Venue: Committee Room - 2nd Floor West Wing, Guildhall
Contact: Emily Garland Email: emily.garland@cityoflondon.gov.uk
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Apologies Minutes: With the Board’s consent, the order of business was amended as follows.
Apologies for absence were received from Randall Anderson, Tijs Broeke, Alderman Nicholas Lyons, Rachel Bower and the Rt Hon the Lord Mayor, William Russell. |
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Members' declarations under the Code of Conduct in respect of items on the agenda Minutes: Alderman Sir Peter Estlin noted that he was Chair of the Association of Apprentices. |
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To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 1 July 2021.
Minutes: The public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 1 July 2021 were approved as a correct record.
At this point the Chair took the opportunity to express the Board’s thanks to Daniel McGrady, outgoing Lead Policy Officer (Education, Skills & Culture), for his contribution to the Education Board over the previous three years, particularly in relation to the Tomlinson Review. The Board noted the success of the projects he had contributed to during his time at the Corporation and wished him well in his new role. |
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Outstanding Actions Report of the Town Clerk. Minutes: Members received a report of the Town Clerk regarding outstanding public actions of the Board.
RESOLVED, that the report be noted. |
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Nominations Sub-Committee - Co-Opted Member Appointment Process Review Report of the Town Clerk. Additional documents:
Minutes: Members received a report of the Town Clerk regarding the Nomination Sub-Committee’s proposed changes to the Co-Opted Member appointment process, including the introduction of a skills audit.
RESOLVED, that the proposed skills audit and Co-Opted Member appointment process be approved. |
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COVID-19 and Return to School Update The Director of Community and Children’s Services to be heard. Minutes: The Director of Community and Children’s Services was heard relative to the COVID-19 and return to school update. The following points were noted:
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Tackling Racism Taskforce Action Plan Update The Director of Community and Children’s Services to be heard. Minutes: The Director of Community and Children’s Services invited representatives from the City Family of Schools to present to the Board their recent progress in relation to tackling racism.
The Co-Headteacher of Redriff Primary School provided a brief presentation outlining the school’s approach to identifying and providing interventions for underachieving groups, which consisted of three waves of intervention. Members noted the success of the school’s focus on improving reading in the school and that behaviour policies were being developed to aid their longer-term strategy.
Another commended the school on the steps taken to recover the previous reading standards following a temporary decrease one year but enquired what lessons could be learned from the year before this which would allow the school, as well as others, to pre-empt any future declines. It was confirmed that staff had identified previous changes in school staffing and reading routines that may have led to this and that it had been addressed in their longer-term strategy.
The Principal of the City of London Academy, Highgate Hill then offered a presentation to the Board highlighting concerns regarding the English Literature curriculum offered across Key Stages 3 and 4 (KS3 and KS4) and how the school was working to address this. Students within the schools had identified a lack of diversity in the pieces studied which led to the school inviting the student body to suggest alternative books for inclusion in the KS3 curriculum. Members noted that KS4 curriculum pieces were currently restricted by the AQA Board.
One Member raised the question of how the Board could offer support to the City Family of |
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Education, Cultural and Creative Learning and Skills Update Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services. Additional documents: Minutes: Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding an update on the City’s educational, cultural and creative learning, and skills related activities.
The Board were reminded of the upcoming away day, scheduled for Monday 11 October 2021, and that the agenda would be circulated shortly.
The Chair thanked the Lord Mayor for his recent activities in supporting educational skills and representing the Corporation at relevant events.
The Chair also reminded those who wished to attend any listed events to contact the Education Unit. Calendar invitations were due to be sent to Members’ City email addresses shortly.
RESOLVED, that the report be noted. |
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Education Board Budget Update Joint report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services and the Chamberlain. Minutes: Members received a joint report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services and the Chamberlain regarding the Education Board’s Budget update for the 2021/22 Financial Year.
It was again highlighted that there was a predicted overspend on salaries. Officers were looking at mitigating actions and the Board could expect an updated balance sheet in due course.
RESOLVED, that the report be noted. |
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Governor Appointments Update Director of Community and Children’s services. Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair requested that Item 10 and Item 11 be considered together. |
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Report of Action Taken: Governor Appointments Report of the Town Clerk. Minutes: Members received a report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services regarding an update on Governor Appointments and a report of the Town Clerk regarding a Governor Appointment that was ratified under urgency procedures.
The Clerk began by offering a clarification that the appointment of the Chair of the City Academy Hackney was ratified by the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chair, rather than approved by them as it stated in the report at Item 10.
The Board noted that all appointments were now up to date and officers thanked the Clerks of the relevant Local Governing Bodies for providing prompt updates.
A Member informed the Board that, contrary to the report, Jonny McIntosh was an elected Parent Governor at the City of London Academy, Shoreditch Park.
A Member of the Board, also Chair of City of London Primary Academy Islington, informed the Board that the school had recently been awarded the honour of ‘Governing Board of the Year’ at the Islington Education Awards 2021. The Chair, on behalf of the Board, congratulated the Governing Body on this achievement.
RESOLVED, that the report be noted. |
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Two Year Review of the Open Spaces Department's Learning Programme 2019-21 Report of the Director of Open Spaces. Additional documents: Minutes: Members received a report of the Director of Open Spaces providing an overview of the Open Spaces learning programme from 2019 to 2021, highlighting how it adapted and engaged audiences throughout the pandemic.
Highlights included:
RESOLVED, that the report be noted. |
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London Careers Festival 2021 Evaluation Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services. Additional documents:
Minutes: Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding an evaluation of the London Careers Festival 2020.
Officers gave a brief presentation outlining the key outcomes of the festival which included:
The Board congratulated officers on the success of the virtual event and noted that plans were underway for the 2022 festival, with hopes for a hybrid format which would allow three days to be dedicated to engaging in person attendees and a further three days to take place virtually, allowing a wider outreach.
A Member suggested that the feedback forms should be split into separate forms relevant to each stakeholder, to gain more meaningful results. The Chair confirmed that it was recognised that there were some areas for improvement in evaluation techniques but that officers were already working to develop these for the following year.
RESOLVED, that the report and presentation be noted. |
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Social Strategies 2020-21 Annual Report Joint report of the Chamberlain and Chief Financial Officer, Chief Grants Officer and Director of City Bridge Trust, the Director of Innovation and Growth, and the Director of Community and Children’s Services. Additional documents: Minutes: Members received a joint report of the Chamberlain and Chief Financial Officer, Chief Grants Officer and Director of City Bridge Trust, the Director of Innovation and Growth, and the Director of Community and Children’s Services presenting a combined annual report of the Responsible Business, Social Mobility, Digital Skills and Climate Action Strategies for 2020-21.
The Board were reminded that reporting on these strategies was not a statutory requirement but that officers volunteered to provide meaningful evaluation of their progress to Members. They noted that ongoing work resulting from the Tackling Racism Taskforce recommendations complemented the strategies well.
Members were reminded that the upcoming away day would focus on issues surrounding social mobility.
RESOLVED, that the report be noted. |
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Questions on Matters Relating to the Work of the Board Minutes: There were no questions. |
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Any Other Business that the Chair Considers Urgent Minutes: There were two items of urgent business.
Outreach Programme A Member informed the Board of a recent meeting with the Senior Outreach Officer at St Anne’s College, Oxford about trialling a new higher education outreach programme at the City of London Academy Southwark. The Board would be kept updated as this progressed.
Livery in Education 2021 Booklet The Chair reminded the Board that the latest edition of the Livery in Education 2021 Booklet and offered copies to those present at the meeting. Those unable to attend in person would receive a copy either by post or in their Guildhall pigeonhole. |
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Exclusion of the Public 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
Minutes: 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. |
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Non-Public Minutes To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2021.
Minutes: The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2021 were approved as a correct record. |
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Non-Public Outstanding Actions Report of the Town Clerk. Minutes: Members received a report of the Town Clerk regarding the Board’s non-public outstanding actions.
RESOLVED, that the report be noted. |
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Progress Report on City Junior School Report of the Heads of the City of London School for Girls and City of London School. Minutes: Members received a report of the Heads of the City of London School for Girls and City of London School providing an update on the progress of the City Junior School. |
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Sixth Form Strategy Update The Chair to be heard. Minutes: The Chair invited the Chief Executive of CoLAT to address the Board, providing an update on the CoLAT Sixth Form Strategy.
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Finance Scrutiny Meetings for City Sponsored Academies Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services. Minutes: Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the standards scrutiny meetings of City Sponsored Academies.
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2021 Results Data for the Family of Schools Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services. Minutes: Members received a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding the 2021 results data for the Family of Schools.
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Non Public Questions on Matters Relating to the Work of the Board Minutes: There were no questions. |
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Any Other Business that the Chair Considers Urgent and which the Board Agree Should be Considered Whilst the Public are Excluded Minutes: There was one item of non-public urgent business.
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Confidential Minutes To agree the confidential minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2021. Minutes: The confidential minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2021 were approved as a correct record.
A Member asked for further detail regarding the overspend mentioned at Item 9. It was confirmed that this was an overspend on salary for the role of Director of Academy Development - it was planned for this role to have expired as a result of the Target Operating Model, but due to unforeseen delays in the process this was not yet able to occur.
A Member also raised a point of concern regarding Item 21, the sixth form strategy update. They recognised that attracting pupil numbers at sixth forms was a challenge faced by many schools and could result in budgetary complications, but felt that it should continue to be monitored closely by the Board in the coming months due to the financial and reputational risk of the Corporation as sponsor to CoLAT. They suggested that as well as high quality education being offered, the sixth forms must work to provide a diversity of curriculum and a strong marketing strategy for secondary school leavers to ensure that numbers were achieved.
The Chair recognised that this was a concern shared by many but confirmed that it would continue to be monitored closely by the Board. It was highlighted, however, that it was difficult to maintain a balance between adequate scrutiny (as a key responsibility of the Corporation as sponsor) and not exceeding this by adding unnecessary additional layers of Governance. |