Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Stuart Fraser.

The following standing declarations were made relating to the other bodies which Members of the Education Board served on.

Deputy John Bennett

Board of Governors City of London Freemen’s School

Board of Governors of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Nigel Challis

Board of Governors of the City of London School for Girls

Board of Governors The City Academy, Hackney

Castle Baynard Educational Foundation & Alderman Samuel Wilson Fund

Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment Educational Foundation

Oxford University Council Integrity Committee

Henry Colthurst

Board of Governors, Mossbourne Community Academy

Board of Mossbourne Federation

Member of Court of the Worshipful Company of Grocers

Revd Dr Martin Dudley

Board of Governors City of London School for Girls

Alderman Peter Estlin

Treasurer, Bridewell Royal Hospital - King Edward's School, Witley

Alderman Jeffrey Evans

Board of Governors City of London Academy – Islington

St Paul’s Chorister Trust

Council of Almoners, Christ’s Hospital

Stuart Fraser

Board of Governors City of London Freemen’s School

Board of Governors City of London School for Girls

Board of Governors City of London School

Deputy Catherine McGuinness

Board of Governors The City Academy, Hackney

Castle Baynard Educational Foundation & Alderman Samuel Wilson Fund

United Westminster Schools Foundation

Board of School Governors and Council or Almoners, Christ's Hospital

Barbican Centre Board

Guildhall School Development Fund

Virginia Rounding

Board of Governors City of London School for Girls

Board of Governors The City Academy – Hackney

Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Management Committee

Alderman William Russell

Board of Governors City of London School for Girls

Board of Governors of Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Board of Governors Knightsbridge Schools International

Ian Seaton

Board of Governors City of London School

Board of Governors Bridewell Royal Hospital

Donation Governor Christ's Hospital

Philip Woodhouse

Board of Governors of the City of London Freemen’s

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 11 September 2014.

The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 11 September 2014 were approved as a correct record.

To consider the outstanding actions since the last meeting of the Board.

The outstanding actions sheet was noted.

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

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services provided Members with information about the key developments in the delivery of the Education Strategy relating to each of the five strategic objectives.

The Chairman noted that the colour coding in the Education Strategy Development Plan was not clear and also represented an over simplistic approach to prioritisation. It was agreed that it would be better to draw out a few key priorities on the strands of the strategy.

In response to a Member’s question regarding the Board’s long term objectives and expectation for a ‘first year’ report, the Director of Community and Children’s services advised that a further report on priorities and objectives would be presented to the next appropriate Board meeting.

RESOLVED – That the contents of the report be noted.

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

The Board received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services that provided Members with an update on the skills audit which the Education Unit had asked all Chairmen of Governors to complete, information about the training programme that was being developed for Governors, and the opportunities for collaboration that were agreed at the recent Headteachers’ Forum.

The Director of Community and Children’s Services advised Members that the skills audit had not received as many responses as anticipated. He added that the skills audit was an important initiative as it demonstrated the need for Governors to be trained and be aware of the skills required to belong to a Board of Governors. A member of the Board added that group training for Governors had proved useful at his School as it provided a good opportunity for knowledge-sharing.

Members were also advised that the Nominations Working Group of the Education Board had agreed a skills audit form to be completed by all Members of the Education Board.

In response to a Member’s question, the Board were advised Ofsted had been due to take over responsibility for the inspection of Association of Independent schools from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). However, this change had not been finalised.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

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

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services explained that the Board was responsible for recommending to the Court of Common Council the appointment of Governors to the City’s academies and representatives on school governing bodies where nomination rights were granted and where they did not fall into the remit of any other committee. The report set out the process which the Education Board should follow when recommending Members for appointment to school governing bodies.

A Member noted that the section requesting details of any governor appointments inside and outside the City of London Corporation on the Application Form for Appointment on the Board of Governors should be at the beginning of the form as they would need to be referred to during completion.

It was also noted that for some of the more distant independent schools to which the City appointed governors there could be persistent vacancies. It was suggested that the City might consider appointing liverymen or others with a close City interest to represent the City in such cases. The town clerk agreed to review this.

RESOLVED – That the Board approve the appointment process (set out in the report) and endorse the supporting templates.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members of the Education Board considered a report of the Town Clerk, with regard to an application for appointment as Sponsor Governor to the Board of Governors of the City of London Academy Islington, submitted by Revd Dr Martin Dudley.

The Town Clerk advised Members that their recommendation would be presented to the next meeting of the Court in Common Council in December 2014 instead of approval being sought under Urgency procedures. In the meantime it had been agreed with the chair of Islington governors that Revd Dr Martin Dudley could attend meetings before the approval.

RESOLVED – That:-

·      the appointment of Revd Dr Martin Dudley as City Governor of the City of London Academy Islington, be approved; and

·      the appointment of Revd Dr Martin Dudley be recommended to the Court of Common Council for approval.

Verbal update.

The Chairman reported that her term as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors for the City of London Academy Hackney was ending and that a lead Member was to be nominated from the Education Board.

RESOLVED – That:-

a)    the appointment of Virginia Rounding as lead Member/Vice Chairman of the City of London Academy Hackney be approved; and

b)    Virginia Rounding be recommended to the governing body of the Academy as the City’s nominee as vice chair.

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Board considered a report of the Town Clerk that sought approval in principle of the establishment of a temporary part-time consultant project manager role to develop a business plan to assess the feasibility of the proposed new Education Office. The report included a report which was submitted to the Policy and Resources Committee on 3 July 2014, a report of the Livery Education Working Party and a resolution from the Policy and Resources Committee.

The report noted that one-off funding was needed for a six month period to develop a business plan to assess the feasibility of a new Education Office, as recommended by the Livery Education Working Party.

Members discussed the report in detail with the following points being made:-

·         The Livery Schools Link (LSL) provided a valuable co-ordinating link between Livery Companies and the education sector but it was not able to be fully effective owing to lack of sufficient support as well as resources.

·         The creation of an Education Office should be self-funded and would act in a facilitator role to link the livery education contribution, promote collaboration and identify opportunities for further livery involvement within the wider City context.

·         The first aim to attract 100% support from Livery Companies within the first 12 months was felt laudable if over optimistic.

·         Members were concerned about the costs involved with the proposals in light of the Service Based Review but supported the sentiment behind the proposals.

·         Members also noted that whilst any review undertaken by the LSL would arguably not be entirely impartial, they felt that failure to proceed with current momentum of the proposal would likely lead to an opportunity being lost to improve the coordination of the Livery’s role in education.

·         It was noted that the Company of Educators were happy with the proposals.

·         It

Report of the Director of Economic Development.

A report of the Director of Economic Development provided Members with information on a request for the City Corporation to become the accountable body for two new Central London Forward employability pilots.

RESOLVED – That the contents of the report be noted.

There were no questions.

There were no items of urgent business.

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 as follows:-

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2014.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2014 be approved as a correct record.

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

A joint report of the Town Clerk and the Director of Community and Children’s Services was received.

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

A report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services was received.  

In accordance with Standing Order 40, the Board agreed to extend the meeting beyond two hours.

Report of the Town Clerk (To Follow).

A report of the Town Clerk was received.  

There were no questions.

There were no items of urgent business.