Decision details

To support young people in their transition from Year 6 primary school to Year 7/8 secondary school from some of the deprived Wards within the Borough

The Cabinet Member with the Children and Young People Portfolio introduced the report of the Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services and the Director of Children and Adults Services (previously circulated) requesting that consideration be given to committing the remaining budget of £208,000, secured from the capital receipts from Darlington Arts Centre and Eastbourne School, to deliver an inclusive cultural programme working with Darlington schools over three years, entitled the In2 Project.

The submitted report stated that the In2 Project would work with six schools and was informed by a successful pilot which ran from May to July 2019; the pilot worked with a cohort of pupils from Corporation Road Primary School and Longfield Academy; the project would encourage wellbeing and focus on the impact of arts and sports engagement in encouraging a successful transition from primary to secondary schools, which had been identified as a key issue in Darlington; the programme would be managed by this Council working with a variety of organisations and services with expertise of working with children; and stated that the evaluation of the impact on the children participating would continue throughout the programme.

A video of the In2 ten week pilot programme was shown at the meeting.

A member of the public in attendance at the meeting addressed Cabinet in respect of the funding for the project and the number of children that would be involved.  The Cabinet Member with the Children and Young People Portfolio responded thereon.

RESOLVED – (a)  That the allocation of the uncommitted capital receipts from the Darlington Arts Centre of £90,000 and Eastbourne School site of £118,000, be agreed, to support a three-year programme of activity, working with Darlington schools through art and sport to encourage wellbeing and a successful transition from primary to secondary school.

(b)  That Cabinet receive annual update reports throughout the three-year programme.

REASONS – (a)  Over the last decade there has been significant research which demonstrates the health and wellbeing benefits derived from engagement with the arts and sport, including the Arts and Culture in Health and Wellbeing and in the Criminal Justice System, research released by Arts Council England earlier this year, which makes a compelling argument for using the arts and physical activity as tools to tackle mental health and health and wellbeing challenges across the community.

(b)  The proposed three-year programme will focus on work with a small cohort of pupils in depth and seeks to support those children engaged through the transition from Year 6 to Year 8.  This focus has been informed by learning taken from the In2 pilot programme which ran from May to July 2019 and responds to longstanding challenges facing North East schools around the transition from primary to secondary, including scoring poorly on KS4 progress.