Agenda item

Report by Director of Children’s Services

26.1    The Director of Children’s Services introduced the report by noting the much improved position that the Department is now reporting regarding Early Years Attainment.

26.2     The Committee thanked the officers in the Department for their hard work in securing the progress identified in the report and then debated a number of issues which are summarized below.

Comments and Questions

• Integrated Progress Review Pilot.     With regard to Recommendation 2 in Appendix 1 of the report (page 32), the Committee asked to be kept informed of progress on the roll out of the pilot and indicated that they wanted to be kept informed of any developments relating to the changing nature of Children’s Centres.   In response Ruth Szulecki (Early Years Development Manager) informed the Committee that the Pilot looked at 4 different areas with early years settings and health visitors.  The goal being to see if strategies could be developed for bringing together the assessment that takes place by Health for a child aged 2 and the progress check that takes place in an early education setting.  Parents often don’t understand why two separate assessments are undertaken and feedback from them on the proposed changes was very positive.  Parents were also involved in looking at communication and helped co-produce a leaflet which has been used during the pilot.   The Department are now at the point of going forward with the proposal for an integrated review that will take place with health and early education providers at aged 27 months.    The key tool to help with this process will be what is commonly known as the Red Book (more formally, the Personal Child Health Record).  The Red Book will act as the means via which communication will take place between parents and health and other agencies that are involved with the child.   This means there will be a shared, integrated progress review record which will help facilitate open conversations between a health visitor and a parent in an early years setting.  The Department feel this has been a very positive project and are very encouraged by how communication has improved between health and early years.  

• Good Level of Development.   The Committee noted the difference in levels of achievement between boys and girls (Recommendation 5 – Summary of Progress Update October 2015) and asked what steps were being taken to address this.    In response, Ruth Szulecki explained that over the last year in particular the learning environment for boys in the early foundation stage has been looked at more closely.   Often boy’s learning at this stage is more physical and some of the environments have not been especially supportive of this.   However, the pace of improvement for boys has kept up with the overall pace of improvement, which is significant.   More progress is still needed though.  So, for example, there has been a programme of training for teachers which focuses on challenges around boys learning.  This too is having an impact.  

• 2 Year Old Capacity.   In response to a question about whether there is sufficient capacity for 2 year olds, Ruth Szulecki informed the Committee that the Department have made significant improvements in the number of places available.  East Sussex now has a take-up rate of 82% for eligible two old years, which is very high and above the national average (and better than the other authorities in East Sussex’s group).   The Department have taken steps with those families who are known to it to actively promote these places.   Ultimately though there is an element of choice which parents can exercise as to whether they take up a place for their two year old child.  The capital programme of development focuses on increasing places in areas where there are high concentrations of eligible families and this seems to have had a positive impact.   There are some places about to be opened over the next 3 to 4 months and this too may have an impact.  It is the case that there will be occasions where parents may not be able secure a place they want for their child because there is no capacity when required.  So there are a small number of parents not taking up their entitlement to a place because the specific provider they want is not available (even though other places maybe available in the area).  The challenge for the Department will be to make sure that there is sufficient capacity, in the required areas, of places that are good or better.   Overall, however, the Department believe there are sufficient places, but the situation will be kept under review.   

• Communication with parents not taking up places for 2 year olds.   Whilst the high take-up rate for 2 Year old places was welcomed, the Committee asked what more could be done to reach those other families not taking up the offer of a place, particularly those with children who have very significant developmental needs.   In response, the Committee were informed that the Department is actively considering how it communicates with relevant groups of parents to see whether the take-up rate could be increased.   However, it should also be recognised that for some children with multiple difficulties finding a suitable place continues to be a challenge, especially for children with life limiting conditions.

• Staff Qualification Levels.   The Committee asked for more information regarding progress on the Action outlined in Recommendation 7 (on page 44 of the agenda) on facilitating training for early years practitioners to acquire higher qualifications.   In response Ruth Szulecki informed the Committee that the Department do monitor this area.   For example, early years settings and schools that provide for children under school age are asked what the highest level of qualification is for those that lead their Foundation Stage.  This data has enabled the Department to identify that there is a correlation between those schools and settings that have highly qualified staff and those that had good and outstanding outcomes from Ofsted. 

26.3    RESOLVED:-  It was resolved to:

1)    note the summary of progress in the updated Action Plan of the Children’s Services Scrutiny Review of Early Years Attainment; and

2)    to ask for an exception report  to provide a progress update relating to Recommendation 2 in Appendix 1 (re the Summary of Progress Update October 2015).