Agenda item

A report presenting the response of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to the Final Report of the Further Education in the Salisbury Area Scrutiny Task Group (May 2012).

This Task Group was established in September 2010 to undertake a review of the post-16 education available in the Salisbury area. The Task Group’s report was endorsed and referred to the Cabinet Member by the Children’s Services Select Committee on 31 May.

The Committee is asked to note the Cabinet Member’s responses and agree further action as appropriate. Recommendations 9 and 12 are directed toward Wiltshire College rather than the Cabinet Member and responses will be sought and reported to the Committee once received.

NB. In May 2012, the Committee agreed to reconvene the Task Group in May 2013 to consider progress and agree any further action required.

The Select Committee received a report which set out the response of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to the Final Report of the Further Education in the Salisbury Area Scrutiny Task Group which was endorsed by this Committee at its last meeting on 31 May 2012.  The Committee was invited to note the Cabinet Member’s response and decide any further action that needed to be taken.

Ms Di Dale, Principal of Wiltshire College, stated that she generally welcomed the findings of the report but did have concerns regarding the following two recommendations which were directed towards Wiltshire College:-

Recommendation 9 (see paragraphs 4.2.49 for further info)

Whilst recognising the challenging economic climate, Wiltshire College considers providing their own student transport service as is currently offered by some of its major competitors.

Di Dale stated that Wiltshire College had looked at, in detail, creating its own transport infrastructure. Detailed work had been completed; looking at where students travelled from, what would be the best routes to maximise pick up and what size buses would be most appropriate. However, as noted in the recommendation, the economic climate for Colleges and the public sector as a whole played a significant role with an anticipated budget reduction of 13% over the next two years. One full-size coach would cost the College c£35K and a small minibus c£20K – this price only included one collection in the morning and one return at the end of the day. Therefore, the cost was prohibitive. She also informed the Committee that some of their competitors were subsiding their transport for one final year and would be reducing services due to cost.

However, she confirmed that the College would welcome any consideration that the Council could give to putting in place a universal bus-pass scheme, such as that operated by Somerset County Council.

Recommendation 13 (see paragraphs 4.2.82 for further info)

Recognising the challenges inherent in being a city-centre provider, the Task Group recommends that Wiltshire College considers the potential impact on learner retention and attainment of its 16-19 learners having such flexibility to leave the Salisbury campus when not in lectures and, if appropriate, implements measures to encourage students to remain on campus.

Di Dale stated that the College was currently funded to provide 480 hours of learning per students, per annum for full-time 16-18 year olds over a 35 week academic year. Whilst the coalition government had given a commitment to ensure parity of funding between school sixth-forms and colleges, Wiltshire College had maximised on its resources to create what Ofsted had recognised to be an exemplary Community Campus (enrichment) programme. Furthermore, the College made clear to all students, specifically those studying for A-level or vocationally equivalent qualifications, that a significant amount of independent study outside of formal classes was expected.

Finally, Di Dale explained that as a further education college, students operated in an adult environment, where they were treated as such. Through this approach, the College was continually committed to prepare students for the working world and/or higher level study, which was underpinned by a ‘good’ with ‘outstanding features’ academic support and engagement system.   

Ms Ruth Johnson, Principal of Sarum Academy expressed her concern about the Task Group’s findings regarding the Academy and also that the School had not yet received a hard copy of the Task Group’s Report and had therefore been unable to make any representations to this Committee when it considered the recommendations on 31 May 2012.

Firstly, Sarum Academy was anxious to correct the misrepresentation of the ability levels of its students. The Academy had found it disappointing that the report suggested that their curriculum was designed only to suit those with lower academic attainment. Sarum Academy offered a very broad programme of courses and qualifications to suit young people of all abilities as outlined in the vision and ethos document that Wiltshire Council itself had been involved in drawing up. The historic lower than average attainment at GCSE was being rapidly addressed and already 81% of Year 11 pupils had achieved 5+ A*-C this year, a figure significantly higher than that achieved by certain other schools in the area last year and the Academy was expecting to see a significant rise in their 5+ figure including English and Maths.  Current predictions for Year 13 expected outcomes were above national post 16 indicators that set targets that would place a subject in the top 25% in the country. Sarum Academy’s predicted average total point score for this year was also above the national average with pupils expected to achieve an average of AAB grades. A higher number of students from the Academy were going on to higher education this year than ever before. It was important to note that Sarum Academy was not just for lower attaining pupils and it wished the report to be amended to reflect this.

The second area of concern related to the collaborative development of the post-16 provision. The Report, suggesting that there was no sixth form provision in central Salisbury meeting the needs of those who wished to study AS/A2 course, was inaccurate as Sarum Academy offered a wide range of both academic and vocational courses.  The recommendations of the report for the three institutions of the Laverstock site and the college to work together not only ignored the provision Sarum Academy had on offer which was designed to meet local needs but also ignored the vision of the Academy to work in partnership to avoid duplication of courses and enhance provision. Sarum Academy wished to be an active partner in any collaborative venture.

Finally, Ms Johnson challenged the comments made about recruitment into post-16 provision.  She reminded the Committee that the report stated, “it seems unlikely that this school will be successful in attracting significant numbers from outside of its KS4 cohort in the near future” but this was not borne out by evidence as Academy applications had increased by 160% from last year with almost 100 applications for Year 12, most citing the Academy as their first choice establishment and drawing from across Salisbury.  Sarum Academy was confident that it would play a key role in post-16 provision within Salisbury, given that it offered specialisms in Maths and the Arts, two identified curriculum areas which learners left Salisbury to study in Hampshire. Sarum Academy was an emerging centre of excellence in BTEC provision (verified by all of the Academy’s moderators’ reports) which complemented existing AS/A2 courses, with a new fit for purpose sixth form centre which would be operational for up to 300 learners next September.

The Committee was informed that these concerns had been raised in a letter dated 21 June 2012 sent by the three sponsors of Sarum Academy (other than Wiltshire Council) to Carolyn Godfrey and had been responded to by Dr Mike Thompson as Chairman of the Task Group. 

Dr Mike Thompson, as Chairman of the Task Group, expressed regret that the School felt its provision had not been reflected correctly and also that a copy of the Task Group’s Final Report had not been sent to the Principal of the Academy.  It had certainly not been the wish of the Task Group to undermine the excellent work undertaken by Sarum Academy but the Task Group had been somewhat handicapped in that it had not been provided with a vision ethos for the Academy as had been provided in respect of other schools. He promised to arrange for a hard copy of the Final Report to be sent to the Principal as soon as possible.   He also welcomed the response of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services which he regarded as being very positive.

Cllr Lionel Grundy, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, introduced his report and explained that officers had acted swiftly and had already held two meetings with the Headteachers of the schools on the Laverstock campus regarding future strategic planning of the site.  He assured the Committee that the officers would continue to work for a satisfactory conclusion to the various issues that had been raised as far as the responsibilities of Wiltshire Council permitted.

During the ensuing discussion the following points were raised:-

·                Some concern was raised at the large amount of migration out of the County for the pursuit of sixth form studies and it was noted that there were insufficient places available in the south of the County to meet the demand for places.

·                With regard to the provision of transport for sixth form students, it was noted that there was no funding available.

After further discussion,

Resolved:

(1)       To note the response of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to the Task Group’s recommendations.

(2)       To note the response of Wiltshire College to recommendations 9 and 13 in the Task Group’s final report and to thank the College for providing this information.

(3)       To request the Task Group to reconvene to consider the concerns raised by the Principal and three sponsors of Sarum Academy and report back to this Committee.

(4)       To circulate the letter from three of the Sarum Academy sponsors detailing their concerns about the Task Group’s final report and the reply from the Chairman of the Task Group to members of the Committee.

(5)       To request clarification of the funding arrangements in place for transport for post-16 learners in Wiltshire.