Agenda item

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk inviting them to comment on a further iteration of the Education Strategy from 2016. The following comments were made.

·         There should be greater clarity how many new academies the City of London Corporation should consider sponsoring, over what timeframe and in what location. 

·         The vision could be more definitive and linked with the City Corporation’s wider strategic aims.

·         The current strategy provided too much detail and could be pared down to ensuring scrutiny, support and synergy across the City Corporation’s education portfolio. Some of the introductory explanation was no longer necessary.

·         It was important however to build on the current strategy rather than start from scratch, which would risk losing the ground gained so far.

·         There was discussion whether current strands one and two should be combined, as there was considerable overlap.

·         Key priorities for 2016  should be clearly set out.

·         The refreshed strategy should incorporate greater focus on ‘soft skills’.

·         The strategy should reflect the Board’s dual oversight of the City Academies and the wider City Corporation’s education ‘offer’.

·         Post-18 education should feature in the strategy and reference made to any universities, further and adult education with which the City was involved (e.g. the Guildhall School; City University).

·         The Board should examine and evaluate what each of the City Schools was delivering.

·         The strategy should reflect the Board’s role as an oversight body with a remit to challenge existing policy and provide fresh ideas for executive decision-making committees and boards.

·         The strategy should continue to reference the potential of partnership with the Livery in this area.

·         Work-based learning should be embedded within the strategy.

RECEIVED

Deputy John Bennett and Roy Blackwell left at this point of the meeting.