The meeting made a total of four decisions. It approved a plan to amalgamate two primary schools, agreed a new Carers' Strategy, allocated a Public Health Grant and gave thanks to a retiring staff member.

Future of Schools

The Executive approved a statutory proposal to close Montem Primary School and amalgamate it with Duncombe Primary School. All pupils at Montem will be guaranteed a place at the amalgamated school which will operate from the Duncombe site from September 2024.

The Executive received a report explaining that falling rolls across London are having a significant impact on school budgets, with 46% of schools in Islington forecasting a deficit by 2026.

The report explained that both Montem and Duncombe have had to reduce their intake in recent years and were both operating at a loss, but that the situation is more acute at Montem. The report went on to say that both schools are within walking distance of each other, and that amalgamating them on a single site would make the school more financially viable.

The amalgamation benefits include ring fencing staff positions to staff from across both schools and guaranteeing a place for all children in the amalgamated school.

In October 2022 the Council agreed a School Organisation Plan that sets out its strategy for dealing with falling rolls. This included plans to merge schools in areas with a surplus of places, with a particular focus on the Hornsey area of the borough, where both Montem and Duncombe are located. The Hornsey area has a 32% surplus capacity in Reception, against a recommended 5%.

Prior to the meeting the council held an informal consultation with parents, carers and staff, and after the meeting on the 8th of February, published a statutory proposal on the Let’s Talk Islington website.

During the representation period for the statutory proposal, a total of 15 responses were received. Three were in support of the amalgamation. Some of the concerns raised by those that objected to the proposal included the impact of the move on children with Special Educational Needs, the impact on the Edventure Collaborative Federation, which includes both Montem and Drayton Park Primary School, and that the time frame for the transition is too short.

Councillor Comer-Schwartz acknowledged that the closure of Montem would be difficult for the school community.

We thank respondents for taking the time to share their experience of Montem Primary School, both as former pupils themselves and as parents of current or former pupils. We understand that any discussion about closing or changing a school is emotive and difficult, and understand that it can bring back memories, for the whole school community.

Councillor Comer-Schwartz explained that the situation meant the Council was obliged to take decisive action.

But we must take action to ensure the long-term viability of all Islington’s schools, and to ensure that children get the best education possible to set them up for the best start in life.

Councillor Comer-Schwartz also sought to reassure parents of children with special educational needs that their children's requirements would be addressed.

We have committed to additional resource to ensure a needs-led approach to all children with SEND including those in the ARP.

In order to mitigate the disruption caused by the move, the Council committed to work with parents to develop safer walking routes to the amalgamated school, to support staff at both schools, to help with the cost of new uniforms, and to work with Samuel Rhodes School to support pupils who need it.

Making Children Visible

The Executive welcomed a report from the Children's Services Scrutiny Committee on making children visible. The report outlined 10 recommendations to ensure the voices of children and young people are heard in decisions that affect them.

The recommendations included a call for a new Elective Home Education Charter to provide support and guidance to parents who choose to educate their children at home, and to make it clear that they could return to mainstream education at any time.

The report also recommended that the Council explore different ways to communicate with young people, including through social media.

The report made a number of recommendations for engaging and supporting young people. It suggested working with other council departments and external partners to open up community assets to young people during evenings, weekends and holidays, and to transform Islington's libraries into safe havens for young people. It also called on the council to consider bolstering the youth offer in libraries by advertising bookable group study spaces, restarting homework clubs, and working with other council services to deliver skills sessions on studying, revision and research.

Councillor Comer-Schwartz responded to these recommendations.

The Executive welcomes the principle of this recommendation particularly the use of spaces to facilitate to support to our young people. It notes that all the libraries are safe havens and display the publicity although further promotion may be needed in a way that works well for young people.

The report went on to suggest a number of improvements to services and data collection. It recommended that officers review how successful outcomes are measured and recorded across Children's Services, that the Council review and adapt the 100 Hours World of Work programme to make it more flexible and accessible to marginalized groups, and that the Council conduct granular analysis of absence data so that schools can work with their local communities to devise bespoke interventions for specific cohorts of children.

Councillor Comer-Schwartz agreed that the council should review its performance monitoring and reporting.

The Executive welcomes this recommendation and notes that the Children and Families Partnership Board are refreshing an outcomes framework for children, young people, and families, including how services capture impact and qualitative outcomes.

Finally, the report called on the council to make efforts to recruit social workers and youth workers from global majority backgrounds, to explore strategies to strengthen the retention of social workers, and to consider incorporating Child Rights Impact Assessments into all formal reporting presented to its committees.

Councillor Comer-Schwartz agreed that the Council would scope and determine the feasibility of Child Rights Impact Assessments as part of reports.

Adult Carers' Strategy

The Executive agreed a new Adult Carers' Strategy for Islington. It will be published during Carers' Week in June.

Councillor Diarmaid Ward, who stood in for Councillor Turan, introduced the strategy, explaining that it is the first such strategy in over 10 years, and has been designed to improve the support for the estimated 15,000 people in Islington who provide unpaid care for others.

Islington's unpaid carers make such a significant difference to the lives of family members, friends on the neighbors they support. They may also make a major contribution to society, often supporting people to remain living in their own home and reducing or delaying the need for statutory services.

The strategy is the result of a collaboration between the council and partners including Age UK Islington, the local NHS, and voluntary groups, with input from carers themselves.

It's not just a council strategy. It's a partnership strategy.

The report states that the strategy will focus on six priorities: feeling supported, physical and emotional wellbeing, respected as experts, employment, transition to adulthood and communications and access to information. It sets out a range of commitments under each of these areas, designed to improve the lives of carers in Islington.

Allocation of Public Health Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grant

The Executive agreed to allocate £1,861,084.66 of its Public Health Supplementary Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Grant to Camden and Islington NHS Trust. The Trust provides the council's integrated drug and alcohol service. The allocation was made in the form of a Grant Agreement.

Councillor John Woolf stood in for Councillor Turan to introduce the report. He explained that it was the third consecutive year that the Council has been awarded the grant by central government. The total for 2024/25 is £2,700,656.

The report stated that the grant will be used to expand structured treatment capacity and improve pathways into treatment. It said the Trust will be expected to maintain and build on the investment in drug and alcohol treatment through the Public Health Grant, and to keep to the agreed milestones in the plan. If the Trust fails to do so, up to 10% of the funding could be withheld.

Additionally, a local milestone plan was required as part of the grant conditions, which sets out quarterly steps and progress towards the outcomes.

The grant will fund a number of initiatives to support people with drug and alcohol problems, including assertive outreach for opiate and crack users, a drug and alcohol liaison team at the Whittington Hospital, peer support groups, and a surveillance system to track fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses.

The report explained that £90,000 will be allocated from the Public Health reserve as a contingency.

Vote of Thanks

The Executive passed a vote of thanks to Marina Lipscomb, the council’s Deputy Director of Legal Services, who is due to retire at the end of April. The vote acknowledged her work over many years, and particularly her service as Acting Director of Law and Governance over the past year.