The Children and Education Scrutiny Sub-Committee met on Thursday, 8 February 2024, to discuss children's health, relationships, sex education, and health education within the school curriculum, and education PFI contracts. Key decisions included a commitment to bring back a multi-agency brief on tackling 'spice' in vapes and an updated evaluation report on child health.

Children's Health

The committee received a comprehensive overview of children's health in Tower Hamlets, with a particular focus on mental health and healthy lifestyles. Dr Somen Banerjee, Director of Public Health, highlighted the significant impact of child poverty, unhealthy weight, and dental decay on young people in the borough. The discussion also addressed the rising concern of youth vaping and the consumption of high-energy drinks.

Officers detailed the various public health services available, including the Health Visiting Service, Family Nurse Partnership, and the Safe East service for sexual health and substance misuse support. The Healthy Lives initiative, which works with schools on health promotion, and the Healthy Families programme for parents were also presented.

Key points raised and decisions made included:

• Vaping and 'Spice': A multi-agency effort is underway to combat the supply of vapes to children, including those laced with drugs like 'Spice'. Trading Standards, schools, and Community Safety teams are involved. New legislation will restrict the sale and marketing of vapes to children. A stakeholder workshop in November 2023 identified key themes for action: education and prevention, enforcement, communication, and service provision.
• Free School Meals: Concerns about portion sizes for the universal free school meals initiative have been relayed to catering services. Uptake of free school meals is reported to be excellent, with rates between 89% and 95% in some primary schools. A written brief on uptake figures will be submitted by the May 2024 meeting.
• Energy Drinks: Energy drinks are prohibited in schools. The council is considering social media campaigns to raise awareness about their risks.
• Evaluations: Written briefs on the evaluations of the Safe East, Healthy Lives, and THEWS initiatives will be provided.
• Mental Health Support: Collaboration with schools and Kooth, an online counselling service, is ongoing to support young people with mental health concerns. Mindfulness and stress reduction projects are also in place.
• RESOLVED:
  • A written multi-agency brief on tackling 'spice' in vapes within Tower Hamlets will be presented.
  • An updated evaluation report on child health will be presented at a future meeting.
  • A written brief on Free School Meal uptake figures will be submitted by 09 May 2024.
  • A written brief on evaluations of the Safe East, Healthy Lives, and THEWS initiatives will be presented.
  • The presentation was noted.

School Curriculum: Relationships, Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education

The committee discussed the current provision of Relationships, Sex Education (RSE) and Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education within the school curriculum, noting that new national guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) is anticipated. Kate Smith, Head of Healthy Lives, explained that the current guidance covers a broad range of topics, including mental health, internet safety, drugs, alcohol, and puberty.

The DfE's recommendations for primary and secondary schools were outlined, with emphasis on the importance of teaching about different family types, including same-sex families, and the naming of sexual body parts for safeguarding purposes. The council's current advice to schools recommends that lessons on LGBT relationships and the naming of sexual body parts begin in Key Stage 1, with puberty lessons starting in Year 4. However, schools are not obliged to follow this advice.

Concerns were raised by councillors regarding the age-appropriateness of certain topics and the need for parental consultation. The committee was informed that schools are advised to share RSE resources with parents and to hold meetings to discuss the curriculum.

• Key points and decisions:
  • The council will adopt the updated DfE guidance once published.
  • Schools are advised to share RSE resources with parents and engage in transparent discussions about the curriculum.
  • The council's safeguarding team supports schools in addressing issues related to appropriate behaviour and reporting concerns.
  • RESOLVED:
    • A written brief on advice given to schools regarding parental engagement and concerns will be provided.
    • The presentation was noted.

Education PFI Contracts

The final item focused on the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts for schools, which are due to expire in 2027 and 2029. Terry Bryan, Service Head for Pupil Access and School Sufficiency, and Ben Jeffery, PFI Monitoring Officer, provided an overview of the contracts, their advantages, and disadvantages.

The PFI contracts, established in the early 2000s, funded the construction and refurbishment of schools and provided for their service and maintenance over 25 years. While PFI offered long-term surety for school buildings and transferred maintenance risks to private contractors, disadvantages include additional costs for works not initially covered, higher contract management costs, and inflation-linked charges.

The committee heard that preparations for contract expiry are underway, involving engagement with the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) and the DfE. A steering group has been established, and an exit strategy is being developed. The council is committed to supporting schools through this transition, including providing financial assistance from PFI reserves and offering managed service options post-expiry.

• Key points and decisions:
  • Annual School Charges: A breakdown of PFI charges for all borough schools as a percentage of their budget will be provided to the sub-committee. The unitary charge is inflation-linked, and the council is providing contributions from its PFI reserves to support schools facing budget pressures.
  • Value for Money (VFM): A VFM review has been conducted, indicating that while total annual charges have increased, the total facilities management expenditure has also risen, with some years showing a net gain for the council. The impact of performance failures leading to financial deductions was noted. A written brief on VFM and council limitations will be presented.
  • Service Cuts: The council is not aware of any schools having to cut their PFI services due to budgetary constraints. However, the sustainability of services between now and expiry is being monitored.
  • RESOLVED:
    • A breakdown of PFI charges for all borough schools will be presented.
    • A brief overview of PFI value for money contract terms and council limitations will be presented.
    • The presentation was noted.