block, Kate noted an increase in funding of £10 million for 2024-2025 due to the extension of the childcare scheme, but this is based on 100% uptake, which is difficult to model.

Neil reported on ongoing work with the Schools Forum and nursery sector representatives to increase hourly rates for two-year-olds. Anna Chiva reiterated the integrated working around children's services and early years provisions, and the inclusion of early years provisions in the SEND strategy. The commission asked about additional funding for Kintore Way nursery school and changes to the SEND Inclusion FUND (SENDIF) formula. Councillor Ali confirmed that Kintore Way received additional funding of £1.2 million after discussions with the Schools Forum, and that funding is distributed equitably. Anna Chiva stated that SEND needs are higher among LA maintained schools, and the council is looking to increase SENDIF funding and remodel the funding structure to provide group funding to SEND providers. She agreed to provide a brief note on the new model to the commission.

Work Programme 2023-2024

The commission noted the addition of Southwark's Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP) to the work programme for the upcoming 14 March 2024 meeting.

The meeting concluded at 8:38 pm.