Agenda item

Report by the Chair of the Raising the Participation Age Review Board.

27.1    Nicola Boulter, Chair of the Review Board, introduced the report by explaining that the aim of raising the age of participation is to ensure young people remain positively engaged with education, employment or training until at least the age of 18.   The Review Board was therefore established to investigate:

• whether East Sussex County Council (ESCC) is meeting its statutory duties in this area; and
• to identify whether any improvements can be made to increase participation in education, employment or training.

27.2     The Review Board comprised: Nicola Boulter (Parent Governor Representative and Chair of the Board), Councillors Kim Forward, Roy Galley, Francis Whetstone and in the early stages of the review, Catherine Platten (Parent Governor Representative).   Nicola thanked on behalf of the Review Board all those who had contributed to the review and the recommendations contained in the report.   Mrs Boulter also requested the following amendments be made to the report:

• Page 55 amendment to tables.   The published version of these tables only gives a percentage figure.   The Board asked that these tables be amended to show the numbers of pupils, as well as the percentage figure. 
• List of schools Appendix (page 72).   The Chair asked that this table be amended so that the Red, Amber and Green colour coding system be reinstated.  This will enable quick identification of the ‘Investors in Careers’ accreditation status.
• Recommendation 3 – All schools should appoint a Governor as a careers advice champion.     So as to help ensure it is taken forward by school governing bodies, it was requested that this recommendation be taken to area governor meetings.
• Recommendation 8 – Commend the idea of an employability passport and encourage its swift development.  Work should be undertaken where possible to make the Employability Passport regionally and nationally accepted and recognised.  A request was made for an update on the pilot scheme.

27.3       The Committee, including members of the Review Board, then discussed the report and recommendations. These comments are summarized below:

·       the Review has highlighted an overall positive position in East Sussex and that the Board’s twelve recommendations will help improve matters further without significant additional resources being needed to implement them.  Although the Children’s Services Department will need to help with facilitating implementation of some of the recommendations.  For example, the Board felt that the standard of careers training across schools varies and that whilst this is a matter for schools themselves, the Committee asked whether more could be done to help encourage governing bodies and school leaders to improve careers advice and guidance.   

·       That whilst it is clear those with the highest of level of need will receive support, the Board felt that those young people on the next level down (on the Continuum of Need) might not receive the support they need and this therefore would remain a challenge.  

·       There is a need to actively engage with local businesses and help improve the relationship between them and schools.       

·       That steps need to be taken to ensure proper training and support is provided to governing bodies, if the recommendation of Governing Bodies having a careers advice champion is to be effectively adopted.

27.4    In response, Fiona Wright, Assistant Director Education and ISEND confirmed that the information requested by the Chair in paragraph 27.2 would be provided.    Fiona also noted the comments about the positive performance in East Sussex and referred back to the position in the County five years earlier when figures were well below the national average.   Significant improvements have therefore been made.   Going forward, and in the context of the savings required, the Department believe it has done the best it can to develop effective strategies to help it at least sustain the improvements in this area.   With regard to governor involvement, Fiona informed the Committee that the Department and Councillor Bennett as Lead Member for Learning and School Effectiveness, recognise the importance of governor involvement in this area.   So, for example, the recommendation relating to a Governor Champion was raised by Councillor Bennett at an area Governor’s Forum meeting in the previous week (the forum is comprised of representatives from all the Education Improvement Partnerships in the County).   The Committee were therefore assured that the Department and the Lead Member intend to ensure the benefits and role of a governor champion are clearly understood by Governing Bodies.  

27.5     Caroline McKiddie (Partnership Manager: Education, Employment & Training)also provided an update to the Committee on a range of issues, including that the Department have been working with the Careers Enterprise Company (which is a government organisation) about the possibility of a digital passport which would enable young people to download and look at their passport on, for example, their mobile device.   The Committee were also informed that a bid for careers adviser funding was successful and 1.5 posts will be appointed.  Once in place, the post holders will facilitate the building of relationships between school and local businesses. 

RESOLVED:-  It was resolved to agree the report of the Review Board and to submit it to Cabinet on 26 January 2016 and full Council on 9 February 2016.