Presentation from the Regional Schools Commissioner
Minutes:
Katherine Cowell, the Regional Schools Commissioner for the North attended the meeting and gave a presentation on the role of the Regional School Commissioner in relation to academies, free schools and place planning, Opportunity North East and school improvement.
The presentation provided an oversight of the academies in Darlington Local Authority, including the size of the trusts that operate in the Darlington; highlighted strong trust characteristics to provide positive outcomes for children, support strong financial health and provide expert governance; outlined data in relation to school performance by local authority area; and highlighted the Teaching Vacancy Service and Early Career Framework to support new teachers across their first two years of teaching.
The Regional School Commissioner also advised Scrutiny Members how Opportunity North East was supporting Darlington by five challenges which included transition to support more young people to continue to do well in secondary education; the ONE Vision Schools Improvement Programme; supporting Maths departments in 30 secondary schools through a package of support development by the regions two Maths Hubs to improve the quality of maths teaching; encouraging young people to find a pathway to a good career via a programme of work to engage with businesses to identify work/training activities for pupils; and expanding the FutureMe programme to encourage young people to progress to higher education.
Members were advised that as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Trust Reviews had been paused and reviews undertaken to measure the longer term impact of the pandemic and the Regional School Commissioner confirmed that the engagement and support from schools had been excellent.
Members questioned how much influence the Regional School Commissioner can have in relation to the Careers Challenge referred to above and were advised that the Board oversees the programme along with the local authority, schools and universities that sit on the Board and can raise any issues with local enterprise organisations.
The Chair also raised Members concerns about disadvantaged students and asked for reassurance that the Department for Education were focused on the disadvantaged. The Regional School Commissioner confirmed that through Opportunity North East support was being offered to schools that may be struggling and that her team speak to other local authorities in the North and schools on a daily basis and all feedback is fed into contingency planning.
The Chair also offered feedback from Members into the team and to offer their support, which the Regional School Commissioner welcomed and offered to provide Members with updates from Opportunity North East.
RESOLVED – That the thanks of this Scrutiny Committee be extended to the Regional School Commissioner for attending the meeting and for her interesting and informative presentation.