Agenda item - EQUITY IN EDUCATION - NO LEARNER LEFT BEHIND - SURREY'S LIFETIME OF LEARNING STRATEGY

Cabinet is asked to approve the Surrey Lifetime of Learning Strategy and its publication.

(The decisions on this item can be called-in by the Children, Families, Lifelong Learning & Culture Select Committee)

RESOLVED:

1. That Cabinet approves the Surrey Lifetime of Learning Strategy and its publication.

2. That Cabinet endorses the ambition of the Surrey Education Partnership that no learner is left behind, and agrees the partnership ambition, principles and priorities for children, young people and adults as outlined in the strategy for 2024-30.

3. That Cabinet agrees to contribute as a key partner to the ambition, principles and priorities for children, young people and adults as outlined in the strategy for 2024-30.

Reasons for Decisions:

Whilst most of the children, young people and adults in Surrey achieve, thrive, belong and live well, this is not the case for everyone.

In Surrey, children from less-well off homes start school already educationally behind their peers, and this gap persists throughout school and into further and higher education. In many instances outcomes are weaker than similarly disadvantaged learners in other parts of the country.

In some areas of Surrey, adults are less able to secure economic well-being because of skills and qualification gaps.

We are aware that attendance is a significant factor in achieving the best outcomes, and that in Surrey exclusion from school and poor attendance is too high.

Studies have also shown direct links between education and factors such as health and life expectancy rates, with academic achievement playing a potentially significant role in reducing health inequalities by shaping life opportunities.

This strategy will ensure that we take the necessary actions across the partnership, to close the gaps in terms of educational outcomes, exclusions and attendance. It will also ensure that Surrey adults can access learning opportunities, in high quality provision, that develop new skills or secure new qualifications to help them succeed at any time they need to.

(The decisions on this item can be called-in by the Children, Families, Lifelong Learning & Culture Select Committee)

The report was introduced by the Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning who explained that Surrey had a diverse and vibrant education landscape and had educational outcomes at each key stage above the national average. There were however some cohorts of children and young people who have significantly poorer outcomes than their peers in other parts of the country. The Surrey Lifetime of Learning Strategy will ensure that we take the necessary actions across the partnership, to close the gaps in terms of educational outcomes, exclusions and attendance. It will also ensure that Surrey adults can access learning opportunities, in high quality provision, that develop new skills or secure new qualifications to help them succeed at any time they need to. The work would be led by the Surrey Education Partnership and was chaired independently drawing on partners across the education landscape. The Surrey Lifetime of Learning Strategy had been to the Children, Families, Lifelong Learning & Culture Select Committee and the Health and Wellbeing Board.

The Chairman of the Children, Families, Lifelong Learning & Culture Select Committee explained that the Select Committee had reviewed the strategy in September and noted the partnership’s vision. The Select Committee was supportive of the vision and the partnership approach but did not feel that they were in a position to endorse the strategy. The Select Committee viewed the strategy presented as a partnership agreement rather than a strategy as it did not describe a specific course of action and would therefore welcome an understanding as to what actions would be taken by any partners to enable the vision to become a reality. The Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning explained that the Surrey Education Partnership would develop an action plan around the four key priorities and the Select Committee would be asked to review the progress that is being made with this.