Issue - meetings

1.       The approach to raising education and achievement detailed in the plan be agreed.

2.       The publication of the Education Achievement Plan be agreed and the Strategic Director for Children, Schools and Families, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Learning, be authorised to sign off any subsequent amendments to the plan before publication, provided there are no substantive changes.

Reason for decision

To agree the delivery of the plan for promoting the education and achievement of children and young people.

[The decision on this item can be called in by the Education Select Committee]

The Education Achievement Plan sets out the County Council’s approach to working with education partners to shape education provision and raise achievement for children and young people over the next five years (2013-2017). The plan responds to changing needs and policy and is a key delivery mechanism for the Children and Young People’s Strategy 2012-17.

The plan aims to secure a successful locally agreed model for school improvement that allows existing partnership arrangements to be developed, including those with both academy and non-academy schools.

The development of the draft plan had been part of a wider engagement with headteachers to agree a primary and secondary vision for the education of children and young people to ensure all schools in Surrey are judged by Ofsted to be at least good schools by 2017.

The Cabinet heard from the Cabinet Member for Children and Learning and a representative from Babcock4S on how the innovative partnership between the Council and Babcock had delivered. Three quarters of schools were rated good or outstanding and this percentage was being maintained against a new and tougher inspection framework introduced by Ofsted in September 2012. The Education Achievement Plan would be part of the focus on driving improvement in the remaining schools.

The Chairman stated his admiration for the teaching profession and the Cabinet joined him in asking that their thanks be passed to all involved in the development of the plan. Better education services in Surrey would always focus on the child and their improvement and it was hoped that Surrey would be recognised in the top 4 or 5 authorities nationally within the new few years.

It was RESOLVED that:

1.       The approach to raising education and achievement detailed in the plan be agreed.

2.       The publication of the Education Achievement Plan be agreed and the Strategic Director for Children, Schools and Families, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children and Learning, be authorised to sign off any subsequent amendments to the plan before publication, provided there are no substantive changes.

Reason for decision

To agree the delivery of the plan for promoting the education and achievement of children and young people.