(a) Councilor Sarah Merry (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Employment, Skills) will be in attendance and may wish to make a statement.
(b) Nick Batchelar, Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, Professor Chris Taylor, Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research, Data and Methods (WISERD), Cardiff University, School of Social Sciences and Officers will present the report and answer Members’ questions;
(c) Questions from Committee members;
(d) The way forward for this item will be considered at the end of the meeting.
Minutes:
The Chairperson welcomed Sarah Merry (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Employment & Skills), Nick Batchelar (Director, Education and Lifelong Learning), Michelle Dudridge-Hussain (Operational Manager, Planning and Provision), Brett Andrewartha (SOP Team Manager), and Professor Chris Taylor, Wales Institute of Social & Economic Research, Date & Methods (WISERD), Cardiff University to the meeting.
The Chairperson invited the Cabinet Member to make a statement in which she stated that Professor Chris Taylor had been instructed to research the school admission arrangements and any alternative options.
Professor Taylor expressed his view that there was no need to make many changes; the arrangements do not exacerbate school integration and that changes should not be made unless those changes will make things better.
Members were invited to comment, seek clarification or raise questions on the information received. Those discussions are summarised as follows:
AGREED: That the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations of the Committee when discussing the Way Forward.
Supporting documents: