Agenda item

Report of the Chief Executive Officer.

Trustees considered a report of the Chief Executive Officer outlining proposals for a Pilot Management Moves Protocol and Pre-Apprenticeship Pathway and the following points were noted:

·         The Pilot Management Moves Protocol and Pre-Apprenticeship Pathway had been developed to provide a model for alternative provision within the Trust.  Under the proposed Protocol, students who had been excluded would receive a permanent or temporary managed move to another school within the Trust, effective from the first day of exclusion.  This would reduce the use of expensive external alternative provision and support pupils to remain in in mainstream education with existing support relationships.  The Pre-Apprenticeship Pathway had been developed to meet the learning needs of students who would benefit from being taught offsite on an apprentice or vocational pathway and it was hoped would eventually link with City of London Corporation Post-16 apprenticeship opportunities.  Work was underway to identify suitable premises for the Trust’s Alternative Provision Centre where the package of care would include support from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and social workers, as well as Police mentors.

·         The expectation was that Trust schools would pay a flat-rate subscription fee to be allocated places within the Pilot Management Moves Protocol and Pre-Apprenticeship Pathway by top-slicing City Premium Grant.  This model was anticipated to be highly cost effective as it would utilise existing Trust staff and access specialist teaching facilities via low cost arrangements with other schools within the City of London Corporation’s family of schools.  It was hoped to secure the use of premises from the City of London Corporation at low or no cost for the duration of the one-year pilot scheme.  The Deputy Chair emphasised the need to factor in the cost of senior staff time in delivering the Protocol.

·         A Trustee was supportive of the proposed Protocol but stressed that Trust schools would need to agree the plan to top-slice City Premium Grant.  The Trustee noted that the proposal had been considered at a number of previous meetings and underlined the role of the Standards and Accountability Committees in scrutinising the development and performance of the proposed Protocol.

·         In response to a question from another Trustee, the Chief Executive Officer confirmed that it was planned to introduce the new arrangements during the 2020-21 academic year.

RESOLVED, that Trustees:

·         Support the Protocol and note its effectiveness in reducing exclusions, fixed-term exclusions and external sixth day provision; and,

·         Note the proposal for a CoLAT alternative Pre-Apprenticeship Pathway for students at risk of permanent exclusion.