Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from the Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor William Russell and Rachel Bower.

There were no declarations.

To receive the Order of the Court of Common Council dated 16 July 2020, appointing the Board and setting its Terms of Reference.

The Town Clerk noted that since publication of the Court Order, Deputy Keith Bottomley had issued his resignation to the Education Board with immediate effect.

The appointments of Tijs Broeke (Policy and Resources Committee representative) and Randall Anderson (Community and Children’s Services Committee representative) were to be considered that the next meetings of their respective committees. Until then they retained their appointment to the Education Board.

The Order of the Court of Common Council dated 16 July 2020 appointing the Board for the ensuing year was received.

To elect a Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No. 29.

An election of Chair was conducted in line with Standing Order 29. Ann Holmes, being the only Member indicating a willingness to serve, was elected for the ensuing year.

In taking the chair, the new Chair outlined the challenges facing the committee and thanked officers for the quality of their communication with Members throughout the time of COVID-19.

RESOLVED unanimously, that at the conclusion of his three-year term of office as their Chairman, members of the Education Board wish to extend to Henry Colthurst  their sincere thanks and appreciation for the manner in which he has presided over their deliberations and the detailed care and interest he has shown toward the City’s provision of education.

In Henry’s time as Chairman, the Board has supported the expansion of the City of London Academies Trust; introduced an annual Careers Festival and implemented three new fundamental strategies in Education, Culture and Creative Learning, and Skills.

During his time as Chairman of the Board, Henry has helped the City respond to significant changes in the national curriculum within its Family of Schools. He has also played a significant role in shaping the scope of lifelong learning and apprenticeships that the City is able to offer its residents, schools, employees and visitors.

Henry has performed his role as Chairman with great enthusiasm and dedication.  His vision has helped support the City through the ever-changing landscape of the education and skills sector so that it remains a place that people from the Square Mile and beyond, want to come to learn and teach.

Finally, Members wish to thank him for his generous hospitality during his years in office and to convey to him, their good wishes for his and his family’s future health and happiness.

To elect a Deputy Chairman in accordance with Standing Order No. 30.

An election of Deputy Chairman was conducted in line with Standing Order 30. Caroline Haines, being the only Member indicating a willingness to serve, was elected Deputy Chairman for the ensuing year.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 5 March 2020.

RESOLVED, that the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 5 March 2020, be approved as a correct record

Report of the Town Clerk.

To be read in conjunction with the non-public appendix at item 30 of the agenda.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk regarding the appointment of a co-opted Member of the Board.

The Town Clerk explained that the appointment of Dr Ioan Davies was considered at the Board’s informal meeting held in May 2020. Further supporting information had been provided within a non-public appendix.

RESOLVED, that Dr Ioan Davies be appointed to the Education Board for a term of four years ending April 2024.

The Town Clerk advised that Dr Davies would now be invited to join the meeting and participate as an elected member of the Board.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk regarding the appointment of the Education Board’s sub-committees for 2020/21.

Members were first invited to approve the terms of reference of the Nominations Sub-Committee and note that the terms of reference for the Education Charity Sub-Committee as set by the Court of Common Council. No changes were proposed for the Nominations Sub-Committee.

Tijs Broeke and Henry Colthurst had expressed an interest in the Nominations Sub-Committee and were duly appointed for the year ensuing.

Deputy Philip Woodhouse had expressed an interest in the Education Charity Sub-Committee, as did Randall Anderson. Randall Anderson was advised by the Town Clerk that he may stand for one of the positions assigned by the Community and Children’s Services Committee. Deputy Philip Woodhouse was duly appointed for the year ensuing, leaving one vacancy on the Sub-Committee.

The Chair and Deputy Chair would assume ex-officio roles on both sub-committees as per their respective Terms of Reference.

The Town Clerk verbally updated the Board on matters concerning the Education Board’s appointments to the City of London Academies Trust’s (COLAT) Board of Trustees.

In January 2016, the Court of Common Council resolved that the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Education Board would serve as Company Members/Trustees of COLAT. Accordingly, the new Deputy Chair, Caroline Haines, was appointed to the COLAT, effective immediately.

In October 2017, the Court resolved to amend its resolution of January 2016, to permit a representative/nominee of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Education Board to serve as Company Member/Trustee of the City of London Academies Trust, where the original candidate is not able to serve.

The new Chair, Ann Holmes, indicated that, like the immediate past Chairman, she wished to nominate Deputy Clare James in her stead. Deputy Clare James.

As per the Court’s resolution

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk regarding the Boards public outstanding actions.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

Director of Community and Children’s Services to be heard.

Members heard an update from the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding COVID-19 as part of the following agenda item (item 11).

Director of Community and Children’s Services to be heard.

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the New Normal: Schooling after COVID-19. The following matters were raised in presentation:

·         The City Family of Schools were planning to open in September 2020 with a full cohort of pupils and staff. The aim was to provide a broad and balanced curriculum and there would be an encouragement to resume school trips within local areas.

·         Schools would plan for closures and re-openings if there were any local COVID outbreaks, there would also be a hybrid offer if some pupils needed to learn remotely due to school or part of the school needing to re-close.

·         Adult education and apprenticeships were being delivered online and this moves into a hybrid model of online and face to face tuition from the commencement of the new academic year.

·         Risk assurance training would be issued in September.

·         Members were particularly concerned about the most disadvantaged children who were likely to have received less home schooling during the lockdown period.

·         An independent review had been commissioned into the new normal: schooling after COVID-19. 

·         Following questions from Members, the Board was reassured that comprehensive training would be available for teachers around safety. There had also been a considerable amount of additional resource from the Department for Education on mental health support for both children and teachers, with more to come in due course.

·         Key areas of focus for COLAT were providing curriculum catch-up and preparations for hybrid learning. Schools’ provision of hybrid learning had increased, and a substantial programme would be delivered to children in isolation, with an expectation that all children participate in timetabled online provision if school needs to re-close at any time

·         A query was raised on the Education Board’s involvement, if any, with the Chair of Policy & Resources work

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

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the Education, Cultural and Creative Learning and Skills Annual Action Plan 2020/21.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

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

Members received a report joint of the Chamberlain and Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the Education Board’s Revenue Outturn 2019/20.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

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

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the Education Board’s Budget update for the 2020/21 Financial Year.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

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

To be read in conjunction with the non-public appendix at item 31 of the agenda.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services regarding the 2020/21 City Premium Grant Allocations.

The figure assigned to Newham Collegiate Sixth Form (NCS) was clarified as a comma fell in the wrong place. The Proposed City Premium Grant 2020/21 for NCS should read 150,000.

It was noted that the second recommendation on the £330k supplementary City Premium Grant could be considered by the Policy & Resources Committee under urgency procedures. A decision would not, therefore, need to wait until their September meeting as the report header indicated.

RESOLVED, that

·         The release of City Premium Grant funding to City academies for academic year 2020/21 be approved as per Schedule 1 below:

Schedule 1 – Proposed City Premium Grant funding to City academies.

·         The supplementary City Premium Grant funding to academies to address educational gaps due to COVID-19 apportioned to academies as per Schedule 2 below, be endorsed for onward approval by the Policy & Resources Committee under urgency procedures.

Schedule 2 – Proposed supplementary City Premium Grant funding based on schools’ number of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding

Report of the Chief Grants Officer.

Members considered a report of the Head of Grants regarding the City Educational Trust Fund and City of London Corporation Combined Education Charity.

Both Members and officers were disappointed that the City was not in a position to make any awards in 2020 but that this decision was necessary to enable the charities to recoup income for 2021.

Following a question, Members were assured that applications would be directed to other funds and sources of support. There was a lot available and applicants would also be encouraged to reapply next year.

RESOLVED, that

·         the Central Grants Programme eligibility criteria be noted;

·         the budget be noted and the closing of the Education and Employment Programme of the Central Grants Programme until April 2021 be approved.

·         the recommendation to reject all of the applications received to the April 2020 round of the Education and Employment Programme, be approved.

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

To be read in conjunction with the non-public appendices at item 32 of the agenda.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the Governor appointments update. The following matters were raised:

·         Given the number of new governors due to start after the summer, Members requested that officers consider providing induction training (including safeguarding training) early in the academic year.

·         Members were informed that some of the Governing Bodies of the Family of Schools were still carrying vacancies for September. The City was striving to fill those places with candidates that met any skills gaps on each Board and promoted a diverse membership.

·         A number of governor terms were due to end in August 2020, this was because many of them had been appointed when COLAT was first established. Efforts were being made to ensure that the conclusion of governor terms were staggered in the future. Some larger governing bodies would also likely be reduced in size.

·         It was noted that some updates were needed for the local governing body of City of London Academy Islington. It was the hope of the Chair of the Education Board and the Chair of COLAT, that a more up-to-date process for this reporting may be available to Members in future.

RESOLVED, that

·         the appointment of Mary Robey as Chair of Governors to the Local Governing Body of City of London Primary Academy Islington (CoLPAI), be approved;

·         the appointment of Martin Jermyn as Chair of Governors to the Local Governing Body of City of London Academy Highbury Grove (CoLAHG), be approved;

·         the appointment of Shravan Joshi as Chair of Governors to the Local Governing Body of City of London Academy Southwark (CoLAS), be approved;

·         the appointment of Bethan Ferguson, Ann Holmes and Mary Robey to the Local Governing Body of CoLPAI, be noted;

·         the appointment of

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

Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the City’s Education Activities update.

The Deputy Chair took the opportunity for those representing stakeholders across the Family of Schools, to issue thanks for the success of the London Careers Festival. No group was left unsupported. Gratitude was also expressed toward officers within the Corporation and other stakeholders who planned and delivered the LCF 2020 sessions.

The Chair expressed particular thanks to the Deputy Chair of the Education Board for successfully chairing the Careers Festival committee.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

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

Members received a report from the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding school places and demand projections.

RESOLVED, that the report be noted.

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

To be read in conjunction with the non-public appendices at item 33 of the agenda.

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the City of London Academies Trust, academies development programme update.

Clarification was sought over whether it was the Education Board or COLAT that needed to approve the role of KPMG and City, University of London as ‘Strategic Partners’. Agreement was being sought from the CEO, Chair and Deputy Chair of COLAT (on behalf of the Trust), along with the Director of Community and Children’s Services, Chair and Deputy Chair of the Education Board (on behalf of the Sponsor). Once the two co-sponsored academies had transferred, matters would only be presented to the Education Board in their capacity as sponsor, when necessary.

RESOLVED that,

·         the progress of academy capital builds be noted;

·         the Legal Due Diligence reports for the City of London Academy Islington (COLAI) and The City Academy Hackney (TCAH) to inform the CoLAT Board of Directors’/Trustees’ decision to transfer these academies undertakings into CoLAT, be noted;

·         the necessary resolutions required to be approved by the CoLAT Board to accept the transfer of the COLAI and TCAH undertakings into CoLAT by 1 September 2020, be noted;

·         the proposed membership of the new COLAI and TCAH Local Governing Bodies (LGBs) which was outside the ‘model’ for CoLAT’s LGBs governing bodies as previously endorsed by the City of London Corporation, be approved;

·         Russell Willmer be appointed as Chair to the COLAI LGB and Dawn Elliott as Chair to the TCAH LGB; and,

·         City, University of London in respect of COLAI, and KPMG in respect of TCAH, should continue as ‘Strategic Partners’ to these academies after the undertakings are transferred to CoLAT, and authority be delegated to Director of Community and Children’s Services [in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Education Board and Policy & Resources

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk regarding action taken between meetings.

The Board had historically discussed the value of summer schools, and whilst the COVID-19 pandemic had created an exceptional need for a summer programme in 2020, it was hoped that in future years it will not be necessary.

RESOLVED, that 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 5 March 2020.

RESOLVED, that the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 5 March 2020 were approved as a correct record.

To receive a note of the informal meeting of the Education Board held on 21 May 2020.

Members received a note of the informal meeting of the Education Board held on 21 May 2020.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk regarding the Board’s non-public outstanding actions.

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 academies’ financial scrutiny meetings 2020.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members discussed a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the City of London Academies Trust Strategic Plan Review.

Non-public appendix to be read in conjunction of items 7 and 26 of the agenda.

Members received a non-public appendix regarding the appointment of a co-opted Member.

Non-Public appendix to be read in conjunction with item 15 of the agenda.

Members received a non-public appendix regarding the City Premium Grant Allocations 2020/21.

Non-public appendices to be read in conjunction with item 17 of the agenda.

Members received a non-public appendix regarding the Governor Appointments Update.

Non-public appendices to be read in conjunction with item 20 of the agenda.

Members received non-public appendices regarding the City of London Academies Trust, Academies Development Programme update.

There was one question.

There were no items of urgent business.

Report of the Town Clerk.

Members received a report of the Town Clerk regarding the City of London Academies Trust Scheme of Delegation annual update.