Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the two previous meetings, held on 6^th October, 2009 and on 7^th October, 2009, be approved as correct records.

Ruth Bastin, report author

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Policy and Planning Team Manager describing the overarching procedural guidance which has been developed to provide Children and Young People’s Services with a document that covers all situations where behaviour management of children and young people is required. The overarching procedural guidance emphasises a positive approach to behaviour management, particularly with regards to de-escalation techniques which can be applied across the range of settings found within Children and Young People’s Services. There are three sets of procedural guidance accompanying the policy relating to school and educational settings, the Young People’s Service, and Looked After Children and young people. The procedural guidance document was appended to the report submitted.

Discussion took place on the possible provision of a brief reference document for employees, highlighting the principal points of the guidance.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the overarching procedural guidance document, as now submitted, which emphasises a positive approach to behaviour management, be approved.

(3) That the report and guidance document be submitted to a meeting of the Safeguarding Board and an executive summary also be provided for school governing bodies and for the Education Consultative Committee.

Claire Sneath, report author

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Policy and Planning Team Manager describing the ‘Raising the Bar’ research project, which began in the Autumn Term, 2008, as a result of concerns arising from the following issues:

:     the gap in Rotherham between the lowest 20% and the mean, at the end of Foundation Stage in 2008, was one of the highest nationally;

:     there was an increasing proportion of children attaining below Level 2 in all core subjects at the end of Key Stage 1, exceeding national and regional trends; there was also an increasing percentage of children attaining below the level of the tests at the end of Key Stage 2, compared to a decline regionally and nationally; these children will experience difficulty in accessing the curriculum at secondary school and are statistically more likely to be excluded or to truant.

The report stated that the overall aims of the project are to:-

(i) increase the collective knowledge and understanding of the specific characteristics of those children who are at greatest risk of underachievement in order to target action and resources to overcome these barriers to learning; and

(ii) make recommendations to key stakeholders across the Council, regarding the deployment of services, resources and enhanced provision.

Discussion took place on the involvement of the Education Action Zones, the recommendations arising from work undertaken to date, Foundation and Key Stage 1 outcomes for 2009 and three specific projects: the Clifton Project, the Extra Mile Project and the National College for School Leadership Narrowing the Gap Project.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the drive to encourage all schools to narrow the gap by addressing the needs of vulnerable pupils and their families be endorsed.

(3) That the aim of increasing the number of children accessing quality pre-school provision, in order to improve future outcomes in the academic attainment of boys and other vulnerable and underachieving groups, be endorsed

(4) That the report be referred to the Cabinet and to the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel for information.

Consideration was given to the contents of the minutes of the meeting of the Building Schools for the Future Project Board, held on 6^th October, 2009.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes be noted.

The following items are likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended (information relating to financial or business affairs)

Resolved:- That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and 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 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended (information relating to financial or business affairs).

David Spiers, report author

Further to Minute No. 55 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services held on 15th October, 2008 and Minute No. 6 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services held on 3rd June, 2009, consideration was given to a report presented by the Project Manager. Environment and Development Services concerning the tenders received for the construction of a new City Learning Centre in the grounds of the Rawmarsh Comprehensive School. The new Centre would comprise a reception/foyer, interview room, male, female and disabled toilets, kitchen/lounge, two studios, a control room and a plant room.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the tender submitted by R. H. Fullwood and Co. Ltd., dated 9th June, 2009, in the sum of £548,075.28, together with the negotiated extra works dated 29th September, 2009, in the sum of £59,141.17, be accepted for the contract for the construction of a new City Learning Centre in the grounds of the Rawmarsh Comprehensive School (the total sum for the works including the extra negotiated works being £607,216.45).

(Councillor S. Wright declared a personal interest in the above item, as a school governor of the Comprehensive School)

Nicole Chavaudra, report author

Further to Minute No. 131 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services held on 11^th February, 2009, consideration was given to a report presented by the Commissioning Manager, Children and Young People’s Services stating that, after a re-commissioning process, a contract for Rotherham Connexions Universal and Targeted Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) Services had been awarded to Prospects. The report stated that, after a six months’ handover period with the previous providers (NALD and this Council’s Young People’s Services), full service delivery by Prospects began on 1st October, 2009. 

The procurement of the Connexions Client Information System (CCIS) was led by Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council on behalf of Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Councils.  The contract for this service has been awarded to Cognisoft. A sub-regional management information team, hosted by Rotherham, has been established to analyse and process the data from the CCIS system, in line with local and national requirements.

Members noted that all contracts had been awarded for a period of three years, with the option to extend for a further two years. The contracts’ performance would be managed as part of the 14-19 Years’ structures within Children and Young People’s Services.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That a further update on Connexions service developments be reported to the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services in twelve months’ time.