Agenda item

To receive the report of the Acting Managing Director of City Bridge Foundation.

The Board received the report of the Acting Managing Director of City Bridge Foundation, noting that the City of London Corporation is the sole corporate trustee of the following Charity which operates, in summary, to further education for the public benefit: the City Educational Trust Fund (“CETF”) (Charity No. 290840).

Members noted that at the Education Board in April 2024, Members agreed to award a £3,649,998 grant to A New Direction (Charity No. 1126216) to deliver Primary Arts – a cultural arts programme within London’s primary schools, to enhance the education and teaching in and of the cultural arts for the public benefit, spanning 48 months.

Acting collectively for the City of London Corporation as Trustee of the City Education Fund (290840), the Board noted the quarterly update of the work undertaken by A New Direction, agreeing that the report is in the best interests of the charity.

Noting the discrepancy between registered and participating schools, a Member asked what methods are in place to encourage registered schools to participate in the programme. The meeting heard that any discrepancy was due to issues around the capacity to deliver in line with demand, and in some cases due to registration timings that did not align with delivery options, and that registered schools are supported in their placements and options.

A Member asked for more information on registered schools that had subsequently not participated, alongside figures for over-subscribed sessions (see action point).