Agenda item

This report provides the Committee with an update on the corporate performance indicators for the Education Department, together with the Cardiff 2020 – ‘Aiming for Excellence Plan’.

(a)  Councillor Sarah Merry (Cabinet Member for Education) will be in attendance and may wish to make a statement;

(b)  Nick Batchelar (Director, Education and Lifelong Learning) and Officers from the Education Directorate will present the report and be available to answer any questions members may have; and

(c)   Questions from Committee Members

The way forward for this item will be considered at the end of the meeting.

The report provided the Committee with the corporate performance information for the first quarter of 2015/16 and an update on the Cardiff 2020 – Aiming for Excellence.  The item would be taken in two parts first the Corporate Performance Section and then Cardiff 2020.

The Committee was referred to the Scorecard Quarter 3 2016/17.  Significant improvement was evident but there was some concern in relation to the sickness absence figures.

Officers advised that sickness absence figures were higher in catering teams.  All managers in that area were applying the Sickness Absence Policy when the triggers were reached.

The Cardiff 2020 strategy was launched with partners on 29 June 2016.  The Education Development Board was chaired by Rod Alcott, this was a partnership board that sat beneath the Cardiff Public Services Board and had specific focus on the education and well-being of children and young people in Cardiff.

Developing Leadership programmes and pathways were essential and supported by Welsh Government.  The Cardiff 2020 desired outcomes were referred to along with the key measures in place.

The position of the Consortium was addressed, with continued investment being built into education to support the resource.

The Committee was invited to ask questions.

The Committee was referred to the Cardiff 2020 desired outcomes and key measures with the support for additional learning needs being looked at on a wider regional base.

Members of the Committee discussed the position with sickness levels and the amount of time a child should stay away from school when the sickness was contagious. 

The Officers advised the Committee that sickness absence data was reporting an increase.  The Cardiff Wellbeing School’s Policy was in place to support this along with the Council’s Sickness Absence Policy.

The Committee was keen to see the Performance Indicator data in relation to Looked After Children. In response the Officer assured the Committee that information on Looked After Children would be provided.  Evidence would be available to support this as part of Cardiff strengthening its Corporate Parent function.

Members of the Committee referred to page 246 of the report and asked why the data on the baseline for the new Foundation Phase profile, which assessed the abilities of children on entry to school, was not yet available, considering its collection for the first time in the Summer.

Nick Batchelar confirmed the information would be checked and passed to the Committee.

The Committee was provided with updated information on NEET’s for 2014/15:

• 3.1% indicative data
• 4.5% last year.
• Un-validated data reduced by a 3^rd.

AGREED – That the Chairperson writes on the Committee’s behalf to the Cabinet Member to convey their comments and observations.