Wrthi'n llwytho
Y penderfyniadau fel y mae cofnodion y cyngor yn eu cofnodi. Bydd crynodeb mewn iaith glir yn dilyn pan fydd wedi'i ysgrifennu.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committees held on 29 November 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the School Budget Forum held on 27 October 2022 be noted.
RESOLVED- That the Forward Work Programme for the Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committee together with the combined Forward Work Programme be approved.
RESOLVED: That the Peer-to-Peer Sexual Harassment report be noted.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Anne McCaffrey, Jacob Williams and Jenny Williams (Strategic Director – Social Care and Education).
None.
The Chair extended her condolences to the family of Jonathan Morgan, Head Teacher of Ysgol Y Gogarth, who had recently passed away. The Head of Education Services echoed the Chair’s condolences and noted the following: • Mr Morgan was highly respected within the community and was a key member of the Conwy Education team. • He had great energy and passion in respect of Ysgol Y Gogarth and was proud of the school and its achievements. • His commitment to the education sector, especially inclusion, was an inspiration. • Support would continue to be provided to staff and pupils over the coming months.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committees held on 29 November 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.
The minutes of the Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 29 November 2022 were submitted for approval. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committees held on 29 November 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the School Budget Forum held on 27 October 2022 be noted.
The minutes of the School Budget Forum held on 27 October 2022 were submitted. RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the School Budget Forum held on 27 October 2022 be noted.
None.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED- That the Forward Work Programme for the Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committee together with the combined Forward Work Programme be approved.
The Scrutiny and Committee Services Officer presented Members with the individual Forward Work Programme (FWP) for the Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committee, together with the combined FWP. The following was highlighted: • Dates had been provided for the majority of reports which had been listed under future items. • Reports on the Skills and Employability Strategy and outcomes from the Social Inclusion Service Foundation Resource would be presented to the Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7 March, 2023. • An update on the progress of the Social Care and Education Service Development Programme would be presented to the Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 25 January 2023. Members of the Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be invited to attend. RESOLVED- That the Forward Work Programme for the Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committee together with the combined Forward Work Programme be approved.
The Education Improvement Service Development Officer presented a report on the Local Authority School Admissions Policy 2024-2025. An internal review had been undertaken of the Council’s Admissions Policy and had proposed that minor changes were required. The following points were highlighted: • Proposed minor changes to the policy were as follows: - Changes to the relevant dates and year to which the Policy applied. - Changes to the term ‘Looked After Children’ to ‘Children Looked After’. - Changes to section on ‘Medical Needs’. - Clarification on where catchment maps could be viewed. - Clarification of learners with two permanent exclusions. - Changes to the section on ‘how to apply for a school place’. • Consultation would take place with stakeholders and would include sharing a copy of the proposed Admissions Policy and the proposed admission numbers. The consultation would also be published on the Conwy County Borough Council website. • Under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, the statutory code ‘The School Admission Code 2013’ stated that ‘Local Authorities must consult each year on the admissions arrangements for those schools for which they are the admission authority.’ • If any schools where the local authority was not the admissions authority chose to change their admissions policies, they would need to undertake their own consultation on those changes. Members welcomed the use of ‘Children Looked After’ as opposed to ‘Looked After Children’ and it was hoped that this would be amended across all relevant documents. RECOMMENDED TO CABINET: a) That the Local Authority School Admissions Policy 2024/2025 be approved for consultation. b) That delegated authority be given to the Head of Education Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education to make any minor amendments to the policy following the consultation and then adopt and publish the policy.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: That the Peer-to-Peer Sexual Harassment report be noted.
The Head of Education Services presented a report on Peer-to-Peer Sexual Harassment. The purpose of the report was to provide Members with assurances that education settings were responding to the recommendations made in Estyn’s recent thematic review on Peer on Peer Sexual Harassment. Details were provided of how these issues were addressed within the context of the statutory framework on embedding a whole-school approach to emotional and mental wellbeing. The following points were highlighted: • The report provided details of a range of interventions, processes, pathways and advice platforms that were in place across Social Care and Education Services to ensure that schools had the adequate skills and tools to respond to incidents. • Safeguarding was everybody's business across each service area within the Local Authority. However, the role of education in safeguarding children effectively was key, as education settings had frequent contact with children, young people and their families. • Social Care and Education Officers had worked in collaboration with Conwy schools to ensure implementation of a whole school approach to being better informed and better equipped to address and signpost issues relating to peer-to-peer harassment. • In order to ensure compliance with the recommendations from the Estyn Thematic Review, schools had been offered bespoke training which focused on forming healthy, respectful and dignified relationships and friendships. • Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) was a mandatory element of the Curriculum for Wales Framework and schools had a direct individual responsibility for implementation. • Conwy County Borough Council’s (CCBC) focus was on adopting a consistent whole school approach, which embedded the RSE code and guidance, addressing all three of its broad components, which were: - Relationships and Identity - Sexual Health and Wellbeing - Empowerment, Safety and Respect • The RSE lead in each school managed the delivery of the Heathy and Safe Relationships programme of work, which provided guidance on how to deliver developmentally and age appropriate education and also provided lists of approved resources and links to support delivery. • Secondary and Primary Healthy and Safe Relationships / RSE Professional Learning Communities (PLC) had been established across the Local Authority to support the delivery of the curriculum. • Interactive and online training opportunities were provided to school staff to support them in recognising key tell-tale signs early, to confidently and responsibly raise issues and signpost to the relevant support services and agencies. • The National Secondary School Health Research Network (SHRN) survey was the biggest learner lifestyle survey in the world. Data had been used from the Conwy (SHRN) to support the delivery of developmentally age appropriate RSE education. • The CCBC bespoke Primary Pupil Online Wellbeing survey, established in 2018, was designed to measure and explore the primary learner perception of the wellbeing provision, intervention and experience in school. The data from this Survey was used to prioritise the delivery of intervention programmes based on the learner feedback. • The Conwy Youth Service actively engaged in the work of the Conwy Healthy and Safe Relationships PLC and was a National Online Safety certified service. - Conwy Youth Service delivered an accredited peer-to-peer support programme within secondary schools and community settings as well as healthy relationships and sexual health sessions within community provisions. • Family Centres provided early support for families, based within local communities, and worked in partnership with schools and Social Care teams to support families affected by peer-to-peer sexual harassment. - Awareness raising sessions were held with parents and communities. - In respect of sexual abuse, family centres worked closely with other teams to promote their internet safety resources, and hosting drop-ins for young people. - Drop-ins were also held with school nurses outside of the school environment, to advise on sexual health and wellbeing. - Families who required more tailored and individual support were referred to the parents protect worker, who would work with parents to put safety plans in place. • Each school had a Designated Safeguarding Person who followed relevant safeguarding procedures. - All Designated Safeguarding Leads had received training in relation to peer-to-peer harassment and understanding, preventing and responding to incidents of online sexual harassment among children and young people. • Schools experiencing incidents of peer-to-peer sexual harassment were required to follow the school’s Behaviour and Safeguarding policies. - Each report of harassment should be reviewed in its own right to determine the response needed. • There were a range of resources on the CCBC Intranet, which included short explanatory videos to provide staff with a basic level of knowledge about Childhood Sexual Exploitation and Harmful Sexual Behaviour. • A well-established safeguarding audit was undertaken annually, which monitored the recommendations within the Estyn thematic report. Thanks were extended to officers for the comprehensive report. In scrutinising the report, Members discussed the following: • The Cabinet Member for Education was pleased with the approach taken by CCBC and the provision that was in place. - It was positive that pupils were empowered to speak up in respect of inappropriate behaviour. - A wide range of training was available. • Concern was raised in respect of the impact of the views of social media influencers on young people. - In response, the Education Health and Wellbeing Officer advised that current issues were discussed with school children. - Teachers were trained to notice and report any concerning behaviour. - If an individual issue was addressed specifically it may result in missing another emerging issue. - Guidance was available for parents. - Guidance was taken from Welsh Government (WG) in respect of emerging issues. • It was suggested that all teachers, including swimming and sports teachers should endeavour to inspire confidence in young people, recognise any issues and ensure that pupils were aware that they had someone to talk to. • Reassurance was sought in respect of the robustness of the annual audit and how the data was provided to Elected Members. - In response, the Head of Education Services advised that ample information was provided within the resources included within the report appendices. - A safeguarding audit was in place which was reviewed annually. - CCBC were working with Estyn in respect of the revised inspectorate framework. - Audits were also carried out by CCBC’s Internal Audit, which formed part of the monitoring process. - The Scrutiny and Committee Services Officer advised that an update report and action plan on experiences of peer-to-peer sexual harassment in education settings would be presented to a future meeting of the Governance and Audit Committee. • It was suggested that it may be beneficial to hold in person sessions for young people to discuss their experiences. - In response, the Head of Education Services advised that consideration would be given to discussing peer-to-peer sexual harassment at a meeting of the Youth Council. - Surveys were effective as information was gathered regularly with data utilised to shape services. - The Education Health and Wellbeing Officer advised that survey data was utilised to produce infographics, which were shared in order to start conversations within schools. • It was confirmed that the role of RSE lead was a mandatory part of the curriculum. - A consistent approach was taken across all CCBC schools including faith schools and voluntary aided schools. - Co-opted Member, Colette Owen advised that the Catholic Diocese fully embraced the RSE Code of Practice and that CCBC were doing an excellent job. - The RSE lead was required to identify the school’s training requirements. - Work was ongoing with heads of each area of learning within the new curriculum to ensure that RSE was embedded within the curriculum as a whole. • It was queried as to whether there were specific guidelines and constraints in place in respect of sex education. - In response, the Education Health and Wellbeing Officer advised that due to subject sensitivity, key elements of the training set out specific guidelines and rules especially in respect of confidentiality. - Pupils were also made aware of rules such as not asking the teacher personal questions. - The aim was to create a respectful environment. • As the primary school survey was unique to CCBC, it was queried whether any other Local Authorities had expressed an interest in using the survey. - In response, the Education Health and Wellbeing Officer advised that other Local Authorities and GwE had expressed an interest in the survey. - The survey measured a pupil’s perception of the provision and that training was introduced based on the survey results. - Survey results had improved dramatically between surveys undertaken in the autumn term (2021) and the summer term (2022) RESOLVED: That the Peer-to-Peer Sexual Harassment report be noted.
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