Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Tim Campbell, Veronica Wadley and Philip Woodhouse.

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 17 May 2018.

RESOLVED, that the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 17 May 2018 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk regarding outstanding actions from previous meetings.

RESOLVED, that the report be received.

Report of the Director of the Museum of London.

Members agreed to vary the order of items on the agenda so that Item 15 (Culture Mile Learning) was considered next. Members therefore considered a report of the Director of the Museum of London regarding Culture Mile Learning – Case for Investment 2018/19 and 2019/20 and the following points were made.

·         The Director of the Museum of London noted the impact of Culture Mile Learning (CML) to date and commended the continuation of the project to the Board. In response to a question, she confirmed that the project included Charterhouse.

·         In response to a comment from a Member that the proportion of CML monies assigned to upskilling teachers seemed low, the Director of the Museum of London replied that the proportion was appropriate given the project was in its relatively early stages.

·         In response to a question from a Member, the Director of the Museum of London confirmed that plans were in place to guarantee medium term funding for Culture Mile Learning.

·         In response to a question from a Member, the Education Strategy Director noted that outcomes of CML were listed within the new iteration of the Education Strategy.

RESOLVED, that Members

·         Approve the continued development of Culture Mile Learning;

·         Recommend to the Policy and Resources Committee the release of £360,000 to fund the work of Culture Mile Learning until March 2020 (including the funding for the City’s School Visits Fund).

Report of the Principal, Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Members agreed to vary the order of items on the agenda so that Item 16 (Report on Guildhall School Scholarship Grant) was considered next. Members therefore considered a report of the Principal, Guildhall School of Music and Drama regarding a Scholarship Grant and the following points were made.

·         A Member commented that he believed moving to a restricted grant would ensure a greater focus on those with greatest need.

·         In response to a comment from a Member, the Education Strategy Director noted that the Guildhall School would be responsible for selecting scholarship recipients rather than the Education Board.

·         A Member noted that he would welcome direct feedback to the Board from scholarship recipients.

·         The Education Strategy Director noted that an outcome report on the grant funding referenced within the report would be submitted to the Education Board in September 2019.

RESOLVED, that Members

·         Note the number of scholarships awarded by the School in 2017/18.

·         Make the grant restricted, so it is only used for scholarships that focus on supporting skills development in performance, production arts and creative enterprise, provide support where the need is greatest, particularly students from a broad cultural and socio-economic demographic, and to strengthen progression opportunities to the Guildhall School, and its associated Young Artist programme, for City of London Academies pupils.

To receive the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 5 July 2018.

RESOLVED, that the draft public minutes of the Nominations Sub (Education Board) Committee meeting held on 17 May 2018 be received, and the recommendation therein regarding the Sub-Committee’s terms of reference be noted.  

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members considered the terms of reference of the Nominations Sub (Education Board) Committee and noted the recommendation made by that Sub-Committee at its meeting on 5 July 2018 that reference should be made to considering and making recommendations to the Education Board regarding the appointment, where relevant, of Trustees to the City of London Academies Trust.

RESOLVED, that the terms of reference of the Nominations Sub (Education Board) Committee be amended to include reference to considering and making recommendations to the Education Board regarding the appointment, where relevant, of Trustees to the City of London Academies Trust.

Report of the Strategic Education, Culture and Skills Director.

Members considered a report of the Strategic Education, Culture and Skills Director regarding the Education, Skills and Cultural and Creative Learning Strategy and the following points were made.

·         The Strategic Education, Culture and Skills Director referenced the level of consultation that the draft strategy had undergone, and the fact she would be producing an executive summary to accompany the strategy document.

·         The Chairman thanked the Strategic Education, Culture and Skills Director for her work on the strategy and noted that it would be submitted to the Court of Common Council for approval. Members of the Court of Common Council would also be invited to a Member Briefing on the strategy at an appropriate point.

RESOLVED, that Members approve the Education, Skills and Cultural and Creative Learning Strategy.

Joint Report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered a joint report of the Chamberlain and the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the Revenue Outturn for 2017/18.

RESOLVED, that the report be received.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered an update report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the budget for the 2018/19 financial year. In response to a question from a Member, the Chamberlain confirmed that the budget forecast was due to meet spend.

RESOLVED, that the report be received.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered an Education Activities Update report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services and the following points were made.

·         The Chairman noted that work was being undertaken to convene a week-long careers showcase at Guildhall in partnership with Livery Schools Link.

·         The Strategic Education, Culture and Skills Director noted that she would be forming a project board to oversee organisation of the showcase, and that members of the Education Board were welcome to join it.

·          A Member suggested that the London-wide Looked-After Children Forum be invited to take part in the showcase.

·         In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Education, Culture and Skills Director noted that the showcase was open to all relevant interested parties e.g. state and independent schools, Livery Companies who sponsored schools etc.

RESOLVED, that the report be received.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

RESOLVED, that Members

·         Note that Livery Schools Link report attached as a report appendix.

·         Note that Livery Schools Link will be working with Members and officers on organising a larger careers event early in 2019.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding School Places Demand Projections and the following points were made.

·         The Director of Community and Children’s Services introduced the report and highlighted variations in ward-by-ward data. In response to a question, he replied that variations in Hackney wards were being dealt with using bulge classes.

·         In response to a question regarding the effect of Brexit on pupil numbers in London the Director of Community and Children’s Services replied that it was too early to tell what impact Brexit would have on ward demographics.

·         A Member welcomed the report and noted that he would welcome a broader discussion, once school place demand in relevant wards around City Schools was better understood, regarding how the City could best respond to emerging demographics. For example, how to make best judgement on when to expand the City’s academy offer in a particular borough. Future papers should inform how the City demonstrated leadership in education provision in London.

·         In response to a question from a Member regarding the risk of City academies being undersubscribed, the Chief Executive Officer of the City of London Academies Trust noted that the City’s reputation as an academy sponsor would be key to ensuring all City academies were fully subscribed.

·         A Member noted that any approach to school place demand had to be more holistic that simply looking at pupil numbers. For example, a focus on improving primary provision was arguably a key aim.

·         In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Education, Skills and Culture Director noted that planning the City’s approach to school place demand in a socio-economic context was complicated by the fact that outstanding schools were often victims of their own success – for example, an outstanding school was often

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

N.B. Appendix 1 features on the non-public side of the agenda.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the City Schools Skills Review, City of London Academies Terms of Reference Review, and Appointments Update and the following points were made.

·         The Director of Community and Children’s Services noted that the Education Board had in 2016 approved that officers could serve as Governors of City academies. It was now recommended that officers could serve as Governors of City academies provided they were not working on a building project at that same academy.  

RESOLVED, that Members,

·         Note that officers carried out a skills audit of the governing bodies of the City’s maintained primary, co-sponsored and sponsored academies; 

·         Note that the City of London Academies Trust will be reviewing its Terms of Reference for Trust local governing bodies as outlined in Article 101 of the Articles of Association. Any changes to the Terms of Reference will be notified to the Education Board at the next appropriate meeting. 

·         Note the membership of the City schools governing bodies.

·         Approve that officers could continue to serve of Governors of City academies subject to approval from their Chief Officer, and subject the officer not being employed to deliver projects at the academy on which they serve as Governor.

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

Members considered a report of the Director of Economic Development regarding the closure of City Careers Open House and City of London Business Traineeship and the following points were made.

·         A Member expressed disappointment that the City Business Traineeship was being closed, as he felt the scheme had a very positive impact and it was not clear, based on the report before Members, why it was necessary to bring it to a close.

·         The Director of Economic Development noted that the two schemes had been a great success but, given that many City businesses were now delivering similar schemes in-house, officers were recommending that the City’s schemes be closed and other employability avenues be explored. A communications plan would be put in place to accompany announcement of the closure.

·         A Member noted that he agreed with the report’s recommendations and believed that there were other areas within the employability arena that the City of London Corporation could deliver innovative schemes.  

·         A Member noted that the City should, as part of its communications plan accompanying the closure of the two schemes, give an indication of where else it planned to invest in employability schemes.  

RESOLVED, that the report be received.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered an update report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding Governors for Schools (Co No 03879854) (Charity No 1078330) employability project.

RESOLVED, that the report be received.

There were no questions.

Clerking of City Schools

The Chairman noted that he had requested that officers bring a report to the Education Board regarding clerking of City Schools.

MOTION - That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act

RESOLVED – That under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 17 May 2018.

RESOLVED, that the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 17 May 2018 be approved as a correct record.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk regarding non-public outstanding actions.

Report of the Director of Open Spaces.

Members agreed to vary the order of items on the agenda so that Item 26 (Open Spaces Learning Programme) was considered next. Members therefore considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces regarding Open Spaces Learning Programme Long Term Funding.

To receive the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 5 July 2018 and approve the recommendations set out therein.

Members considered the draft non-public minutes of the Nominations Sub (Education Board) Committee meeting held on 5 July 2018.

To be read in conjunction with Item 11 (City Schools Skills Review).

Members considered a non-public appendix to Item 11 (City Schools Skills Review).

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the Academy Expansion Programme – Due Diligence Update.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding City of London Academies Financial Scrutiny Meetings, and the associated appendix that had been circulated as a late paper.

RESOLVED, that the report be received.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the City of London Corporation’s governance audit of the City’s academies.

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the Published Admission Number for Shoreditch Park.

There was one non-public question.

There were no items of urgent business.