Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from the Rt Hon. The Lord Mayor Nicholas Lyons, and Alderman Sir Peter Estlin.

The Board welcomed these people to the meeting: Chief Commoner (Deputy Ann Holmes), the newly-appointed Director of Community & Children’s Services Judith Finlay, and Chief Standards Officer at CoLAT Clare Verga. 

There were no declarations.

To receive the Order of the Court of Common Council dated 27 April 2023 that sets out the Board’s constitution, Terms of Reference, and membership.

The Board received the Order of the Court of Common Council of 27 April 2023.

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

In accordance with Standing Order No. 29, Caroline Haines was elected Chair of the Board.

The Board congratulated Caroline Haines on her election, and noted that she would serve as Chair until early 2024.

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

In accordance with Standing Order No. 30, Naresh Sonpar was elected Deputy Chair.

The Board congratulated Naresh Sonpar on his election.

To consider the report of the Clerk.

RESOLVED, That the Board elect the following Members to these Sub Committees:

Nominations: Mary Robey, Ruby Sayed, John Griffiths (as well as the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Education Board)

Member Development and Learning: Naresh Sonpar, John Griffiths

The Board agreed that Ruby Sayed and John Griffiths would be involved in steering and organising the London Careers Festival alongside Naresh Sonpar.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting held on 24 April 2023.

RESOLVED, That the public minutes of the meeting held on 24 April 2023 be approved, subject to Cristina Odone being shown as attending as a guest in her capacity as Head of Family at the Centre for Social Justice.  

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Board agreed that the two actions be removed as both were fully embedded and actioned.

To receive the TRT recommendations tracker

The Board noted the key recommendations of the education workstream of the Tacking Racism Taskforce, noting that section 1 (Staff) was not in the remit of the Education Board.

The Board noted two further projects agreed during the last week: 1) a bid that features a four-day poetry festival led by poets from the global majority in a partnership between London Metropolitan Archives and Keats House exploring colonial stories around coffee, tea, opium and spices to benefit c.240 children; and 2) an opportunity to work with the FlashAcademy (that supports EAL) to support up to 75 children at two CoLAT primary schools.    

A Member sought clarification that the objectives shown would remain live – the Board confirmed that the objectives would continue to be scrutinised and progressed.

Members commented that there was merit in further leveraging support around role models for black students, and supporting disadvantaged groups including white boys as well as supporting anti-racism initiatives and promoting work experience initiatives, noting that the City Premium Fund gives schools the autonomy to identify groups in need.   

A Member expressed an interest in the take-up rate of independent school bursaries as recently promoted to CoLAT schools. The meeting noted that some able children were leaving CoLAT schools before Y6 to attend CJS thereby compromising the outcomes of the CoLAT school, and heard that there did not appear to be any PP/disadvantaged children entering the independent school system via the bursary system. Some Members commented that there was merit in reviewing the bursary system to address those issues, noting that the relevant entities were already having discussions on that topic.

To receive the report of the Director of Community and Children’s services.

The meeting noted the governor updates, noting also the recent election of a Chair and Deputy Chair at CJS.

To receive the report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services and the Chamberlain

The meeting noted the Outturn report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services and the Chamberlain, noting (in response to a question) that the £19k overspend is related largely to additional recruitment costs.

To receive the update of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Board noted the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services confirming that the organisation was sticking to its strategic aims, and heard from the School Partnerships Officer at ImpactEd, noting in particular partnerships that supported disadvantaged pupils with projects targeting well-being and anxiety, and the involvement of independent schools in supporting schools with high numbers of disadvantaged pupils.

Members sought clarification on the internal feedback mechanism, evaluation processes and methodology, and how programmes were adjusted in line with outcomes. The meeting heard that schools were being encouraged to reflect on the data provided and adjust programmes in line with feedback, commenting also on the importance of considering the potential distortions of small sample sizes and noting that schools were encouraged to consider individualised data. On the question of whether some kind of dashboard could be produced covering key data points, the meeting heard that such a tool could be created provided consistency was achieved across the different areas of activity.     

To receive the update of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Board received a verbal update: the total applications to date was 94 and money was being transferred to schools to enable planning and preparation to take place. Feedback would be gathered at the end of the term, and had been largely positive so far notwithstanding a few challenges around aligning administration with the scale of a project. 

To receive the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Board received the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services, noting the 17% reduction in the number of children in Greater London since 2010 resulting in excess school places (though some future-proofing needed to be factored in across the next decade), noting also that sixth-form places were holding up and secondaries were aligned to planned numbers apart from Highgate Hill.

A Member asked for further information on any marketing or branding around ensuring that City of London schools were viewed as desirable destinations. The Board heard that the matter was expected to be discussed the next day at the CoLAT Head Teachers’ forum and would encompass parental involvement, marketing and reputation management. The meeting heard that the Education Strategy Unit (ESU) was ready to support schools in any such initiative, and that the ESU was happy to facilitate co-learning across the family of schools including independent schools on marketing and communications. The Board also noted that a core driver in a CoLAT school’s appeal was Ofsted reports and exam results, and these were focus areas for the Trust to ensure schools were protected from any further downturn in pupil numbers.   

To receive an update from the CEO of CoLAT

The Board received the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

On the statutory duty of local authorities to provide sufficient school places, a Member asked whether a strategy existed to ensure that duty was fulfilled. The Board heard that the Corporation worked alongside neighbouring local authorities and across the Corporation to ensure children would be provided with a school place within reasonable travelling distance (see action point 1/2023/P).    

The Board noted that two schools would be piloting the new parental toolkit (as discussed in the meeting of 24 April 2023) as of September 2023: Hackney, and Galleywall, and Members commented on the importance of positioning schools as community hubs alongside core drivers such as exam results.

 Members noted that robust financial scrutiny meetings were generating positive outcomes and that 2023-24 was secure - though there were several areas of uncertainty beyond that (teacher pay, political landscape etc) that covered a range of risks covered by the Board including outcomes, safeguarding, and financial stability.

The Board noted that due diligence on a further potential school to join CoLAT had begun.

To consider the report of the Principal, Guildhall School of Music & Drama

Please note that the appendices to the report are in the non-public section of the agenda as they contain information that could identify individuals.

The Board considered the report of the Principal, Guildhall School of Music & Drama (GSMD), and thanked the GSMD for circulating testaments to Board Members from students who had received scholarships.

RESOLVED, That the Board

·       Review and approve as satisfactory the submission of the School’s impact report on the use of the £30,000 grant in 2022/23, in particular noting Appendix II detailing how social mobility is considered in the awarding of scholarships at the School; and

·       Approve the grant continuation to 2023/24 on the basis of this satisfactory submission.

To receive the partnership reports of the independent schools available at the below links, together with the report of the Headmaster of City of London Freemen’s School.

www.cityoflondonschool.org.uk/school-life/partnership

www.clsg.org.uk/partnerships/

www.freemens.org/communityandpartnerships

The Board received the partnership reports of these schools: City of London School (CLS), City of London School for Girls (CLSG), and City of London Freemen’s School (CLFS), and heard from the Headmaster of CLFS on the locally based community partnerships as well as other enrichment work, and from the Director of Partnerships at CLS who delivered a presentation on current and future partnership initiatives of the City family of independent schools.  

The Board received an update on the Board’s strategies, referencing the recent Board awaydays and updates at previous meetings.  

A Member commented on the usefulness of recent social mobility conferences and sought confirmation that the expertise and ideas were being harnessed in the formation of further strategies.

To receive the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Board noted the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services, including Wren300 activities, noting that impact reports would be submitted to the Board in autumn 2023. 

To receive the update of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

The Board noted the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

To consider the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services

The Board considered the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

RESOLVED, That in consultation with the Chair and the Strategic Education and Skills Director, the Town Clerk approve distribution of the Cultural and Creative Learning funds to the relevant cultural partners.

To receive the report of the Director, Museum of London

The Board noted the report of the Director, Museum of London, setting out the activity that funding for Culture Mile Learning (CML) from April 2022 to end May 2023 has supported.

The Board expressed its gratitude to CML for their hard work over the last three years.   

To receive the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services 

The Board noted the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services. 

A Member commented that City Bridge Trust merited clearer involvement in the initiatives set out in the report given its support of such learning.

A Member emphasised the importance of promoting the teaching of facts around the natural world and climate action, commenting on the inappropriately alarmist tone of some media coverage that often contributed to anxiety among children. The Board commented that proposed accreditation could serve to monitor such teaching.

A Member commented on the potential for involving the GLA in such initiatives. 

To receive the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

The Board noted the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services, noting also the following updates to the report (noting that a full report would be submitted to the Board in autumn 2023):

- the reference in paragraph 3 to a young man being “a care-leaver” was erroneous, the young man in question is not a care-leaver;

- both interviewees for the demolition course were successful;

- on the Security Industry Training course, 16 have now passed their SIA course and are applying for the SIA badge.

To receive the report of the Strategic Director for Skills and Education

The Board noted the report of the Strategic Director for Skills and Education.

The Board thanked the Head of Adult Skills for her contribution to the conference.

To receive an update on the London Careers Festival

The Board received an update on the London Careers Festival due to begin on 27 June 2023.

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.

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 24 April 2023

The Committee considered the non-public minutes of the meeting of 24 April 2023.

The Chairs of CJS, CoLAT, CLFS, CLS, and CLSG to be heard.

The Board noted the update of the Chairs.