Agenda and minutes

No apologies were received, and the following Members observed the meeting online: Alderman Robert Howard, Ruby Sayed, Deputy Shravan Joshi, and Floyd Steadman OBE.

Caroline Haines confirmed that today’s meeting was her final meeting as Chair and that she would continue to sit on the Board, declining to take up any opportunity to occupy the role of Deputy Chair. 

There were no declarations.

To agree the public minutes of the meeting of 07 December 2023.

RESOLVED, That the public minutes of the meeting of 07 December 2023 be approved as a correct record.

To note the report of the Clerk.

The Board noted the report of the Clerk, noting also that Terms of Reference would be submitted to the next meeting given the ongoing governance work together with the City of London Academy Trust, and that the amendment relating to the Aldgate School is to be withdrawn, due partly to legal issues.

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

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

Members also noted a recent governor update at City of London Primary Academy Islington.

The meeting noted that a governor prospectus is being developed at City of London Corporation with CoLAT, to support all schools in the City of London family of schools. 

On the parent governor vacancy at NCS, the meeting heard that work was ongoing to fill that vacancy.

Members noted and endorsed the following:

•                • The City of London Academies Trust (CoLAT) Board of Trustees (BoT) ratified the appointments outlined in this report to Local Governing Bodies (LGBs) at their meeting on 14 December 2023, as detailed in paragraph 2; and

•                • The City of London Academies Trust (CoLAT) Board of Trustees (BoT) approved at their 14 December 2023 Board meeting the term extension of co-opted Trustee Lucas Green to 31 July 2024, and endorsed the renewal of the term of Roy Blackwell (Vice-Chair) for a further four years, noting also that CoLAT membership is expected to be re-examined within the next few months in the light of a pending finalised sponsorship agreement.

Verbal update of the Clerk.

The Board noted the update of the Clerk on Member Development noting that training sessions will resume during February and March, with work ongoing to deliver sessions differently to increase attendance. The Board noted that the next meeting of the Member Development Committee will be on 08 March 2024.

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

The Board considered the report of the Community and Children’s Director updating Members with key information relating to the second round of City Premium Grant applications for 2023/24, noting that the amount of funding still available to the Family of Schools for the 2023/24 academic year is £526,500.

Members noted that applications for 41 projects have been received and reviewed, with nearly all proposed projects eligible to be considered for funding. The combined associated cost of eligible projects is £894,777.

Members also noted that the report further proposes that remaining eligible bids from this round be considered for 2024/25 Round 1 funding, in April of 2024, should the schools that have bid wish to re-enter the Spring 2024 bidding round with the same proposals.

Members sought clarification on whether match-funding opportunities were fully explored, and asked how schools might be made aware of match-funding opportunities. The meeting heard that just one bid was match-funded, and that further information would be provided on opportunities for match-funding. The meeting also heard that a partnership post within CoLAT is being funded by CoLC to enable targeted time to be spent on such opportunities.

A Member asked for further information on how the bids were allocated across the three strands. The meeting heard that set amounts exist for each funding stream.

A Member asked why so few Disadvantaged Pupils Grant funds were allocated. The meeting heard that such bids were predominant in the first round, leaving very few for Round 2.

Members asked whether the Grant structure was a good fit for the new strategy to ensure complementarity with the strategic focus for the future.  The meeting heard that the current mechanism encourages collaborative work across the schools and is specifically designed for additionality, and that closer alignment with the strategy is being examined.

The Board viewed a presentation on parental involvement noting, in particular, the main findings following consultation with low-income parents.

Parents’ educational priorities are as follows:

- life skills: financial literacy/ capability; employment-related; professional and personal behaviours

- digital literacy: social media (mental health impact, online safety, fake news); technology (AI and robotics)  

- supporting transitions: into primary, and primary to secondary

- inclusion, individual and additional needs

The Board also heard that parents highlighted a desire to be involved in the school, and benefit from interactive communication and knowledge exchange.

The Board noted the challenges for schools in delivering these outcomes, and noted the importance of delineating boundaries on parental and school responsibility, commenting that schools are focussed on achieving the best educational outcomes for disadvantaged children to improve their life chances, which is to be balanced with ensuring that children are given a positive school experience.       </AI8>

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

Members noted the forecast outturn position for the 2023/24 Education Board Budget.

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

Members noted the report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services, noting also that during recent engagement sessions Members had shared their preferences regarding the structure of the new strategy, recalling that Members had felt that the new strategy should focus only on aspects of education that the City Corporation can actually deliver or meaningfully influence. Members also expressed their desire that the strategy be less complicated, less siloed, and more focused. Members noted that environmental and outdoor learning would be interwoven through each agreed priority, not as an explicit priority in its own right.

Some Members suggested that EDI (especially Equity) should be retained as a priority to encompass SEND needs with Technology integrated across all the activity, noting also the importance of leveraging City of London assets and connections (including businesses and institutions) to deliver improved outcomes, particularly among disadvantaged children – especially in the light of the current Lord Mayor’s theme ‘Connect to Prosper’.

A Member commented that the purpose of the CoLC being involved with an Academy Trust was (partly, at least) to add value to the schools in terms of social mobility and that social mobility ought to be an overarching criterion, with EDI integrated across the strategy with Technology as a priority. Members noted that there was room for further elaboration on achieving social mobility. 

Members heard that the Board’s understanding of its role and expectations encompasses the supporting, promoting and championing of educational excellence and improvement without necessarily involving itself in operational matters, which would be fully reflected in further iterations of the strategy.

Some Members commented that criteria around Health, Safety, Wellbeing and Personal Development could be rolled into a single criterion, noting also the importance of having clearly delineated measures that could easily be tracked and monitored. 

A Member commented

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

Members noted the updates on recent events and activities delivered across the three strategies overseen by the Education Board: Education, Cultural and Creative Learning, and Skills, noting also the calendar of meetings, forums and events for the 2023-24 academic year.

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

Members noted the report that presented key information relating to the existing relationships developed by the Education Strategy Unit (ESU) with Cultural and Creative Learning (CCL) partners who receive core funding from the City of London Corporation (CoLC), or are located in the Square Mile.

A Member commented that the City Wall at Vine Street merited consideration for inclusion.

RESOLVED, That Members approve:

·       The new criteria and list of CCL partners, so that all the partners listed in the appendix 1 are eligible to access financial support from the CCL budget for specific projects for children, based on an evaluated bidding system approved by Members; and 

·       The updated list of cultural destinations in the School Visits Fund portfolio to include all the partners in the new list.

Members heard that bookings had already surpassed the 2023 figures (with numbers expected to be double those of 2023), including strong demand for the Livery showcase and increased bookings for the post-16 day. The meeting heard that the LCF is partnering with 90 organisations and livery companies to provide workshops, sessions and onsite events, including sessions on entrepreneurship and business. Sessions for SEND and care-experienced young people are also being run.

The virtual festival has attracted 25K attendees.  

There were no questions.

The Board noted the recently circulated London Councils report on Pupil Place Planning and Forecasts, noting the significant decline in pupil population numbers in London.

The Board also noted the recently circulated report of the National Foundation for Educational Research on ethnic diversity in the teaching workforce.

Members were asked to forward guest suggestions for the Education Board dinner in April 2024.

Members were asked to consult the publication on DBS checks available at this link, noting that any elected CoL member doing any voluntary work must be carried out through the relevant school: 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65a90d5a94c997000daeb9f1/2024-01-18_Min_Hoare_DBS_Checks_Leaders.pdf

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 of 07 December 2023.

The Board considered the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 07 December 2023.

Members heard an update on the parental toolkit.

To consider the report of The Chamberlain.

The Board considered the report of The Chamberlain.

The Board heard an update from Chairs.