Agenda item - Education Partnerships in Brighton & Hove: A response to the White Paper, ‘Educational Excellence Everywhere’

Report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services (copy attached)

RESOLVED –

1)    The Committee authorised the Executive Director Families, Children and Learning to commence engagement with stakeholders in Brighton & Hove regarding the proposal to establish a more formal partnership between schools and the Local Authority.

15.1    The Head of Standards & Achievement Education & Inclusion introduced and explained that the report outlined the strong partnership working that existed in the city schools, referred to some of the government’s recent proposals for education and the implications for schools and requested authority to commence engagement with interested stakeholders to develop a partnership model that would secure the best opportunities for the education of children and young people in the city.

15.2    Councillor Brown noted that Brighton & Hove were fortunate that the academies in the city were involved with the maintained schools and the local authority and she added that support would be needed from the academies and from all the relevant parties.

15.3    Councillor Mac Cafferty noted that parents and staff had not been fully consulted and he expressed concern for the possible implications of formalising the partnerships between schools.

15.4    Councillor Chapman noted the importance of discussing with schools and stakeholders about the proposal and explained that this could protect the schools. He added that the formal partnership between schools could be a support network when schools had Ofsted inspections.

15.5    Martin Jones explained to the Committee that the schools located in Portslade had created an informal partnership and had been working together to make improvements. It was added that this had proved to be very useful.

15.6    The Chair noted that the public consultation around education partnerships was important and that the partnerships that were formed should regularly report to the Children, Young People & Skills Committee.

15.7    RESOLVED – That the Committee authorised the Executive Director Families, Children and Learning to commence engagement with stakeholders in Brighton & Hove regarding the proposal to establish a more formal partnership between schools and the Local Authority.