Rev. Preb. Michael Metcalf

Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee Committee Member

Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 4th December 2025 2:00pm

Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee Committee Member

Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 27th November 2025 10:00am

The Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee are scheduled to discuss the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adult Safeguarding Partnership Board annual report, and the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Alternative Provision Strategy 2026 - 2029. The committee will also discuss its work programme for the coming year.

Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education Committee Member

Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education - Wednesday 12th November 2025 2:00pm

The Staffordshire Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) met to discuss key issues in religious education (RE), including equality, diversity and inclusion, the curriculum and assessment review, and inspection data. The council approved the updated safeguarding policy and the annual report for 2024-25, and also noted that the budget had been fully allocated for the year. Councillor Hifsa Haroon-Iqbal OBE DL was appointed as the new chair of the SACRE.

Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee Committee Member

Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 16th October 2025 10:00am

The Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan, the pressures on the High Needs budget, and future work programmes. Councillor Janet Higgins, Cabinet Member for Education and SEND, presented an update on the progress and priorities of the Area SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan. Members expressed concerns about early years intervention, the complexity of the EHCP process, and the increasing High Needs deficit.

Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee Committee Member

Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 11th September 2025 10:00am

The Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2024-25, and to review their work programme for the coming year. Councillors requested more detail on specific data points in the annual report, and suggested that future reports include information on the impact of financial pressures and staff shortages on safeguarding capacity, as well as a lessons learned and impact tracker. The committee agreed to form a working group to examine elective home education.