a) Slough Learning Partnership update on activity 14/15
b) Cambridge Education proposed joint venture 2015/16
Minutes:
a)Slough Learning Partnership update on activity 14/15
There were two elements for the allocation of £160k previously agreed by Schools Forum: £60k to sustain the current viability of SLP e.g. core costs and £100k to grow and improve SLP. Dawn Bailey gave an update. Part of the additional £100k has been used to employ 2 additional staff members.
The funding needed will depend on the level of affiliation. Currently there are 27/48 schools now affiliated – the deadline has passed and schools and staff are following up with schools to find out if they want to affiliate or not. John Constable advised that the venture could not exist on affiliation alone.
SLP is now offering additional CPD e.g. mentor training; NQT assessment support (1 to 1 as well as group support); support for Headteachers new to the area or new to Headship; Headship and Governance toolkits and appeals training. Dawn Bailey referred to some CPD having low uptake and, in some cases, being cancelled, despite having been arranged in response to schools’ requests, which was disappointing.
She reported back on the pro-active recruitment drive to raise awareness and attract teachers to Slough. This included attending recruitment fairs. 5 universities have contacted Dawn and there have been 35 enquiries from Plymouth.
It was noted that not all the £100k has been spent. It was suggested that training on ‘neglect’ would be useful. Helen Huntley said that the Local Safeguarding Children's Board (LSCB) was planning a training day shortly and suggested SBC may be happy to share the information with Dawn.
Robin Crofts suggested viewing a document called the ‘Slough Story’. This can be found at:
http://static.slough.gov.uk/downloads/the-slough-story.pdf
Dawn concluded by stating that the impact of the SLP presence at the recruitment fairs raised the profile of Slough as a positive location.
b) Slough Learning Partnership/Local Authority/Cambridge Education joint proposal for school development - 2015/16
It was reported that a joint
proposal between Cambridge Education, the LA and the SLP would aim to link LA statutory
responsibilities with some of the SLP activity, for example:
brokering / commissioning school to school support for all schools
and academies; developing school led networks for English and
Maths; work with governors; National Leaders of Education (NLEs)
etc. This would be funded by centrally held DSG funding for School
Improvement. It would be used to support SLP’s capacity and
to provide schools with some funding for staff release. A formal paper would come to Schools Forum at a
future meeting.