Agenda and minutes

To consider and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 January 2021 as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

Resolved: - That the minutes of the meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission held on 26 January 2021 be approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

To receive declarations of interest from Members in respect of items listed on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda.

There were no items that required the exclusion of the press or public.

To receive questions relating to items of business on the agenda from members of the public or press who are present at the meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public or press.

To receive communications from the Chair in respect of matters within the Commission’s remit and work programme.

The Chair advised that a written report regarding the most recent meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel would be circulated to members.

Members were reminded that the next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission would take place on Monday 22 March at 5:30pm.

A presentation will be made by:

·       Nathan Heath, Interim Assistant Director Education.

·       Aileen Chambers, Head of Service, Early Years and Childcare.

·       Dean Fenton, Head of Access Services.

·       Vicky Helliwell, Head of School Improvement

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services, the Strategic Director – Children and Young People’s Services, the Interim Assistant Director - Education, the Head of Service, Early Years and Childcare and the Head of Access Services attended the meeting to provide a presentation on the response from the Education Service to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In introducing the presentation, the Interim Assistant Director – Education noted his thanks to all those involved in delivering educational services across the Borough for their work over the previous year during the pandemic.

The Interim Assistant Director provided a summary of the how the Education service had responded to the pandemic including information on:

·       the Education service had been at the forefront of the Rotherham Covid response and how the co-production work with schools had ensured a strong and coordinated response to the challenges that had been faced.

·       how work across the key areas of challenge had included Free School Meals, digital poverty and supporting schools to interpret updates to statutory guidance.

·       how Education Services had adapted to ensure that statutory responsibilities continued to be been delivered effectively.

·       how the council had provided a strong leadership during all stages of the pandemic. This included collaboration with DfE, Ofsted, other Local Authorities to address emerging challenges and to support schools with future implementations of defined ‘catch up’ funding from central government.

The Interim Assistant Director detailed areas of concern regarding the Education service that had resulted from the impact of the pandemic, including:

·       the increase in numbers of students in receipt of Elective Home Education that raised concerns around vulnerable students.

·       concerns around the wider impact that the Covid- 19 pandemic was having on the education of children and young people, including significant gaps in missed education through school closures or reoccurring periods of self-isolation.

·       the wellbeing of school staff.

·       the long-term impact of pandemic on the education of vulnerable groups of students not yet being fully understood.

·       the lack of assessment of students’ academic progress across all key stages in the period of the pandemic and into summer 2021 and how this would inhibit understanding of the educational progression at key stages of educational transition.

The Head of Service, Early Years and Childcare provided an overview of activity surrounding Early Years provision, including:

·       how the Early Years and childcare sector had played an essential to part in the whole system approach regarding education across Rotherham during the pandemic.

·       how the resilience of the sector remained challenging due to issues around funding, take up of places, viability of businesses and Covid related pressures including parental anxieties, Covid testing processes and fatigue across the sector from the pandemic.

·       the ongoing support that had been provided to the sector.

·       how the medium-term impact of the pandemic would need to support improved take up of places, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

·       The work that had been carried out across the Early Years and Childcare sector to improve Speech and Language outcomes that had continued  ...  view the full minutes text for item 145.

To consider and approve the Commission’s Work Programme.

The Committee considered its Work Programme for 2020/21.

Resolved: -

1) That the Work Programme be updated as discussed.

2) That the Work Programme for 2020/21 be approved.

To monitor the progress of recommendations made by the Improving Lives Select Commission

The Committee considered the outstanding actions on the Monitoring Report.

Resolved: - That Monitoring Report be noted.

For the Chair/project group leads to provide an update on the activity regarding sub and project groups of the he Improving Lives Select Commission.

The Chair provided a progress report on sub and project group activity.

Resolved: - That the update be noted.

To consider any item(s) the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There was no urgent business.

The next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission take place on Monday 22 March commencing at 5:30pm as a Microsoft Teams meeting.

Resolved: - That the next meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission take place on Monday 22 March 2021 at 5:30pm as a Microsoft Teams meeting.