Agenda item

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

The Board noted the report of the Director of Community & Children’s Services updating Members on final development work for the 2024-29 Education Strategy.

On whether environmental and outdoor education is included in the strategy (referencing point 6) as part of the covering paper, the meeting heard that outdoor education is set out in point 3 of the Corporate Plan as set out in the report (p47 of the agenda pack): “Our Corporate Plan also illustrates our commitment to ‘act as a leader on environmental sustainability’.”

A Member asked for further information on the reach of the strategy, and the resources available to implement them. The meeting heard that resources include the agreed non-statutory budget, and that the strategy would be forwarded to the Town Clerk’s SLT, to Policy and Resources in July 2024, and to Community and Children’s Services Committee if required once approved by the Board (noting the CCS’s oversight of the Aldgate School).

In response to a question on the value of the budget referenced above, the meeting heard that most of the money was the City Premium Grant (£2.3M pa), the total annual budget being c. £4M.

Noting potential policy changes around education following the July 2024 general election, a Member asked whether any assessment had been made of the need to include any proposed changes as set out in various political manifestos. The meeting heard that flexibility had been built into the strategy at

an early stage to take into account potential policy changes, a key drive being improved social mobility that all political parties sought to achieve.

A Member asked for more detail on the process around implementing the actions set out in the report (including connecting with other committees) and how best value would be extracted from resources – including clear alignment of the City Premium Grant (CPG) with the new strategy. The meeting heard that the revisiting of the CPG’s deployment is the subject of item 11, and that the activities themselves are currently in the planning stage and that regular updates to the Board would be provided (together with a review at least once a year).

Members noted the Board’s key focus of improving social mobility.

RESOLVED, That the content of the 2024-29 Education Strategy be approved.