The Scrutiny Performance Panel – Education met on Thursday 9 May 2024 to discuss the progress of the Sustainable Communities for Learning programme and the Swansea Skills Partnership. The panel also reflected on its work over the past year.

Quality in Education (QEd) / Sustainable Communities for Learning Update

The panel received an update on the Sustainable Communities for Learning programme, which is an investment in the school system and estate, jointly funded by the council and the Welsh Government. Louise Herbert-Evans, Team Manager for Capital, presented the progress made across various phases of the programme. Band B, which is nearly three times the size of Band A, has seen £53.8 million invested across five schools, with significant progress on business case development for further projects. Notable projects in progress include the development of Brintawi School, which will deliver an additional 248 Welsh medium secondary places, and Gowerton School, which is undergoing a complex refurbishment to address condition and suitability issues, including exploring net-zero carbon options. A new build special school is also progressing, with a determination following consultation to amalgamate three existing special schools.

The programme is moving to a rolling nine-year plan, divided into three waves, with the first wave broadly encompassing projects already in delivery. The total estimated cost of the revised strategic outline programme is just under £417 million, with approximately £305 million expected from Welsh Government funding. The council's funding strategy includes voluntary aided and Section 106 funding.

Risks and issues identified include capacity and resilience within the council and externally, funding risks, and uncertainty surrounding developer contributions. The update also covered progress on universal free school meals, community-focused schools, additional learning needs, childcare and early years capital programmes, capital maintenance, and local development plan strategic sites.

During the discussion, Councillor Sandra Joy raised questions about the Bishop Vaughan and Daniel James sites, including ownership, the rationale behind the proposed arrangements, and funding. Louise Herbert-Evans explained that the council owns the former Daniel James site, while the diocese owns the Bishop Vaughan Catholic School site. The intention is for the diocese to take ownership of part of the Daniel James site, and the council to take ownership of the Bishop Vaughan site, with proceeds from the sale of the latter supporting the 15% contribution for the new Bishop Vaughan Catholic School build. This approach was deemed the most cost-effective option, addressing the condition and suitability issues of the current Bishop Vaughan site. Councillor Sue Jones sought clarification on the plans for Gowerton Comprehensive School, which is an old building undergoing refurbishment. Louise Herbert-Evans detailed the iterative process of plan development, including exploring net-zero carbon options for Block A and the intention to submit a joint strategic outline case and outline business case to Welsh Government in early autumn. The accessibility of Block A was also raised, with the aim to ensure the school is fully accessible for all pupils.

Councillor Robert Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and Learning and Skills, commented on the Mutual Investment Model (MIM), noting that lessons learned from Private Finance Initiative (PFI) indicated it would be a more expensive model than traditional approaches, and Swansea would not be looking towards MIM for future projects.

Swansea Skills Partnership Annual Update

David Bawden, Strategic Co-ordinator for Education Skills, presented an update on the Swansea Skills Partnership (SSP), which aims to strengthen links between the curriculum and future occupations. The partnership has been refreshed with new strategic priorities for the next five years: developing stronger collaborative partnerships with employers, exploring the delivery of 14-16 vocational programmes, and establishing partnerships for a wider range of high-quality post-16 programmes.

The first workstream focuses on employer engagement, with efforts to audit schools' current engagement levels and develop a web-based platform to showcase opportunities and encourage business pledges. Examples of successful collaborations include The Big Build project at Brintawi School with Kia Construction and work with Morgan Stone at the Cefn Hengoed site. Councillor Sue Jones inquired about other areas being encouraged to offer similar courses, and David Bawden confirmed this is part of the second workstream. Councillor Robert Smith highlighted the value of the partnership in bringing people together. Councillor Lyndon Jones MBE, Convenor of the Education Scrutiny Panel, expressed a concern that the partnership lacked a sufficient level of business representation, suggesting that at least half of the membership should be from industry. Helen Morgan-Rees, Director of Education, countered that the partnership had consistently asked for sector nominations and welcomed any suggestions.

The second workstream addresses the development of 14-16 vocational programmes, with a focus on preparing for new Vocational Certificate of Secondary Education (VCSE) subjects to be introduced in 2027. The partnership is mapping current provision and working to ensure schools and colleges are prepared for these changes. Gower College Swansea has opened a Green Hub for landscaping, horticulture, and eco-construction qualifications, and pilot events have been held to introduce young people to pathways in digital healthcare and engineering. Councillor Francesca O'Brien asked about the accessibility of vocational provision for Additional Learning Needs (ALN) students, and David Bawden confirmed it is fully accessible and that many ALN students thrive in such environments. Councillor Sandra Joy inquired about business management courses, and it was confirmed that Careers Wales has an enterprise arm, and most secondary schools offer business studies.

The third workstream focuses on establishing partnerships to deliver a wider range of high-quality post-16 programmes. The partnership is exploring online and hybrid delivery models to expand provision, particularly for minority subjects with low take-up. Four courses – Classical Civilisation, Further Mathematics, French, and Welsh – are being trialled as an after-school online delivery model. Councillor James McGettrick, who declared a personal interest as an employee of Swansea University, expressed concern about Welsh and Further Mathematics being in the minority subjects list. The panel discussed the definition of minority subjects, generally referring to classes with fewer than 10 students. The importance of ensuring access to technology for all students was also raised, with a mention of Welsh Government's E-Ysgol organisation providing technological support.

End of Year Review in Education Scrutiny

The panel reflected on its work over the past year. Councillor Sandra Joy highlighted that while school visits were excellent, in-person engagement was preferable to online meetings for more constructive scrutiny. Councillor James McGettrick agreed that the committee should be more prepared to conduct site visits when feasible, and noted the constructive way a recent scrutiny of Clydach Primary School had been handled. The usefulness of well-prepared PowerPoint presentations was also acknowledged, with a suggestion that they should be circulated in advance with the agenda papers. Helen Morgan-Rees added that PowerPoints are most effective when received in advance, and that Welsh translations should also be provided with sufficient time for review. The panel thanked Michelle Roberts, Scrutiny Officer, for her work throughout the year. The next meeting of the panel was scheduled for June 2024, with meetings starting at 4:30 PM unless a school visit is involved.