The Education and Young People Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Oxfordshire County Council met on Friday 27 February 2026 to discuss early years provision, the terms of reference for a scrutiny review panel into Woodeaton Manor School, and the committee's forward work plan. The meeting also reviewed the progress of previous recommendations and actions.

Early Years Provision

The committee was scheduled to consider a report on Early Years provision, with presentations invited from Lisa Lyons, Director of Children's Services; Annette Perrington, Interim Deputy Director of Education and Inclusion; Jaswinder Didially, Assistant Director – School and Settings (Sufficiency); and Kim Wilson, Assistant Director – Schools and Settings (Standards, Effectiveness, and Performance). The committee was asked to raise any questions and agree any recommendations it wished to make to the Cabinet arising from the report.

Scrutiny Review Panel Terms of Reference for Woodeaton Manor School

The committee was scheduled to consider the terms of reference for a Scrutiny Review Panel established to examine the circumstances and communications surrounding the direction for Woodeaton Manor School to become an academy. The panel's work, as outlined in the report Report to EYP OSC - Woodeaton ToR, is intended to identify lessons learned and improve practice regarding how the council responded to the mandatory academisation order. The committee was recommended to agree membership allocations, the approach and schedule of meetings, and to appoint the panel's membership. The review is not a statutory inquiry and will focus on the council's role and communications, acknowledging that Woodeaton Manor School operated as a foundation school without a foundation from April 2008. All meetings of the panel are to be held in private, with a final report to be presented to the committee for endorsement.

Committee Forward Work Plan

The committee was recommended to agree its work programme for forthcoming meetings, taking into account the Cabinet Forward Plan and the Budget Management Monitoring Report. A long list of potential future items was provided, including topics such as admissions arrangements, apprenticeships, care leavers, child sex exploitation, early help, and support for adoptive parents. The committee was also advised that terms of reference for the Woodeaton working group were being developed and would be submitted for consideration. A future item on support for adoptive parents was agreed, and the committee was informed that the upcoming SEND White Paper would require local area partnerships to create a transformation response plan.

Committee Action and Recommendation Tracker

The committee was recommended to note the progress of previous recommendations and actions arising from earlier meetings, as detailed in the EYP Recommendation Tracker 27.02.26. This tracker allows the committee to monitor progress on recommendations accepted by the Cabinet.

The meeting also included standard agenda items such as apologies for absence, declarations of interest, and the approval of minutes from the previous meeting held on 30 January 2026. The committee also had a slot for petitions and public addresses.